Post by Whiskers on Jul 13, 2006 11:46:39 GMT -6
June 13, 2006
REELFOOT LAKE:
Creel Limits- Bass - 5 (minimum length 15 inches), Crappie - 30 (no size limit). Water temps in the low-80's. The lake level is about 7-8 inches above normal pool. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught on spinner baits and crank baits shallow. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are being caught in 6-7 ft. water. Bream fishing is excellent; fish are being caught using crickets and on jigs tipped with wax worms. Catfish are being caught in the ditches on nightcrawlers.
KENTUCKY LAKE:
Creel Limits- Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass - 5 (minimum length 15 inches), Crappie - 30 (minimum length 10 inches) Sauger - 10 (minimum length 14 inches), Catfish (only one catfish over 34 inches per day. No limit on fish under 34 inches).
North of I-40: Water temps in low-80's. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught around weeds and logs on plastic lizards or jigs. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are moving out to deeper water. Catfishing is good. Fish are being caught along rocks in the Danville and Paris areas on turkey livers or night crawlers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
South of I-40: Water temps in the low-80's. Bass fishing is good. Some fish are being caught in the creeks in 2-3 ft. water on spinner baits. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are being caught in deeper water in the creeks on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good. Fish are being caught on the main channel in 35-40 ft. water. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
PICKWICK LAKE:
Creel Limits: Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass - 5 (15 inch minimum length limit on bass). Crappie - 30 (minimum length 9 inches). Water temps are in the low-80's. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught early and late off the points. Crappie fishing is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing good. Fish are being caught on crickets and jigs tipped with wax worms.
LAKE BARKLEY:
Creel Limits: Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass - 5 (minimum length limit 15 inches on bass). Crappie - 30 (minimum length limit 10 inches). Water temps in the low-80's. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught on jigs and spinner baits around weeds. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are scattered; some being taken around stumps and other cover along edge of creek channels on minnows. Catfishing is good. Fish are being caught on night crawlers and turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
REGION I TWRA FAMILY FISHING LAKE REPORT
BROWNS CREEK LAKE (located ten miles south of I-40 in Natchez Trace State Park):
Creel Limits- Bass- 5 (16"-21" PLR) only one per day greater than 21", Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie - 30 ( 10" minimum). Bass fishing is good; fish are being caught on crank baits and jerk baits. Crappie fishing is fair. Fish are being caught on small minnows and blue & white jigs around the fish attractors. Catfish are being caught on turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on crickets and red worms.
CARROLL LAKE (located on Hwy. 22 between McKenzie and Huntingdon):
Creel Limits- Bass- 5, Blue and Channel Catfish -5, Crappie - 30 (10"minimum). Bass fishing is fair, fish are being caught on plastic worms and lizards. Crappie fishing is good. Catfish are being caught on turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
DAVY CROCKETT LAKE (located 4 miles west of Humboldt off Hwy. 152):
Creel Limits- Bass-10, Blue and Channel Catfish- 5, Crappie-30 (10" minimum). Catfish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers and night crawlers. Bass fishing is good in shallow water using plastic lizards. Crappie fishing is good; fish are being caught in deep water on small minnows and white/chartreuse jigs. Bluegill/shellcrackers are being caught on wax worms.
GARRETT LAKE (located on Hwy. 190 near Dresden ):
Creel Limits- Bass- 5, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie-30 (10" minimum). Catfish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers and night crawlers. Bass fishing is fair using spinner baits. Crappie fishing is slow Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is good.
GIBSON CO. LAKE (located at Trenton):
Creel Limits - Bass - 5 (14"-18" PLR) only one per day greater than 18", Bluegill/Redear (in combination) - 20, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Catfishing is good. Bass fishing is fair using spinner baits and crank baits. Crappie fishing is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on wax worms, crickets and red worms.
GLENN SPRINGS LAKE (located on Glenn Springs Rd, 12 miles northeast of Millington):
Creel Limits- Bass - 5 (14"-18" PLR) only one per day greater than 18", Bluegill/Redear (in combination) - 20, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Catfish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers and night crawlers. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught using crank baits and plastic lizards. Crappie fishing is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on red worms, crickets, and jigs tipped with wax worms.
