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Pigeon River is a public river in Cocke County, Tennessee, managed by State of Tennessee (public-trust water). It is a public-trust water — you can fish it with a Tennessee licence; bank access is at public river-access points and bridges. Public access confirmed via public-trust river.
A clear Cumberland Plateau reservoir — smallmouth-strong with a walleye run, plus largemouth, crappie and catfish.
It runs roughly 27 miles through the East region. Anglers here mostly fish for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass, walleye; black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, channel catfish are also on record. Neighbouring public land — Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah National Forest, North Cherokee National Forest & Wildlife Management Area — opens up bank access away from the main entry points. Live flow and gauge height come from the Pigeon R Bl Power Plant Nr Waterville, Nc USGS station shown below. The nearest other mapped waters on PiscaMaps are Cosby Creek and Gulf Fork Big Creek.
Species from TWRA and Tennessee fishery data.
Night fishing: No statewide night-fishing closure in Tennessee; a few individual waters have local rules — check the current TWRA regulations for this water.
Boats: Most Tennessee fishing rivers are floated by canoe, kayak or jet-drive; larger craft only on the lower, wider reaches.
Bank & bivvy camping: Bank access is at TWRA river-access areas, bridges and state parks; other banks are private riparian land.
Tackle: Statewide creel and size limits apply; several reservoirs carry a black-bass protected slot — check the current TWRA regs for this water.
Rules verified 2026-09-01 against TWRA regulations. Always confirm the current rules before you fish.
Source: USGS PAD-US (Protected Areas Database).
Boat ramps: 9 mapped — Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp, Boat ramp and others nearby.
Camping: 2 sites mapped nearby — Pigeon River Campground, Campsite.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors.
Loading live flow & gauge height…
Live from USGS gauge 03460795 — Pigeon R Bl Power Plant Nr Waterville, Nc. Full gauge data →
A Tennessee fishing licence covers all public water in the state. Non-resident annual is around $50; 3-day and 10-day non-resident permits are also sold. TWRA agency lakes need an extra TWRA Lake permit.
Every water carries species, bank & boat access, current regulations and live water conditions — and members get Swim Mapper, Catch Logger and Trip Planner. It's the only US map with a dedicated carp-water layer.
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