Tennessee fishing limits: how many can you keep, and what size is legal?
Most Tennessee waters use statewide creel and length limits, but the rules change on named reservoirs, rivers, trout tailwaters, state park lakes and border waters. Check the species limit first, then the exact water before putting a fish on ice.
Creel limit, size limit and possession limit are different rules
The maximum fish of a species or combined group you may harvest in one day. A five-black-bass limit does not mean five largemouth plus five smallmouth.
A 10-inch minimum means a fish must measure at least 10 inches to be retained. A protected slot means fish inside the protected range cannot be kept.
Tennessee’s general total possession limit is twice the daily creel limit. While afield, you may not possess more than the daily creel limit.
Tennessee daily creel and minimum length limits by species
This table summarizes the current TWRA statewide regulation. It does not replace named-water exceptions or emergency changes.
| Species | Daily creel | Minimum length | What anglers should know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black bass Largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Alabama, Coosa | 5 combined | None statewide | Named lakes frequently impose specific largemouth or smallmouth limits. |
| Crappie (all species) | 15 combined | 10 inches | Region 1 has a general 30-fish exception unless a specific water states otherwise. |
| Rock, redeye and shadow bass | 20 | None | Separate from the black-bass group. |
| Striped bass and hybrid striped bass | 2 combined | 15 inches | Some reservoirs impose protected length ranges. |
| White bass | 15 | None | Different from striped/hybrid striped bass. |
| Muskellunge | 1 | 36 inches | Trophy waters may require a larger minimum. |
| Sauger and sauger/walleye hybrids | 10 combined | 15 inches | Combined sauger/walleye limits apply in several rivers. |
| Walleye | 5 | 16 inches | Individual water limits can be different. |
| Trout (all species) | 7 combined | None statewide | Only 2 of the 7 may be lake trout. Tailwaters often impose slots and lower creels. |
| Redear sunfish / shellcracker | 20 | None | Special state park lakes may have combined sunfish limits. |
| Bluegill, warmouth, yellow bass, bream, bullheads, pickerel, northern pike, yellow perch and nongame species | No statewide limit | None | Protected species and named-water exceptions still control. |
| Skipjack herring | 100 | None | Bait use and transportation rules are separate. |
| Catfish | No harvest limit for fish 34 inches or less; only 1 over 34 inches | None statewide | Many community and state park lakes impose local catfish creels. |
| Paddlefish | 2 during season | None | Harvest season April 24–May 31; culling prohibited. Reservoir exceptions apply. |
| Alligator gar and shovelnose sturgeon | 0 | Not applicable | No harvest; immediately return to water. |
Check the statewide baseline for your catch
Select the species to see the basic statewide number and the most important restriction. This tool is not a waterbody-specific legal determination.
If fishing Reelfoot, Douglas, Nickajack, Cordell Hull, a trout tailwater, TWRA Fishing Lake or another regulated water, use the special-water rule instead.
How TWRA measures fish length
TWRA instructs anglers to lay the fish on a ruler, close its mouth and squeeze the tail fin. Do not manipulate the mouth to make a fish longer.
Three measurement checks
- Place the fish flat alongside a ruler or measuring board.
- Close the mouth naturally without pulling the jaw forward.
- Squeeze the tail fin and read from the mouth tip to the furthest tail tip.
What the 2× possession rule really means
On a statewide-limit water, up to 15 legal-sized crappie may be harvested in one day.
The standard overall possession ceiling for this species group is twice the daily creel—30.
TWRA does not allow more than the daily creel limit with you while afield. The 30-fish total possession allowance is not a 30-fish one-day limit.
Five black bass means five total, not five of each
Tennessee groups largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Alabama and Coosa bass together for the general five-fish daily black-bass creel. A mix of these species counts against the same five-fish limit.
3 largemouth + 2 smallmouth
Five combined black bass, assuming the exact water has no stricter species/size restriction.
5 largemouth + 2 spotted
Seven combined black bass exceeds the statewide five-fish group limit.
One species may differ
A reservoir may assign smallmouth a protective slot or set a separate spotted-bass rule even though the statewide rule is combined.
Major Tennessee waters where the statewide number changes
These examples show why checking the exact location matters. They are selected official exceptions—not a complete listing of every water in Tennessee.
Crappie: 20 daily, 10-inch minimum
Reelfoot Lake has a 20-fish combined crappie creel instead of the general statewide 15 or the broader West Tennessee Region 1 exception. Largemouth bass must be at least 15 inches, and the combined largemouth/spotted creel is five.
Use the specific Reelfoot Lake regulation, not a regional shorthand.
Seasonal bass harvest restriction
Black bass: five daily. From October 1 through May 31 there is no black-bass length limit under this reservoir’s listed rule. From June 1 through September 30, only one largemouth or smallmouth bass over 16 inches may be harvested daily.
Douglas has separate walleye/sauger and river-reach rules too.
Largemouth: 15-inch minimum
Black bass: five daily combined. Largemouth must meet 15 inches. For smallmouth, spotted, Alabama bass and hybrids, no minimum is listed, but only one over 16 inches may be harvested per day under the stated exception.
