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SULLIVAN COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Northeast Tennessee is riddled with rivers and lakes, most of which are brimming with fish. The region offers a wide selection of freshwater fishing options, with some of the catches being the largest in the state.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) keeps an updated list of all the Tennessee State Fish Records. Each species is listed along with the date, location and angler who caught the record-holding fish.

The TWRA divides Tennessee into four regions. East Tennessee is also known as Region 4 and features 11 lakes and reservoirs in addition to the rivers that flow through it.

Not all of Tennessee’s 315 species of fish can be found in the East and Northeast areas. As a result, some record fish were caught exclusively in other regions.

Below are Tennessee’s record fish that were caught in Northeast Tennessee waterways using sportfishing methods:

  • Cutthroat Trout (1 lbs, 10.5 oz) – Caught in the South Fork Holston River on July 27, 2022
  • Ohrid Trout (14 lbs, 5 oz) – Caught in the Watauga Reservoir on March 28, 1986
  • Lake Trout (22 lbs, 2 oz) – Caught in the Watauga Reservoir on July 3, 2008
  • Northern Pike (24 lbs, 8 oz) – Caught in the South Holston Reservoir on March 28, 1995
  • Redbreast Sunfish (1 lb, 5 oz) – Caught in the Holston River on June 22, 1974
  • Warmouth Sunfish (1 lb, 12 oz) – Caught in the Nolichucky River on May 26, 1984
  • Orangespotted Sunfish (5 oz) – Caught in the Nolichucky River on May 30, 1982
  • Black Redhorse (3 lbs, 1 oz) – Caught in the South Holston River on February 16, 2009
  • Golden Redhorse (2 lbs, 15.5 oz) – Caught in the South Holston River on March 28, 2008
  • Silver Redhorse (4 lbs, 10.4 oz) – Caught in the Holston River on March 8, 2020
  • Paddlefish (120 lbs) – Caught in the Cherokee Reservoir on April 14, 2022
  • Gizzard Shad (3 lbs, 3 oz) – Caught in the Holston River on December 13, 2008
  • Quillback Carpsucker (6 lbs, 5 oz) – Caught in the South Holston Reservoir on February 10, 2019
  • Northern Hogsucker (2 lbs, 9 oz) – Caught in the South Holston River on February 16, 2009

Other record fish were caught in Northeast Tennessee using methods other than sportfishing, such as jugs, trotlines, spearguns and archery.

You can see the full list of all of Tennessee’s state fishing records below:

Tennessee Angling Records by Murry Lee on Scribd

For more information on fishing throughout the Volunteer State, check out the TWRA’s Angler’s Guide to Tennessee Fishing.