It’s a fishing day

Caney Fork River fishing conditions · Tennessee

Now until tomorrow 2 pmRainbow trout

The bite peaks at 58.

Log a trip here
Right now: 58 for rainbow trout, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Rainbow trout, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 582 am
  2. 58
  3. 58
  4. 585 am
  5. 58
  6. 58
  7. 588 am
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 5811 am
  11. 58
  12. 58
  13. 582 pm
  14. 58
  15. 58
  16. 585 pm
  17. 58
  18. 58
  19. 588 pm
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 5811 pm
  23. 58Tue
  24. 58
  25. 582 am
  26. 58
  27. 58
  28. 585 am
  29. 58
  30. 58
  31. 588 am
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 5811 am
  35. 58
  36. 58
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Rainbow trout range 45–68°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:00 am

Sky
Areas Of Fog

No rain expected

Air
46°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Tennessee regulations for these waters.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

7 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: 7 trout a day combined, no statewide minimum (only 2 may be lake trout). Tailwater rules: Clinch 14–20" protected; South Holston 16–22" protected; Watauga Quality Trout Area 14" and 2 a day; Hiwassee delayed harvest Oct 1–Feb 28; Caney Fork 5 a day with a 14–20" protected range and a 24" brown trout minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

More on rainbow trout

Brook Trout

Brook trout

Salvelinus fontinalis

58MarginalNow until tomorrow 2 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Brook trout bite in 40–65° water, best near 52°.

Why

Holds 1–10 ft down.

Keep

7 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: 7 trout a day combined, no statewide minimum. Below Center Hill Dam the Caney Fork protects brook trout from 14 to 20" (5 trout a day, only 1 over 20").

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

More on brook trout

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

50Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Brown trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Brown trout feeds less actively under bright moon. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

7 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tennessee: 7 trout a day combined, no statewide minimum (only 2 may be lake trout). Tailwater rules: Clinch 14–20" protected; South Holston 16–22" protected; Watauga Quality Trout Area 14" and 2 a day; Hiwassee delayed harvest Oct 1–Feb 28; Caney Fork 5 a day with a 14–20" protected range and a 24" brown trout minimum.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Tennessee

More on brown trout

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.39 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:00 am
  • Sunset today5:54 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:00 am–8:00 am
  • Major solunarToday 11:40 am–1:40 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:30 pm–6:30 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Tennessee TWRA report, Oct 11

Names brown trout, rainbow trout, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at Tennessee TWRA

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A middle-Tennessee tailwater below Center Hill Dam — cold, fertile water that grows large stocked and holdover trout (rainbow, brown, and brook) within an hour of Nashville. Drifted and waded at low generation; a regional trophy-trout draw.

TN: 5 trout a day. Rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout from 14 to 20" must be released (only 1 over 20"); brown trout 24" minimum, 1 a day. Center Hill generation flows swing fast — check the TVA schedule before wading.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

J. Percy Priest Lake43 mi · TennesseeBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
76Worth the trip
Dale Hollow Lake44 mi · TennesseeBest now until tomorrow 3 pm
58Marginal
Tims Ford Lake63 mi · TennesseeBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
64Marginal
Chickamauga Lake63 mi · TennesseeBest today 2 pm–6 pm
84Worth the trip
Cumberland River (Wolf Creek tailwater)66 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 3 pm
64Marginal
Lake Cumberland69 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 3 pm
58Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Caney Fork River?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Caney Fork River you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Caney Fork River?

Caney Fork River is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Caney Fork River?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Caney Fork River against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Caney Fork River have?

Caney Fork River has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. TN: 5 trout a day. Rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout from 14 to 20" must be released (only 1 over 20"); brown trout 24" minimum, 1 a day. Center Hill generation flows swing fast — check the TVA schedule before wading.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Caney Fork River?

state agency regulations apply at Caney Fork River. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Caney Fork River tidal water?

No. Caney Fork River is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.