95 Counties · 1,002 Public Access Points · 78 Lakes and RiversTennessee state record fish
Tennessee Fishing SpotsEvery County, Every Town
Spot SearchGear SearchLakes & RiversFishAll Fishing SpotsCountiesTownsGuides & ChartersTournamentsState RecordsLicence & LimitsEmail Updates

Lake · Clay, Fentress and Pickett

Fishing Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee

30 public access points across 3 counties, with directions to every one.

Jump to the access listLicence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Dale Hollow Lake, county by county

All 30 public access points TWRA records on Dale Hollow 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.

Dale Hollow Lake access in Clay County

Launch fee3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaCedar Hill Marina1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.54435, -85.43716Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaDale Hollow Marina1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.55365, -85.44711Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaHolly Creek Marina1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.58932, -85.39943Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaHorse Creek Marina2 ramps, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.51003, -85.45153Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACELillydale Boat Ramp1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.60085, -85.29855Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaMitchell Creek Marina2 ramps, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.51365, -85.38649Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEPleasant Grove Recreation Area1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.53837, -85.44004Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEWillow Grove Campground Ramp1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingrestroomsDirections and detail →36.58571, -85.34505Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaWillow Grove Marina1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.58458, -85.34220Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaCedar Hill Marina and ResortFrom Celina, 53 N to Old Hwy 53, turn right on Cedar Hill Rd to resort1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.54400, -85.43760Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaDale Hollow MarinaFrom Celina, 53 N to Old HWY 53, turn right on Arlon Webb Road1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.55360, -85.44710Launch fee3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · MarinaHolly Creek DockFrom Celina, North on HWY 53, approx 7 milesm right on Holly Creek Road1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.58740, -85.39830Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaHolly Creek MarinaDirections and detail →36.58740, -85.39830Fee not listed3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · MarinaHorse Creek Resort2 ramps, 1 lanefishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.51010, -85.45180Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACELilydale1 ramp, 1 lanefishing pierrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.60550, -85.29940Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaLivingston Marina1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.51390, -85.38690Free4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEMitchell Creek MarinaHWY 52 between Celina and Livingston, TN. Livingston Boat Dock Road, 4 miles to marina. Follow signs2 ramps, 2 lanesrestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →36.51485, -85.38456Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEPleasant Grove Day Use Area1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.53880, -85.43950Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaWillow Grove Dock & ResortFrom Allons, Willow Gove HWY to end of road1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.58570, -85.34510

Dale Hollow Lake access in Fentress County

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACECompton’s Boat Ramp1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.45226, -85.08319

Dale Hollow Lake access in Pickett County

Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACECove Creek1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.54690, -85.21270Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEEagle Cove MarinaFrom HWY 111, West on Cordell Hull Memorial Drive (325), right on Eagle Cove Road2 ramps, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →36.61790, -85.24410Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEEast Port MarinaFrom HWY 52, East Port Road2 ramps, 1 lanerestroomsrentalsDirections and detail →36.44980, -85.12370Free2 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEGunnels Camp1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.60978, -85.14867Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEObey River Day Use1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsDirections and detail →36.53280, -85.16370Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEPlank Yard1 ramp, 1 lanerestroomsDirections and detail →36.53869, -85.17350Free4 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACEStar Point DockFrom HWY 111, West on Cordell Hull Memorial Drive (325) to Star Point2 ramps, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.58720, -85.24650Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACESunset Dock1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.53270, -85.16420Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · USACESunset Marina & Resort1 ramp, 2 lanesrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.53300, -85.16150Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USACEWolf River Bridge1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →36.60246, -85.12135

What to bring

Tackle for Dale Hollow 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 checklistCrappie checklistBluegill and Panfish checklistFish Finders comparedTrolling Motors comparedLithium Marine Batteries comparedShallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Dale Hollow Lake boat ramps and fishing access

Dale Hollow Lake has 30 public access points: 29 boat ramps, 5 fishing piers and 14 kayak launches, in Clay, Fentress and Pickett counties.

30public access points
29boat ramps
5fishing piers
14kayak and canoe launches
3counties

Lake conditions

Dale Hollow Lake level today

TVA’s current Dale Hollow Lake level, the 24-hour change, the Dale Hollow Dam generation schedule and the level forecast, on one page.

Dale Hollow Lake level

What Dale Hollow Lake is actually like

Dale Hollow Lake, county by county

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

Fentress County

From the Fentress County page

Fentress County includes part of the reservoir’s upper Obey/East Fork arm, but read the CONFIDENCE note, the developed marinas and ramps are all in Pickett and Clay counties, roughly 30 minutes west of Jamestown, so this is a “nearest major water” for Fentress rather than a water with Fentress access.

