Waterbody · Tennessee
Tims Ford Lake Fishing Regulations 2026
Tims Ford Lake fishing regulations as of 2026-05-08: 252 current rules from TWRA. Anglers target smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, striped bass.
Rules (252)
TWRA regulates 252 rules across 4 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
Smallmouth Bass
Barkley
- Min size
- 15"
Boone
- Min size
- 15"
Boone Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Center Hill
- Min size
- 18"
Cheatham
- Min size
- 18"
Cherokee
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Oct. 16–May 31
Cherokee Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Oct. 16–May 31
Clinch River
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
13–17 inch PLR, only one (1) greater than 17 inches
Clinch River: Hwy. 25e Upstream To State Line
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) greater than 17 inches
Cordell Hull
- Min size
- 18"
Dale Hollow
- Daily bag
- 1 fish
- Possession
- 1 fish
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot max
- 21"
One (1) fish may be under 16 inches and one (1) may be over 21 inches. Includes Wolf River upstream to South Ford Road bridge. Includes Wolf River upstream to South Ford Road bridge.
Davy Crockett Lake
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one over 17 inches
French Broad River
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
13–17 inch PLR, only one (1) greater than 17 inches
French Broad River (From Hwy 321 Bridge At Newport Upstream To Nc State Line)
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) greater than 17 inches
French Broad River (Hwy. 168 To Douglas Dam)
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 18"
Ft. Patrick Henry
- Min size
- 15"
Great Falls
- Min size
- 18"
Holston River
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
Holston River (I-40 Bridge Upstream To Cherokee Dam And John Sevier Dam Upstream To North Fork Holston River)
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
John Sevier
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day PLR
John Sevier Reservoir
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
13–17 inch PLR, only one (1) Smallmouth bass over 17 inches per day.
Little Pigeon River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
Little Pigeon River (From Mouth Upstream To The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Boundary, Including The West Prong And East Fork Of The Little Pigeon River)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
Little River
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
13–17 inch PLR for Smallmouth Bass, only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
Little River (Rockford Dam Upstream To Great Smoky Mountains National Park Boundary)
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
Melton Hill
- Min size
- 18"
Melton Hill Reservoir
- Min size
- 18"
Nolichucky River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
over 17 inches
Nolichucky River (Enka Dam Upstream To State Line, Includes Davy Crockett Lake)
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
Normandy
- Min size
- 18"
Norris
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Oct. 16–May 31
Norris Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
North Fork Holston River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
over 17 inches
North Fork Holston River (Confluence With South Fork Holston River Upstream To State Line)
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
Old Hickory
- Min size
- 18"
Percy Priest
- Min size
- 18"
Pickwick
- Min size
- 15"
Pigeon River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
Pigeon River (From Hwy 321 Bridge At Newport Upstream To Nc State Line)
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Min size
- 20"
Powell River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
over 17 inches
Powell River (Gap Creek Confluence Upstream To State Line)
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
South Fork Holston River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
over 17 inches
South Fork Holston River (Confluence With North Fork Holston River Upstream To Fort Patrick Henry Dam)
- Slot min
- 13"
- Slot max
- 17"
only one (1) Smallmouth Bass over 17 inches per day
South Holston
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Oct. 16–May 31
South Holston (Tn + Va Rules)
- Min size
- 15"
South Holston Reservoir
- Daily bag
- 5 fish/day
- Min size
- 15"
Oct. 16–May 31
Tellico River
- Min size
- 15"
Tims Ford
- Min size
- 18"
Watauga
- Min size
- 15"
Watauga Reservoir
- Min size
- 15"
Wolf River
- Daily bag
- 1 fish/day
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot max
- 21"
over 21 inches
Wolf River (South Ford Road Bridge Downstream To Dale Hollow Reservoir)
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Slot min
- 16"
- Slot max
- 21"
one under 16 inches and one over 21 inches
Woods
- Min size
- 18"
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
All Species
Tims Ford LakeOpen
- Status
- Permitted
Bill Dance Signature Lake access points
FAQ
Who regulates fishing on Tims Ford Lake?
TWRA regulates fishing on Tims Ford Lake.
What species can I target on Tims Ford Lake?
Tims Ford Lake is best known for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, striped bass. 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 .