What to bring
Tackle for Veto Access Area
Three picks from the largemouth bass checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:
How to get there
Getting to Veto Access Area
Veto Access Area is a public boat launch on Elk River in Giles County, Tennessee, run by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
1 mile south of Prospect, TN where Veto Rd crosses Elk River
Veto Access Area is 25 miles south-east of Lawrenceburg, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Matt Gardner Elk River Access Area, 6.4 miles to the east on the same water.
Coordinates 35.01350, -86.99527
What you can catch
Fish you can catch at Veto Access Area
Elk River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.
By the time the Elk reaches Giles County it is well below the Tims Ford trout water and has become a warmwater smallmouth and catfish river
What you can keep
Fishing limits at Veto Access Area
What you can keep from Elk River at Veto Access Area. TWRA sets 1 rule just for Elk River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.
| Fish | Daily limit | Length | Where or when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown trout | 1 | 20 in minimum | Tailwater: Tims Ford Dam to I-65 bridge, including tributaries. Total trout limit stays 7 |
| Largemouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Smallmouth bass | 5 black bass combined | No minimum | Statewide |
| Bluegill | No limit | No minimum | Statewide |
| Rock bass | 20 | No minimum | Statewide |
| Channel catfish | No limit under 34 in | Only one over 34 in | Statewide |
From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.
5 public boat launches in Giles County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.
What it looks like
Elk River around Veto Access Area
What the water at Veto Access Area actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →dmtilley / CC BY 3.0
Richland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Snyder, Frank R. Flickr: Miami U. Libraries, Digital Collec / No restrictions
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Richland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0
Elk RiverOpen the Elk River page →Michael Barera / CC BY-SA 4.0
Richland CreekOpen the Richland Creek page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Next one along
More Elk River access near Veto Access Area
The closest other public access points on Elk River, measured straight line from Veto Access Area. Each one opens its own page with directions.
Veto Access Area water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass.
Other water close by
Other fishing near Veto Access Area
Public access on other water within 20 miles of Veto Access Area, including Richland Creek. Handy when the wind is wrong on Elk River or the ramp is busy.
Bait on the way
Bait and tackle near Veto Access Area
The closest shops to Veto Access Area that this site has checked. Academy Sports in Columbia is nearest, about 42 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.
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Where to next
Around Veto Access Area
Veto Access Area is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.