Tennessee fishing calendar

What’s Biting in Tennessee, Month by Month

Which fish Tennessee anglers target each month, where TWRA says they are, and the rules that change with the season.

This month: October

Right now · October

What’s biting in Tennessee this October

Fall feed. Bass chase shad into the creeks, crappie come back shallow, and delayed harvest trout season opens.

Largemouth bassCrappieSmallmouth bassTrout

The October guide

Pick a month

Tennessee fishing calendar

JanuarySauger, Walleye, White bass, Striped bassCold water. Sauger and walleye move toward the dams and up the rivers, and the winter trout program is stocking city lakes.FebruaryWalleye, Sauger, Crappie, Smallmouth bassWalleye runs start late in the month, sauger spawn, and crappie begin moving into the creeks.MarchWhite bass, Walleye, Crappie, Smallmouth bassSpring runs. White bass, walleye and crappie head shallow, and smallmouth spawn.AprilLargemouth bass, Crappie, White bass, MuskyPeak spawn. Largemouth and crappie are shallow across the state.MayBluegill and redear, Striped bass, Walleye, CatfishBream bed, stripers run up the Cumberland, and catfish start moving shallow.JuneCatfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Lake troutCatfish spawn, bass move to summer structure, and the summer bass rules start on Douglas, Norris and Cherokee.JulyHybrid striped bass, Walleye, Largemouth bass, Striped bassSummer thermocline fishing and night bass fishing.AugustLargemouth bass, Spotted bass, Bluegill and redear, Hybrid striped bassHot water. Night fishing and deep structure, and the Tellico permit season ends.SeptemberCatfish, Striped bass, Largemouth bass, TroutLate summer pattern, with catfish on the ledges and stripers near the dams.OctoberLargemouth bass, Crappie, Smallmouth bass, TroutFall feed. Bass chase shad into the creeks, crappie come back shallow, and delayed harvest trout season opens.NovemberSmallmouth bass, Sauger, Striped bass, TroutSmallmouth season on Norris, sauger back below the dams, and winter trout stocking begins.DecemberSauger, Striped bass, Musky, TroutSauger stack below the dams, stripers gather in the embayments, and Gatlinburg goes catch and release.

Common questions

Tennessee fishing season questions

When is the best time to fish in Tennessee?

Spring is when crappie, white bass, walleye, smallmouth and largemouth spawn, between late February and May, and they are shallow. In fall, bass follow shad into the backs of creeks and crappie return to shallow water in October.

When do crappie spawn in Tennessee?

White crappie spawn at 60–65°F and black crappie at 62–68°F, typically late March to early May.

When do bass spawn in Tennessee?

Smallmouth spawn at 59–60°F in March and April, spotted bass at 63–68°F, and largemouth at 68–72°F from March to May, peaking in April and May.

When is sauger season in Tennessee?

Sauger gather below the main river dams from about December to March.

When is trout fishing best in Tennessee?

Tailwaters are stocked from March through the fall, winter trout go into city lakes from late November, and delayed harvest streams are catch and release through the winter.

Where can I get this week’s fishing report?

TWRA publishes a weekly fishing report with water temperatures and what is biting on each lake.

What is biting in Tennessee right now?

In October, Tennessee anglers mostly target largemouth bass, crappie, smallmouth bass and trout. Fall feed. Bass chase shad into the creeks, crappie come back shallow, and delayed harvest trout season opens.

Do I need a license to fish in Tennessee?

Yes, anyone 13 or older, all year. Trout need the trout privilege on top of a fishing license.

Keep going

More Tennessee 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