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): Five (5) per day, no size limit.
- Bluegill Sunfish and Redear Sunfish (combined): 20 per day, no size limit.
- Black Bass (all species): One (1) per day, no size limit.
- Crappie (all species combined): 30 per day, no size limit.
- Trout (all trout combined): Five (5) per day, no size limit.
Protected Length Range (PLR)
PLR is a Protected Length Range. Fish in this length range may not be harvested. To promote growth of bigger bass in these lakes, anglers are encouraged to harvest their daily limit of bass shorter than the listed PLR.
Small Impoundments
Allen Branch Pond (Cocke County):
- Catfish: Five (5) per day.
Beech River Watershed Lakes:
- Catfish: Five (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: 12–16 inch PLR, 10 per day.
Redbud Lake:
- Largemouth Bass: 12–16 inch PLR, 10 per day.
Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness WMA Ponds:
Fishing is permitted from 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset.
- Bluegill and Redear Sunfish (in combination): 10 per day, no length limit.
- Catfish: Five (5) per day, no size limits.
- Largemouth Bass: Five (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: One (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: Two (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: Five (5) per day in combination.
- Smallmouth Bass: 13–17 inch PLR only one over 17 inches.
- Spotted Bass: 15 per day, no length limit.
Dickson City Lakes (Dickson County):
- Catfish: Five (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): Closed to trotlines, jugs and limblines.
- Largemouth Bass: Five (5) per day, only one (1) fish 16 inches or longer may be harvested.
- Catfish: Five (5) per day, no length limit.
- Crappie: No creel or length limit.
- Bluegill and Redear Sunfish (in combination): 10 per day, no length limit.
Lake Kefauver (Madisonville, Monroe County):
- Largemouth Bass: Five (5) per day, only one (1) fish 16 inches or longer may be harvested.
- Catfish: Five (5) per day, no length limit.
- Bluegill and 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: Five (5) per day, no length limit.
New Lake (Lewisburg City Lake):
- Largemouth Bass: Five (5) per day, 15 inch minimum length limit.
- Catfish: Five (5) per day, no length limit.
- Crappie (all species): 15 per day, no length limit.
Open 30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset. Only rods and reels and cane poles permitted.
Reelfoot Watershed Lake #18
- Largemouth Bass: Five (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: Five (5) per day, 15 inch minimum length limit.
- Closed to fishing five (5) days prior to late waterfowl season. Fishing resumes the day after the last military waterfowl hunt. (See Region I)
Hiwassee Refuge:
Trespassing and fishing are prohibited in embayments and sub-impoundments from Nov. 15–Feb. 28. 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 Feb. 28, except in designated observation areas.
Exceptions on State Park Lakes
State Park Lakes are managed by the TN Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). Unless otherwise posted, statewide fishing regulations apply with the following exceptions:
Fall Creek Falls State Park (Fall Creek Falls Lake):
- Largemouth Bass: 10 per day, only one (1) fish longer than 16 inches may be harvested.
- Bluegill/Redear (in combination): 10 fish per day, no length limit.
- Crappie (all species): No creel or length limit
- Blue/Channel Catfish: Five (5) per day, 16 inch minimum length limit.
Montgomery Bell State Park (Acorn Lake):
- Largemouth Bass: 10 per day, no minimum length limit.
- Bluegill/Redear (in combination): 10 per day in combination, no length limit.
- Crappie (all species): No creel or length limit
- Blue/Channel Catfish: Five (5) per day in combination, 16 inch minimum length limit.
- Trout: catch and release only from Dec. 1–March 31. Five (5) fish per day, no length limit April 1–Nov. 30.
Montgomery Bell State Park (Woodhaven Lake):
- Largemouth Bass: 10 per day, 18–25 inch PLR. Only one (1) fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested.
- Bluegill/Redear (in combination): 10 per day in combination, no length limit.
- Crappie (all species): No creel or length limit
- Blue/Channel Catfish: Five (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 inches may be harvested.
- Bluegill/Redear (in combination): 10 per day, no length limit.
- Crappie (all species): No creel or length limit.
- Blue/Channel Catfish: Five (5) per day in combination, 16 inch minimum length limit.
Natchez Trace State Park (Pin Oak Lake)
- Largemouth Bass: 10 per day, 18–25 inch PLR. Only one (1) fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested.
- Bluegill/Redear (in combination): 10 per day, no length limit.
- Crappie (all species): No creel or length limit.
- Blue/Channel Catfish: Five (5) per day in combination, no length limit.
- Trotlines and limblines prohibited year-round.
- April 1 through September 30: Fishing with jug lines will be prohibited on Fridays after 12 noon until 12 midnight on Sundays.
- Memorial Day, July 3rd through July 5th, and Labor Day: Fishing with jug lines is prohibited. 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.
Catfish (all species combined):
- All other state park lakes not specified: Five (5) per day, no length limit.
Black Bass (15 inch minimum for the following lakes):
- 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 State Park.
Bluegill/Redear Sunfish (20 per day in combination for the following lakes):
- 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 per day, only one (1) 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 per day, only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested.
- Bluegill/Redear (in combination): 20 per day in combination, no length limit.
Rivers and Streams
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 restricted to use of one (1) hook having a single barb or lure containing a single hook with one barb from Jan. 1–Apr. 30. No more than three (3) rods and reels or poles may be used.
Caney Fork River (above Center Hill Dam) and tributaries including Collins River, Calfkiller River, Rocky River, Cane Creek, and their tributaries:
- Muskellunge: One (1) per day, 50 inch minimum length limit.
Clear Creek (tributary to the Clinch River – Anderson County):
From Highway 441 upstream to the second dam (adjacent to the City of Norris Water Tower)—closed from November 1 through March 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: Five (5) per day in combination, 15 inch minimum length limit.
- Hwy. 25E upstream to state line: 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, with a creel limit of five (5) Black Bass, allowing only one (1) Smallmouth Bass in creel to be greater than 17 inches.
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 Highway 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 five (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 five (5).
French Broad River (from Hwy 321 bridge at Newport upstream to NC state line)
- Smallmouth Bass: 13–17 inch PLR with a creel limit of five (5) Black Bass allowing one (1) Smallmouth Bass to be greater than 17 inches.
- Walleye/Sauger or Walleye/Sauger Hybrids: Five (5) per day in combination.
- Walleye: 15 inch minimum length limit.
- Sauger or Sauger/Walleye Hybrids: No minimum length limit; only one (1) 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: Five (5) per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day.
Little River (Rockford Dam upstream to Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary):
- Black Bass: Five (5) per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) 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: One (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 (1) fish over 34 inches in length may be harvested per day.
- Crappie: 50 per day, no length limit.
- Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass: Six (6) per day, no length limit.
- Sauger: Six (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: Five (5) per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day.
North Fork Holston River (confluence with South Fork Holston River upstream to state line):
- Black Bass: Five (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: One (1) per day, 20 inch minimum length limit.
- Walleye/Sauger or Walleye/Sauger Hybrids: Five (5) per day in combination.
- Walleye: 15 inch minimum length limit.
- Sauger or Sauger/Walleye Hybrids: No minimum length limit; only one (1) fish over 16 inches in length may be harvested per day.
Powell River (Gap Creek confluence upstream to state line):
- Black Bass: Five (5) per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day.
South Fork Holston River (confluence with North Fork Holston River upstream to Fort Patrick Henry Dam):
- Black Bass: Five (5) per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day.
Stones River (confluence with Cumberland River upstream to J. Percy Priest Dam):
Regulations for Cheatham Reservoir apply (see Region 2).
Tellico River (Tellico Reservoir Boundary upstream to state line):
- Black Bass: Five (5) per day in combination; 13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day.
Wolf River (South Ford Road Bridge downstream to Dale Hollow Reservoir):
- Smallmouth Bass: Two (2) per day, 16–21 inch PLR (one under 16 inches and one over 21 inches).