Different bass minimums
Black bass: five combined. Largemouth minimum 15 inches; smallmouth minimum 18 inches; spotted bass has no listed minimum. Striped bass has a 32–42-inch protected length range with only one over 42 inches.
Trout: 5 combined
From Center Hill Dam to the Cumberland River, including tributaries, total trout creel is five. Rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout have 14–20-inch protected ranges and an over-20 rule; brown trout have a 24-inch minimum and one-fish daily creel.
Trout: 2 daily, 14-inch minimum
From Smallings Bridge downstream to the CSX railroad bridges, the quality-trout area has a 14-inch minimum and two-trout daily creel. Do not substitute the statewide seven-trout limit.
Open official TWRA fishing regulation exceptions. Search the exact lake or stream name, find its species paragraph, check the specified boundaries, and then apply any date- or gear-specific limitations.
West Tennessee crappie limits are not all the same
The general Region 1 crappie exception is 30 fish per day with no minimum length, unless a specific water provides another rule. Several rivers and the Mississippi River use additional regulations.
| Water | Crappie daily limit | Length limit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide baseline | 15 | 10 inches | Applies outside listed exceptions. |
| Region 1 general exception | 30 | None | Only where a more specific regulation does not replace it. |
| Reelfoot Lake | 20 | 10 inches | Named-water rule controls. |
| Forked Deer, Hatchie, Loosahatchie, Obion and Wolf rivers including tributaries | 30 | None | TWRA-listed river exception. |
| Mississippi River and qualifying connected waters | 50 | None | Reciprocal and location-specific rules also matter. |
Trout regulations: seven statewide does not mean seven everywhere
All trout species combined, generally no statewide minimum length. No more than two of the seven may be lake trout.
Combined daily trout creel with separate slot and size restrictions by trout species.
Two daily with a 14-inch minimum in the designated Smallings Bridge-to-CSX section.
South Fork Holston River special waters include a 16–22-inch protected length range, a seven-trout combined creel with only one fish over 22 inches, and seasonal closures on designated reaches. Fort Patrick Henry Reservoir has related but separately defined trout restrictions.
Check TWRA trout regulations. Find the correct river, confirm upstream and downstream landmarks, read the dates, then verify species-specific slots and tackle restrictions.
How a protected length range works
A protected length range (PLR), often called a slot limit, protects fish between two stated measurements. Fish within that protected range cannot be harvested, while fish outside it may be legal only if the additional creel and “only one over” rules allow it.
May be retainable
Fish below the protected range can be legal when the specific water’s rule permits harvest at that size.
Release
Return a fish whose measured length falls within the protected interval.
Check trophy cap
Being larger than the protected slot does not automatically make every fish legal; some waters allow only one above a particular size.
Example: a 14–18-inch protected range is not the same as a 14-inch minimum. Do not use a slot illustration to decide borderline measurements without reading TWRA’s actual boundary wording for that water.
Catfish: the 34-inch rule is a harvest restriction, not a minimum
Under Tennessee’s statewide rule, there is no numerical harvest cap on catfish 34 inches or less. An angler may harvest only one catfish longer than 34 inches per day. Some lakes, especially smaller state park and community waters, have different catfish creel and length rules.
No statewide numerical creel limit
Still check the named lake, permitted gear, local posted limits and fish-consumption advisories.
One daily
Only one oversized catfish may be harvested daily under the statewide trophy restriction.
TWRA State Fishing Lakes and certain state park lakes may instead have limits such as five catfish per day or 16-inch minimums. Always look for the lake-specific catfish line before keeping a cooler full of fish.
Paddlefish: a two-fish limit does not mean year-round harvest
TWRA lists a recreational paddlefish harvest season of April 24 through May 31, with a daily creel limit of two and no minimum size statewide during the open season. Culling is prohibited, and Center Hill, Cherokee and Watts Bar reservoirs have exceptions.
Alligator gar and shovelnose sturgeon have no recreational harvest allowance under the statewide rules. Identify unusual fish before retaining them.
More rods do not increase your daily creel
Under TWRA’s general rule there is no statewide limit on the number of poles actively fished at one time unless the specific water or proclamation restricts them. However, the statewide hook limit is generally three hooks per rod, pole or hand-held line, counting single, double and treble hooks as one hook each.
Multiple poles
If a water allows several poles, the daily creel still applies to the individual angler. You cannot multiply the limit by the number of rods.
Special tackle
TWRA exempts qualifying sabiki rigs used to take shad or herring from the ordinary statewide three-hook restriction. Some special trout and spawning-run waters are more restrictive.
A Tennessee license does not always mean Tennessee limits apply
Pickwick Lake
There is a Tennessee–Alabama–Mississippi reciprocal licensing arrangement within defined boundaries. TWRA says anglers follow the fishing regulations of the state whose waters they are fishing.
Mississippi River
Tennessee–Arkansas reciprocal waters have common rules for certain species, including 10 black bass and 50 crappie daily. Special chutes and excluded areas can follow Arkansas requirements.