HERB PARSONS LAKE (located 8 miles north of Collierville off Collierville-Arlington Road):
Creel Limits- Bass - 10 (14"-18" PLR) only one per day greater than 18", Blue and Channel Catfish -5, Crappie - 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is good. Catfishing is good; fish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers. Crappie is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on wax worms, red worms and crickets.
LAKE GRAHAM (located 5 miles east of Jackson on Cotton Grove Road):
Creel Limits- Bass - 10 (14"-18" PLR) only one bass per day greater than 18", Blue and Channel Catfish -5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is good; fish are being caught on crank baits and plastic worms. Crappie fishing is fair; fish are being caught on jigs and minnows in 12-16 ft. water. Catfishing is good; some big fish are being caught on turkey livers and night crawlers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught in the 1 lb. range using red worms and small jigs tipped with wax worms.
MAPLES CREEK LAKE (located 4 miles north of I-40 in Nathez Trace State Park):
Creel Limits- Bass -5, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie - 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is fair; fish are being caught on spinner baits. Crappie fishing is fair. Catfish are being caught on turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is good. Fish are being caught on red worms and crickets.
WHITEVILLE LAKE (located 2 miles south of Whiteville off Hwy. 64):
Creel Limits- Bass - 5, Blue and Channel Catfish- 5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught on spinner baits and plastic lizards. Catfishing is good . Fish are being caught on night crawlers and turkey livers. Crappie is fair. Some fish are being caught on small minnows. Bluegill and shellcracker fishing is good. Fish are being caught on red worms, crickets and wax worms.
June 30, 2006
Old Hickory
by TWRA Creel Clerk Al Bartolotto
(water temp high-low 70's)
Sauger: Still some being caught up around Cordell Hull Dam. Minnows or trolling can catch you fish.
Bass: Fish water willow and milfoil with spinnerbiats or soft plastics. Bass are also biting around ledges out away from the shoreline
Catfish: Good catches in the creeks. Cut bait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers will catch catfish.
Bluegill: The bite is still excellent on small baits, plastic or live.
Rockfish: Anglers still report catching some big fish around Rome and near the Caney Fork River. Don’t forget to look into the Caney as the air temperatures get warmer.
Percy Priest
by TWRA Creel Clerk Al Bartolotto
(water temp low 70's)
Hybrids: (Cherokee Bass): These fish are biting a bunch. Catch them in the jumps early or catch them deep with live bait, or by trolling big baits like Red Fins. Lots of action.
Catfish: Jug anglers and trotline fishermen are catching a lot of cats. Cutbait, shrimp, and live bluegill are catching fish.
Largemouth/smallmouth: In the jumps (largemouth). Fish with top water baits to catch mostly smaller fish off the surface. Try tossing jigs below the jumps to find larger fish.
July 12, 2006
CENTER HILL - (7/12/06) - Fishing is good. The water temperature is 84 degrees; lake is falling. Bass fishing is good at night on soft plastic baits and spinnerbaits on ledges in 10-to-15 feet of water. Walleye fishing is great one day and slow the next. Some really nice fish are being caught in the mouths of major creeks while trolling cranks, rigs and hot'n'tots in 18 feet of water. Several catfish are being caught on juglines in the upper section of the lake.
CHICKAMAUGA - (7/12/06) - The water surface temperature is 85 degrees. Bass fishermen are catching several good-size bass. Main creek and river ledges are getting the most attention by the successful anglers. These areas are being fished with plastic worms and various riggings are being used. Three and four pound bass have been common catches for many anglers. Frogs fished weedless across the weedy and grassy areas has been a method that has worked for many fishermen. Crappie fishing is good, especially for this time of year. Ten feet of water in the primary and secondary areas along with minnows fished near brush is the combination most successful anglers are using. Moving water seems to be an additional benefit. Bluegill are being caught in numbers near the fly hatches and along the river breaks in water 20 feet deep. Catfish are being caught in the primary water while drifting and using all the typical stuff. Current flow is necessary for the more successful fishing trips. Stripers are being caught in the tailwaters. The quantity seems to be lower and the quality seems to be higher. Using jerk baits drifted out of the heavy water in the tailwaters has proved to be a good option when trying to figure out what to use. All the other normal stuff and techniques can also be used.
