Exceptions to Statewide Regulations

Community Fishing Program

Community Fishing Program water bodies: Cameron Brown Park Pond (Germantown), Cedar Hill Pond (Nashville), Jack Dickert Pond (Chattanooga), Greenbelt Lake (Maryville), Pistol Creek (Maryville; from East Harper Avenue upstream to West Lamar Alexander Parkway), and Fountain City Lake (Knoxville).

General: Rod & reel, handlines, poles only. Trotlines, jugs, seines, and cast nets not allowed.

Creel and length limits same as statewide except as listed below:

• Catfish (Blue, Channel, hybrids combined): 5 per day, no size limit
• Bluegill Sunfish and Redear Sunfish (combined): 20 per day, no size limit
• Black Bass (all species): 1 per day, no size limit
• Crappie (all species combined): 30 per day, no size limit
• Trout (all trout combined): 5 per day, no size limit

Small Impoundments

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.
• Channel Catfish: 5 per day.
• Largemouth Bass: catch and release only.
• Catfish: 5 per day, 14-inch minimum length limit.
• Redear Sunfish: 20 per day, no length limit.
• Crappie (all species): 30 per day in combination, no 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, is closed to fishing.

Indian Boundary Lake (Cherokee NF)

• Largemouth Bass: 2 per day, 14 inch minimum length limit
• Catfish: 5 per day, no length limit.
• Crappie: 30 per day, no length limit.

Lake Kefauver (Madisonville, Monroe County)

• Bass: 2 per day, 14 inch minimum length limit.
• Catfish: 5 per day, no 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.

WMAs/Refuges

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.

Hiwassee Refuge

Trespassing and fishing are prohibited in embayments and sub-impoundments from Nov. 15–Feb. 29. Boats must remain within the river channel defined by navigational buoys.

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.

Exceptions on State Park Lakes

State Park Lakes are managed by the TN Department of Environment and Conservation. Unless otherwise posted, statewide fishing regulations apply with the following exceptions:

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 bass per day, no minimum length limit.
• 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, 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 limit

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: 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 Sundays. 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.

Crappie (all species combined):

• All other state park lakes not specified: 15 per day, no length limit

Channel or blue catfish or in combination:

• All other state park lakes not specified: 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

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, only one (1) fish longer than 18” may be harvested.
• Bluegill/Redear: 20 per day in combination, no length limit

Rivers and Streams

Buffalo Creek (Grainger County)

Closed to all fishing and minnow seining upstream from the mill dam.

Calfkiller River and tributaries

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

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 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.

Caney Fork River (above Center Hill Dam) and tributaries

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

Clear Creek (tributary to the Clinch River – Anderson County)

Closed to fishing and minnow seining from Hwy. 441 upstream to the second dam (adjacent to the city of Norris water tower), as posted from Nov. 1–Mar. 31.

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.

French Broad River (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 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 (Region 2).

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).