September at a glance
Tennessee fishing in September
Late summer pattern, with catfish on the ledges and stripers near the dams.
What to bring for September:
Species by species
What to fish for in Tennessee in September
Catfish
Catfish in TennesseeCatfish hold on deep ledges in summer and bite best on slow to medium flows.
Where: The ledges of Kentucky Lake, Pickwick Lake and Lake Barkley, at 15–60 ft.
Source: TWRA: Kentucky · TWRA: Pickwick · TWRA: Barkley
Striped bass
Striped bass in TennesseeStripers stay near the dam until the lake cools.
Where: Cherokee Lake near the dam.
Rules: The Cherokee Dam closed zone ends September 15.
Source: TWRA: Cherokee
Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass in TennesseeLargemouth use deep points and ledges.
Where: The ledges of Kentucky Lake.
Rules: The Douglas summer rule runs to September 30.
Source: TWRA: Kentucky · TWRA: Douglas
Trout
Trout in TennesseeTailwater stocking winds down.
Where: The Clinch, South Holston and Watauga tailwaters are stocked through September. The Holston below Cherokee is too warm for trout in late summer and early fall.
Source: TWRA Trout Fishing Forecast
Where to go
Tennessee lakes and rivers to fish in September
Common questions
Tennessee fishing in September: questions
What is biting in Tennessee in September?
In September, Tennessee anglers mostly target catfish, striped bass, largemouth bass and trout. Late summer pattern, with catfish on the ledges and stripers near the dams.
Where is the best fishing in Tennessee in September?
TWRA names Kentucky Lake, Pickwick Lake, Lake Barkley, Cherokee Lake among the waters for this time of year.
Where do you catch catfish in Tennessee in September?
Catfish hold on deep ledges in summer and bite best on slow to medium flows. The ledges of Kentucky Lake, Pickwick Lake and Lake Barkley, at 15–60 ft.
Where do you catch striped bass in Tennessee in September?
Stripers stay near the dam until the lake cools. Cherokee Lake near the dam.
Where do you catch largemouth bass in Tennessee in September?
Largemouth use deep points and ledges. The ledges of Kentucky Lake.
Where do you catch trout in Tennessee in September?
Tailwater stocking winds down. The Clinch, South Holston and Watauga tailwaters are stocked through September. The Holston below Cherokee is too warm for trout in late summer and early fall.
Do any Tennessee fishing rules change in September?
The Cherokee Dam closed zone ends September 15. The Douglas summer rule runs to September 30.
Do I need a license to fish in Tennessee in September?
Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing license all year, and a trout license is needed to fish for or keep trout unless the license already includes it.
Patterns, spawning temperatures and named waters come from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s reservoir pages, regulations and trout forecast, linked on each species. Fish follow the water temperature, not the calendar, so a warm or cold year shifts everything by a few weeks. For this week’s conditions see TWRA’s weekly fishing report.
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.