Set a legal trotline, not just a line with hooks
Tennessee allows recreational trotline fishing, but the law controls how many hooks you may use, how far apart the drop lines must be, how the line is tagged, where it can cross a channel, and how frequently it must be checked. Special lakes and the county-of-residence license have different restrictions.
Tennessee trotline rules at a glance
Maximum hooks
With an appropriate regular sportfishing license, all trotlines combined may carry no more than 100 hooks.
Drop spacing
Adjacent drop lines must be separated by at least 24 inches along the main line.
Checking interval
Trotlines must be run at least once during every 24-hour period.
Crossing limit
A trotline cannot extend more than three-quarters of the distance across a stream, river, chute or embayment.
Label the owner
Mark the gear with the owner’s name and address or TWRA identification number. The location of the label depends on how the line is deployed.
Stay outside restricted areas
Do not set trotlines within 100 yards of a river, creek or slough mouth, or within 1,000 yards below TVA or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dams.
Rules checked against the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s current statewide fishing regulations for 2026–27.
What a Tennessee trotline should look like
A trotline uses one main line with drop lines attached at intervals. Each drop carries one hook. The TWRA requires at least 24 inches between adjacent drops.
Minimum 24 inches
The distance is measured between adjacent drop-line attachment points along the main line. More space is allowed.
One hook per drop
TWRA describes recreational trotlines as a main line carrying drop lines with single hooks attached.
Enough room for the drops
A line with 50 hooks needs at least 49 separate 24-inch gaps between its first and last drop attachments.
Check your planned trotline before setting it
Enter your license, number of lines, hooks per line and intended water. This tool screens the principal statewide limits and selected documented local restrictions. It cannot replace TWRA’s official rule for the exact location.
Example setup: Two lines with 25 hooks each use 50 hooks in total, below the ordinary 100-hook combined cap. Select your actual water and license for a more specific screening.
The calculator assumes the same number of hooks on each line. It does not measure actual GPS distances, property access, channel width, drop spacing or whether your bait is lawful.
Where must your name, address or TWRA ID appear?
Tennessee does not allow an unidentified sportfishing trotline. The tag placement changes according to whether it is tied to the bank, deployed away from the bank or floating.
| Type of setup | Tag position | What must appear? |
|---|---|---|
| Trotline tied to the bank | On the line within five feet of the bank | Owner’s name and address or TWRA identification number |
| Trotline not attached to the bank | Within five feet of either end of the line | Owner’s name and address or TWRA identification number |
| Floating trotline | Identification must be placed on the floats | Owner’s name and address or TWRA identification number |
Where you cannot set a Tennessee trotline
Before attaching a line to the bank or dropping anchors from a boat, apply these three statewide location rules. They are separate requirements, and a setup must meet all three.
Below major dams
Trotlines, limblines and jugs are prohibited within 1,000 yards downstream of any Tennessee Valley Authority or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam.
At tributary mouths
Do not set a trotline within 100 yards of the mouth of a river, creek or slough.
Across a waterway
A trotline cannot extend more than three-quarters of the distance across a stream, river, chute or embayment.
Example: a 160-foot-wide creek arm
If a waterway is 160 feet wide at your selected crossing, the statewide three-quarters rule would limit a crossing trotline to 120 feet. This does not mean that any 120-foot line is automatically lawful. You must still meet hook spacing, tagging, location, public-safety and any specific waterbody restrictions.
Large waters can have active commercial and recreational navigation. Avoid marked channels and configurations that could entangle boats, swimmers, paddlers or wildlife. Never infer that a legally sized line may be placed in a hazardous location.
Tennessee waters where trotlines are prohibited or restricted
Many of the most important exceptions are absolute bans, not simply reduced hook limits. The following restrictions come from TWRA’s statewide methods page and named-water exceptions.