Big South Fork
The Tennessee–Kentucky reciprocal section has licensing and bank-fishing distinctions. Bank anglers follow the rules of the state in which they are fishing.
Read TWRA reciprocal agreements. Locate the exact lake/river reach, verify whether your license is recognized, then determine which state’s creel and length limits govern the place you are fishing.
How to find the legal limit for your exact Tennessee fishing spot
Being licensed does not make an undersized fish legal
You may hold the correct Tennessee fishing license or all-species coverage and still violate a size limit, closed season, protected range or local gear rule. Likewise, a license exemption for a child or a qualifying free-fishing event does not erase creel and length restrictions.
For general eligibility and buying steps, see the Tennessee fishing license guide. If you need extra permissions for trout, TWRA State Lakes, Gatlinburg or other regulated areas, use the Tennessee fishing permit guide.
Anglers using county-of-residence or no-trout products should read what the Tennessee no-trout fishing license covers. To compare resident, nonresident and supplemental fees, consult the Tennessee fishing license cost breakdown.
Six mistakes that can make a legal-looking catch illegal
1. Adding species limits separately
Keeping five largemouth plus five smallmouth violates a five-fish combined statewide black-bass creel.
2. Applying statewide rules to every lake
Reelfoot, Douglas, Nickajack, Cordell Hull and other waters may use different numbers or size restrictions.
3. Confusing possession with daily creel
A two-day possession allowance does not permit taking two days’ worth in one day or carrying more than the daily creel while afield.
4. Measuring incorrectly
Pulling the jaw forward, using an inaccurate ruler or forgetting to squeeze the tail can lead to retaining an undersized fish.
5. Ignoring closures
Trout delayed harvest and paddlefish harvest seasons can prohibit retention even when a daily number is published.
6. Assuming interstate reciprocity changes nothing
Some border waters recognize neighboring licenses but still require compliance with the state-specific or jointly adopted harvest regulations.
Your 60-second keep-or-release checklist
- Fish: Can you identify the species confidently?
- Water: Is there a special rule for this exact lake or river reach?
- Date: Is harvest currently allowed?
- Length: Does the measurement satisfy minimum or protected-range restrictions?
- Count: Will keeping it exceed a combined species-group daily limit?
- Possession: Will the fish exceed what you may lawfully carry while afield?
- Gear: Is the method, bait, number of hooks and location lawful?
- Inspection: Can the species and total length still be determined?
TWRA regulation pages worth checking before you fish
Statewide limits
Species-group creels, minimum lengths, possession rules, measurement, hooks and reciprocity.
Fishing regulation exceptions
Named reservoirs, rivers, state park lakes, TWRA lakes and local species restrictions.
Trout regulations
Special trout streams, protected slots, seasonal catch-and-release and closed reaches.
2026–27 fishing regulations
Read what’s new, basic laws, special methods and current guide updates.
Tennessee fishing limits: frequently asked questions
How many bass can you keep in Tennessee?
The statewide black-bass limit is five per day in any combination of largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, Alabama and Coosa bass. There is no general statewide minimum length, but many named waters have special bass length or harvest rules.
What is Tennessee’s crappie limit?
The statewide combined crappie limit is 15 daily with a 10-inch minimum. Region 1 generally has a 30-fish exception where no more specific rule applies. Reelfoot Lake allows 20 daily with a 10-inch minimum, while the qualifying Mississippi River waters have a separate 50-fish rule.
How many trout can you keep in Tennessee?
The statewide combined trout limit is seven per day, of which no more than two may be lake trout. Special waters such as Caney Fork and Watauga have different creels, protected slots, minimum sizes or seasonal regulations.
What is Tennessee’s catfish size and bag limit?
Statewide there is no numerical harvest limit for catfish 34 inches or less, but only one catfish longer than 34 inches may be harvested per day. Specific community, state park and other waters can impose different catfish restrictions.
What is the Tennessee walleye limit?
The general statewide walleye limit is five per day with a 16-inch minimum length. A lake or river may have a different size rule or combined walleye/sauger restriction.
Is the possession limit twice the daily creel limit in Tennessee?
Yes. TWRA’s statewide rule sets the total possession limit at twice the daily creel limit. You may not have more than the daily creel limit with you while afield. Special regulations and exceptions must also be followed.
How does Tennessee measure a fish?
Lay the fish on a ruler, close the mouth and squeeze the tail fin. Measure the total length without manipulating the mouth to extend the fish’s length.
Can you keep a fish inside a protected length range?
No. A protected length range generally prohibits harvest of fish inside the stated interval. Fish outside it may be retained only if the specific water’s daily creel and other harvest restrictions permit.
How many fishing poles can you use in Tennessee?
Unless a special regulation says otherwise, Tennessee has no general statewide limit on the number of poles actively fished. The general hook restriction is a maximum of three hooks per rod, pole or hand-held line, subject to exceptions.
Can you harvest paddlefish in Tennessee in October?
Not under the listed statewide paddlefish harvest season. TWRA lists April 24 through May 31, with a daily creel of two and no culling. Reservoir exceptions and current proclamations must also be checked.