95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish

Marina · Rhea County

Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort, Watts Bar Lake

1 ramp, 2 lanes, restrooms, accessible parking. 15 miles from Kingston.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

Captains who run Watts Bar Lake, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Capt. Billy Clabough · Knoxville / Kingston

Tennessee River Valley Fishing Guide Service

Catfish, striper, smallmouth, drumCall 865-690-5144tnrvg.com

Capt. Chadwick Ferrell · Knoxville

Fish On! Guided Tours

Striper, catfish, bass, trout, musky, sauger, crappieCall 865-455-0412fishontours.com

Capt. Brycen Roberts · Knoxville

Tennessee River Monsters

Stripers, catfish, largemouthCall 865-207-8741tennesseerivermonsters.com

What to bring

Tackle for Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

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

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

How to get there

Getting to Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort is a public marina on Watts Bar Lake in Rhea County, Tennessee, run by Marina.

HWY 27 to Whites Creek Road, go 1 mile on right

Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort is 15 miles south-west of Kingston, the nearest town with its own page here. The county seat, Dayton, is 24 miles to the south-west. The closest other public access is Roddy, 1.3 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is about 21 miles away.

Coordinates 35.77840, -84.75230

Aerial view of Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort
Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

Pay to enter: launch fee charged 5 out of 5 Facilities 5 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 Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 2 lanes.

Restrooms

Toilets on site, which is rarer than you would think.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Courtesy dock

A dock beside the ramp to tie off while you park the trailer.

Fish cleaning station

Clean your catch on site before the drive home.

Open 24 hours

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

Not recorded here: fishing pier, canoe and kayak, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

Watts Bar Lake holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

Most of Roane County’s river mileage is Watts Bar. Its three arms, Tennessee, Clinch and Emory, fish as three separate lakes, which is the single most useful thing to tell an angler about it.

TVA rates it at or near the top of its system for crappie and black bass; Florida-strain largemouth have been stocked since 2015 and walleye since 2011.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

What you can keep from Watts Bar Lake at Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Watts Bar Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Black bass (combined)515 in minimumAll black bass species
Striped bassApr 1–Oct 31: 2 combined with hybrids; Nov 1–Mar 31: 2 combined, only 1 striped15 in minimum Apr–Oct; 36 in minimum Nov–MarHybrids 15 in minimum year-round
Paddlefish1No length limitSeason May 1–15. Culling prohibited
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Walleye516 in minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Watts Bar Lake

  • US-321 bridge up to Fort Loudoun Dam closed to snagging Mar 15–Apr 30 and May 16–31. Emory River rules also apply.

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.

9 public boat launches in Rhea County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

Next one along

More Watts Bar Lake access near Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

The closest other public access points on Watts Bar Lake, measured straight line from Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

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Common questions

Questions about Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort

Can you launch a boat at Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort?

Yes. TWRA records Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort as having a boat ramp. It has 2 lanes. There is a launch fee here, so bring money.

Do you need a fishing licence at Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort?

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 Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort?

Watts Bar Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, striped bass, white bass, walleye, sauger and catfish. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort?

Meadow Park Lake park office in Crossville is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 21 miles from Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort. Lane’s Landing Bait & Tackle in Lenoir City is next, about 28 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort?

Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort is listed under Marina 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.

Keep going

Fishing around Whites Creek Marina & Lakeside Resort, 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 Watts Bar Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.