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Old Hickory Lake Fishing Regulations 2026

Old Hickory Lake fishing regulations as of 2026-05-08: 218 current rules from TWRA. Anglers target largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish.

TWRAVerified Official source

Rules (218)

TWRA regulates 218 rules across 6 species at this water.

Largemouth Bass

Acorn LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
10 fish/day
no minimum length limit
Barkley
Min size
15"
Boone
Min size
15"
Boone Reservoir
Min size
15"
Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness Wma Ponds
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Min size
16"
only one (1) fish 16 inches or longer may be harvested
Browns Creek Lake
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Slot min
18"
Slot max
25"
only one fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested PLR
C. M. Gooch Unit E Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
15"
Campbell Lake
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
12"
Carroll LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
no creel limit only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Casper Lake
Daily bag
2 fish/day
Min size
16"
Center Hill
Min size
15"
Cheatham
Min size
14"
Cherokee
Min size
15"
Cherokee Reservoir
Min size
15"
Chickamauga Reservoir
Min size
15"
Cordell Hull
Min size
15"
Coy Gaither-Bedford Lake
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Slot min
14"
Slot max
18"
only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested PLR
Dale Hollow
Min size
15"
Davy Crockett LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Max size
18"
No limit — no creel only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested per day.
Davy Crockett Lake (Crockett Co.)Open
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
no creel limit only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Dogwood Lake
Daily bag
10 fish/day
Slot min
12"
Slot max
16"
Fall Creek Falls Lake
Daily bag
10 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Min size
16"
Only one (1) fish longer than 16 inches may be harvested Only one (1) fish longer than 16 inches may be harvested.
Garrett LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
no creel limit only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Gibson County Lake
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Slot min
18"
Slot max
24"
only one fish longer than 24 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 24 inches may be harvested PLR
Glenn Springs LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
no creel limit only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Great Falls
Min size
15"
Guntersville Reservoir
Min size
15"
Herb Parsons Lake
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Slot min
16"
Slot max
20"
only one fish longer than 20 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 20 inches may be harvested PLR
Indian Boundary Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Min size
16"
only one (1) fish 16 inches or longer may be harvested
Kentucky Lake
Min size
15"
Lake GrahamOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
no creel limit only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Lake Halford
Daily bag
2 fish/day
Possession
2 fish
Max size
18"
only two fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only two (2) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Lake Kefauver
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Min size
16"
only one (1) fish 16 inches or longer may be harvested
Land Between The Lakes
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
15"
Laurel Hill Lake
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Slot min
13"
Slot max
18"
only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested PLR
Maples Creek LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
no creel limit only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Marrowbone LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
10 fish/day
no length limit.
Melton Hill
Min size
14"
Melton Hill Reservoir
Min size
14"
New Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
15"
Nickajack Reservoir
Min size
15"
Normandy
Min size
15"
Norris
Min size
14"
Old Hickory
Min size
14"
Parksville
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
15"
Parksville Reservoir
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
15"
Percy Priest
Min size
15"
Pickwick
Min size
15"
Pin Oak Lake
Daily bag
10 fish/day
Slot min
18"
Slot max
25"
only one (1) fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested
Pine Lake
Daily bag
10 fish/day
Poplar Tree Lake
Daily bag
10 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
Min size
18"
only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Redbud Lake
Daily bag
10 fish/day
Slot min
12"
Slot max
16"
Reelfoot
Min size
15"
Reelfoot Watershed Lake #18
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
15"
South Holston
Min size
14"
South Holston Reservoir
Min size
14"
Tellico
Min size
12"
Tims Ford
Min size
15"
Travis Mcnatt LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Min size
16"
No creel limit, only one (1) fish longer than 16 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 16 inches may be harvested
Vfw LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
5 fish/day
no length limit.
Watauga
Min size
12"
Watauga Reservoir
Min size
12"
Whiteville LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Possession
1 fish
no creel limit only one fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested only one (1) fish longer than 18 inches may be harvested
Williamsport Lakes
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
20"
Williamsport Lakes (4 Lakes)
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
20"
Woodhaven Lake
Daily bag
10 fish/day
Slot min
18"
Slot max
25"
only one (1) fish longer than 25 inches may be harvested

Striped Bass

Boone
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
36"
Boone Reservoir
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
36"
Cordell Hull
Daily bag
1 fish
Possession
1 fish
Slot min
32"
Slot max
42"
Only one (1) fish may be over 42 inches.
Melton Hill
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Slot min
32"
Slot max
42"
only one (1) fish may be over 42 inches PLR
Melton Hill Reservoir
Slot min
32"
Slot max
42"
32–42 inch PLR; only one (1) fish may be over 42 inches.
Mississippi River
Daily bag
6 fish/day
Norris
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
36"
Nov. 1–March 31
South Holston
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
36"
Nov. 1–March 31
South Holston Reservoir
Daily bag
1 fish/day
Min size
36"
Nov. 1–March 31
Watts BarOut of season
Season opens
Nov 1
Season closes
Mar 31
Min size
36"
Nov. 1–March 31: 36 inch minimum length limit.
Tennessee statewide
Daily bag
20 fish/day
Min size
15"
statewide

Channel Catfish

Browns Creek Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
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 (Crockett Co.)
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Blue Catfish
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
Herb Parsons Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
16"
in combination with Blue Catfish
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
Laurel Hill Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Blue Catfish
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
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

Blue Catfish

Browns Creek Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Carroll Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Coy Gaither-Bedford Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Channel Catfish
Davy Crockett Lake (Crockett Co.)
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Garrett Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Gibson County Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Glenn Springs Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Herb Parsons Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
16"
in combination with Channel Catfish
Lake Graham
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Lake Halford
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
16"
in combination with Channel Catfish
Laurel Hill Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Channel Catfish
Maples Creek Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Marrowbone Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Vfw Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Channel Catfish
Whiteville Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
in combination with Channel Catfish
Williamsport Lakes (4 Lakes)
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
in combination with Channel Catfish

Catfish

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
Campbell Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Min size
14"
Davy Crockett Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Dickson City Lakes
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Green Cove Pond
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Indian Boundary Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Lake Kefauver
Daily bag
5 fish/day
Liberty Park Lake
Daily bag
5 fish/day
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
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.

All Species

Old Hickory LakeOpen
Status
Permitted
Bill Dance Signature Lake access points
Sub-Impoundments On Old Hickory Lake Unit IClosed
Status
Prohibited
Raccoon and opossum hunting, trapping and fishing are prohibited in sub-impoundments during the late waterfowl season.

FAQ

Who regulates fishing on Old Hickory Lake?

TWRA regulates fishing on Old Hickory Lake.

What species can I target on Old Hickory Lake?

Old Hickory Lake is best known for largemouth bass, striped bass, catfish. Other species are present and tracked in the rule tables below.

When was this last updated?

These rules were last verified against TWRA on 2026-05-08. Always confirm with the official source before keeping a catch.

Reference only. Regulations change mid-season. Always verify with the official source before keeping a catch. Last verified .

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