Tennessee fishing rules: statewide number first, exact water second
Tennessee has statewide creel limits, but reservoirs, tailwaters, trout streams, state lakes and reciprocal border waters can replace them. Check the species, then the exact water, then the current season and method before a fish goes into the livewell.
Tennessee statewide fishing limits anglers check most
Combined. No statewide minimum—but many waters add one.
10″ statewide minimum.
No minimum unless a specific West Tennessee water says otherwise.
16″ minimum statewide.
15″ minimum statewide.
All trout species combined; special waters differ.
Rules that changed on August 1, 2026
Piney River
TWRA removed the previous delayed-harvest regulation for the Piney River in Rhea County.
Do not carry the old delayed-harvest assumption into the 2026–27 season.
Big Soddy Creek
The delayed-harvest start date moved from October 1 to November 1.
Catoosa WMA
Streams and ponds are now generally open to fishing except during deer hunts and wild-hog control season.
Travis McNatt + Woodhaven
Largemouth bass are catch-and-release only at Travis McNatt Lake and Woodhaven Lake while the current rule is in effect.
Five checks before keeping a Tennessee fish
Largemouth, smallmouth, spotted/Alabama bass and hybrids may be regulated differently.
Establish the normal creel and size baseline.
Reservoir, stream, tailwater, park lake or WMA exception?
Paddlefish, trout and walleye-run rules can be date-specific.
Hook count, rod count, snagging, jugs, trotlines or bait restrictions.
Creel, possession and protected length range are different
Daily creel
The maximum number you may harvest during the applicable day.
Possession
Tennessee’s general possession limit is two times the daily creel limit.
While afield, you may not possess more than the daily creel limit.
PLR / slot
Fish inside a Protected Length Range cannot be harvested, while fish below or above the slot may be legal.
Tennessee statewide creel and minimum-length limits
| Species | Daily creel | Minimum / important rule |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bass | 5 combined | Includes largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Alabama and Coosa bass. No statewide minimum; individual waters commonly add one. |
| Crappie | 15 | 10-inch minimum. |
| Region 1 Crappie | 30 | No minimum unless an individual water in Region 1 has another regulation. |
| Rock / Redeye / Shadow Bass | 20 | No statewide minimum. |
| Striped + Hybrid Striped Bass | 2 combined | 15-inch minimum. |
| White Bass | 15 | No minimum. |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 36-inch statewide minimum. |
| Sauger / Saugeye | 10 | 15-inch minimum. |
| Walleye | 5 | 16-inch minimum. |
| Trout | 7 combined | No statewide minimum listed in the basic table. Only two of the seven may be lake trout. |
| Redear Sunfish | 20 | No minimum. |
| Skipjack Herring | 100 | No statewide minimum. |
| Catfish | No limit under 34″ | Only one catfish over 34 inches may be harvested per day. |
| Paddlefish | 2 | Statewide season April 24–May 31; no size limit; no culling. Major exceptions apply. |
| Alligator Gar | NO HARVEST | Return immediately to the water. |
| Shovelnose Sturgeon | NO HARVEST | Return immediately to the water. |
Tennessee total-length measurement
Lay the fish on a ruler with the mouth closed.
Use the legal total-length procedure.
TWRA says the mouth may not be manipulated to extend the fish’s length.
While afield, it is illegal to alter a fish so its species or total body length cannot be determined.
High-use Tennessee waters where statewide limits change
- Largemouth: 15″ minimum.
- Smallmouth Jun. 1–Oct. 15: 1/day, 18″ minimum.
- Smallmouth Oct. 16–May 31: 5/day within bass combination, 15″ minimum.
- Spotted/Alabama bass: 15/day, no length limit.
- Crappie: 15/day, 10″ minimum.
- Walleye/Sauger/Saugeye: 10 combined, 15″ minimum.
Smallmouth bass has the same important seasonal pattern:
- June 1–Oct. 15: 1/day, 18″ minimum.
- Oct. 16–May 31: 15″ minimum under the applicable bass combination.
- Black bass: 5/day.
- June 1–Sept. 30: only one largemouth or smallmouth over 16″ may be harvested.
- Oct. 1–May 31: no minimum size for largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass under the reservoir’s current rule.
- Spotted bass: no minimum year-round.
- Black bass: 5 combined.
- Largemouth: 15″ minimum.