| Water / area | Trotline rule | Other important details |
|---|---|---|
| TWRA State Lakes | Prohibited | Limblines also prohibited. Jug fishing has seasonal weekend/holiday limits. |
| Community Fishing Program waters | Prohibited | Only rod and reel, hand lines and poles are permitted. Jugs, seines and cast nets also prohibited. |
| Calderwood Reservoir | Prohibited | Limblines prohibited too. |
| Indian Boundary Lake | Prohibited | Trotlines, jugs and limblines all prohibited. |
| Beech River Watershed Development Authority waters | Prohibited | Jug fishing limited to 20 jugs/blocks per boat under the applicable rule. |
| Allen Branch Pond and Chilhowee (McKamy) Pond, Cherokee WMA | Prohibited | Jugs prohibited as well. |
| New Johnsonville Steam Plant Harbor | Prohibited | Jug fishing limited to 10 per angler. |
| Pin Oak Lake, Natchez Trace State Park | Prohibited year-round | Limblines also prohibited. Separate restrictions apply to jugs. |
| Danville Railroad Bridge Dikes | Prohibited within 50 yards | Keep outside the identified 50-yard dike restriction and verify other applicable rules. |
| Norris Reservoir — specified Powell and Clinch arms | Seasonally prohibited | January 1–April 30 within the restricted reaches described below. |
To verify a location, open the TWRA methods page, find “Trotlines, Limblines, and Jugs,” then review exceptions. Next open the named-water page and check access restrictions before launching.
Norris Reservoir trotline closure: January 1–April 30
On Norris Reservoir, the trotline restriction covers defined portions of the Powell River and Clinch River arms during the first four months of each year.
River Mile 32 to Highway 25E Bridge
From January 1 through April 30, trotlines, limblines and jugs are prohibited between River Mile 32 (Point 15) and the Highway 25E Bridge.
River Mile 137 to Highway 25E Bridge
From January 1 through April 30, the same gear prohibition applies between River Mile 137 (Point 31) and the Highway 25E Bridge.
Regular fishing license vs. Tennessee county-of-residence license
One of the most overlooked distinctions in Tennessee trotline fishing is the county license. Tennessee Code § 70-2-203 gives that lower-cost license a specific and narrower trotline allowance.
Across one or more lines
An angler with the appropriate ordinary sportfishing license may use one or more trotlines with no more than 100 hooks in combination, where the method is legal.
Example: four trotlines with 25 hooks each reach the combined statewide maximum.
One trotline only
A qualifying Tennessee resident may use a single trotline with no more than 50 hooks while fishing qualifying county-of-residence waters with natural or cut bait.
Minnows, artificial lures, fishing outside the authorized area, state lakes, certain WMAs and trout fishing require another appropriate license.
How to decide which license applies
- If you hold a regular eligible fishing license, use the combined statewide trotline limit and check the water’s exceptions.
- If you hold only the county-of-residence fishing license, use its one-line/50-hook limitation and natural-or-cut-bait restriction.
- If you fish outside the qualifying county or city allowance, buy the appropriate broader license.
- Verify the base license and any special area permit before setting gear.
For the full resident and visitor eligibility rules, see the published Tennessee fishing license guide. To compare the county license with standard annual or short-term products, use the Tennessee fishing license cost guide.
What bait can you use on a Tennessee trotline?
The method is commonly used for catfish, but legal bait depends on the license, the source of the bait, the target fish and the water. A permitted trotline does not create an exception to TWRA’s live bait or protected-species regulations.
Common trotline choices
Prepared natural or cut bait may be used where permitted. County-of-residence license holders have an express natural-or-cut-bait limitation.
Check the bait species
A fish sold or caught for bait is not automatically lawful to transport or use anywhere in Tennessee. Verify species, origin, capture method and transport restrictions.
Never move live fish between waters
TWRA prohibits intentionally releasing or stocking live fish, crayfish or salamanders into other waters away from where they were harvested.
On the agency page, look up the bait species first. Then read legal harvest methods, dealer rules, possession and transport conditions before loading your bait bucket.
Which fish can you legally keep on a trotline?
TWRA’s trotline method rules allow eligible game fish according to applicable local limits and regulate nongame fish separately. Catfish are especially important because of Tennessee’s large-fish harvest restriction.
| Fish or group | Relevant harvest rule | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Catfish | No statewide creel limit on fish 34 inches or less; only one catfish over 34 inches per day. | Exact fish length and any community lake or other named-water exception. |
| Skipjack herring | 100 per day under statewide recreational regulations. | Possession, bait-use and border-water requirements. |
| Other nongame fish | Generally no statewide creel limit unless protected or otherwise restricted. | Correct species identification and local limits. |
| Game fish caught legally on a trotline | Applicable local and statewide creel and minimum-length requirements. | Species and exact waterbody regulation. |
| Sturgeon and alligator gar | Protected no-harvest species. | Release promptly if accidentally hooked. |
| Paddlefish | Not included in the unrestricted nongame trotline harvest allowance. | Specific legal harvest methods, season and proclamation. |
Measure retained fish as TWRA instructs, with the mouth closed and tail squeezed. Fish subject to minimum length must meet the applicable local rule before being kept.
