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Tennessee regulations

Channel Catfish Regulations in Tennessee 2026

Tennessee channel catfish regulations in 2026: 15″ min size, 1 fish/day bag limit. Zone-specific exceptions may apply — see the rule table below. Sourced from TWRA.

TWRAOfficial 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.
Verified · View official source ↗
Allen Branch Pond
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Beech River Watershed Lakes
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness Wma Ponds
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Browns Creek Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Campbell Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
Verified · View official source ↗
Carroll Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Coy Gaither-Bedford Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Davy Crockett Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Davy Crockett Lake (Crockett Co.)
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Dickson City Lakes
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Garrett Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Gibson County Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Glenn Springs Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Green Cove Pond
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Herb Parsons Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
16"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Indian Boundary Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Graham
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Halford
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
16"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Lake Kefauver
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Laurel Hill Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Liberty Park Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Maples Creek Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Marrowbone Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
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.
Verified · View official source ↗
New Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Verified · View official source ↗
Tellico-Citico Permit Areas
Daily bag
5 fish
Verified · View official source ↗
Vfw Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Whiteville Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗
Williamsport Lakes (4 Lakes)
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
Verified · View official source ↗

Channel Catfish on famous Tennessee waters

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

Other Tennessee fish regulations

Other regulated species in Tennessee with current rule pages — same TWRA source, same verification cadence.

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.

← All Tennessee fishing regulations