Top fish species at Downing Lake

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Check which species have trophy potential in Downing Lake

Downing Lake fishing reports

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Largemouth bass

length · weight

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Longear sunfish

length · weight

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Largemouth bass

length · weight

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Largemouth bass

length · weight

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Largemouth bass

22 in · 5 lb

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Largemouth bass

18 in · 4 lb

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General info

Downing Lake is a lake located in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. It is most popular for fishing Largemouth bass, Longear sunfish, and Spotted bass.

Location

35°15′12.1″N 89°46′34.7″W
Directions

When are Largemouth Bass biting on Downing Lake?

Learn what time of year and day to go fishing at Downing Lake. Download Fishbrain today to look for new fishing spots, scout new fishing access, or prep for your next trip.

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Fishing regulations at Downing Lake, TN

Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.

Fishing regulations in Tennessee can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.

Regulations for top species

Season open: year-round
Largemouth bass

Largemouth bass

Regulation boundaryTennessee State Waters
Bag limit5

The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.

Aggregate limit5

The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.

Restrictions & requirements

Gigging

Harvest by gigging prohibited.

Snagging

Harvest of this species by snagging (snatch hooking) is prohibited.

Spears

Harvest of this species by "spearing" is prohibited. Spearing includes the catching or taking of a fish by bow hunting, gigging, spearfishing, or by any device used to capture a fish by piercing the body.

Bow Fishing

Harvest of this species by bow fishing is prohibited.

TN Hook Restriction

Anglers in Tennessee are restricted to a maximum of 3 hooks per rod, pole, or hand-held line. Single, double, or treble hooks each count as one hook. The statewide hook restriction does not apply when using a sabiki rig or piscatore rig to take shad or herring.

Required licenses
Purchase your Tennessee fishing license on the Go Outdoors Tennessee website.
Additional information
No size limit. No more than 5 black bass per day in any combination of species may be taken. This aggregate limit includes Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, and Coosa Bass.Several waters have exceptions to these statewide limits. Refer to TWRA for a full list of exceptions to statewide limits.
Edibility
Very good Catch, Clean, Cook Largemouth Bass by BlueGabe
Synonyms
Micropterus nigricans
Season open: year-round
Spotted bass

Spotted bass

Regulation boundaryTennessee State Waters
Bag limit5

The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.

Aggregate limit5

The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.

Restrictions & requirements

Gigging

Harvest by gigging prohibited.

Snagging

Harvest of this species by snagging (snatch hooking) is prohibited.

Spears

Harvest of this species by "spearing" is prohibited. Spearing includes the catching or taking of a fish by bow hunting, gigging, spearfishing, or by any device used to capture a fish by piercing the body.

Bow Fishing

Harvest of this species by bow fishing is prohibited.

TN Hook Restriction

Anglers in Tennessee are restricted to a maximum of 3 hooks per rod, pole, or hand-held line. Single, double, or treble hooks each count as one hook. The statewide hook restriction does not apply when using a sabiki rig or piscatore rig to take shad or herring.

Required licenses
Purchase your Tennessee fishing license on the Go Outdoors Tennessee website.
Additional information
No size limit. No more than 5 black bass per day in any combination of species may be taken. This aggregate limit includes Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, and Coosa Bass.Several waters have exceptions to these statewide limits. Refer to TWRA for a full list of exceptions to statewide limits.
Edibility
Very good
Synonyms
Micropterus punctulatus
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Local laws and licenses

Tennessee fishing license

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Reviews of Downing Lake

5.0
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1 ratings

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1
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Cities nearby

Lakeland

2.6 miles away

Bartlett

2.8 miles away

Arlington

6.1 miles away

Millington

8.9 miles away

Germantown

11.8 miles away

Atoka

11.8 miles away

Oakland

13.6 miles away

Braden

14.0 miles away

Collierville

14.9 miles away

Memphis

15.3 miles away

Randolph

19.3 miles away

Rossville

19.5 miles away

Olive Branch

20.6 miles away

Somerville

22.0 miles away

Covington

22.8 miles away

Williston

23.6 miles away

Southaven

23.8 miles away

Marion

24.5 miles away

Clarkedale

24.7 miles away

West Memphis

24.9 miles away

Mount Pleasant

25.1 miles away

Stanton

25.6 miles away

Wilson

26.3 miles away

Byhalia

27.0 miles away

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FAQ about Downing Lake fishing

📍 Where is Downing Lake located?
Downing Lake is a lake located in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Its coordinates are:
35°15′12.1″N 89°46′34.7″W
.
🎣 Where on Downing Lake is it best to fish?
Find the best fishing spots on Downing Lake by looking at where other anglers have caught fish. This can easily be done in the where it is also possible to see big fish potential and how good fishing is right now along with Garmin® depth maps.
🐟 What species are in Downing Lake?
The most common species in Downing Lake are:
📢 What are the latest Downing Lake fishing reports?
The latest Downing Lake fishing reports are:
🪪 Do I need a fishing license to fish at Downing Lake?

Fishing in Tennessee requires a valid state fishing license for anglers. Licenses include resident and non-resident, annual and short-term, available online or at authorized retailers.

In Tennessee, no fishing license is required for anglers under 13 or residents 65 and older. A few other exceptions worth knowing:

  • Free fishing days — most states designate 1–2 weekends a year where anyone can fish without a license

  • Tribal waters — tribal members fishing on tribal land operate under separate tribal regulations

  • Private ponds — landowners fishing their own water typically don't need a license

Non-residents usually pay more for a license than residents. Some species also require an extra stamp or endorsement on top of your base license.

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