Pickett County

From the Pickett County page

Byrdstown bills itself as the gateway to Dale Hollow, and the Pickett County shore holds a large share of the lake’s marinas and ramps; the lake is clear, deep and highland in character, and smallmouth average around three pounds.

Clay County

From the Clay County page

The clearest big lake in Middle Tennessee and the world-record smallmouth water; smallmouth average around 3 lb, largemouth around 2.5 lb, and Clay County holds the marina belt on the lake’s southern shore.

What it looks like

Dale Hollow Lake in photographs

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

Dale Hollow Lake, TennesseeDale Hollow LakeOpen the Dale Hollow Lake page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainObey River, TennesseeObey RiverOpen the Obey River page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domainDale Hollow Lake, TennesseeDale Hollow LakeOpen the Dale Hollow Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Obey River, TennesseeObey RiverOpen the Obey River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Dale Hollow Lake, TennesseeDale Hollow LakeOpen the Dale Hollow Lake page →Dalehollow / CC BY-SA 3.0Obey River, TennesseeObey RiverOpen the Obey River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0

What you can catch

Fish in Dale Hollow Lake

What Dale Hollow 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 basssmallmouth basscrappiebluegillwalleyecatfish
Guides who fish Dale Hollow Lake

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Dale Hollow Lake

TWRA sets 5 rules just for Dale Hollow Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Black bass (combined)5, only 2 may be smallmouth—Dale Hollow Lake rule
Largemouth bass5 black bass combined15 in minimumDale Hollow Lake rule
Smallmouth bass216–21 in protected slot: one under 16 in and one over 21 inIncludes the Wolf River upstream to South Ford Road bridge
Muskellunge150 in minimumDale Hollow Lake rule
Walleye516 in minimum, only one over 20 inEast Fork Obey River, Compton boat ramp to Hwy 52 bridge, Jan 1–Apr 15: one single-point hook or lure, max 3 rods; gigging, snagging, bowfishing closed on the East Fork Jan 1–Apr 30
Crappie1510 in minimumStatewide
BluegillNo limitNo minimumStatewide
Channel catfishNo limit under 34 inOnly one over 34 inStatewide

Other rules on Dale Hollow Lake

  • No more than 4 rods and reels per angler.

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

Dale Hollow Lake fish consumption advisory

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

Entire reservoir within Tennessee (27, 700 acres)

Mercury

Precautionary advisory for walleye and 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

October on Dale Hollow Lake

What’s biting on Dale Hollow Lake in October

Largemouth bass

Largemouth bass in Tennessee

Fall largemouth push into the backs of creeks after shad.

Where: Watts Bar Lake, Dale Hollow Lake and the grass flats of Nickajack Lake.

Source: TWRA: Watts Bar · TWRA: Dale Hollow · TWRA: Nickajack

All of Tennessee in October

Tournaments

Upcoming tournaments on Dale Hollow Lake

Feb272027

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Team/Solo

Feb 27, 2027 · Major League Fishing

Launch: Star Point Resort, Byrdstown

Event page

Mar132027

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Team/Solo

Mar 13, 2027 · Major League Fishing

Launch: Star Point Resort, Byrdstown

Event page

Nov112027

Toyota Series Championship

Nov 11–13, 2027 · Major League Fishing

Launch: Byrdstown

Event page

Dale Hollow Lake schedule and resultsEvery Tennessee tournament

By county

Counties on Dale Hollow Lake

Dale Hollow Lake touches 3 Tennessee counties. The county page has the bait shops, the bank access and the local limits.

CelinaClay County19 access points on Dale Hollow Lake, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →JamestownFentress County1 access point on Dale Hollow Lake, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →ByrdstownPickett County10 access points on Dale Hollow Lake, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

By town

Towns on Dale Hollow 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.

Clay CountyFishing near CelinaPublic water within about 30 miles of Celina, closest first.See the spots →Overton CountyFishing near LivingstonPublic water within about 30 miles of Livingston, closest first.See the spots →

30 public access points on Dale Hollow Lake, every one with directions.

Common questions

Questions about fishing Dale Hollow Lake

How many public boat ramps are there on Dale Hollow Lake?

TWRA lists 29 public boat launches on Dale Hollow Lake, with 43 ramp lanes between them, across 3 Tennessee counties. Every one of them is listed on this page with directions.

What fish can you catch in Dale Hollow Lake?

Dale Hollow Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye 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 Dale Hollow Lake run through?

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

Can you fish Dale Hollow Lake from the bank?

Yes. 5 of the public access points on Dale Hollow 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 Dale Hollow 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 Dale Hollow 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 Dale Hollow 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 waterLicence and limits

Before you launch, check today's level, dam release schedule and any weather alerts for Dale Hollow Lake: Dale Hollow Lake conditions.