- Smallmouth: 18″ minimum.
- Spotted: no minimum.
- Crappie: 15/day, 10″ minimum.
- Walleye: 5/day, 16″ minimum.
- Muskellunge: 1/day, 50″ minimum.
- Black bass: 5 combined.
- Maximum 2 may be smallmouth.
- Largemouth: 15″ minimum.
- Smallmouth: 2/day, 16–21″ protected length range.
- One smallmouth may be under 16″ and one may be over 21″.
- Maximum 4 rods/reels per angler.
- Black bass: 5 combined.
- Largemouth: 15″ minimum.
- Smallmouth: 15″ minimum.
- Spotted: no length minimum.
- Black bass: 5 combined.
- Largemouth / Smallmouth: 15″ minimum.
- Spotted bass: no minimum.
- Crappie: 20/day, 10″ minimum.
- Walleye: 5/day, 16″ minimum.
- Sauger: 10/day, 15″ minimum.
- Largemouth: 15″ minimum.
- Smallmouth, spotted, Alabama bass and hybrids: no minimum, but only one may be over 16″.
- Crappie: 30/day, 9″ minimum.
- Paddlefish: 1/day.
- Special paddlefish season May 1–15.
- No paddlefish culling.
- Emory River has additional snagging, hook and rod restrictions.
Cherokee & Norris smallmouth rule tightens during summer
A smallmouth that fits the spring rule can become illegal to keep after June 1.
15″ minimum
1 fish • 18″ minimum
15″ minimum
Always count smallmouth against the reservoir’s applicable largemouth/smallmouth combination limit.
Community Fishing Program waters use tighter limits
Community Fishing Program waters include locations such as Cameron Brown Park Pond, Cedar Hill Pond, Jack Dickert Pond, Greenbelt Lake, the specified Pistol Creek reach and Fountain City Lake.
Statewide trout limit is simple; trout-water categories are not
All trout species combined.
Maximum 2 of the seven trout may be lake trout.
TWRA stocking dates can move because of weather or warm-water conditions.
2026–27 trout regulation changes
Delayed harvest removed
The old delayed-harvest framework on the Piney River was removed for 2026–27.
Start date moved
Delayed harvest now begins November 1, not October 1.
Local permit rules
Gatlinburg trout waters can require a special city/TWRA permit and have stocking-day closures.
Special daily permit
A $6 permit is required March 1–August 15 for Tellico River and Citico Creek under TWRA’s current license structure.
Some Tennessee walleye waters temporarily restrict hooks and rods
Upper Center Hill / Caney Fork
From the Rock Island State Park boat ramp upstream to Great Falls Dam:
- January 1–April 30.
- One hook with a single barb, or lure with a single hook/barb.
- Maximum three rods/reels or poles.
East Fork Obey / Dale Hollow headwaters
Compton Boat Ramp upstream to Highway 52 bridge:
- January 1–April 15.
- One hook with one barb.
- Maximum three rods/reels or poles.
- Walleye: 5/day, 16″ minimum.
- Only one walleye over 20″.
No statewide rod limit does not mean unlimited hooks
General Tennessee rule
Unless a specific water says otherwise, there is no statewide limit on the number of poles an angler may actively fish.
A single, double or treble hook each counts as one hook. The sabiki-rig exception applies when taking shad or herring.
Tennessee alternative-fishing gear has hard numerical limits
Across the sport angler’s trotline combination.
One hook per limbline.
One hook each under the general statewide rule.
Trotlines, limblines and jugs must be run at least once each 24 hours.
- Gear must be marked with the owner’s name/address or TWRA identification number.
- Trotlines cannot extend more than three-quarters across a stream, river, chute or embayment.
- Trotlines may not be set within 100 yards of the mouth of a river, creek or slough.
- Trotlines, limblines and jugs are prohibited within 1,000 yards below TVA or Corps of Engineers dams.
A method legal on one river reach can be prohibited upstream
General season
Grabbling, gigging, grab hooks, snagging, archery, crossbow and speargun methods have a general year-round framework except where specifically closed.
100-yard dam rule
These alternative methods are prohibited within 100 yards below dams, with an extended closed area below Pickwick Dam.
Game fish warning
Nongame fish may be taken under the applicable alternative-method rule, but game fish, sturgeon and alligator gar may not be taken by those methods.
