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River · Grundy and Warren

Fishing Collins River, Tennessee

7 public access points across 2 counties, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access listLicence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Collins River, county by county

All 7 public access points TWRA records on Collins River. 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.

Collins River access in Grundy County

Free2 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · OtherHighway 56 Bridgecanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.51815, -85.67427Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · TWRAWanamaker AccessDirections and detail →35.52853, -85.69451

Collins River access in Warren County

Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAKing’s RampTake King’s Landing Rd, 1 mi west of main park entrance on HWY 297, follow 0.5 mi1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.79977, -85.64303Free1.5 out of 5facilitiesTWRALocke BendDirections and detail →35.74630, -85.69876Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAMyers Cove1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.61858, -85.68460Launch fee2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · Private LandOld VFW Access1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.70930, -85.73100Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · TWRAShellsford Accesscanoe / kayak landingDirections and detail →35.67579, -85.70852

What to bring

Tackle for Collins River

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 checklistMusky checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Collins River boat ramps and fishing access

Collins River has 7 public access points: 3 boat ramps and 3 kayak launches, in Grundy and Warren counties.

7public access points
3boat ramps
3kayak and canoe launches
2counties

River levels

Collins River level and flow today

The latest USGS gauge readings on the Collins River, the seven-day trend and the forecast.

Collins River level

What Collins River is actually like

Collins River, county by county

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

Warren County

From the Warren County page

One of the few rivers in Tennessee with a genuine musky population, TWRA stocked it from 1982 through 2006 and it now sustains itself; the oxbow at the mouth creates the peninsula that most of Rock Island State Park sits on.

Grundy County

From the Grundy County page

The Collins is one of very few rivers in Tennessee with a good muskellunge population, which is the single most distinctive thing about fishing in Grundy County

What it looks like

Collins River in photographs

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

Collins River, TennesseeCollins RiverOpen the Collins River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Barren Fork River, TennesseeBarren Fork RiverOpen the Barren Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Collins River, TennesseeCollins RiverOpen the Collins River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Barren Fork River, TennesseeBarren Fork RiverOpen the Barren Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Barren Fork River, TennesseeBarren Fork RiverOpen the Barren Fork River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

What you can catch

Fish in Collins River

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

largemouth basssmallmouth basssunfishrock bassmuskellungecatfish
Guides who fish Collins River

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Collins River

Collins River has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Largemouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
Smallmouth bass5 black bass combinedNo minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo 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

By county

Counties on Collins River

Collins River touches 2 Tennessee counties. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

AltamontGrundy County2 access points on Collins River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →McMinnvilleWarren County5 access points on Collins River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

By town

Towns on Collins River

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.

Warren CountyFishing near McMinnvillePublic water within about 30 miles of McMinnville, closest first.See the spots →

7 public access points on Collins River, every one with directions.

Common questions

Questions about fishing Collins River

How many public boat ramps are there on Collins River?

TWRA lists 3 public boat launches on Collins River, with 4 ramp lanes between them, across 2 Tennessee counties. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in Collins River?

Collins River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, muskellunge and catfish. 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 Collins River run through?

Grundy and Warren counties. Each has its own page on this site with the local bait shops, ramps and bank access.

Can you fish Collins River from the bank?

Yes, though no public fishing pier is recorded on Collins River. Bank fishing here means the shoreline and parking areas at the public ramps, plus road and bridge crossings where there is public right of way.

Do you need a licence to fish Collins River?

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 Collins River 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 Collins River 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 waterLicence and limits