DALE HOLLOW - (7/12/06) - Fishing is good. The water temperature is 81 degrees; lake is falling. Lots of good smallmouth are being caught in the early daylight hours while fishing topwater baits, over flats, in 15-to-30 feet of water. Night fishing is good on soft plastic baits and spinnerbaits on points in 15 feet of water. Walleye fishing is fair, while fishing nightcrawler spinner rigs and deep diving crankbaits, near grass, in 25 feet of water. Trout are being caught near the dam at night and in the day in 35 feet of water.
WATTS BAR - (7/12/06) - The water surface temperature is 85 degrees in the Tennessee River and 72 degrees below Melton Hill Dam. Fly hatches are increasing the numbers of fish being caught by a lot of anglers. Roostertails, silver spoons and jigs are just as good as anything else. White bass have become elusive for most anglers. The humps and ledges were previously loaded with shad creating a good environment for white bass. These shad have since moved and so have the white bass. Bass anglers are catching fish deep on the main river channel. Ledge Buster spinnerbaits and plastic worms are being used more often than other lures. Night catches have been better than day catches. Crappie anglers are still catching several fish. Brush located adjacent to the main channel in 20 feet of water is the better area to fish. Jigs and minnows are both being used. Rockfish fishing in the Clinch River and in the tailwaters has not been very consistent due to the lack of consistent water flow. Drifters are catching large catfish on shad in the main channel.
EAST TENNESSEE FISHING REPORT
July 6, 2006
Douglas Lake:
The creel clerk will be working on Cherokee Lake during 2006. Fishing reports for Douglas will resume in 2007.
CHEROKEE RESERVOIR: 7/6/06
The water level is falling with the surface temperature of 80.3 degrees. The water is a light murky color.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing was slow during he past week. A few were caught around willow trees and in creeks with plastic worms and Carolina rigged lizards.
Walleye are still active. Fish the areas of Three Springs and from Point 24 to 26. Trolling 10 to 20 feet or close to the bottom with minnows or jigs is best.
Striped bass and Cherokee bass can be found at Point 2 to Point 8. Some are being caught at Point 23. Fish 20 to 40 feet deep with live shad or large jigs.
For catfish, fish the bluffs and creek channels. Cut bait and chicken livers are good offerings.
NORRIS RESERVOIR: 7/6/06
WATER CONDITIONS
The lake elevation is currently 1,019.9 feet and is predicted to remain steady over the next two days. Mid-day water surface temperature readings are 82-84 degrees in the channels, with protected areas being as high as 86 degrees on sunny days. Recent thunderstorms have dumped a lot of rain in some areas of the Norris watershed; the upper rivers are stained, as are the backs of some of the creeks, especially on the upper half of the lake. Heavy boat traffic over the 4th of July weekend caused a good stain along some of the lake bank.
The July 3 water quality results for Norris and Cherokee reservoirs are posted on TWRA's Reservoir Data Collection web site, www.tnfish.org. Once at the site, click on the "water quality" link in the left-hand column, then on the lake you're interested in. There are graphs and written charts for each location sampled on both reservoirs. There is also a link to an explanation of the data presented.
A quick summary of the Norris results: The thermocline begins at 18 to 20 feet in most areas (the upper part of that layer of water which exhibits a rapid decrease in water temperature with increasing depth). Dissolved oxygen (D.O.) begins to drop at about 20 to 30 feet; from the surface down to that depth, the D.O. if fine. Striped bass anglers need to fish no deeper than 20-25 feet on the upper Clinch. The lower end of the lake had good D. O. at all depths.
SUMMARY
The incredibly high amount of boat traffic over the extended holiday weekend discouraged most anglers. Still, there were some nice bass, bluegill and catfish caught. Most fish are hitting at the 20-25 foot depth. Stained areas are better.
SPOTTED BASS AND LARGEMOUTH BASS hit best at dusk or dawn on plastic worms/lizards or deep running crankbaits. SMALLMOUTH BASS were also deep on rocky main channel banks at 25 feet. STRIPED BASS are slow, with better luck coming on the lower half of the lake in the main channels. CRAPPIE hit at night, under lights in the large creek embayments. BLUEGILL continue to hit well, with some large ones hitting at 30-feet on steeper, shaded banks during the day; shallower at dawn. Small ones are hitting almost anywhere as long as you're fishing very shallow. Crickets are the best bait. CATFISH are hitting well. Some nice flathead catfish have been taken on bluegill fished shallow near the rocky banks on the main channels. Walleye trollers are taking most of the catfish. WALLEYE slowed. Night fishing was better than daytime trolling.