Tennessee paddlefish season changes by reservoir
Most qualifying waters
April 24–May 31
2/day • no minimum size • no culling.
Special season
April 1–15
1/day • no length limit • culling prohibited.
Special season
May 1–15
1/day • no culling.
Closed
Center Hill Reservoir and its tributaries are closed to taking or possessing paddlefish.
Alligator gar and shovelnose sturgeon are release-only
Alligator Gar
TWRA’s statewide table requires immediate return to the water. TWRA also states anglers may not specifically fish for or target alligator gar.
Shovelnose Sturgeon
Harvest is prohibited. Return the fish to the water immediately.
Tennessee border-water reciprocity changes from state to state
Alabama + Mississippi
Pickwick LakeValid sport-fishing licenses from Tennessee, Alabama or Mississippi are recognized within the defined reciprocal Pickwick area.
You still follow the fish regulations of the state water you are actually in.
Kentucky
Multiple reciprocal watersAgreements cover defined reaches of Big South Fork, Dale Hollow and Kentucky Lake.
Boat anglers generally follow the rules attached to their license; bank anglers follow the regulations of the state where they stand.
Virginia
South Holston ReservoirTennessee residents can buy the South Holston Reservoir Supplemental license to fish the defined Virginia portion.
Your home-state base fishing privileges are still required.
Arkansas
Mississippi RiverEither-state license is recognized on defined flowing Mississippi River boundary water and accessible connected areas.
Tennessee tributaries and specified WMA waters are excluded.
Missouri
Mississippi River boundaryLicensed anglers can fish defined Mississippi River and boundary backwaters under the reciprocal framework.
Tributaries of the other state are not covered.
North Carolina
Calderwood ReservoirLicenses from either state are recognized while fishing from a boat on Calderwood Reservoir and the specified Slickrock Creek boundary water.
Mississippi River limits are much more liberal than Tennessee’s statewide table
No minimum.
No minimum.
No minimum.
Check trout and special-water permits before buying
Extra permits by location
Required all ages during the applicable March 1–Aug. 15 period.
Resident Tennessee route for the applicable Virginia reservoir water.
Tennessee children under 13 generally fish without a license
General youth fishing-license exemption.
Junior Hunt, Fish & Trap license.
Correct resident/nonresident fishing license and any supplemental trout or location permit.
Tennessee’s 2026 free-fishing dates have passed
Residents and visitors of all ages could fish Tennessee public waters without a license.
Youth age 15 and younger received Tennessee Free Fishing Week.
Do not move Alabama bass between Tennessee waters
TWRA warns that illegally moving Alabama bass can harm native largemouth and smallmouth fisheries through competition and hybridization. Alabama bass and hybrids are already documented in several Tennessee reservoirs.
Identify your bass as accurately as possible.
Follow that water’s regulation.
Do not transport live fish for release elsewhere.
Report suspected illegal fish stocking to TWRA.
Tennessee bans live possession or transport of several invasive species
Silver carp, bighead carp and black carp.
Blueback herring, round goby, rudd, ruffe and snakeheads.
Marbled crayfish, New Zealand mud snail, swamp eels and zebra mussels.
Legal harvest does not automatically mean unrestricted consumption
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation maintains fish-consumption advisories for specific waters and species. These advisories are separate from TWRA fishing limits.
Precautionary advisory for walleye 19 inches and larger because of mercury.
Precautionary advisory for catfish in Tennessee waters because of PCBs.
Precautionary advisory for catfish because of PCBs.
Check generation before fishing below a Tennessee dam
TVA and U.S. Army Corps releases can quickly change depth, velocity and bank access.
Move to safer water immediately when generation warnings activate.
TWRA boating guidance specifically warns against stern anchoring, especially in powerful dam tailwaters.
Tennessee regulation trip checklist
- Exact water: reservoir, tailwater, river reach, community pond or state lake.
- Statewide species rule: note daily creel and minimum length.
- Waterbody exception: save any seasonal bass, crappie, walleye or paddlefish rule.
- Protected length range: know whether fish inside the slot must be released.
- Trout coverage: confirm license and any Gatlinburg or Tellico–Citico permit.
- Method: check rod, hook, jug, limblines, trotline and snagging restrictions.
- Border water: determine which state’s rules apply before crossing a state line.
