Mid-River

A walk-in trail off an I-40 welcome center, the only Putnam-County site on this river, and two more TWRA ramps — four sites, the same PLR trout slot, and the same generation hazard.

THE MID-RIVER CORRIDOR USGS NHD flowline · TWRA GIS coordinates

Three things to get right

What you hear	What TWRA actually says
“The Welcome Center access is 24 hours.”	Sunrise to sunset only. It is the one site on this river TWRA does not list as open around the clock.
“Happy Hollow is a Smith County site.”	Putnam County. It is the only Putnam-County access point TWRA's own query returned for this river.
“These are all boat ramps.”	Kirby Lane is bank/pier only. No ramp — gravel parking under 25 spaces, trailer parking under 5.

TWRA's own access records, verbatim

I-40 Welcome Center Access (mile marker 267, Smith Co.): 2010 release — “a new parking area and access trail to the Caney Fork River,” “parking for 12 vehicles.” TWRA's 2026 GIS record confirms it is still active: paved parking under 25 spaces, hours “Sunrise to Sunset,” comment field “Water level flucuates rapidly.” Kirby Lane comment field: “Check Generation - Danger at high water.”

Generation changes this river fast

No siren, horn or public release notice is described on any page we read. TWRA: “Use caution below dams. Call TVA at 1-800-238-2264 to check dam discharge and generation schedules.” TVA: schedules “can change without notice.” Call before you wade — code 37 for Center Hill.

LIMESTONE DRIFT

CANEY FORK TAILWATER Access & limits

Mid-river access sites (TWRA GIS, read 29 Sep 2026)

Site	Ramp	Notes
I-40 Welcome Center 36.14179, −85.80638 · Smith Co.	None — walk-in trail	Sunrise–sunset only; parking under 25; restrooms.
Happy Hollow 36.13150, −85.80710 · Putnam Co.	Concrete, 1 lane, to 17 ft	Gravel parking 25+, canoe landing, open 24 hrs, no fee/hookups.
Betty's Island 36.14760, −85.83970 · Smith Co.	Concrete, 1 lane, to 17 ft	Gravel parking 25+, canoe landing, open 24 hrs, no fee/hookups.
Kirby Lane 36.14673, −85.86317 · Smith Co.	None — bank/pier	Gravel parking under 25, trailer under 5, open 24 hrs, winter-pool access.

Trout: this water's own rule

Species	Daily	Size
Rainbow, brook	5 combined w/ brown (total 5)	14–20 in PLR, 1 over 20 in kept
Brown trout	1 (within that 5)	24 in minimum
Cutthroat	5 — TWRA states separately*	14–20 in PLR, 1 over 20 in kept

*TWRA's combined-5 sentence names rainbow/brown/brook only; cutthroat's daily-5 is its own sentence, not stated as folded into that total.

Everything else is statewide — black bass (5 combined, no size), striped/hybrid striped bass (2, 15 in), walleye (5, 16 in), sauger (10, 15 in), rock bass (20, none), catfish (one over 34 in daily, no limit under). The lake's own headwater rules do not apply below the dam.

Gauge: USGS 03424860, Caney Fork at Stonewall — discharge 00060, gage height 00065 (downstream of this reach; lags the release). TVA release line: 1-800-238-2264, code 37. TWRA Region 3 office: 1-931-484-9571 (the only regional phone number published on any page we read; a Region 2 number, if one exists, was not found).

Sources: USACE Nashville District (Corps Lakes Gateway, Master Plan 2018, DVIDS releases), Recreation.gov, TVA lake-levels pages, TWRA (trout regulations, statewide creel & length limits, license fees, trout stocking pages, Boat_Launch_Sites and Fishing_Sites GIS records read 29 Sep 2026), USGS NWIS 03424860 / 03424010.
Conditions change. Call TVA (1-800-238-2264, code 37) before you go. Built September 2026.

limestonedrift.comAlerts and the water page

Water alerts. We email when the release rule, the access or the regs on this tailwater actually change. limestonedrift.com/alerts/?w=caney-fork-river-tailwater