Tennessee regulations
Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow) Regulations in Tennessee 2026
Tennessee trout 2026 open seasons vary by 51 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 5/day. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from TWRA.
Rules (107)
Tennessee statewideOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Daily bag
- 5 trout/day
From April 1 through Nov. 30: Bait and artificial lures permitted. From April 1 through Nov. 30
Acorn LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Season opens
- Dec 1
- Season closes
- Mar 31
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
April 1–Nov. 30
All StreamsCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Gear
- Single Pointed Hooks
From Dec. 1 through March 31: All trout caught must be immediately returned to the water. From Dec. 1 through March 31: Use or possession of any artificial lures other than single hook artificial flies, spinners, and spoons is prohibited. The use of one dropper fly having a single hook which is separated from a legal lure by a length of line is permissible.
Bald River
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Beaverdam Creek
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Caney Fork River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 24"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 20"
- Slot max
- 20"
- Slot max
- 20"
only one longer than 20 inches may be harvested. PLR
Caney Fork River: Center Hill Dam To Cumberland River, Including Tributaries
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Min size
- 24"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot min
- 14"
- Slot max
- 20"
- Slot max
- 20"
- Slot max
- 20"
longer than 20 inches may be harvested
Chilhowee Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 7 fish/day
only two (2) may be lake trout.
Clear Creek
- Daily bag
- 4 fish
- Daily bag
- 4 fish
- Daily bag
- 4 fish
- Min size
- 7"
- Min size
- 7"
- Min size
- 7"
in combination
Clear Creek: Tributary To Clinch River (Anderson County)
- Daily bag
- 4 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 4 fish/day
- Daily bag
- 4 fish/day
- Min size
- 7"
- Min size
- 7"
- Min size
- 7"
in combination
Doe River (Carter Co.)Open
- Status
- Permitted
Trout harvested in these waters shall only be used as bait in the water from which the trout were harvested
Dudley Creek From Highway 441 Bridge To West Prong Little Pigeon River
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
From April 1 through Nov. 30: Children’s Streams
Elk River: Tims Ford Dam To I-65 Bridge, Including Tributaries
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot max
- 22"
- Slot max
- 22"
PLR
Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir: Boone Dam Downstream To Louis Milhorn Bridge On Beulah Church Drive
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot max
- 22"
- Slot max
- 22"
Green Cove Pond
- Daily bag
- 7 trout
Daily creel limit of seven (7) trout, with no length limit.
Hiwassee River
- Daily bag
- 2 trout
March 1 through Sept. 30: only two (2) may be Brown Trout.
Hiwassee River: Appalachian Powerhouse Downstream To L&N Railroad Bridge
- Daily bag
- 2 fish
March 1 through Sept. 30
Laurel Fork
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Leconte Creek From Painters Branch Upstream To Park Boundary
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
From April 1 through Nov. 30: Children’s Streams
Left Prong
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Little Stony Creek
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Montgomery Bell State Park: Acorn LakeCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Catch-and-release season from Dec. 1– March 31
North River
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
North River (Monroe Co.)Open
- Status
- Permitted
Trout harvested in these waters shall only be used as bait in the water from which the trout were harvested
Paint Creek
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Rocky Fork
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Rough Ridge Creek
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
South Fork Holston River From South Holston Dam To Boone DamOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Trout harvested in these waters shall only be used as bait in the water from which the trout were harvested
South Holston (Tn + Va Rules)
- Daily bag
- 7 fish/day
only two (2) may be Lake Trout.
Sycamore Creek
- Daily bag
- 5
- Gear
- No Live Bait
Use or possession of bait or multi-ple hook lures is prohibited.
Tellico
- Daily bag
- 7 fish/day
- Possession
- 2 fish/day
only two (2) may be Lake Trout.
Tellico River
- Daily bag
- 7 trout
Daily creel limit of seven (7) trout, with no length limit.
Watauga Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 7 fish/day
only two (2) may be Lake Trout.
Watauga River From Watauga Dam To Boone DamOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Trout harvested in these waters shall only be used as bait in the water from which the trout were harvested
West Prong Little Pigeon River From North Park Lane Bridge (Herbert Holt Park) Downstream To Gatlinburg Bypass Bridge
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
From April 1 through Nov. 30: Children’s Streams
Other Tennessee fish regulations
Other regulated species in Tennessee with current rule pages — same TWRA source, same verification cadence.
- Largemouth Bass130 rules
- Smallmouth Bass96 rules
- Walleye54 rules
- Bluegill (Sunfish)44 rules
- Channel Catfish39 rules
- Crappie (Black & White)23 rules
- Blue Catfish22 rules
- Muskie (Muskellunge)14 rules
- Lake Sturgeon3 rules
Also known as
Trout is also called Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow), Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Tiger Trout. 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 Trout season in Tennessee?
Trout season in Tennessee runs from Dec 1 to Mar 31 per TWRA.
What is the size limit for Trout in Tennessee?
Minimum size for Trout in Tennessee is 24 inches in Caney Fork River, per TWRA. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Trout in Tennessee?
Daily bag limit for Trout in Tennessee is 5 fish/day in Acorn Lake, per TWRA.
Official sources cited
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/25TNAB_LR.pdf
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/25TNAB_LR_2025-08-20-170518_amcm.pdf
- https://www.eregulations.com/tennessee/fishing/twra-fishing-lakes-information
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with TWRA before keeping a catch.