Fishing Near Johnson City, Tennessee

What is in there

Fish and limits around Johnson City

Water around Johnson City holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, crappie, rock bass, blue catfish, rainbow trout, brown trout and redhorse.

– Watauga River Quality Trout Fishing Area: 14″ minimum length limit, two-trout creel, artificial lures only, bait prohibited, from Smallings bridge downstream to the CSX railroad bridges. Stocked March–December., Boone Reservoir: black bass 5/day with 15″ minimum on largemouth and smallmouth; spotted bass 15/day no length limit; crappie 15/day at 10″; striped bass 1/day at a 36″ minimum; hybrids 2/day at 15″; trout 7/day with a 16–22″ protected length range, only one over 22″. The South Fork Holston tailwater trout regulation extends into Boone Reservoir up to the Hwy 11E (DeVault/Bristol Hwy) bridge on the Watauga arm, so part of Boone is legally trout water., Nolichucky River and South Fork Holston River stream sections: black bass 5/day combined, smallmouth 13–17″ PLR with only one over 17″., Advisory: avoid eating catfish and carp from Boone Lake (PCBs, chlordane); children and pregnant or nursing women should avoid them entirely., TWRA stocks the Wilbur tailwater (Watauga) March–September and the Boone tailwater in March, April, November and December.

From TWRA’s statewide creel and length limits, last updated 4 August 2026. Water-specific exceptions change, so check the current guide before keeping a fish.