Statewide Fishing Regulation Exceptions

Allen Branch Pond (Cocke County)

•   Catfish: 5 per day.
 

Beech River Watershed Lakes

•   Catfish: 5 per day, 15 inch minimum length limit.

•   Crappie (all species): 30 per day, no length limit.
 

Pine Lake

•   Largemouth Bass: 10 per day.
 

Dogwood Lake

•   Largemouth Bass: 12- to 16-inch PLR, 10 per day.
 

Redbud Lake

•   Largemouth Bass: 12- to 16-inch PLR, 10 per day.
 

Bridgestone Firestone Centennial Wilderness WMA Ponds

Designated as youth fishing ponds. Fishing is permitted for youths 16 years of age or younger who are accompanied by a non–fishing adult (18 years of age or older). Youths are limited to using one (1) pole or rod while fishing. Fishing is permitted from one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset.

•   Bluegill: 10 per day, no length limit.

•   Catfish: 5 per day, no size limit.

•   Largemouth Bass: 5 per day, only one (1) fish 16 inches or longer may be harvested.

•   Crappie (all species): no creel or length limit.

Campbell Lake (Maury County)

•   Largemouth Bass: 1 per day, 12 inch minimum length limit.

•   Catfish: 5 per day, 14 inch minimum length limit.

•   Bluegill/Redear Sunfish: 20 per day in combination, no length limit.

•   Crappie (all species): 30 per day in combination, no length limit.

•   Grass Carp: No harvest allowed.

Casper Lake (Shelby County)

•   Largemouth Bass: 2 per day, 16 inch minimum length limit.

Catoosa Wildlife Management Area 

•   All streams and ponds are open from Apr. 1– Dec. 31, except on the dates of managed big game and turkey hunts.

Davy Crockett Lake (Greene County)

•   Crappie: 30 per day, no length limit.

•   Smallmouth/Largemouth Bass: 5 per day in combination.

•   Smallmouth Bass: 13–17 inch protected length range, only one over 17 inches.

•   Spotted Bass: 15 per day, no length limit.
 

Dickson City Lakes (Dickson County)

•   Catfish: 5 per day, no length limit.
 

Doakes Pond (on Norris Reservoir)

The portion of Norris Reservoir known as Doakes Pond, located adjacent to Hwy. 63 approximately 9 miles NE of Lafollette

•   Closed to fishing.
 

Indian Boundary Lake (Cherokee NF)

•   Largemouth Bass: 5 per day, only one (1) fish 16 inches or longer may be harvested.

•   Catfish: 5 per day, no length limit.

•   Crappie: no creel or length limit.

•   Bluegill/Redear Sunfish (in combination): 10 per day, no length limit.
 

Lake Kefauver (Madisonville, Monroe County)

•    Largemouth Bass: 5 per day, only 1 fish 16" or longer may be harvested.

•   Catfish: 5 per day, no length limit.

•   Bluegill/Redear Sunfish (in combination): 10 per day, no length limit.

•   Crappie (all species): no creel or length limit.
 

Land Between The Lakes

All waters are open year-round with the following provisions:

•   Farm ponds are open to fishing unless otherwise posted.

•   Bards Lake: Trotlines and limblines are prohibited. Jugs are permitted from Oct. 1–Mar. 21, with a limit of 10 jugs per person.
 

Liberty Park Lake (Clarksville)

•   Catfish: 5 per day, no length limit.
 

New Lake (Lewisburg City Lake)

•   Largemouth Bass: 5 per day, 15 inch minimum length limit.

•   Catfish: 5 per day, no length limit.

•   Crappie (all species): 15 per day, no length limit.

•   Open one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset.

•   Only rods and reels and cane poles permitted.
 

Reelfoot Watershed Lake #18

•   Largemouth Bass: 5 per day, 15 inch minimum length limit.

Douglas Reservoir

•   Henderson Island WMA Rearing Pond is closed to fishing year-round.
 

Federal Refuges

•   Some federal wildlife refuges have closed seasons. For details contact the office of the national wildlife refuge where you wish to fish.
 

Gooch Unit E Lake

•   Largemouth Bass: 5 per day, 15-inch minimum length limit.

Tellico Lake Chota Refuge Unit

That portion from LTRM 26.0 Upstream to the Hiwassee - Alcoa powerline at LTRM 29.7

•   Closed to all forms of use and trespass from Nov. 15 through last day of Feb., except in designated observation areas.

Fall Creek Falls State Park (Fall Creek Falls Lake)

•   Largemouth Bass: 10 fish per day, only one (1) fish longer than 16 inches may be harvested.

