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

Boat Launch · Decatur County

Woodland Shores, Kentucky Lake

1 ramp, 1 lane. 38 miles from Savannah.

With a guide

Guides and charters near Woodland Shores

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

Steve McCadams · Paris Landing

Steve McCadams Professional Guide Service

Crappie, bass, bluegill, catfish, white bassCall 731-642-0360stevemccadams.com

Terry Elliott · Greenfield

Elliott’s Guide Service

Crappie, bassCall 731-234-8817elliottsguideservice.com

Multiple guides · Springville

KY Lake Crappie Fishing

Crappiekylakecrappiefishing.com

What to bring

Tackle for Woodland Shores

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 Woodland Shores

Woodland Shores is a public boat launch on Kentucky Lake in Decatur County, Tennessee, run by TWRA (MOU).

From Parsons, take HWY 641 / 69 N to Cherokee Heights Rd, area downstream from Cherokee Heights access, about 1 mile

Woodland Shores is 38 miles north of Savannah, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Cherokee Heights, 0.8 miles to the south-west on the same water. For bait, Perryville Marina in Parsons is about 9 miles away.

Coordinates 35.73970, -88.02160

Aerial view of Woodland Shores
Woodland Shores from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Woodland Shores

Free to launch 2.5 out of 5 Facilities 2.5 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 Woodland Shores. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Boat ramp

You can launch a trailered boat here. 1 lane.

Open 24 hours

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

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

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Woodland Shores

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

Bassmaster has called Kentucky Lake the crappie capital of America, and the Henry County reach, Paris Landing, the Big Sandy arm, Blood River and West Sandy, is the heart of that fishery. Ledge fishing over submerged ditches, creeks, islands and roadbeds in 6-14 ft is the defining technique.

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Woodland Shores

What you can keep from Kentucky Lake at Woodland Shores. TWRA sets 3 rules just for Kentucky Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumSame for smallmouth; spotted bass no length limit
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumKentucky Lake rule
Crappie2010 in minimumIncludes the dewatering areas
Spotted bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
White bass15No minimumStatewide
Sauger1015 in minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Kentucky Lake

  • Dewatering areas (West Sandy, Big Sandy, Gin Creek, Camden Bottoms, Duck River Bottoms, Busseltown, Perryville, Gumdale) closed 5 days before and during late waterfowl season.

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.

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

Next one along

More Kentucky Lake access near Woodland Shores

The closest other public access points on Kentucky Lake, measured straight line from Woodland Shores. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Woodland Shores water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Woodland Shores

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Woodland Shores, including Dogwood Lake, Buffalo River and Red Bud Lake. Handy when the wind is wrong on Kentucky Lake or the ramp is busy.

Your turn

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Common questions

Questions about Woodland Shores

Can you launch a boat at Woodland Shores?

Yes. TWRA records Woodland Shores as having a boat ramp. It has 1 lane. TWRA records it as free to launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Woodland Shores?

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 Woodland Shores?

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

Where can I buy bait near Woodland Shores?

Perryville Marina in Parsons is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 9 miles from Woodland Shores. Buffalo River Camping & Canoeing in Waverly is next, about 14 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Woodland Shores?

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

Who runs Woodland Shores?

Woodland Shores is listed under TWRA (MOU) 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 Woodland Shores, 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 Kentucky Lake rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.