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Tennessee regulations

Channel Catfish Regulations in Tennessee 2026

Tennessee Channel Catfish regulations as of 2026-05-08: Daily bag 5 fish/day; Daily bag 5 fish/day; Daily bag 5 fish/day. Sourced from TWRA.

TWRAVerified Official source

About Channel Catfish →

Rules (39)

Tennessee statewideOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
15"
no limit on catfish, except only one (1) fish may exceed 34 inches Only one (1) catfish over 34 inches may be harvested per day.
Allen Branch Pond
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Beech River Watershed Lakes
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness Wma Ponds
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Browns Creek Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Campbell Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
Carroll Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Coy Gaither-Bedford Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Davy Crockett Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Davy Crockett Lake (Crockett Co.)
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Dickson City Lakes
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Garrett Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Gibson County Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Glenn Springs Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Green Cove Pond
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Herb Parsons Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
16"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Indian Boundary Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Lake Graham
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Lake Halford
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
16"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Lake Kefauver
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Laurel Hill Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Liberty Park Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Maples Creek Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Marrowbone Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Mississippi River (Includes Adjacent Sloughs, Bayous, And All River Runs And Chutes, That Are Accessible By Boat From The River Proper)
Max size
34"
only one (1) fish over 34 inches in length may be harvested per day.
New Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Tellico-Citico Permit Areas
Daily bag
5 fish
Vfw Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Whiteville Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Williamsport Lakes (4 Lakes)
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish

Channel Catfish on famous Tennessee waters

Dedicated rule pages for Channel Catfish on the most-targeted destinations in Tennessee.

Also known as

Channel Catfish is also called Catfish. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Tennessee.

Frequently asked questions

When is Channel Catfish season in Tennessee?

Channel Catfish season in Tennessee is set by TWRA. Some zones may have specific open windows; see the rule table above.

What is the size limit for Channel Catfish in Tennessee?

Minimum size for Channel Catfish in Tennessee is 14 inches in Campbell Lake, per TWRA. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.

What is the daily bag limit for Channel Catfish in Tennessee?

Daily bag limit for Channel Catfish in Tennessee is 5 fish/day in Allen Branch Pond, per TWRA.

Official sources cited

Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with TWRA before keeping a catch. Last verified .

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