•   Bluegill/Redear: 10 fish per day, no length limit

•   Crappie (all species): no creel or length limit

•   Blue/Channel Catfish: 5 per day , 16” minimum length limit

Montgomery Bell State Park (Acorn Lake)

•   Largemouth Bass: 10 fish per day, no length limit.

•   Bluegill/Redear: 10 fish per day, no length limit

•   Crappie (all species): no creel or length limit

•   Blue/Channel Catfish: 5 per day , 16” minimum length limit

•  Trout: catch and release only from Dec. 1 - March 31, 5 fish per day, no length limit April 1 - Nov 30

Montgomery Bell State Park (Woodhaven Lake)

•   Largemouth Bass: 10 per day, 18- to 25-inch PLR. Only one (1) fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested.

•   Bluegill/Redear: 10 per day in combination, no length limit.

•   Crappie (all species): no creel or length limit

•   Blue/Channel Catfish: 5 per day in combination, no minimum length

Big Hill Pond State Park (Travis McNatt Lake)

•   Largemouth Bass: no creel limit. Only one (1) fish longer than 16” may be harvested.

•   Bluegill/Redear in combination: 10 per day, no length limit

•   Crappie (all species): no creel or length limit

•   Blue/Channel Catfish: 5 per day in combination, 16 minimum length limit

Natchez Trace State Park (Pin Oak Lake)

•   Largemouth Bass: 10 per day, 18” - 25” protected length range. Only one (1) fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested.

•   Bluegill/Redear: 10 per day, no length limit

•   Crappie (all species): no creel or length limit

•   Blue/Channel Catfish: 5 per day in combination, no length limit

•   Trotlines and limblines prohibited year-round.

•   From 1st of April through 30th of September fishing with jug lines will be prohibited on Fridays after 12 noon until 12 midnight on Sun- days. Fishing with jug lines is also prohibited on Memorial Day, July 3rd through July 5th, and Labor Day. On days open to jug fishing, each boat is limited to 10 jugs per day.

Chickasaw State Park (Lake Lajoie and Lake Placid)

•   Black Bass: 14–18 inch PLR (slot limit). Daily creel limit 10 bass per day, only one bass over 18 inches may be harvested.

Big Ridge State Park (Big Ridge Lake)

•   Black Bass: 14 inch minimum length limit.

Meeman Shelby State Park (Poplar Tree Lake)

•   Largemouth Bass: 10 fish per day, 18” maximum size limit. Only two (2) fish longer than 18” may be harvested.

•   Bluegill/Redear: 20 per day in combination, no length limit

All Other State Park Lakes :

Crappie (all species combined):

•   15 per day, no length limit

Channel or blue catfish or in combination:

•   5 per day, no length limit.

Black bass from the following lakes must be a minimum of 15 inches:

•   Lake Lindsey, David Crockett State Park.

•   Sullivan’s Pond, Ft. Pillow State Historic Area.

•   Indian Mt. “B” Lake, Indian Mountain State Park.

•   Creech Hollow Lake, Montgomery Bell SP.

Bluegill/Redear sunfish in combination creel limit of 20 fish per day:

•   Byrd Lake, Cumberland Mountain State Park

•   Kelly (Standing Stone) Lake, Standing Stone State Park

•   Pickett Lake, Pickett State Park

•   Grundy Lakes, South Cumberland State Park

Buffalo Creek

Grainger County

•   From the mill dam upstream—closed year-round to all fishing. Harvest of bait and possession of bait harvesting gear is prohibited.

•   From the mill dam downstream—open to fishing year-round by rod and reel method only. Closed year-round to all harvest of bait and possession of seines, cast nets and minnow/crayfish traps are prohibited.

Caney Fork River

Headwaters of Center Hill Reservoir.

•   Walleye run regulation in effect on the upper end of Center Hill Reservoir, including the Caney Fork River beginning at the boat ramp at Rock Island State Park and extending upstream to Great Falls Dam.   Anglers are restricted to use of one hook having a single barb or lure containing a single hook with one barb from Jan. 1–Apr. 30. No more than 3 rods and reels or poles may be used.

Above Center Hill Dam and tributaries including Collins River, Calfkiller River, Rocky River, Cane Creek, and their tributaries.

•   Muskellunge: 1 per day, 50 inch minimum length limit.

Clear Creek

Tributary to the Clinch River – Anderson County from Hwy. 441 upstream to the second dam adjacent to the city of Norris water tower. 

