Hundreds of visitors fill the Fish Tent at the World’s Biggest
Fish Fry in Paris, Tennessee. (Photo by Monte Starks)
Catfish Culture in Tennessee: Home of the World’s Biggest Fish Fry
By Anietra Hamper
Catfish play an important role in southern traditions, and nowhere is that more evident than in Paris, Tennessee where an entire culture surrounds this species.
“Catfishing is a southern tradition as is eating them! My dad and grandad were avid outdoorsmen, so the outdoors was in my genes. Lots of different pursuits of fish and fowl, and catfish was certainly one of them and remains so today,” said Steve McCadams, a professional hunting and fishing guide and outdoor writer in Paris for more than 50 years.
Kentucky Lake, a reservoir on the Tennessee River near Paris, has great catfishing opportunities, but there’s another reason people are drawn to this community. It’s home to the World’s Biggest Fish Fry (WBFF), which has remained one of the most beloved traditions of the region for locals and visitors for 73 years. This annual event takes place during the last full week of April, with parades, contests, fishing events and, of course, platefuls of delicious catfish to eat.
“The World’s Biggest Fish Fry is like a big family reunion,” said Monte Starks, past general manager and member of the WBFF board of directors, who was born and raised in Paris, Tennessee. “People plan for a year in advance to come here to visit family and friends. With our county sitting on the side of the Tennessee River and Kentucky Lake, a good ol’ catfish dinner has been a regular staple in this area ever since the Tennessee Valley Authority decided to build a dam and form the lake.”
The local fish fry concept evolved from “Mule Day,” which originated in 1938 when farmers came together on the first Monday in April to trade farm and animal products. In 1953, Mule Day became the Fish Fry as tractors replaced mules. Over the years, the fish fry grew from a small local affair to a recognized event as the “World’s Biggest Fish Fry” sponsored by the Paris-Henry County Jaycees.
Today, the fish fry represents more than just tradition. It brings communities together with events that include seven beauty pageants, catfish races, car and bike shows, a hushpuppy dash (5k walk and run), a Fish Fry Fling disc golf tournament, a demolition derby and a rodeo.
And, then there’s the food.
In addition to the more than five-and-a-half tons of U.S. pond-raised catfish served at the event, visitors consume over 4,300 pounds of French fries, 3,100 pounds of white beans, nearly 3,000 pounds of cornmeal, 1,800 pounds of vinegar slaw made on site and 1,800 pounds of mayo slaw.
From street dances and concerts to arts and crafts vendors and a weeklong roster of events, the World Biggest Fish Fry has become integral to the catfish tradition in the region. The 2025 WBFF attracted nearly 27,000 visitors with 26 states represented.
Starks says some visitors go to extremes to attend, including one women who traveled across the country just to take part for one day. “She caught a red-eye flight from Seattle, Washington to Nashville Tennessee, rented a car, drove two hours to Paris, ate fish and returned back home that night,” said Starks.
Though the World’s Biggest Fish Fry celebrates the bounty of fish to eat, it also encourages younger generations to get involved in fishing during the Junior Fishing Rodeo.
“It is held at a small lake in the middle of town where all the shoreline is accessible for even the smallest fisherman. We stock the lake before the event so there are plenty of hungry catfish to brighten up the eyes of the little ones as they reel them in,” said Starks.
Many of the dozens of volunteers it takes to run the event grew up attending the WBFF and are committed to continuing its tradition.
”Every two hours during the 34 hours that we are actually serving fish, there are different servers working the line at the fish tent, all of whom are volunteers. The small group of Jaycees and the WBFF Board of Directors that supply manpower and leadership are also volunteers. This is why we are known as the Volunteer County of the Volunteer State,” said Starks.
Visitors to Paris who cannot make it to the WBFF can still experience the catfish tradition that the region is known for in other ways.
“Practically all the local and regional restaurants offer delicious catfish dinners on their menu,” said McCadams. “From the famous all-you-can-eat fillets and steaks to whole fish, the morsels will tip anyone’s taste buds when surrounded on the plate with white beans, coleslaw, onion rings and hushpuppies, a southern cornbread batter delicacy handmade to form a round shape.”
Anglers can also experience the fantastic fishing in Paris by casting a line in Kentucky Lake, or nearby Barkley Lake on the Cumberland River. McCadams says anglers can catch channel, blue and flathead catfish. The lake’s combined features, including excellent water quality, a robust forage base of shad, slow current and climate, make it a well-rounded fishery.
“Catfish is king here in the South as a way of life for fishermen of all ages,” said McCadams.
And, in Paris, Tennessee, locals love to share their catfishing culture with anyone who comes to visit.
(Anietra Hamper is a career television news anchor and investigative journalist turned award-winning outdoor writer specializing in fishing and outdoor adventure. Anietra travels the world fishing for catfish and other unique species in new destinations.)
