Percy priest lake information

Thomps9658

Recruit
Joined
Jun 30, 2015
Messages
3
Hello and thank you in advance for any help you can give. I recently purchased a 24 ft pontoon boat and will hopefully be making my first trip out on the weekend of July 11. I do have some experience boating but have never owned my own before. I have previously done boating on the Tennessee river in west Tennessee and north Alabama at Joe wheeler but have never been out on Percy priest.


I am curious as to what areas would be best to launch from that would offer some spots close by to swim. I have heard of people that camp on some of the various islands on the lake and would be interested in doing that sometime as well. Are you able to beach your boat on these islands? I know that around west Tennessee on the TN river there are sandbars that you can beach your boat on but not sure if this lake has anything like that.
 

southkogs

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
14,785
Welcome aboard:

If you can play a little more to the North end of the lake. It's busier, but I think a little nicer. That said, I typically launch outta' the South end and spend more time that way. I'm not sure exactly how the camping works on the lake - we've never done it. However, there are several islands on the lake and people regularly camp on them. You don't so much "beach" a boat in TN. You figure out a way to tie it up, and anchor it down. There are a few spots where you can actually beach, but we're a pretty rocky bottom. Most of the shallow areas are marked, and be advised that the bulk of them are rock ... you can chew up a prop fast. Nothing to worry too much about, there's plenty of open deep water ... just when they have markers out, they're serious about it.

Contact the TWRA about camping out there. They'd know the answers.

I ran across THIS SITE when looking something up for this post. It shows all of the launches, so all the options are there. Here's some details about the one's I know about:

Fate Sanders Marina - (#10 on the map) - okay parking. Busy most of the time, but not horrible. South end of the lake, so you have a little bit of a ride North to get to the pretty stuff. Gas, food and supplies at the marina.

Pooles Knob (#27), Lamar Hill (#19), Cook Recreation Area (#3) - all are public ramps, pretty basic stuff. Lamar and Pooles are South End and I wouldn't mess with 'em. Cooks is okay if you need a North end spot from the East side of the lake. Probably can't park at these overnight.

Hurricane Creek didn't make the map in my link, and is one of my favorite launches. I doubt you can park here overnight, but you're easy access to the bulk of the lake and it doesn't cost anything. It'll get busy at times, but the parking is pretty good.

Four Corners (#12) and Elm Hill (#6) were both pay to launch sites - both very nice marinas. But starting last year they say they're closed to the public now. I'd give 'em a call if you're interested and see what that's about. It's not been an issue for me (Hurricane Creek is just across the inlet from Four Corners), so I haven't looked into it. Those two probably have the nicest restaurants on the lake - Elm Hill probably edging out for the win.

Nashville Shores (#24) is HUGE ... big marina attached to the park, campground and waterpark. I've pulled into it from the lake, but never got outta' the boat and haven't put in from there. It's pretty though :)

We typically find a cove or an island and toss out an anchor to swim. I have 3 kids and 2 retrievers in the water most of the time, so I look for fairly out of the way places ... and there's plenty of those.

Dunno' where I'll be that weekend. This coming weekend we'll be around Four Corners or Fate Sanders area to watch fireworks.
 

Thomps9658

Recruit
Joined
Jun 30, 2015
Messages
3
Thank you for the info I was definitely nervous about beaching my boat I knew I had seen people do it around Perryville but there were some sandy bottoms. I have heard horror stories about people tearing out their lower end on Percy priest so that's where my concern was from.

I am coming from south of Nashville but am not opposed to putting in wherever. The guy I bought the boat from actually puts in from Smyrna in his new boat. I basically am looking for somewhere to anchor down and swim and really secondary is somewhere to camp. May try to save that for next trip after I scope things out
 

southkogs

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
14,785
If you're coming up toward Smyrna - Fate Sanders is where I put in quite a bit. (That's near Rutherford Regional Airport and the Guard Base) That's likely where he puts in too.

Come outta' the marina, and follow the channel markers North (right out of the marina). You'll see an island about 1/2 mile up (main channel goes to it's left) ... we call that Goat Island (used to be a big ole' billy goat livin' on it). Several camp sites there and we swim off that island a lot.

Priest can jump up and getcha'. For the most part, it's got big open water, but there are some shallows and they are VERY rocky. Like I said, pay close attention to the markers - wouldn't be bad to grab a chart or use and app like Navionics.
 

Thomps9658

Recruit
Joined
Jun 30, 2015
Messages
3
So when you go to Goat Island to swim do you just anchor down close by or do you pull all the to the island and throw anchor.
 

dave47165

Recruit
Joined
Aug 1, 2016
Messages
4
We are planning on Going down over Labor Day Weekend and renting a slip at Elm Hill. Where is the "Party Cove" on Priest in relation to Elm Hill?
 
Top