Lake · Marion

Fishing Guntersville Lake, Tennessee

Q: Is Guntersville 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 Guntersville Lake, county by county

All 2 public access points TWRA records on Guntersville 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.

Guntersville Lake access in Marion County

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVABlue Bridge Ramp1 ramp, 1 laneDirections and detail →35.01603, -85.69135 Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · CityJC Ramp in South PittsburgSouth Pittsburg, TN at Blue Bridge near HWY 72 and HWY 156 intersection1 ramp, 2 lanescanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →35.01570, -85.69540

What to bring

Tackle for Guntersville 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

Guntersville Lake boat ramps and fishing access

Guntersville Lake has 2 public access points: 2 boat ramps and 1 kayak launch, in Marion County.

2public access points

2boat ramps

1kayak and canoe launches

1county

Lake conditions

Guntersville Lake generation schedule

The flow in the Guntersville Lake follows the release from Nickajack Dam. The schedule for it is on its lake conditions page.

Nickajack Dam schedule

What it looks like

Guntersville Lake in photographs

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

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →Bryce Edwards from San Jose, CA, USA / CC BY 2.0

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →RebelCowboySnB Marlon N Weldon / CC BY-SA 3.0

Nickajack LakeOpen the Nickajack Lake page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 4.0

What you can catch

Fish in Guntersville Lake

What Guntersville 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 bluegill redear sunfish striped bass white bass catfish

Guides who fish Guntersville Lake

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Guntersville Lake

TWRA sets 3 rules just for Guntersville Lake. They replace the statewide limit for those fish. Everything else follows the statewide limit.

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Largemouth bass	5 black bass combined	15 in minimum	Tennessee section
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum, only one over 16 in	Same rule for spotted, Alabama and hybrid bass
Crappie	30	9 in minimum	Guntersville Lake rule
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Redear sunfish	20	No minimum	Statewide
Striped bass	2 striped and hybrid combined	15 in minimum	Statewide
White bass	15	No minimum	Statewide
Channel catfish	No limit under 34 in	Only one over 34 in	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

By county

Counties on Guntersville Lake

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

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

By town

Towns on Guntersville 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.

Hamilton CountyFishing near ChattanoogaPublic water within about 30 miles of Chattanooga, closest first.See the spots →

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

Common questions

Questions about fishing Guntersville Lake

How many public boat ramps are there on Guntersville Lake?

TWRA lists 2 public boat launches on Guntersville Lake, with 3 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 Guntersville Lake?

Guntersville Lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, striped bass, white bass 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 Guntersville Lake run through?

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

Can you fish Guntersville Lake from the bank?

Yes, though no public fishing pier is recorded on Guntersville Lake. 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 Guntersville 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 Guntersville 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 Guntersville 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