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General InformationTennessee, the Volunteer State, is an inland state in the southeastern U.S. located due west of North Carolina. The 41,154 square miles of territory includes fertile western plains along the Mississippi and Tennessee rivers. Rolling hills compose much of the central part of the state until the hills reach the Appalachian, Great Smoky and Cumberland Mountains to the east. Tennessee acted as a gateway to the west as settlers followed pioneers such as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett through the Cumberland Gap. Capital City: Nashville Capital City: Memphis National Parks and Forests: Sport FishingTennessee is rich in water resources, both natural and man-made. Several mountain lakes, rivers and streams are found throughout the state. Impoundments, created by the Tennessee Valley Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for hydroelectric power, offer the angler some excellent year-round tailwater angling opportunities below dams. Native trout as well as introduced rainbow and brown trout thrive in many of Tennessee's 8,000 miles of streams, especially in the mountainous east. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, muskellunge, walleye, sauger, crappie and panfish flourish in many of the state's lakes, farm ponds, reservoirs and impoundments. Popular trout fisheries include the Tellico, Ococee, and Unicoi rivers. Tailwater fisheries below Watauga, Daniel Boone, Center Hill and Chilhowee reservoirs produce large-sized trout. Doe Creek in east Tennessee has an annual run of rainbow trout. Reelfoot Lake, Kentucky Lake, and Dale Hollow Reservoir are all popular bass fisheries. HuntingTennessee's Wildlife Management Areas, which require permits for hunting, and private and public lands support populations of white-tailed deer, bear, boar, squirrel, ruffed grouse, rabbit, bobwhite quail, mourning dove, raccoon, bobcat, fox, mink, muskrat, spotted skunk, weasel, woodcock, Wilson's snipe, crow, ducks and geese, which can be taken legally during appropriate seasons. For information on licensing, seasons, limits, rules and regulations, please visit the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation website. |