- Dam generation: check TVA/Corps release schedule for tailwater trips.
- Consumption advisory: check TDEC if the fish is going to the table.
Twelve Tennessee regulation mistakes that catch anglers
That’s only the statewide baseline; reservoirs commonly add 15″+ rules.
Region 1 generally uses 30/no minimum unless the water has another exception.
June 1–Oct. 15 is 1/day and 18″ minimum.
Center Hill is closed to paddlefish take/possession.
Cherokee uses April 1–15 and one fish/day.
General rule has no pole limit; special waters can impose one.
General statewide rule is three hooks per rod/line.
Jugs, limblines and trotlines must be run at least once every 24 hours.
Trotlines, jugs and limblines have a 1,000-yard dam restriction.
The regulation was removed for 2026–27.
Pickwick anglers still follow the regulations of the state water occupied.
Do not relocate live fish into another Tennessee public water.
Ask TWRA with the exact water and method
“I’m fishing [exact water] on [date], targeting [species] with [method]. Can you confirm the current daily creel, possession limit, legal size or protected range, season and any water-specific exception?”
Complete the license side of your Tennessee trip
Use these TWRA pages for the final live check
The useful rule details are included above. These links are for final verification, license purchase, current stocking and exact-water research.
Common Tennessee fishing regulation questions
What is the Tennessee black bass limit?
Tennessee’s statewide daily limit is five black bass in combination, including largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Alabama and Coosa bass, with no general statewide minimum length. Many reservoirs and rivers impose their own minimum lengths, seasonal limits or protected slots, so the exact waterbody rule must also be checked.
What is the Tennessee crappie limit?
The statewide limit is 15 crappie per day with a 10-inch minimum. Region 1 in West Tennessee generally uses a 30-fish daily limit with no minimum unless a specific waterbody has another rule.
How many fishing rods can I use in Tennessee?
Unless a specific regulation or waterbody rule says otherwise, Tennessee does not impose a general statewide limit on the number of poles actively fished at one time. However, the statewide hook rule generally limits each rod, pole or hand-held line to three hooks. Special waters such as Dale Hollow and walleye-run reaches can impose rod limits.
What is Tennessee’s paddlefish season?
The statewide paddlefish season is generally April 24 through May 31 with a daily limit of two, no size limit and no culling. Cherokee Reservoir uses April 1–15 with a one-fish daily limit, Watts Bar uses May 1–15 with one fish per day, and Center Hill Reservoir is closed to paddlefish harvest and possession.
What changed in Tennessee fishing regulations for 2026–27?
The 2026–27 changes effective August 1, 2026 include removal of the Piney River delayed-harvest regulation, moving the Big Soddy Creek delayed-harvest start date to November 1, changing the Catoosa WMA fishing-closure framework, and catch-and-release-only largemouth bass rules at Travis McNatt Lake and Woodhaven Lake.
What is the Tennessee trout daily limit?
The statewide trout creel limit is seven trout in combination, with no more than two of the seven being lake trout. Specific trout streams, tailwaters, delayed-harvest waters and local trout areas can have different seasons, gear restrictions and creel rules.
Does Tennessee have a possession limit for fish?
Yes. The general possession limit is twice the daily creel limit. While afield, an angler may not have more than the daily creel limit. Fish also may not be altered while afield so that species or total body length cannot be determined.
Can I use a Tennessee fishing license at Pickwick Lake in Alabama or Mississippi?
Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi have a reciprocal fishing-license agreement on the defined Pickwick Lake reciprocal area. However, anglers must follow the fishing regulations of the state whose water they are actually fishing.
Can I harvest alligator gar in Tennessee?
No. Tennessee does not allow harvest of alligator gar. The fish must be returned to the water immediately, and TWRA states anglers may not intentionally target alligator gar.
Do children need a Tennessee fishing license?
Children age 12 and younger generally do not need a Tennessee fishing license. Youth and license-exempt anglers must still comply with fishing seasons, size limits, creel limits and any special permit that expressly applies to all ages.
Statewide rule → exact water → season → method
That order prevents most Tennessee regulation mistakes. Start with TWRA’s statewide species limit, then apply the reservoir, river, trout-water, state-park, WMA or reciprocal-water exception that governs the place you are actually fishing.
Regulation review completed . Tennessee’s current 2026–27 sport-fishing rules became effective August 1, 2026.
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