Fish species · Pomoxis annularis and P. nigromaculatus

Crappie Fishing in Tennessee

Kentucky Lake, Reelfoot and the spring spawn.

What to bring

Tackle for crappie

Three picks from the crappie checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.

PoleB’n’M Buck’s Graphite jig pole, 10 ftReach brush piles and dock edges without casting over them.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

RodUgly Stik Elite 6 ft 6 in light spinning rodFor casting jigs under a float along riprap and creek channels.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

ReelPflueger Trion 25 spinning reelSmall, smooth, and cheap enough to own two.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list

Full crappie checklist (11 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Bluegill and Panfish checklist Fish Finders compared Trolling Motors compared Lithium Marine Batteries compared Shallow Water Anchors compared

The fish

Crappie in Tennessee

Crappie are Tennessee’s favourite fish to eat, and both the white and black crappie live here. Kentucky Lake is one of the best crappie lakes in the country, Reelfoot is famous for them, and the spring spawn brings them within reach of the bank on nearly every lake in the state.

How to tell a crappie

Silver sides with dark mottling and a large mouth. Black crappie have seven or eight spines in the dorsal fin and random black speckles; white crappie have five or six spines and faint vertical bars. Also called white crappie, black crappie, slabs, papermouth.

5 lb 7 ozstate record, Private pond, Loudon Co., 2018

49lakes and rivers on this site

741public access points on them

Through the year

When to catch crappie in Tennessee

What crappie are doing in each season, and where that puts them.

Season

Spring

The best of the year. Crappie move shallow when the water reaches the upper 50s, usually March into April, and spawn in the low 60s.

Season

Summer

Brush piles, stake beds and bridge pilings in 12 to 20 ft of water. Night fishing under lights works well.

Season

Fall

Fish move shallower again as the water cools, onto brush in the creeks.

Season

Winter

Deep, on channel edges and brush, caught by vertical jigging and slow trolling.

How to catch them

How to catch crappie

The baits and methods that catch the most crappie in Tennessee water.

Method

Jigs

1/16 to 1/8 oz heads with plastic bodies, fished vertically or under a float.

Method

Minnows

Under a slip bobber over brush, or tight lined straight down.

Method

Spider rigging

Several long rods off the front of the boat, crawled over structure.

Method

Long lining and trolling

Jigs or small crankbaits pulled across flats in spring and fall.

Method

Dock shooting

Skipping a small jig under docks, mostly in summer.

Where to catch them

Best crappie water in Tennessee

Where crappie fishing is strongest. Each page lists every public ramp, pier and bank access on that water, with directions.

86 public access pointsKentucky Lake20 a day at 10 in, and some of the best crappie fishing in the country.See the spots →17 public access pointsReelfoot LakeCypress, stumps and a long crappie tradition.See the spots →8 public access pointsPickwick Lake30 a day at 9 in.See the spots →29 public access pointsLake BarkleyKentucky Lake’s neighbour, with the same 20 at 10 in limit.See the spots →32 public access pointsJ. Percy Priest LakeNashville’s crappie lake, 30 at 10 in.See the spots →61 public access pointsNorris LakeClear water crappie, with a lower 10 fish limit.See the spots →

Other lakes and rivers with crappie

Limits

Tennessee crappie limits

Statewide: 15 a day, 10 in minimum. West Tennessee (TWRA Region 1) allows 30 a day with no minimum. These 12 lakes and rivers have their own rules, which replace the statewide limit there.

Water	Daily limit	Length	Where or when
Cheatham Lake	30	10 in minimum
Guntersville Lake	30	9 in minimum
J. Percy Priest Lake	30	10 in minimum
Kentucky Lake	20	10 in minimum	Includes the dewatering areas
Lake Barkley	20	10 in minimum
Mississippi River	50	No length limit
Norris Lake	10	10 in minimum
Old Hickory Lake	30	10 in minimum
Pickwick Lake	30	9 in minimum
Reelfoot Lake	20	10 in minimum
Stones River	30	10 in minimum	Below J. Percy Priest Dam
Wolf River, Herb Parsons Lake	No limit	No length limit	Herb Parsons Lake

From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.

Licenses and statewide limits State record fish

Common questions

Questions about crappie fishing in Tennessee

What is the crappie limit in Tennessee?

Statewide, 15 a day, 10 in minimum. West Tennessee (TWRA Region 1) allows 30 a day with no minimum. 12 lakes and rivers have their own crappie rules, including Cheatham Lake, Guntersville Lake, J. Percy Priest Lake. The table on this page lists every one.

What is the Tennessee state record crappie?

5 lb 7 oz, caught by Lionel Ferguson on Private pond, Loudon Co. on 15 May 2018.

When is the best time to catch crappie in Tennessee?

Spring. The best of the year. Crappie move shallow when the water reaches the upper 50s, usually March into April, and spawn in the low 60s.

Where is the best crappie fishing in Tennessee?

Kentucky Lake, Reelfoot Lake, Pickwick Lake and Lake Barkley are among the best. Each has its own page on this site with every public ramp and pier.

What bait works best for crappie?

Jigs: 1/16 to 1/8 oz heads with plastic bodies, fished vertically or under a float. Minnows: under a slip bobber over brush, or tight lined straight down. Spider rigging: several long rods off the front of the boat, crawled over structure.

Other fish

Beyond crappie: other Tennessee fish

Largemouth bass Smallmouth bass Spotted bass Bluegill Redear sunfish Rock bass Walleye Sauger White bass Striped bass Hybrid striped bass Channel catfish Blue catfish Flathead catfish Muskellunge Rainbow trout Brown trout

All Tennessee fish species

Keep going

More crappie water, and who fishes it

Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.

Guides by water Licence and limits