Trout Regulations
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TROUT REGULATIONS • Brown Trout: 1 per day, 24-inch minimum • Use or possession of any bait is prohibited. Statewide Regulations length limit. • Trout less than 14 inches may not be in Any combination of trout species: possession. Daily Limit: 7 Elk River: Tims Ford Dam to I-65 Bridge, including tributaries. Minimum Length Limit: None Polk County: Big Lost Creek, Goforth Creek, • Brown Trout: 20-inch minimum length limit, Spring Creek, Greasy Creek, and their tributaries Exceptions: 1 per day. in Polk County. • Only 2 trout in a creel may be lake trout • Total daily creel limit of all trout species in • Closed to fishing on Fridays from Mar 1 - Jun 1 • See the following specific regulations combination is 7 trout. except for state and federal holidays. • Only one single hook lure or baited single hook Norris Dam. downstream to Hwy. is permitted. Delayed Harvest Areas Clinch River: 61 bridge, including tributaries. • The use or possession of lures or baits with In the areas listed below, the harvest or possession • 14- to 20-inch protected length range on all multiple hooks is prohibited. trout. of trout is prohibited during the catch-and-release • Fishing is permitted from one-half hour before season. During the catch-and-release season, • 7 trout creel limit, only one trout may be official sunrise to one-half hour after official only artificial lures are permitted and the use or greater than 20 inches. sunset. possession of bait is prohibited. • Fishing equipment or tackle is prohibited on the tributary to Clinch River — Clear Creek: stream banks except during legal fishing hours. Hiwassee River: Appalachian Powerhouse Anderson Co. downstream to L&N Railroad Bridge. • Closed to fishing and minnow seining from • Catch-and-release season is Oct 1 - last day Hwy. 441 upstream to the second dam Horse Creek: Greene County, U.S. Forest Service of Feb. (adjacent to the city of Norris water tower), as Boundary Line upstream to the junction of • From Mar 1 - Sep 30, trout creel limit is 7 trout posted from Nov 1 - Mar 31. Squibb Creek. of all species combined and only 2 may be • Daily limit: 7 trout per day, except from May 1 - Sep 30 daily limit is 2 trout. brown trout. Hiwassee River: Appalachian Powerhouse downstream to L&N Railroad Bridge. Paint Creek: Paint Creek Campground • Mar 1 - Sep 30: 7 trout creel limit, only 2 may Slickrock Creek: That portion of Slickrock Creek downstream to mouth at French Broad River. be brown trout. which constitutes the boundary between the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. • Catch-and-release season is Oct 1 - last day • Oct 1 - last day of Feb: see delayed harvest areas. of Feb. • Appropriate licenses from TN or NC are valid. • Rainbow, brown and brook trout: Daily limit South Fork Holston River: South Holston Dam Piney River: Cumberland Trail State Park to Hwy. 37 Bridge at Bluff City. of 4 in combination with a 7-inch minimum downstream to Highway 27 Bridge. • 16- to 22-inch protected length range on all length limit. • Catch-and-release season is Nov 1 - last day trout. • Fishing permitted one half-hour before official of Feb. • 7 trout creel limit, only one trout may be sunrise to one half-hour after official sunset. • Only single-hook artificial lures are permitted. Mouth of North River upstream to greater than 22 inches. Tellico River: Use or possession of bait or multiple hook lures the Tennessee/North Carolina state line. • Closed to all fishing Nov 1 - Jan 31 in the is prohibited. One single-hook artificial lure • Catch-and-release season is Oct 1 - Mar 14. following areas: separated from a legal lure by a length of line 1. Hickory Tree Bridge upstream to the (for example, a dropper fly) is also permitted. Special Trout Regulations confluence with Bottom Creek. • Each angler permitted only one rod or pole. Caney Fork River: Center Hill Dam to 2. Downstream point of Boy’s Island (first Cumberland River, including tributaries. island downstream of Weaver Pike Bridge) • Total daily creel of all trout (rainbow, brown upstream to the top of the first island Dillard Ponds: and brook) in combination is 5 fish. above Webb Road Bridge. • 4 trout per day. • Each angler limited to one rod or pole. • Rainbow Trout: 5 per day, 14- to 20-inch protected length range, only one fish over Watauga River: Quality Trout Fishing Area • Fishing permitted from one half hour before 20 inches may be harvested. Smallings bridge downstream to CSX railroad official sunrise to one half hour after official bridges. sunset. • Brook Trout: 5 per day, 14- to 20-inch • 14-inch minimum length limit. protected length range, only one fish over 20 Great Smoky Mountains inches may be harvested. • 2 trout creel limit. National Park Most of the streams in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park provide trout fishing opportunities. For detailed fishing information and regulations, contact: Park Headquarters, Gatlinburg, TN 37738; phone (865) 436-1200. Fort Campbell Military Reservation Several streams on Fort Campbell Military Reservation including Dry Creek, Little West Fork and Fletcher’s Fork are stocked with rainbow and brown trout. Special fishing regulations apply and a Post Fishing Permit is required in addition to a valid Tennessee fishing license and trout stamp. For details, contact the Community Recreation Division, Hunting and Fishing Unit, Fort Campbell, KY 42223-5000; phone (270) 798-2175. 28 2017-2018 Fishing Guide Gatlinburg Trout Fishing Children’s Streams From April 1 through November 30: • General Streams: The creel limit is 5 trout TWRA and the city of Gatlinburg offer a (May only be fished by children 12 and under, per day. Bait and artificial lures permitted. variety of trout fishing opportunities in four unless otherwise posted.) streams. All streams are closed on Thursday • Leconte Creek from Painters Branch • Children’s Streams: The creel limit is two each week and a Gatlinburg permit is required upstream to Park Boundary. per day. (page 4). Some areas are managed especially for • West Prong Little Pigeon River from 100 • Total possession limit shall not exceed twice children 12 and under. For more information yards above entrance of Herbert Holt Park the daily creel limit. contact the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors downstream to Gatlinburg By-pass Bridge. • While fishing or when afield, possession Bureau, (800) 568-4748, or the Gatlinburg trout • Dudley Creek from Highway 441 Bridge to of more than the daily creel limit shall be facility at (865) 436-4558. West Prong Little Pigeon River. prohibited, regardless of whether the trout are fresh, stored in an ice chest, in a vehicle, The taking of trout using a Gatlinburg Permit or otherwise preserved. is allowed only within the designated streams, Season and Creel Limits designated times, and under the restrictions Fishing permitted year-round, except on listed in the following paragraphs. Thursday, from one half-hour before official official sunrise to one half-hour after official General Streams official sunset. Fishing is permitted with one hand-held rod and single hook only. • West Prong Little Pigeon River from Park Boundary to Gnatty Branch except those From December 1 through March 31 sections set aside as Children’s Streams. (all streams): • Dudley Creek from Park Boundary to West • Possession of any trout shall be prohibited. Prong Little Pigeon River, except those • All trout caught must be immediately sections set aside as Children’s Streams. returned to the water. • Roaring Fork from the Park Boundary to • Use or possession of bait is prohibited. Use or West Prong Little Pigeon River. possession of any artificial lures other than • Leconte Creek from Painter Branch to West single hook artificial flies, spinners, and spoons Prong Little Pigeon River. is prohibited. The use of one dropper fly having a single hook which is separated from a legal lure by a length of line is permissible. Cherokee's Annual Opening Day Fishing Tournament March 25–26, 2017 (Opening Day is March 25th) $11 entry fee and $20,000 in tagged fish Cherokee's Memorial Day Trout Tournament May 26–28, 2017 $11 entry fee and $10,000 in tagged fish The Tim Hill Memorial Trout Tournament July 15–16, 2017 $11 entry fee and $10,000 in tagged fish The Qualla Country Trout Tournament September 1–3, 2017 $11 entry fee and $20,000 in tagged fish Rumble in the Rhododendron Fly Fishing Tournament November 4–5, 2017 $225 entry fee and $10,000 in total prize money How Long is Your Trout? Ongoing. Bring your trout to the Cherokee Welcome Center and have it measured for the weekly contest which will run from Saturday to Sunday. Visit FishCherokee.com or call 828.359.6110 for fishing permit locations. Please visit FishCherokee.com for more up to date event details. 2017-2018 Fishing Guide 29 TROUT REGULATIONS Tellico-Citico Permit Areas Regulations TELLICO RIVER from its confluence with Turkey Creek upstream to the Tellico-Citico Permit required March 15 through September 15. Tennessee-North Carolina state line. Closed on Thursday and Friday during the period March 15 through CITICO CREEK from its confluence with Little Citico Creek upstream to the September 15 (except when national or state holidays fall on Thursday and confluence of North and South Forks of Citico Creek. Friday). From September 16 through March 14 fishing is allowed every day and Tellico-Citico Permit is not required. Daily creel limit of 7 trout, with no size limit. Fishing permitted from ½ hour before official sunrise to ½ hour after official sunset. The possession of fishing equipment and/or tackle is prohibited on stream banks except during legal fishing hours.