WALLEYE
Fair at night, slow during the day. 20-30 feet. A good fishing tip: Check the water quality results (see "water conditions" above) and target the depth which gives the best dissolved oxygen at the 68 to 75 degree range for the location nearest to where you're fishing. Daytime trolling is slow; night fishing with shad or alewife is better. Jigging spoons is fair at night. Thundersticks, RedFin 911's, Long-billed Rebels, Jet Lures trolled along the steeper, shaded banks near wood structure, especially on the lower half of the lake. Some are suspended well off the bottom but at the 15 to 20-foot depth while others are being caught on the bottom. At night, under lantern light on snagged shad or alewife or on jigged Mann O'Lures or Hopkins spoons.
LARGEMOUTH & SPOTTED BASS
Fair. Surface to 20-feet. Midday fishing has been very slow on sunny days.
Plastic worms or lizards, Carolina or Texas rigged, did the best during the past week. Fish shoreline cover, especially in the stained areas along the shoreline or in the rear of creeks. Fish in the shoreline brush with spinners, jerkbaits and, if it's dawn or dusk, topwater plugs and buzzbaits. Tiny Torpedoes, poppers, spinners, or jerk baits fished on the surface near wood structure at the break of day. By 9 a.m., it's about over.
SMALLMOUTH BASS
Fair - better at night. Same pattern as last week. 20 to 25-feet deep, near the bottom on the points and on rocky, main channel banks and off submerged humps and islands. Large, deep diving crankbaits, cast or trolled near the bottom along the edge of submerged humps at 20 to 25-feet. Or, in the same locations, use 1/4 ounce or 3/8 ounce pig'n jigs (black and pumpkin color combinations with blues or orange highlights and tipped with larger pork chunks) fished deep, along the bottom. Tip the jig with a large shiner for the best results, and fish it slowly along the bottom. Large shiners fished in the channel between Anderson County Park and Point 19, and in Lost Creek. Use low visibility line and very little weight, letting the shiner drift slowly to depth near broken boulder banks. One of the better lures is a 1/4 ounce, dark green hair jig tipped with a small minnow, fished slowly on the bottom on points or along gravel/broken rock banks.
STRIPED BASS
Fair. Best at the break of day; by 9 a.m. most of the surface action is over.
Surface to 30-feet deep. Zara Spooks or similar plugs in surface breaking fish at dawn. Or driftline or troll shiners or alewife with planer boards on the surface. Down-rig or tightline to 35-feet with shad or alewife when the fish drop off deeper.
CRAPPIE
Slow in daytime, moderate at night under lights. Under lights, use tuffy minnows and tightline near brush or wood structure. 10 to 25-feet, in the brush along steep banks and on submerged brush far from the bank in large creek embayments. Also in the headwaters in deep, shoreline trees and brush. Small tube jigs, popeye flies, or minnows in the brush. Mill Creek; Lost Creek in the vicinity of its junction with White's Creek; the head of Davis Creek and Doakes Creek, Vasper Hollow, and Big Creek above Indian River Marina.
BLUEGILL
Good. 10 to 35-feet, on or near the bottom, for larger bluegill. Flyrodding with popping bugs is good at dawn. Or use waxworms or crickets on rocky, steep banks, 10 to 30 feet deep, depending upon the location and sunlight. Target shady banks and broken rocks/wood structure. For larger bluegill, fish deeper - do not use a bobber, but tightline or cast the bait to the bottom. Once you find one large bluegill, others will be nearby.
CATFISH
Good. 5 to 20 feet. Near banks with slab rocks. On the bottom. Fish with nightcrawlers, chicken livers, or small bluegill along the bottom. Crooked Creek, Point 26, Cove Creek just above Mountain Lake Marina, Loyston near the islands.
