Now until 8 pmRainbow trout
The bite peaks at 78.
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.
Right now · best window
Rainbow trout range 45–68°
From the north
Sunset 5:34 pm
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Measured, last 3 hours
Waning crescent
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.
No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.
Release 14–20".
Open. Keep fish within the limits. All trout from 14 to 20" must be released; 7 a day with only 1 over 20".
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Clinch River, Norris Dam to Hwy 61
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
No water reading here right now. Brown trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.
Release 14–20".
Open. Keep fish within the limits. All trout from 14 to 20" must be released; 7 a day with only 1 over 20".
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Clinch River, Norris Dam to Hwy 61
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
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
Names brown trout, rainbow trout, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.
Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories
The trophy tailwater below Norris Dam in East Tennessee — the Tennessee state-record brown-trout river managed with a protective slot, holding large wild browns and stocked rainbows in cold, fertile flows. Waded at low generation.
TN: Norris Dam to Hwy 61 — 14–20" protected slot (release), 7 trout/day, only 1 over 20". Check the TVA release schedule before wading.
The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Clinch River (Norris tailwater) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
Clinch River (Norris tailwater) is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
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 Clinch River (Norris tailwater) 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.
Clinch River (Norris tailwater) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. TN: Norris Dam to Hwy 61 — 14–20" protected slot (release), 7 trout/day, only 1 over 20". Check the TVA release schedule before wading.
state agency regulations apply at Clinch River (Norris tailwater). 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.
No. Clinch River (Norris tailwater) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
