DYERSBURG, Tenn. — A trout rule change in Hamilton County, new fishing regulations statewide and a move toward allowing drones to recover wounded deer were among the decisions coming out of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission’s first meeting of 2026.
The commission wrapped up its two day meeting in Dyersburg by unanimously approving the state’s 2026–27 fishing regulations. Among the updates is a change that local anglers will notice on Big Soddy Creek in Hamilton County, where the delayed harvest start date for trout will move to Nov. 1.
The commission also approved removing delayed harvest regulations for trout on the Piney River in Rhea County and modifying the closed fishing season on the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area…