Fishing Regulations
Generally fishing is open year-round in the Volunteer State. A few selected areas, however, are closed during part of the year. Specific regulations are described in the annual Tennessee Fishing Regulations, published each March by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Read it carefully for full details.

Best Time To Fish
Anytime you can! Even though Tennessee's fishing is excellent year-round, it is best in the spring and fall. In fact fall fishing is the most undiscovered bonanza we have. Water and weather conditions are almost always favorable in September, October and early November.

Specific Fishing Sites
It's a good idea to contact the nearest TWRA regional office, or area dock operator for particular information about the lake you're interested in. For information about fishing in the Smoky Mountains, contact the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Park Information, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. For information about Gatlinburg fishing, contact the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce in Gatlinburg. For information about Kentucky and Reelfoot Lakes, contact the Northwest Tennessee Tourist Council, P. O. Box 63, Martin, TN 38237, (901) 587-4215, or the Department of Tourist Development.

Lake Facilities And Conditions
The Corps of Engineers and TVA have information about camping, motels, cabins, boat launching, rental of houseboats, etc. on Tennessee lakes. The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development has additional details. For specific information on the 14 family fishing lakes managed by the TWRA, contact the Region I or Region II office.

Fish Attractors
Fish attractors are man-made structures built to provide cover for fish and in turn concentrate them for the angler. Locations of these attractors can be obtained by writing to the TWRA office in your region. Please specify the lake.

Boats
All boats equipped with any type of motor (including trolling motors) or sail must be registered. Boat owners, bringing their boats into Tennessee from another state, can use their vessels on Tennessee waters with their state's current registration for 60 days. A booklet on Tennessee's boating laws is available through the regional TWRA offices.

Maps
Navigational, topographical and contour maps of reservoirs are available through either the TVA or Corps of Engineers. For TVA lakes, write: Tennessee Valley Authority, Map Sales, 200 Haney Bldg., Chattanooga, TN 37401. For Corps lakes, write: U.S. Corps of Engineers, Map Section, P. O. Box 1070, Nashville, TN 37202. County topographical maps, that show stream locations, can be ordered through the Department of Environment and Conservation, Geology, 401 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37243-0445. (615) 532-1516. Each department has a small charge on most maps.

When and Where
*TVA Lakes, +Corps of Engineer Lakes West Tennessee

Reelfoot Lake
Bluegill (bream) - Daytime. May and June. Crappie - Daytime. April, May, June, September, October. Yellow Bass - Daytime. May, June, September, October. Bullhead Catfish - Night in summer.

Kentucky Lake
Crappie - February, March, April; September, October on tube jigs. Big Richland, Turkey , White Oak, Cane, Harmons, Cypress, Lick, Big Sandy, Eagle, and Standing Rock Creeks Bluegill (bream) - May, June, July with crickets or flyrods and popping bugs. White Bass - Daytime. Duck River. Sauger - Daytime. New Johnsonville, Duck River, Big Richland Creek. Can be trolled for on gravel bars during May and June. Catfish - Night or day. All mainstream areas. May through October. Best months for whopper cats: July, August, September with live bait. Largemouth Bass - Daytime. Best months: May while they're spawning and June during mayfly hatches. October is top water time. Smallmouth Bass - Daytime. September, October, November.

TWRA Family Fishing Lakes
Browns Creek, Carroll, Herb Parsons, Humboldt, Lake Graham, Maples Creek, Garrett and Whiteville lakes . Catfish - Daytime. April through June. Bluegill (bream) - Daytime. April through June. Largemouth Bass - Daytime. March through June.

Mississippi River
Catfish - Daytime. May through August. Bluegill (bream) - Daytime. April through June. Largemouth Bass - Daytime. March through June.

Barkley Reservoir
Crappie - Daytime. April through June; September, October. Largemouth Bass - Daytime. April through June; September, October. Catfish - Night or day. Mainstream areas. May through October.