REELFOOT LAKE:
Creel Limits- Bass - 5 (minimum length 15 inches), Crappie - 30 (no size limit). Water temps in the low-80's. The lake level is about 7-8 inches above normal pool. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught on spinner baits and crank baits shallow. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are being caught in 6-7 ft. water. Bream fishing is excellent; fish are being caught using crickets and on jigs tipped with wax worms. Catfish are being caught in the ditches on nightcrawlers.
KENTUCKY LAKE:
Creel Limits- Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass - 5 (minimum length 15 inches), Crappie - 30 (minimum length 10 inches) Sauger - 10 (minimum length 14 inches), Catfish (only one catfish over 34 inches per day. No limit on fish under 34 inches).
North of I-40: Water temps in low-80's. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught around weeds and logs on plastic lizards or jigs. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are moving out to deeper water. Catfishing is good. Fish are being caught along rocks in the Danville and Paris areas on turkey livers or night crawlers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
South of I-40: Water temps in the low-80's. Bass fishing is good. Some fish are being caught in the creeks in 2-3 ft. water on spinner baits. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are being caught in deeper water in the creeks on minnows and jigs. Catfishing is good. Fish are being caught on the main channel in 35-40 ft. water. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
PICKWICK LAKE:
Creel Limits: Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass - 5 (15 inch minimum length limit on bass). Crappie - 30 (minimum length 9 inches). Water temps are in the low-80's. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught early and late off the points. Crappie fishing is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing good. Fish are being caught on crickets and jigs tipped with wax worms.
LAKE BARKLEY:
Creel Limits: Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass - 5 (minimum length limit 15 inches on bass). Crappie - 30 (minimum length limit 10 inches). Water temps in the low-80's. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught on jigs and spinner baits around weeds. Crappie fishing is good. Fish are scattered; some being taken around stumps and other cover along edge of creek channels on minnows. Catfishing is good. Fish are being caught on night crawlers and turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
REGION I TWRA FAMILY FISHING LAKE REPORT
BROWNS CREEK LAKE (located ten miles south of I-40 in Natchez Trace State Park):
Creel Limits- Bass- 5 (16"-21" PLR) only one per day greater than 21", Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie - 30 ( 10" minimum). Bass fishing is good; fish are being caught on crank baits and jerk baits. Crappie fishing is fair. Fish are being caught on small minnows and blue & white jigs around the fish attractors. Catfish are being caught on turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on crickets and red worms.
CARROLL LAKE (located on Hwy. 22 between McKenzie and Huntingdon):
Creel Limits- Bass- 5, Blue and Channel Catfish -5, Crappie - 30 (10"minimum). Bass fishing is fair, fish are being caught on plastic worms and lizards. Crappie fishing is good. Catfish are being caught on turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent.
DAVY CROCKETT LAKE (located 4 miles west of Humboldt off Hwy. 152):
Creel Limits- Bass-10, Blue and Channel Catfish- 5, Crappie-30 (10" minimum). Catfish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers and night crawlers. Bass fishing is good in shallow water using plastic lizards. Crappie fishing is good; fish are being caught in deep water on small minnows and white/chartreuse jigs. Bluegill/shellcrackers are being caught on wax worms.
GARRETT LAKE (located on Hwy. 190 near Dresden ):
Creel Limits- Bass- 5, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie-30 (10" minimum). Catfish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers and night crawlers. Bass fishing is fair using spinner baits. Crappie fishing is slow Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is good.
GIBSON CO. LAKE (located at Trenton):
Creel Limits - Bass - 5 (14"-18" PLR) only one per day greater than 18", Bluegill/Redear (in combination) - 20, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Catfishing is good. Bass fishing is fair using spinner baits and crank baits. Crappie fishing is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on wax worms, crickets and red worms.
GLENN SPRINGS LAKE (located on Glenn Springs Rd, 12 miles northeast of Millington):
Creel Limits- Bass - 5 (14"-18" PLR) only one per day greater than 18", Bluegill/Redear (in combination) - 20, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Catfish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers and night crawlers. Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught using crank baits and plastic lizards. Crappie fishing is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on red worms, crickets, and jigs tipped with wax worms.
