Flowing 284 miles through Middle Tennessee, the Duck is the longest river wholly within the state and one of North America’s most biodiverse waterways. The 6-mile trout tailwater below Normandy Dam stays a cool 55 °F thanks to hypolimnetic releases, while the warm-water reaches downstream teem with smallmouth bass, muskellunge, and catfish. Over 80 public launches on the Duck River Blueway put this fish-rich corridor within easy day-trip range of Nashville and Huntsville anglers.
Anglers usually break the river into three character zones. **Upper Tailwater (Normandy Dam → Shelbyville):** a stocked put-and-take trout reach with riffles ideal for wading at 150–350 cfs. **Middle Smallmouth Reach (Shelbyville → Henry Horton State Park/Columbia):** willow-lined runs, ledge rock, and endless kayak floats for bronzebacks. **Lower River (Columbia → Tennessee River confluence near New Johnsonville):** slower meanders, deep holes for trophy catfish and spring muskellunge. Blueway access maps list mileage and recommended float times for each stretch.
Below Normandy Dam, TWRA stocks rainbow and brown trout from October through May. Farther downstream the river’s limestone substrate produces strong year-classes of smallmouth bass that average 12–16 inches and occasionally top 20 inches. Channel and flathead catfish, sauger, and seasonal white bass migrations round out the creel, while the lower Duck supports a remnant population of muskellunge re-established by agency stockings.
Trout in the tailwater feed heavily on midges and scuds all winter, switching to caddis and sulphur mayflies in April. Post-spawn smallmouth prowl gravel flats in May, smashing crawfish patterns; during hot July afternoons they slide into shade and pounce on top-water bugs at dusk. Autumn’s cooling flows ignite a shad migration that draws stripers and trophy cats into the lower reaches, while musky attacks peak on overcast days when water temps fall below 70 °F.
A 9-ft 5-wt handles tailwater trout with 5X tippet and #18 zebra midges; bump to a 6-wt and sink-tip for streamer work after heavy generation. For smallmouth, pack a 7-wt with floating line, 3X leaders, and size-4 poppers or Clouser minnows. Gear anglers score drifting 3/16-oz jig-and-grub combos and Ned rigs along ledges. Local guides recommend a 14–16 ft canoe or fishing kayak—jetboats are discouraged above river mile 175 because of shallow shoals.
Bank anglers flock to the Normandy Dam tailwater access for winter trout. The Shelbyville Riverwalk Park provides family-friendly smallmouth riffles within city limits, while Henry Horton State Park’s canoe launch accesses long grass banks that explode with cicada hatches every 17 years (next due 2038). Downstream, Leftwich Bridge and Iron Bridge ramps are prized fall musky casting platforms.
More than 80 public put-ins span the Duck River Blueway. Popular floats include Morrison Creek to Shelbyville (5 mi), Riverhaven to Henry Horton (7 mi), and Leftwich Bridge to Natchez Trace access (6 mi). The Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association maintains gravel launches roughly every five miles; always scout for downed trees after spring floods. Monitor the USGS Shelbyville gauge—flows above 2,500 cfs create dangerous hydraulics at Lowry’s Mill rapid.
Must-have flies and lures: black-olive Woolly Bugger (#8), tan scud (#16), 1/16-oz peach Trout Magnet, chartreuse/white Clouser minnow (#4), black buzzbait, and 4-inch green-pumpkin Ned worm. Felt or rubber-soled wet-wading shoes suffice May–September; neoprene booties and breathable waders are smart in winter tailwater spray. Bring polarized glasses to spot ledge breaks, and pack a throw rope plus PFD—TWRA patrols levy fines for boats without safety gear.
Nicknamed the ‘Amazon of North America,’ the Duck hosts over 50 freshwater mussel and 150 fish species. The Duck River Agency and The Nature Conservancy have removed five lowhead dams since 2010, re-connecting 100 miles of spawning habitat. Anglers can aid by practicing Clean-Drain-Dry to curb invasive zebra mussels and by reporting tagged smallmouth as part of TWRA’s mark-recapture study.
Normandy Dam can ramp releases from 120 cfs to 1,100 cfs without warning; check TVA’s lake info app and the USGS Shelbyville gauge before wading. Summer thunderstorms turn the water chocolate, hiding sweepers—wear a PFD and ferry-angle around log jams. During July heat indexes above 100 °F, dehydration and heat stroke are real threats; pack electrolyte tablets and fish dawn to lunch. Winter hypothermia is possible when water temps hover in the 40s.
**Tim’s Flies & Lies** (Normandy) sits five minutes from the dam and offers shuttles, flies, and daily trout intel. **Fly South** (Nashville) stocks two-hand rods and hosts winter smallmouth clinics. **Cumberland Transit** (Nashville) carries kayak-angling accessories and TWRA licenses. All provide up-to-date flow advice and guided trip referrals.
Get involved locally through the **Duck River Agency**, which oversees water-quality monitoring and dam-removal planning; the **Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association**, coordinating access-site clean-ups; and **The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee**, funding mussel surveys and riparian easements. Volunteer paddle clean-ups or citizen-science fish counts help maintain one of America’s most species-rich rivers.
The Duck River downstream of Normandy Dam follows TWRA Region II limits. Trout: 7-fish daily limit (rainbow/brown combined), no size minimum; trout season open year-round. Black bass: 5 per day in combination, minimum length 15 inches for smallmouth and largemouth; spotted bass no length limit. Catfish: 5 over 34 inches statewide. Anglers must possess a Tennessee fishing license; a Trout Permit is required to fish or possess trout in the tailwater. Consult the 2024-25 TWRA Fishing Guide for complete zone maps, creel limits, and any emergency closures.