Do not confuse three different legal fishing methods
| Method | Statewide recreational maximum | Identification and inspection |
|---|---|---|
| Trotlines | One or more lines; 100 hooks combined under an appropriate regular sport license. | Owner marking; run at least every 24 hours; water-specific restrictions. |
| Limblines, including yo-yos | 25 limblines per sport angler, one hook each. | Tag above the waterline; run at least every 24 hours. |
| Jugs or blocks | 50 per sport angler, one hook each, unless a local restriction applies. | Owner marking; run at least every 24 hours. |
Step-by-step Tennessee trotline setup checklist
- Identify the exact waterbody. Determine whether it is a normal public reservoir, TWRA State Lake, community fishing water, state park lake or restricted reach.
- Verify the license. Check whether you have an ordinary sportfishing privilege or only the county-of-residence license, which allows one qualifying trotline with no more than 50 hooks.
- Calculate your combined hook total. Count the hooks on every trotline you will deploy. Stay within the appropriate license limit.
- Build the main line with proper drops. Attach one hook to each drop line and separate the drops by at least 24 inches.
- Choose a lawful placement. Keep clear of restricted dams, mouths of streams and channels; comply with the three-quarters-width limit.
- Attach the required identification. Place your name and address or TWRA ID in the position appropriate for a bank-attached, freestanding or floating trotline.
- Use lawful bait. Verify the bait species and source. Follow natural/cut-bait limits when fishing under a county-of-residence license.
- Run the line at least once every 24 hours. Check fish promptly, remove illegal catch and confirm the line remains secure and properly tagged.
- Identify and measure your catch. Apply the species-specific local creel and length rules, including Tennessee’s catfish-over-34-inch restriction.
- Remove the gear when finished. Retrieve hooks, anchors, tags and discarded material so the line does not remain as a hazard.
Examples of legal and illegal trotline plans
Two 40-hook trotlines
With an appropriate ordinary sportfishing license, two lines carrying 40 hooks each total 80 hooks. They fit the combined hook limit, provided the location, spacing, tagging, check interval and other rules are satisfied.
Three 40-hook trotlines
That setup totals 120 hooks. It exceeds the statewide 100-hook combined recreational limit.
One 35-hook line
A county-of-residence license holder may be able to use this setup within qualifying county waters, with lawful natural or cut bait and all other conditions satisfied.
Two 20-hook lines
Even though the total is only 40 hooks, the county-of-residence license provides for a single trotline, not two separate lines.
Line beneath a TVA dam
A trotline within 1,000 yards below a TVA or Corps dam is prohibited even if it has only a few hooks and a proper owner tag.
Line on a TWRA State Lake
The method itself is prohibited on TWRA State Lakes. Reducing the number of hooks does not make a trotline lawful there.
What counts as checking a trotline every 24 hours?
TWRA requires recreational trotlines to be run at least once per 24-hour period. In practical terms, plan a dependable daily servicing schedule rather than setting a line and leaving it unattended for several days.
Check the entire line
Inspect its condition, hooks, catches, attachments and required owner identification.
Handle catch legally
Identify and measure fish, observe species limits and release fish that cannot lawfully be retained.
Remove damaged gear
Retrieve broken lines, hooks, abandoned material and tangled sections when safe to do so.
Can you set a trotline from a private dock or on a border-water lake?
Permission to fish and permission to use a particular bank, dock or access road are separate issues. Your license does not grant entry to private land or the right to attach gear to another person’s property.
- Private bank: obtain the property owner’s permission before tying a line or crossing private ground.
- Public boat ramp: do not obstruct navigation, launch lanes or other users with anchored or unattended lines.
- Border water: identify the side of the state boundary where your gear is actually deployed, and check whether a reciprocal license agreement covers the method.
- Federal refuge or park: the land manager can impose access, fishing-hours or gear restrictions beyond normal TWRA limits.
- Dam-controlled reservoir: changing water levels and currents can move, expose or entangle improperly set gear.
For waterbody-specific permits or additional access privileges, see the published Tennessee fishing permit guide.
How to get the fishing privilege you need before setting gear
If you need to purchase or confirm a fishing license, use Go Outdoors Tennessee, the official TWRA licensing system.