HERB PARSONS LAKE (located 8 miles north of Collierville off Collierville-Arlington Road):
Creel Limits- Bass - 10 (14"-18" PLR) only one per day greater than 18", Blue and Channel Catfish -5, Crappie - 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is good. Catfishing is good; fish are being caught on chicken/turkey livers. Crappie is fair. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught on wax worms, red worms and crickets.
LAKE GRAHAM (located 5 miles east of Jackson on Cotton Grove Road):
Creel Limits- Bass - 10 (14"-18" PLR) only one bass per day greater than 18", Blue and Channel Catfish -5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is good; fish are being caught on crank baits and plastic worms. Crappie fishing is fair; fish are being caught on jigs and minnows in 12-16 ft. water. Catfishing is good; some big fish are being caught on turkey livers and night crawlers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is excellent. Fish are being caught in the 1 lb. range using red worms and small jigs tipped with wax worms.
MAPLES CREEK LAKE (located 4 miles north of I-40 in Nathez Trace State Park):
Creel Limits- Bass -5, Blue and Channel Catfish - 5, Crappie - 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is fair; fish are being caught on spinner baits. Crappie fishing is fair. Catfish are being caught on turkey livers. Bluegill/shellcracker fishing is good. Fish are being caught on red worms and crickets.
WHITEVILLE LAKE (located 2 miles south of Whiteville off Hwy. 64):
Creel Limits- Bass - 5, Blue and Channel Catfish- 5, Crappie- 30 (10" minimum). Bass fishing is good. Fish are being caught on spinner baits and plastic lizards. Catfishing is good . Fish are being caught on night crawlers and turkey livers. Crappie is fair. Some fish are being caught on small minnows. Bluegill and shellcracker fishing is good. Fish are being caught on red worms, crickets and wax worms.
June 30, 2006
Old Hickory
by TWRA Creel Clerk Al Bartolotto
(water temp high-low 70's)
Sauger: Still some being caught up around Cordell Hull Dam. Minnows or trolling can catch you fish.
Bass: Fish water willow and milfoil with spinnerbiats or soft plastics. Bass are also biting around ledges out away from the shoreline
Catfish: Good catches in the creeks. Cut bait, shrimp, and nightcrawlers will catch catfish.
Bluegill: The bite is still excellent on small baits, plastic or live.
Rockfish: Anglers still report catching some big fish around Rome and near the Caney Fork River. Don’t forget to look into the Caney as the air temperatures get warmer.
Percy Priest
by TWRA Creel Clerk Al Bartolotto
(water temp low 70's)
Hybrids: (Cherokee Bass): These fish are biting a bunch. Catch them in the jumps early or catch them deep with live bait, or by trolling big baits like Red Fins. Lots of action.
Catfish: Jug anglers and trotline fishermen are catching a lot of cats. Cutbait, shrimp, and live bluegill are catching fish.
Largemouth/smallmouth: In the jumps (largemouth). Fish with top water baits to catch mostly smaller fish off the surface. Try tossing jigs below the jumps to find larger fish.
July 12, 2006
CENTER HILL - (7/12/06) - Fishing is good. The water temperature is 84 degrees; lake is falling. Bass fishing is good at night on soft plastic baits and spinnerbaits on ledges in 10-to-15 feet of water. Walleye fishing is great one day and slow the next. Some really nice fish are being caught in the mouths of major creeks while trolling cranks, rigs and hot'n'tots in 18 feet of water. Several catfish are being caught on juglines in the upper section of the lake.
CHICKAMAUGA - (7/12/06) - The water surface temperature is 85 degrees. Bass fishermen are catching several good-size bass. Main creek and river ledges are getting the most attention by the successful anglers. These areas are being fished with plastic worms and various riggings are being used. Three and four pound bass have been common catches for many anglers. Frogs fished weedless across the weedy and grassy areas has been a method that has worked for many fishermen. Crappie fishing is good, especially for this time of year. Ten feet of water in the primary and secondary areas along with minnows fished near brush is the combination most successful anglers are using. Moving water seems to be an additional benefit. Bluegill are being caught in numbers near the fly hatches and along the river breaks in water 20 feet deep. Catfish are being caught in the primary water while drifting and using all the typical stuff. Current flow is necessary for the more successful fishing trips. Stripers are being caught in the tailwaters. The quantity seems to be lower and the quality seems to be higher. Using jerk baits drifted out of the heavy water in the tailwaters has proved to be a good option when trying to figure out what to use. All the other normal stuff and techniques can also be used.
