River · Montgomery and Robertson

Fishing Red River, Tennessee

Q: Is Red 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.

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

Jump to the access list Licence and limits

Every access point

Public access on Red River, county by county

All 6 public access points TWRA records on Red 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.

Red River access in Montgomery County

Free3 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · CityBilly Dunlop Parkcanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.60955, -87.36646 Free2 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · TDECPort Royal State ParkI-24 to 76 east, left on Port Royal Roadcanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.55468, -87.14160 Free2 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · CityRed River Trailheadcanoe / kayak landingaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.54293, -87.36199 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesPaddling · CityRobert Clark Parkcanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.62546, -87.36745

Red River access in Robertson County

Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAAdam’s RampFrom South: I24 to Exit 19 and Hwy 256 all the way into Adams. Turn right on S Church St. (HWY 76). Turn left on HWY 41 and go 1 mile to access sign. Turn left into access road.1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrentalsDirections and detail →36.58847, -87.08842 Free2.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TWRAPorters Chapel Public Boat AccessI-24 Exit 19 toward Adams, turn right onto Hwy 41 in Adams, left onto Keysburg Rd, cross Red River, right turn onto Keysburg Rd, right turn onto Hugh Gill Rd, ramp at corner of…1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.62508, -87.00830

What to bring

Tackle for Red 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 checklist Bluegill and Panfish checklist Catfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

The water

Red River boat ramps and fishing access

Red River has 6 public access points: 2 boat ramps and 5 kayak launches, in Montgomery and Robertson counties.

6public access points

2boat ramps

5kayak and canoe launches

2counties

River levels

Red River level and flow today

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

Red River level

What Red River is actually like

Red River, county by county

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

Robertson County

From the Robertson County page

The county’s only significant water. It rises in Sumner County, loops through Kentucky and re-enters Robertson County, running west past Adams toward the Cumberland at Clarksville. Named for the red-brown colour its iron-oxide clay and silt load gives it, which also means it clouds fast after rain.

Montgomery County

From the Montgomery County page

Distinctive and worth saying: it runs visibly reddish from a heavy clay and silt load carrying iron oxides, and it is shallow, slow and easily paddled, the county’s best float and the best smallmouth water in it.

What it looks like

Red River in photographs

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

Lake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →George Green, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / Public domain

Lake BarkleyOpen the Lake Barkley page →United States. Army. Corps Of Engineers. Nashvil / Public domain

What you can catch

Fish in Red River

What Red 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 bass smallmouth bass sunfish rock bass flathead catfishfreshwater drum

Guides who fish Red River

What you can keep

Fishing limits on Red River

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

Fish	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Largemouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Smallmouth bass	5 black bass combined	No minimum	Statewide
Bluegill	No limit	No minimum	Statewide
Rock bass	20	No minimum	Statewide
Flathead 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 Red River

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

ClarksvilleMontgomery County4 access points on Red River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →SpringfieldRobertson County2 access points on Red River, plus the rest of the county’s water.See the spots →

By town

Towns on Red 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.

Montgomery CountyFishing near ClarksvillePublic water within about 30 miles of Clarksville, closest first.See the spots →Robertson CountyFishing near SpringfieldPublic water within about 30 miles of Springfield, closest first.See the spots →

6 public access points on Red River, every one with directions.

Common questions

Questions about fishing Red River

How many public boat ramps are there on Red River?

TWRA lists 2 public boat launches on Red River, with 2 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 Red River?

Red River holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, rock bass, flathead catfish and freshwater drum. 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 Red River run through?

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

Can you fish Red River from the bank?

Yes, though no public fishing pier is recorded on Red 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 Red 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 Red 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 Red 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 water Licence and limits