•   Closed from Nov. 1–Mar. 31 to all fishing; harvest of bait and possession of bait harvesting gear is prohibited.

Clinch River

Norris Reservoir upstream to Grissom Island.

•   Walleye/Sauger: 5 per day in combination, 15 inch minimum length limit.

Hwy 25E upstream to state line.

•   13- to 17-inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, with a creel limit of 5 black bass, allowing only one smallmouth bass in creel to be greater than 17 inches.

Collins River and tributaries

•   Muskellunge: 1 per day, 50 inch minimum length limit.

East Fork of the Obey River

Headwaters of Dale Hollow Reservoir.

•   Walleye run regulation in effect on the East Fork of the Obey River from Compton Boat Ramp upstream to the Hwy. 52 bridge. Anglers restricted to use of one hook having a single barb or lure containing a single hook with one barb from Jan. 1– April 15. Walleye creel limit 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length. Only one Walleye over 20 inches may be harvested. No more than 3 rods and reels or poles may be used.

Forked Deer, Hatchie, Loosahatchie, Obion and Wolf Rivers ( includes tributaries)

•   Crappie: 30 per day, no length limit.

French Broad River 

Hwy. 168 to Douglas Dam.

•   Smallmouth bass: 18-inch minimum length limit. Creel limit 5.

From Hwy 321 bridge at Newport upstream to North Carolina state line.

•   Smallmouth Bass: 13- to 17-inch PLR with a creel limit of 5 black bass allowing one Smallmouth Bass to be greater than 17 inches.

•   Walleye/Sauger or Walleye/Sauger Hybrids: 5 per day in combination.

•   Walleye: 15 inch minimum length limit.

•   Sauger or Sauger/Walleye Hybrids: No minimum length limit; only one fish over 16 inches in length may be harvested per day.

Holston River

I-40 bridge upstream to Cherokee Dam and John Sevier Dam upstream to North Fork Holston River.

•   Black Bass: 5 per day in combination; 13– 17 inch PLR for Smallmouth bass, only one Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.

Little River

Rockford Dam upstream to Great Smoky Mountains NP boundary.

•   Black Bass: 5 per day in combination; 13– 17 inch PLR for Smallmouth bass, only one Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.

Little Pigeon River 

From the mouth upstream to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary, including the West Prong and East Fork of the Little Pigeon River.

•   Smallmouth Bass: 1 per day, 20 inch minimum length limit.

Mississippi River 

Includes adjacent sloughs, bayous, and all river runs and chutes, that are accessible by boat from the river proper.

•   Black Bass: 10 per day, no length limit.

•   Sunfish/Bream: 50 per day, no length limit.

•   Catfish: no creel limit, only one fish over 34 inches in length may be harvested per day.

•   Crappie: 50 per day, no length limit.

•   Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass: 6 per day, no length limit.

•   Sauger: 6 per day, no length limit.

•   White Bass: 30 per day, no length limit.

Nolichucky River 

ENKA Dam upstream to state line, includes Davy Crockett Lake.

•   Black Bass: 5 per day in combination; 13– 17 inch PLR for Smallmouth bass, only one Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.

North Fork Holston River

Confluence with South Fork Holston River upstream to state line.

•   Black Bass: 5 per day in combination; 13– 17 inch PLR for Smallmouth bass, only one Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.

Pigeon River 

From Hwy 321 bridge at Newport upstream to NC state line.

•   Smallmouth Bass: 1 per day, 20 inch minimum length limit.

•   Walleye/Sauger or Walleye/Sauger hybrids: 5 per day in combination.

•   Walleye: 15 inch minimum length limit.

•   Sauger or Sauger/Walleye Hybrids: No minimum length limit; only one fish over 16 inches in length may be harvested per day.

Powell River 

Gap Creek confluence upstream to state line.

•   Black Bass: 5 per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth bass, only one Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.

Rocky River and tributaries

•   Muskellunge: 1 per day, 50 inch minimum length limit.

South Fork Holston River 

Confluence with North Fork Holston River upstream to Fort Patrick Henry Dam.

•   Black Bass: 5 per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth bass, only one Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.

Stones River 

Confluence with Cumberland River upstream to J. Percy Priest Dam) 

•   Regulations for Cheatham Reservoir apply.

Tellico River 

Tellico Reservoir Boundary upstream to state line.

•   Black Bass: 5 per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth bass, only one Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.

Wolf River 

South Ford Road Bridge downstream into Dale Hollow Reservoir.

•   Smallmouth Bass: 2 per day, 16–21 inch PLR (one under 16 inches and one over 21 inches).