DALE HOLLOW - (7/12/06) - Fishing is good. The water temperature is 81 degrees; lake is falling. Lots of good smallmouth are being caught in the early daylight hours while fishing topwater baits, over flats, in 15-to-30 feet of water. Night fishing is good on soft plastic baits and spinnerbaits on points in 15 feet of water. Walleye fishing is fair, while fishing nightcrawler spinner rigs and deep diving crankbaits, near grass, in 25 feet of water. Trout are being caught near the dam at night and in the day in 35 feet of water.
WATTS BAR - (7/12/06) - The water surface temperature is 85 degrees in the Tennessee River and 72 degrees below Melton Hill Dam. Fly hatches are increasing the numbers of fish being caught by a lot of anglers. Roostertails, silver spoons and jigs are just as good as anything else. White bass have become elusive for most anglers. The humps and ledges were previously loaded with shad creating a good environment for white bass. These shad have since moved and so have the white bass. Bass anglers are catching fish deep on the main river channel. Ledge Buster spinnerbaits and plastic worms are being used more often than other lures. Night catches have been better than day catches. Crappie anglers are still catching several fish. Brush located adjacent to the main channel in 20 feet of water is the better area to fish. Jigs and minnows are both being used. Rockfish fishing in the Clinch River and in the tailwaters has not been very consistent due to the lack of consistent water flow. Drifters are catching large catfish on shad in the main channel.
EAST TENNESSEE FISHING REPORT
July 6, 2006
Douglas Lake:
The creel clerk will be working on Cherokee Lake during 2006. Fishing reports for Douglas will resume in 2007.
CHEROKEE RESERVOIR: 7/6/06
The water level is falling with the surface temperature of 80.3 degrees. The water is a light murky color.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing was slow during he past week. A few were caught around willow trees and in creeks with plastic worms and Carolina rigged lizards.
Walleye are still active. Fish the areas of Three Springs and from Point 24 to 26. Trolling 10 to 20 feet or close to the bottom with minnows or jigs is best.
Striped bass and Cherokee bass can be found at Point 2 to Point 8. Some are being caught at Point 23. Fish 20 to 40 feet deep with live shad or large jigs.
For catfish, fish the bluffs and creek channels. Cut bait and chicken livers are good offerings.
NORRIS RESERVOIR: 7/6/06
WATER CONDITIONS
The lake elevation is currently 1,019.9 feet and is predicted to remain steady over the next two days. Mid-day water surface temperature readings are 82-84 degrees in the channels, with protected areas being as high as 86 degrees on sunny days. Recent thunderstorms have dumped a lot of rain in some areas of the Norris watershed; the upper rivers are stained, as are the backs of some of the creeks, especially on the upper half of the lake. Heavy boat traffic over the 4th of July weekend caused a good stain along some of the lake bank.
The July 3 water quality results for Norris and Cherokee reservoirs are posted on TWRA's Reservoir Data Collection web site, www.tnfish.org. Once at the site, click on the "water quality" link in the left-hand column, then on the lake you're interested in. There are graphs and written charts for each location sampled on both reservoirs. There is also a link to an explanation of the data presented.
A quick summary of the Norris results: The thermocline begins at 18 to 20 feet in most areas (the upper part of that layer of water which exhibits a rapid decrease in water temperature with increasing depth). Dissolved oxygen (D.O.) begins to drop at about 20 to 30 feet; from the surface down to that depth, the D.O. if fine. Striped bass anglers need to fish no deeper than 20-25 feet on the upper Clinch. The lower end of the lake had good D. O. at all depths.
SUMMARY
The incredibly high amount of boat traffic over the extended holiday weekend discouraged most anglers. Still, there were some nice bass, bluegill and catfish caught. Most fish are hitting at the 20-25 foot depth. Stained areas are better.
