Lake · Blount

Fishing Chilhowee Lake, Tennessee

Q: Is Chilhowee Lake free to fish?

The water is. Some of the ramps are not — Corps of Engineers sites, state park ramps and marinas often charge to launch or park. Each listing below shows the owner, which is the best guide to whether you will be asked for money.

2 public access points across 1 county, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access list Licence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Chilhowee Lake, county by county

All 2 public access points TWRA records on Chilhowee Lake. Each card opens its own page with written directions, coordinates and a link straight to Google Maps.

Tap a pin for the spot page and directions. Open the full Tennessee fishing map.

Chilhowee Lake access in Blount County

Free4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · Private LandAbram’s Creek RampFoothills Parkway to right on US 1291 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierDirections and detail →35.55670, -84.01140 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · ALCOATabcat Creek1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.52470, -83.99360

What to bring

Tackle for Chilhowee Lake

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 checklist Crappie checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Chilhowee Lake boat ramps and fishing access

Chilhowee Lake has 2 public access points: 2 boat ramps and 1 fishing pier, in Blount County.

2public access points

2boat ramps

1fishing pier

1county

What Chilhowee Lake is actually like

Chilhowee Lake, county by county

Chilhowee Lake does not fish the same at both ends. This is what the research for each county on it turned up.

Blount County

From the Blount County page

Runs along US-129 and fishes more like a river than a lake; its cold outflow is what makes Tellico cool downstream.

What it looks like

Chilhowee Lake in photographs

What Chilhowee Lake looks like through the year. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Chilhowee LakeOpen the Chilhowee Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Fort Loudoun LakeOpen the Fort Loudoun Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

Little RiverOpen the Little River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 2.5

Chilhowee LakeOpen the Chilhowee Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Fort Loudoun LakeOpen the Fort Loudoun Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

Little RiverOpen the Little River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 2.5

What you can catch

Fish in Chilhowee Lake

What Chilhowee Lake actually holds, from the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes. A licence is required for all of it.

largemouth bass smallmouth bass crappie rock bass walleye rainbow troutyellow perch

Guides who fish Chilhowee Lake

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Chilhowee Lake

TWRA sets 2 rules just for Chilhowee Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Black bass (combined)	5	15 in minimum	All black bass species
Yellow perch	15	No length limit	Chilhowee Lake rule
Crappie	15	10 in minimum	Statewide
Rock bass	20	No minimum	Statewide
Walleye	5	16 in minimum	Statewide
Rainbow trout	7 trout combined	No minimum	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.

Statewide limits and licenses

Eating what you catch

Chilhowee Lake fish consumption advisory

TDEC’s fish consumption advisory for Chilhowee Lake, from its August 2026 list of posted waters.

Entirety (1,749 acres)

Mercury

Precautionary advisory for all black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted).Precautionary means: Children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers should not consume the fish species named. All other persons should limit consumption of the named species to one meal per month.

Every Tennessee fish advisory

By county

Counties on Chilhowee Lake

Chilhowee Lake touches 1 Tennessee county. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

MaryvilleBlount County2 access points on Chilhowee Lake, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

2 public access points on Chilhowee Lake, every one with directions.

By town

Towns on Chilhowee Lake

These pages measure from the middle of town rather than the county line, which is usually the number that matters when you are deciding where to drive.

Blount CountyFishing near MaryvillePublic water within about 30 miles of Maryville, closest first.See the spots →

Common questions

Questions about fishing Chilhowee Lake

How many public boat ramps are there on Chilhowee Lake?

TWRA lists 2 public boat launches on Chilhowee Lake, with 2 ramp lanes between them, across 1 Tennessee county. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in Chilhowee Lake?

Chilhowee Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, rock bass, walleye, rainbow trout and yellow perch. Which of those is actually worth chasing depends on the season, and TWRA sets size and creel limits that change, so check before you keep anything.

Which counties does Chilhowee Lake run through?

Blount county. Each has its own page on this site with the local bait shops, ramps and bank access.

Can you fish Chilhowee Lake from the bank?

Yes. 1 of the public access points on Chilhowee Lake have a built fishing pier, and most of the ramps have shoreline you can walk. A pier is the easiest option with children or without a boat.

Do you need a licence to fish Chilhowee Lake?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence, and a trout supplemental on top if you plan to keep trout. Non-residents can buy a three-day or ten-day licence rather than a full year.

Is Chilhowee Lake free to fish?

The water is. Some of the ramps are not, Corps of Engineers sites, state park ramps and marinas often charge to launch or park. Each listing below shows the owner, which is the best guide to whether you will be asked for money.

Keep going

More Chilhowee Lake water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits