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  4. Trout fishing in Tennessee

Trout fishing in Tennessee

Tennessee provides strong freshwater fishing opportunities for trout. Lakes, rivers, and reservoirs across the state offer reliable action for anglers.

Types of Trout in Tennessee

Best baits and lures for Trout in Tennessee

According to catch data from over 20 million anglers on Fishbrain, these are the best baits used to catch Trout.

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Biggest Trout catches

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Latest Trout fishing reports in Tennessee

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Rainbow trout

Mossy Creek

length · weight

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Rainbow trout

Little River

length · weight

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Rainbow trout

Pine Creek Number One Lake

length · weight

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Rainbow trout

Caney Fork River

length · weight

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Rainbow trout

Caney Fork River

length · weight

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Rainbow trout

West Fork Stones River

length · weight

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Rainbow trout

West Fork Stones River

length · weight

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recently logged catches
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Rainbow trout

Pine Creek Number One Lake

length · weight

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recently logged catches
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Rainbow trout

Pine Creek Number One Lake

length · weight

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recently logged catches
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Rainbow trout

Pine Creek Number One Lake

length · weight

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Regulations for Trout in Tennessee

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.

Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Rainbow trout as of May 17th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.

Rainbow trout

Seasons

Open

Bag limit

7

Aggregate

7
A supplemental trout license is generally required to fish for trout in Tennessee. Visit Go Outdoors Tennessee to view all license requirements.

No minimum size limit. Aggregate bag limit includes all trout species combined (Rainbow, Brook, Brown, Cutthroat, and Lake). Only 2 trout may be Lake Trout.

Several waters have exceptions to these statewide limits. Refer to TWRA for a full list of exceptions to statewide limits.

Excellent

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Regulations for

35°49′50.2″N 85°58′39.5″W
Regulations in the map
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FAQ

Anglers in Tennessee commonly catch several Trout species, including Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Brook trout, Tiger trout, and Sea trout, according to reports from Fishbrain members.

These species can be found in many lakes, rivers and streams throughout the area. If you are targeting a specific species, you can use the to filter catches by species and see where anglers are catching them and which baits they are using.
Trout are caught in lakes, rivers and streams throughout Tennessee. Popular fishing waters reported by Fishbrain members include Old Hickory Lake (Cumberland River), J. Percy Priest Reservoir (Stones River), and Chickamauga Lake (Tennessee River).

The allows anglers to see exact catch locations shared by other members, helping you discover productive fishing spots where Trout have recently been caught.