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Fishing Site · Cocke County

Weaver Bend, French Broad River

Canoe / kayak landing. 16 miles from Newport.

Get driving directionsAll Cocke County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Weaver Bend

Captains who run Cherokee and Douglas, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Capt. Skylar Hamilton · Dandridge

Skylar Hamilton Guide Service

Bassskylarhamiltonfishing.com

Capt. Nathan Mountain · Dandridge / Gatlinburg

Nathan Mountain Outdoors

Largemouth, smallmouth, crappie, bluegill, troutCall 423-726-0240nathanmountainoutdoors.com

Capt. Jim Durham · Multi-base TN/KY

StriperFun Guide Service

Cherokee Lake stripersCall 931-403-2501striperfun.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Weaver Bend

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.

RodUgly Stik GX2 7 ft medium-heavy casting rodStiff enough to set a hook in grass, tough enough to live in a truck bed.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelAbu Garcia Black Max baitcasting reelAn inexpensive baitcaster that casts cleanly once the brakes are set.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Soft plasticZoom Trick WormThe Tennessee standard on a Texas rig or weightless along docks and grass edges.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full largemouth bass checklist (11 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Smallmouth Bass checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistWalleye and Sauger checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

How to get there

Getting to Weaver Bend

Weaver Bend is a public access point on French Broad River in Cocke County, Tennessee, run by USFS.

Near Paint Mountain and Chimney Rocks Trail around River mile 100

Weaver Bend is 16 miles east of Newport, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Wolf Creek, 3.5 miles to the west on the same water. For bait, Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is about 28 miles away.

Coordinates 35.93038, -82.90210

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Newport
Aerial view of Weaver Bend
Weaver Bend from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Weaver Bend

Free to launch 2 out of 5 Facilities 2 of 5, scored from what TWRA records: ramp, docks, pier, restrooms, parking, lighting and hours.

Everything below comes from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s own public access record for Weaver Bend. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Canoe and kayak

A landing shallow enough to carry a paddle craft in and out.

Open 24 hours

TWRA records round the clock access, so early starts are fine.

Not recorded here: boat ramp, fishing pier, restrooms, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Weaver Bend

French Broad River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

largemouth basssmallmouth bassrock basssaugermuskellungecatfishredhorse

Crosses the northern part of the county and receives the Little Pigeon north of Sevierville; below Douglas Dam it is a stocked trout tailwater, and further down it becomes one of the state’s better smallmouth rivers.

Everything on French Broad RiverFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Weaver Bend

What you can keep from French Broad River at Weaver Bend. TWRA sets 4 rules just for French Broad River. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Smallmouth bass518 in minimumHwy 168 to Douglas Dam
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined13–17 in protected slot, one over 17 inHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line
Walleye5 walleye/sauger combined15 in minimumHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line
Sauger5 walleye/sauger combinedNo minimum, only one over 16 inHwy 321 bridge upstream to NC line; includes sauger/walleye hybrids
Largemouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Rock bass20No minimumStatewide
Muskellunge136 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

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.

Statewide limits and licenses

7 public boat launches in Cocke County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

French Broad River around Weaver Bend

What the water at Weaver Bend actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →Pollinator at en.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0Douglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainDouglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Pi.1415926535 / CC BY-SA 4.0French Broad River, TennesseeFrench Broad RiverOpen the French Broad River page →U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region / Public domainDouglas Lake, TennesseeDouglas LakeOpen the Douglas Lake page →Dwight Burdette / CC BY 3.0

Next one along

More French Broad River access near Weaver Bend

The closest other public access points on French Broad River, measured straight line from Weaver Bend. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSWolf Creek3.5 miles westUS 25.70, 1/2 mile est of Wolf Creek Bridge1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.92248, -82.96379Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · PrivateHighway 321 Bridge15 miles westHwy. 25/20 to Newport to Hwy. 321 to Rock Hill Rd. River Mile 76canoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.98223, -83.15961Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVARankin19 miles north-westHoly Town Rd, Newport, TN 378211 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.05008, -83.20845Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAWalters Bridge21 miles west1469 E US-25 70, Newport, TN 378211 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.04222, -83.25630Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVALeadvale Access Area22 miles north-west3557 Leadvale Rd, White Pine, TN 378901 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.08883, -83.24917Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing SiteFrench Broad River Fishing Access36 miles westDirections and detail →35.96141, -83.54108
All 13 access points on French Broad River

Weaver Bend water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Weaver Bend

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Weaver Bend, including Nolichucky River. Handy when the wind is wrong on French Broad River or the ramp is busy.

Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVADavy Crockett Dam Canoe AccessNolichucky River · 9.5 miles northcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.06542, -82.86858Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · OtherHwy 321 Bridge AccessNolichucky River · 10 miles northcanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.07005, -82.96708Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityKinser ParkNolichucky River · 11 miles north1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.08790, -82.85240Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAJoe Johnson AccessNolichucky River · 12 miles northHwy 70 to E. Allens Bridge Road to Birds Bridge Rd1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.08666, -82.82507Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAEasterly BridgeNolichucky River · 12 miles north-westUS 321 Bright Hope Rd to Poplar Springs Rd1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.08337, -82.99487Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TVABewleys BridgeNolichucky River · 14 miles north-westHwy 340 to Bewleys Bridgecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →36.09584, -83.05105

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Weaver Bend

The closest shops to Weaver Bend that this site has checked. Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is nearest, about 28 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Dandridge · about 28 milesLakeview Market & DeliSmall local store carrying bait, ice and the basics.Directions and phone →Dandridge · about 28 milesBucks N BassTackle and bait for Jefferson County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Dandridge · about 29 milesNathan Mountain OutdoorsSporting goods. Rods, reels, line and a licence counter.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Cocke County

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Common questions

Questions about Weaver Bend

Can you launch a boat at Weaver Bend?

No trailered ramp is recorded at Weaver Bend. It is listed as a canoe and kayak landing, so a paddle craft you can carry is fine.

Do you need a fishing licence at Weaver Bend?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence to fish here, and a trout supplemental on top of it if you plan to keep trout. It is the same rule at every public access point in the state.

What fish are in the water at Weaver Bend?

French Broad River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rock bass, sauger, muskellunge, catfish and redhorse. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Weaver Bend?

Lakeview Market & Deli in Dandridge is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 28 miles from Weaver Bend. Bucks N Bass in Dandridge is next, about 28 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Weaver Bend?

No restroom is recorded here. Most TWRA ramps have none, so plan for that on a long day.

Who runs Weaver Bend?

Weaver Bend is listed under USFS in TWRA’s public access database. The owner is worth knowing because it usually decides whether there is a fee, whether the gate is locked overnight, and who to ring when a ramp is closed for repair.

Where to next

Around Weaver Bend

Weaver Bend is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing French Broad River13 public access points across 4 counties.See the spots →County guideFishing in Cocke CountyEvery public spot in Cocke County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listCocke County spot listAll 12 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near NewportShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near NewportEverything within about 30 miles of Newport, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Weaver Bend, and who knows it

Guides and charters on this site are listed by the water they run, so you can ring the captain who fishes French Broad River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits