Tennessee offers exceptional fishing from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Mississippi River. The state has more than 20 major reservoirs including Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Dale Hollow, and Norris Lake — famous for bass, crappie, catfish, and muskie. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park features 800 miles of wild trout streams, and the Tennessee River provides excellent smallmouth bass and sauger fishing.
Fishing Regulations
- Several waters have exceptions to statewide limits - check Exceptions to Statewide Regulations by region.
- Possession limit is twice the daily creel limit unless otherwise stated.
- Anglers restricted to max 3 hooks per rod/pole/hand-held line (single, double, treble each count as 1); sabiki rigs exempt for shad/herring.
- Shovelnose sturgeon: no harvest allowed.
- Commercial fishing and invasive carp programs (TCHIP) in Tennessee/Cumberland rivers.
13 species limits are shown per spot in the CatchTales app.
Pick a region below to explore its fishing spots.
East Tennessee & Smoky Mtns
Great Smoky Mountains, Little River, South Holston Lake, Boone Lake
40 spots
Middle TN & Cumberland
Percy Priest Lake, Center Hill Lake, Caney Fork River, Larry Collins Lake
40 spots
Plateau & Highland Rim
Dale Hollow Lake, Lake Cumberland area, Tims Ford, Nickajack Lake
40 spots
Tennessee River Valley
Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, Pickwick Lake, J. Percy Priest Lake
40 spots
West TN & Mississippi
Mississippi River, Reelfoot Lake, Chickasaw NWR, Brewer Basin
40 spots
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