2026 regulation year
Tennessee Trout (rainbow / brown / brook) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Oncorhynchus mykiss / Salmo trutta / Salvelinus fontinalis
Last updated
The South Holston tailwater below Boone Dam in upper East Tennessee is the headline TN trout fishery — cold deep-water releases support a wild brown trout fishery managed under a 1 fish / day, 24-inch minimum trophy rule, with rainbow trout fished catch-and-release only on the protected reaches. The Clinch River tailwater below Norris Dam carries a separate trophy section (18-inch min brown). The Caney Fork tailwater below Center Hill Dam holds stocked rainbow + brown trout under a standard 7 / day limit, and the Hiwassee, Holston, and tributaries in the Cherokee National Forest round out East Tennessee's stocked-trout streams. A $22 Trout Licence add-on is required statewide to take or possess trout.
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Season
Open year-round Open year-round; tailwater special-regulation reaches apply year-round.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 7 / day combined trout (most waters); 1 brown / day on South Holston (24 in min) and Clinch trophy section (18 in min)
- Possession
- 14 in possession most waters
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No statewide rainbow minimum; 24 in min brown South Holston; 18 in min brown Clinch tailwater trophy section; 15 in min brown elsewhere
Gear restrictions
- Trout Licence required ($22 res / $22 NR) statewide for trout harvest
- South Holston tailwater: artificial lures + flies only on listed reaches; rainbow trout catch-and-release only on protected sections
- Clinch River tailwater (trophy section below Norris Dam): artificial lures + flies only; 1 brown / day, 18 in min
- Snagging trout prohibited
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Tennessee waters:
South Holston Tailwater
1 brown / day, 24 in min; rainbow C&R only on protected reaches; artificial lures + flies only
Clinch River tailwater (below Norris Dam)
Trophy section: 1 brown / day, 18 in min; artificial lures + flies only on listed reaches
Caney Fork tailwater (below Center Hill Dam)
7 / day combined trout; stocked rainbow + brown
Hiwassee River
7 / day stocked trout; Trout Licence required
Cherokee National Forest streams
7 / day stocked trout, Trout Licence required
Official source
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency publishes the authoritative 2026 Tennesseefishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
Visit official Tennessee fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Trout (rainbow / brown / brook) closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency's emergency-order feed — check it before any Tennessee trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is trout (rainbow / brown / brook) season in Tennessee?
- Tennessee keeps trout (rainbow / brown / brook) open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
- What is the Tennessee bag limit for trout (rainbow / brown / brook)?
- The Tennessee daily bag limit for trout (rainbow / brown / brook) is 7 / day combined trout (most waters); 1 brown / day on South Holston (24 in min) and Clinch trophy section (18 in min). The possession limit is 14 in possession most waters. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size trout (rainbow / brown / brook) can you keep in Tennessee?
- The Tennessee size rule for trout (rainbow / brown / brook) is No statewide rainbow minimum; 24 in min brown South Holston; 18 in min brown Clinch tailwater trophy section; 15 in min brown elsewhere.
- Do you need a license to fish for trout (rainbow / brown / brook) in Tennessee?
- Yes. Tennessee requires a valid fishing license to fish for trout (rainbow / brown / brook), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Tennessee license — compare resident and non-resident Tennessee fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for trout (rainbow / brown / brook) in Tennessee?
- Yes. In Tennessee, trout (rainbow / brown / brook) fishing carries these gear rules: Trout Licence required ($22 res / $22 NR) statewide for trout harvest; South Holston tailwater: artificial lures + flies only on listed reaches; rainbow trout catch-and-release only on protected sections; Clinch River tailwater (trophy section below Norris Dam): artificial lures + flies only; 1 brown / day, 18 in min; Snagging trout prohibited.
- Do specific Tennessee waters have different trout (rainbow / brown / brook) rules?
- Yes. 5 named Tennessee waters carry rules that override the statewide trout (rainbow / brown / brook) regulation, including South Holston Tailwater, Clinch River tailwater (below Norris Dam), Caney Fork tailwater (below Center Hill Dam), and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.