Pickwick Lake
White Bass - Daytime below dam. Sauger - December-March below dam. Catfish - Night or day May-September. Mainstream bars and dropoffs. White Bass - Around dam (upper side) and along main channel, February-September. Smallmouth Bass - Nighttime June-September, anytime balance of year along bluff and old river channel. Largemouth Bass - Peak for large fish March-April, October-November. Striper - Below Pickwick Dam March-May. Crappie - Year-round TWRA fish attractors.

Middle Tennessee
Cheatham
Largemouth Bass - April through June during day; summer at night. Bluegill (bream) - May and June, primarily in embayments and sloughs. Crappie - May and June; again in September and October. Striped Bass - Tailwater January through March. Sauger - In mouths of creeks and tailwaters in winter and early spring.

Percy Priest
Largemouth Bass - April through June during day; summer at night. Smallmouth Bass - March through May; October and November. Bluegill (bream) - May and June; September and October. Crappie - April and May; October and December. Catfish - May and June; September and October. White Bass - March and April in headwaters; May and June in lake. Striped Bass/Hybrid - Shallow early spring and fall. Deep in summer and winter. Early spring run up creeks and rivers.

Old Hickory
Largemouth Bass - May through July. Bluegill (bream) - Summer months. Willowfly hatch in July. Crappie - April through June; October and November. Catfish - Summer months. White Bass - Year-round. Striped Bass - In lake during summer. Gallatin Steam Plant in winter; head and tailwaters, late winter and early spring. Sauger - December through March.

Cordell Hull
Largemouth Bass - Embayments spring and summer. Bluegill (bream) - Embayments May and June; August and September. Catfish - May through November. Sauger - August and September in lake. December through February in headwater.

Woods Reservoir
Largemouth Bass - March through May. Smallmouth Bass - March, May; October and November. Bluegill (bream) - May and June. Crappie - Spring and fall. Catfish - June through September.

Tims Ford Largemouth Bass - March through June; September through December. 15" minimum length. Smallmouth Bass - March and April; October and November. Bluegill (bream) - May through August. Crappie - Spring and fall. Catfish - April through June. Striped Bass - Shallow early spring and fall. Early spring run up Elk River. Deep in summer and winter. Walleye - June through August in reservior. February and March run up Elk River. Trout - Tailwaters year-round.

Normandy
Largemouth Bass - April through June. Smallmouth Bass - March and April. Spotted Bass - January through March. Bluegill (bream) - May through October. Crappie - March through May; October and November. Catfish - May through June. Walleye - February through April in upper end of lake. Trout - Tailwater in spring.

TWRA Family Fishing Lakes
Marrowbone, Coy Gaither/Bedford, Laurel Hill, VFW, and Williamsport lakes. Catfish - Daytime. April through October. Bluegill (bream) - Daytime. April through October. Largemouth Bass - Daytime. March through October.

Cumberland Plateau Area
Dale Hollow
Largemouth Bass - Daytime. April through June. Night in summer. Smallmouth Bass - Daytime. March through May. Night during June with full moon. White Bass - March through April in the headwaters. Night during summer. Walleye - Headwaters: March through April. Lake: June and early July. Crappie - March through April; November through December. Catfish - June through August. Bluegill (bream) - June through September. Muskie - December. January trolling. Trout - Lake: May 30 through September. Tailwater trout depends on stocking.

Center Hill
Walleye - Upper end March, April, May. Smallmouth Bass - Daytime. End of March through May; November, December; Nighttime May through June; Full moon during summer. Crappie - March through May; November. Catfish - August, September; on trotlines in October. Paddlefish - February, March, April. Depends on water level. White Bass - Best in April. May under lights at night. Bluegill (bream) - June, July, August excellent.

Cordell Hull
l5 days later than Dale Hollow. No muskies; Sauger, good below dam.

Watts Bar
Largemouth Bass - April through June in day. July through August at night. Smallmouth Bass - October through December. Bluegill (bream) - Summer. Willowfly - July. Crappie - Spring and fall. Catfish - June, July, August. June while spawning. White Bass - August, September. Striped bass (rockfish) - October, November, Moon Island. Thief Neck Island and below dam in spring and fall. Sauger - Below dam November through February.