- Open the official Go Outdoors Tennessee licensing portal.
- Find your existing customer record or create the required account.
- Confirm Tennessee residency and your age.
- Select an appropriate fishing license rather than assuming a county-only product authorizes every trotline setup.
- Check whether the water requires an additional permit or different fishing privilege.
- Review the effective dates and final price before paying.
- Save a readable electronic copy or print your active license before heading to the water.
Ten mistakes Tennessee trotline anglers should avoid
- Using 100 hooks on each trotline instead of counting all trotline hooks together.
- Placing drop lines less than 24 inches apart.
- Setting more than one trotline under a county-of-residence license.
- Failing to identify the owner on the line or floats in the required position.
- Leaving the gear unchecked longer than 24 hours.
- Setting a trotline within 1,000 yards below a TVA or Corps dam.
- Setting the line within 100 yards of a river, creek or slough mouth.
- Crossing more than three-quarters of a stream, river, chute or embayment.
- Using trotlines on a lake or water segment where TWRA prohibits the method.
- Keeping protected, undersized or over-limit fish caught on a properly set line.
Tennessee trotline fishing rules FAQ
Are trotlines legal in Tennessee?
Yes. Recreational trotline fishing is generally legal under TWRA regulations, provided the angler has the appropriate fishing privilege and follows hook, spacing, identification, placement, checking and named-water rules. Some lakes and designated areas prohibit trotlines entirely.
How many hooks can you have on a trotline in Tennessee?
An angler holding an appropriate regular sportfishing license may use one or more trotlines with a maximum of 100 hooks in combination. A county-of-residence fishing license permits only one qualifying trotline with a maximum of 50 hooks.
How far apart must trotline hooks be in Tennessee?
Each drop line must be at least 24 inches from the next drop line along the main line. A trotline consists of a main line with one hook attached to each drop.
How often must a Tennessee trotline be checked?
Sportfishing trotlines must be run at least once every 24-hour period. Limblines and jugs are subject to the same checking interval.
Do Tennessee trotlines have to be tagged?
Yes. A trotline must be marked with the owner’s name and address or TWRA identification number. A bank-attached line needs the tag within five feet of the bank. Other trotlines need a tag within five feet of either end, and floating trotlines must be identified on the floats.
How close to a dam can you set a Tennessee trotline?
Trotlines, limblines and jugs are prohibited within 1,000 yards below any Tennessee Valley Authority or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam. Additional posted restricted areas may also apply.
Can a Tennessee trotline cross the whole river?
No. A trotline cannot extend more than three-quarters of the distance across a stream, river, chute or embayment. The setup must also satisfy navigation safety, anchor, identification and local restrictions.
Can you use a trotline on a TWRA State Lake?
No. TWRA State Lakes prohibit trotlines and limblines. Jug fishing has separate seasonal and quantity restrictions and should not be confused with trotline permission.
Can you catch catfish on a trotline in Tennessee?
Yes, in waters where trotline fishing is legal. Tennessee generally has no statewide creel limit on catfish measuring 34 inches or less, but only one catfish over 34 inches may be harvested per day. Water-specific exceptions may apply.
Can a county-of-residence fishing license be used with trotlines?
Yes, but only within the qualifying county or city fishing area and within the license’s conditions. It authorizes one trotline with no more than 50 hooks using natural or cut bait. Fishing outside its geographical and method limits requires another appropriate license.
Before you leave the ramp
Legal documents
- Appropriate fishing license or qualifying exemption.
- Special water permit if required.
- Current regulation for the exact waterbody.
- Proof of identity and applicable electronic license copy.
Trotline equipment
- Hooks counted across all lines.
- Drop spacing measured.
- Owner identification secured.
- Anchors, tags and safe retrieval equipment.
- Plan to run the line within 24 hours.
Location checks
- No special-water trotline prohibition.
- Outside dam and creek-mouth setbacks.
- Within the permitted crossing width.
- Private-property permission where applicable.
- Safe navigation and boat access.
Catch management
- Legal bait species and source.
- Target species identified.
- Current creel and size limits available.
- Fish measuring device on board.
- Plan to retrieve all gear and line.
Where to verify the current trotline law
The main controlling references are Tennessee Code §§ 70-4-104 and 70-2-203, together with Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission regulations and TWRA’s current proclamations and named-water exceptions.