SPOTTED BASS AND LARGEMOUTH BASS hit best at dusk or dawn on plastic worms/lizards or deep running crankbaits. SMALLMOUTH BASS were also deep on rocky main channel banks at 25 feet. STRIPED BASS are slow, with better luck coming on the lower half of the lake in the main channels. CRAPPIE hit at night, under lights in the large creek embayments. BLUEGILL continue to hit well, with some large ones hitting at 30-feet on steeper, shaded banks during the day; shallower at dawn. Small ones are hitting almost anywhere as long as you're fishing very shallow. Crickets are the best bait. CATFISH are hitting well. Some nice flathead catfish have been taken on bluegill fished shallow near the rocky banks on the main channels. Walleye trollers are taking most of the catfish. WALLEYE slowed. Night fishing was better than daytime trolling.
WALLEYE
Fair at night, slow during the day. 20-30 feet. A good fishing tip: Check the water quality results (see "water conditions" above) and target the depth which gives the best dissolved oxygen at the 68 to 75 degree range for the location nearest to where you're fishing. Daytime trolling is slow; night fishing with shad or alewife is better. Jigging spoons is fair at night. Thundersticks, RedFin 911's, Long-billed Rebels, Jet Lures trolled along the steeper, shaded banks near wood structure, especially on the lower half of the lake. Some are suspended well off the bottom but at the 15 to 20-foot depth while others are being caught on the bottom. At night, under lantern light on snagged shad or alewife or on jigged Mann O'Lures or Hopkins spoons.
LARGEMOUTH & SPOTTED BASS
Fair. Surface to 20-feet. Midday fishing has been very slow on sunny days.
Plastic worms or lizards, Carolina or Texas rigged, did the best during the past week. Fish shoreline cover, especially in the stained areas along the shoreline or in the rear of creeks. Fish in the shoreline brush with spinners, jerkbaits and, if it's dawn or dusk, topwater plugs and buzzbaits. Tiny Torpedoes, poppers, spinners, or jerk baits fished on the surface near wood structure at the break of day. By 9 a.m., it's about over.
SMALLMOUTH BASS
Fair - better at night. Same pattern as last week. 20 to 25-feet deep, near the bottom on the points and on rocky, main channel banks and off submerged humps and islands. Large, deep diving crankbaits, cast or trolled near the bottom along the edge of submerged humps at 20 to 25-feet. Or, in the same locations, use 1/4 ounce or 3/8 ounce pig'n jigs (black and pumpkin color combinations with blues or orange highlights and tipped with larger pork chunks) fished deep, along the bottom. Tip the jig with a large shiner for the best results, and fish it slowly along the bottom. Large shiners fished in the channel between Anderson County Park and Point 19, and in Lost Creek. Use low visibility line and very little weight, letting the shiner drift slowly to depth near broken boulder banks. One of the better lures is a 1/4 ounce, dark green hair jig tipped with a small minnow, fished slowly on the bottom on points or along gravel/broken rock banks.
STRIPED BASS
Fair. Best at the break of day; by 9 a.m. most of the surface action is over.
Surface to 30-feet deep. Zara Spooks or similar plugs in surface breaking fish at dawn. Or driftline or troll shiners or alewife with planer boards on the surface. Down-rig or tightline to 35-feet with shad or alewife when the fish drop off deeper.
CRAPPIE
Slow in daytime, moderate at night under lights. Under lights, use tuffy minnows and tightline near brush or wood structure. 10 to 25-feet, in the brush along steep banks and on submerged brush far from the bank in large creek embayments. Also in the headwaters in deep, shoreline trees and brush. Small tube jigs, popeye flies, or minnows in the brush. Mill Creek; Lost Creek in the vicinity of its junction with White's Creek; the head of Davis Creek and Doakes Creek, Vasper Hollow, and Big Creek above Indian River Marina.
BLUEGILL
Good. 10 to 35-feet, on or near the bottom, for larger bluegill. Flyrodding with popping bugs is good at dawn. Or use waxworms or crickets on rocky, steep banks, 10 to 30 feet deep, depending upon the location and sunlight. Target shady banks and broken rocks/wood structure. For larger bluegill, fish deeper - do not use a bobber, but tightline or cast the bait to the bottom. Once you find one large bluegill, others will be nearby.
CATFISH
Good. 5 to 20 feet. Near banks with slab rocks. On the bottom. Fish with nightcrawlers, chicken livers, or small bluegill along the bottom. Crooked Creek, Point 26, Cove Creek just above Mountain Lake Marina, Loyston near the islands.