Nickajack - Chickamauga
Similar to Watts Bar except: Striped Bass (rockfish) and smallmouth - Not as good. Nickajack - Good bass, bluegill; sauger below dam.

East Tennessee
Tellico
Largemouth Bass - Most anytime. Best in April and May. Smallmouth Bass - Most anytime. Best in April and May. Crappie - Late April through May; October. Bluegill (bream) - June through September. Trout - April and May; good at night through the summer.

Fort Loudoun
Largemouth Bass - April through June; night in summer. Smallmouth Bass - March through May; October and November; night in the summer. Crappie - Mid-April through May; October. Bluegill (bream) - April through October. Sauger - Below the dam in February.

Melton Hill
Crappie - Late April through May. White Bass - Late February through April. Largemouth Bass - May and June in the milfoil patches. Bluegill (bream) - March through October.

Norris
Largemouth Bass - May and June. Use light tackle and fish deep. Smallmouth Bass - April and May; January and February fishing live bait off points. Crappie - Late April through May near fish attractors. Walleye - February and March in the headwaters. Sometimes at night in the summer trolling the lake. Catfish - Spring through summer. Striped Bass (rockfish) - April and May. Can be caught through the summer fishing live bait in open water. Bluegill (bream)- Spring through fall.

Cherokee
Largemouth Bass - April through May. Smallmouth Bass - March through May. Crappie - Mid-April through May; October and November. White Bass - Late fall in the headwaters (river). They move out in May and are taken in the lake fishing live bait and jigging near submerged islands. Catfish - June, July, August off rocky banks. Bluegill (bream) - April through October.

Douglas
Sauger - February and March in the river from Highway 25 bridge upstream. Largemouth Bass - April and May. Crappie - Usually November through May; excellent fishing. White Bass - February and March, sometimes to mid-April in the headwaters. Bluegill (bream) - April through October.

Boone-Fort Patrick Henry
Largemouth Bass - May and June, October and early November. Crappie - May. Trout - Early spring. Striped Bass-Hybrid (rockfish) - In Boone, April and May.

South Holston-Watauga
Largemouth Bass - May, June, September, October. Crappie - May. Trout - March, April and May. Trolling near the dam during the summer nights. Walleye - Mid-March through mid-April. Excellent night fishing in summer in Watauga.

License Information
Fishing licenses go on sale March 1 each year, the beginning of prime fishing, and are valid through the last day of February. You can purchase any licenses, except the Sportsman License and the Lifetime Senior Citizen License, from most county clerks, sporting goods stores, hardware stores, boat docks and all Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency regional offices. You can also order your license by mail. Just send your name, address (including zip code), date of birth, physical features (height, weight, eye and hair color), and enclose the correct fee to: TWRA/Information Section/Ellington Agricultural Center/P.O. Box 40747/Nashville, TN 37204.

Hunting and fishing license sales and federal excise taxes comprise 100 percent of the TWRA's operating funds. Thank you for buying a hunting and fishing license. Without your support, Tennessee would not have fishery and wildlife management programs.

Who must have a Tennessee License?

If you take fish or attempt to take fish by any method or if you assist someone else to do so, you must have a valid fishing license. There are some exceptions:

No Fishing License Needed If:
you are under 13 years of age (resident or nonresident). landowners, their spouses and children (must be residents but not required to live on the land); resident tenants, their spouses and dependent children (must be residents, must actually reside on the land and must have landowner's permission ) fishing on farmland which is owned by one individual or by a family. Family, for the purpose of land ownership, consists of parent/parents, their children and grandchildren or any combination thereof. First cousins who own farmland and their children may fish on the farmland. Tenant is a person who, for money or free rent, cares for farmland. The tenancy should be agricultural in nature. you are on military leave, carrying a copy of your leave orders. A pass does not meet this requirement. you are a resident who was born before March 1, 1926. (To qualify for this exemption, you must carry proof of your age and residency to show to a wildlife officer, if requested.) it's Free Fishing Day! This year it falls on June 6. it's Free Fishing Week! Children ages 13-15 can fish free between June 6-12 inclusive.

Free Fishing License Issued to:
resident veterans certified by the Veterans Administration as 30 percent disabled by reason of war service. (This license covers all licenses but does not cover permits). residents of Tennessee who are certified as blind. Application for these free licenses are available from all TWRA offices.

Misplace Your License?
If you misplace your fishing license, contact the agent where the license was purchased and ask for a duplicate license application. There is a $5.00 replacement fee ($4.00 goes to the TWRA; $1.00 to the agent).

NOTE: Giving false information to obtain a license is a misdemeanor punishable by fine and loss of license. Licenses are not transferable.

Resident Licenses
Resident fishing licenses can be purchased by:
Persons who have lived in Tennessee for 90 consecutive days Military personnel on active duty in this state and their immediate families Students who are enrolled in a Tennessee college or university Annual Hunting and Fishing Combination (Type 01)__________ $21.00 Jr. Hunt, Fish & Trap (Type 02) Ages 13-15__________ $8.00 One-Day Fishing (Type 21)__________ $2.50 Annual Trout (Type 22)__________ $12.00 (Type 22 is a supplemental license that is required in addition to Type 01, Type 20 or Type 21) Sportsman (Type 04)__________ $100.00 Available only by application from a TWRA office. Please allow two weeks for delivery. A Sportsman License is all inclusive, and valid for hunting, trapping and sport fishing without the necessity of any supplemental state license or permit. To order your Sportsman License by credit card call: Toll Free 1-888-222-TWRA (1-888-222-8972). Lifetime Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap (Type M65)__________ $10.00 Available only by application from a TWRA office. Can only be purchased when 65th birthday is reached. Proof of age and residency is required. Resident Wheelchair Restricted Fishing License__________ $10.00 Available only by application from the TWRA Central Office Licensing Division. County of Residence Fishing (Type 20)__________ $6.00 This license allows an angler to fish in his/her county of residence with natural bait (worms, crickets, corn, etc.), but not minnows. No artificial baits can be used. A supplemental license (Type 22) is required to fish for trout.

Nonresident Licenses
Jr. Hunt/Fish (Type 70) $6.00 (Required for nonresidents age 13-15 fishing and small game only) Annual Fishing (Type 76) No trout__________ $26.00 Three-Day Fishing (Type 77) No trout__________ $10.50 Ten-Day Fishing (Type 79) No trout__________ $15.50 Three-Day All Fish (Type 78)__________ $20.50 Ten-Day All Fish (Type 80)__________ $30.50 Annual All Fish (Type 81)__________ $51.00

Special Permits
If you purchase one of the following special permits, you must also have all applicable licenses.
Reelfoot Preservation Permit--Annual (Type 89)__________ $11.00 Reelfoot Preservation Permit --Three-Day (Type 88)__________ $6.50 Reelfoot Preservation Permit--Daily (Type 90)__________ $2.50 Tellico-Citico Trout--Daily (Type 98) (Required for all ages)__________ $3.50 Agency Lake--Daily Permit__________ $3.00 Agency Lake--Annual Permit__________ $30.00* * Valid on all Agency lakes, this permit is sold at Agency Lake offices.
Nonresident Gatlinburg One-Day Trout Permit (Type 97)__________ $10.50 Only requirement for nonresidents, ages 9 and up, to fish in Gatlinburg for one day. Gatlinburg Trout--Daily (Type 99)__________ $2.50<>p> Required for both residents and nonresident ages 9-64 in addition to the appropriate fishing licenses except for nonresidents who purchase the (Type 97) license. For information on fishing in the Gatlinburg area, contact the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce, 520 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Phone: 423-430-4148; 1-800-568-4748.

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