TWRA Weekly Fishing Report
Locations
NOTE - The TWRA wants to build a comprehensive report each week of the state’s lakes. If you do not see a report for your favorite lake and you are someone who can provide a report, please contact us at Ask.TWRA@tn.gov and provide us with your contact information.
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Boone Reservoir 12/18/24
Contributor – Richard Markland, Region 4 Fisheries Technician
Reservoir Conditions- Reservoir elevation is 1362.20 water clarity 5-10 visibility, water temp 50*.
Bass- Fishing is Slow- Largemouth, Spots and Smallmouth are being caught on small shad like baits, umbrella rigs, deep diving crankbaits in middle of deeper coves and vertical fishing with drop shot type baits.
Crappie- No Report
Trout- No report
Striped Bass/Hybrid Bass- Good. Fish are being caught around Davis Dock up to Rainbow bridge and Old DeVault Bridge up to pt.7 area on Holston side and Pt.2 to the dam trolling shad or trout.
Center Hill 1/15/25
Contributor – Chris Snow, Guide at www.briancarper.com
Bass continue to be caught around schools of bait on jigging spoons and the Damiki rig in about 35 to 40ft of water. Surface temp is 51 degrees and has come up about 3ft.
To learn more or get out on the water with us check out Brian Carper’s guide service at www.briancarper.com. .
Chickamauga Reservoir 12/27/254 - 12/29/24
Contributor - Nathan Rogers, Region III Creel Clerk
The weather has been warmer throughout the weekend due to storms with lows in the upper 40's and highs throughout the day as warm as 60. Current throughout the reservoir and below dams has been steady. Visibility is lower due to heavy rain early Sunday Morning The water levels are roughly 6 feet below full pool; the latest depth recorded is below. For any discharge or lake elevation info, check out the TVA Lake Info App.
Reservoir Conditions
Water Temp:
- Tennessee River (Middle Section): 50.1 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tennessee River (Lower Section): 49.1 degrees Fahrenheit
- Hiwassee River: 50.1 degrees Fahrenheit
Water Clarity:
- Tennessee River (River Channel): 4 feet
- Hiwassee River: 3.5 feet
- Creeks/Inlets: 3.5 feet
Water Level: 676.60 feet
Water Flow: (as of December 29th)
- Watts Bar Dam: ~ 20370 cfs
- Chickamauga Dam: ~ 27760 cfs
- Ocoee#1 Dam: ~1340 cfs
- Apalachia Powerhouse: ~ 2870 cfs
Observed Species Information
Bass: Fishing is fair. Fishing transition areas such as pea gravel to larger rocky structure with A-rigs, jerk baits, and swimbaits all with a more natural color. Bluff walls impacted by current and other rocky structure are holding fish as well with anglers throwing shad-like minnows and swimbaits. Live shad in these areas is the most successful practice.
Crappie: Fishing is good. Live minnows and small jigs over submerged structure, docks, and bridge pylons that are mostly in creeks or sloughs off main river in roughly 10-15 feet. Many on upper portion of the lake are finding success in mouths of creeks and submerged woody structure along river channel banks. Also try using smaller jig heads such as 1/32 compared to a 1/16 if fish are scarcely biting.
Chickamauga 1/15/25
Contributor – Billy Wheat, Follow on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/riprapfishingadventures and www.riprapfishing.net
Chickamauga water is 676 Water temperature is 40-43. The blade bait and A-rig are freaking fire! 6-12 feet that A-rig is killer on the shell beds creek mouths and deeper creek bends. The Minner will definitely work as always find the bait 8-25 feet has been the deal. If you’re a cranker or jerker stay on the steep banks with rock or gravel 8-15 feet in the big creeks and bluff ends with current breaks.
Dale Hollow 1/15/25
Contributor – Will Schibig, Region III Creel Clerk
Reservoir Conditions-
Dale Hollow Dam is generating, on average, 270 cfs per day. The reservoir elevation currently sits at 638.5’ and is slowly rising. The surface water temperatures reservoir-wide sit in the mid-to-low 40’s and will continue to drop. Up the river, or anywhere a tributary flows in, you will find the coldest temperatures with this snow melt runoff. Water clarity mid-reservoir down is clear, 7-12’ of visibility. On the upper end, water clarity is more stained; visibility is only 3-5’. Have caution on most of the backroads to the boat ramps and boat ramp parking lots, as lots of shaded roads are still covered in ice and snow.
Bass- Fishing is slow. The fish are cold and are not really cooperating. Some anglers are getting some bites with suspended bass around baitfish in 40-50 FOW. Target main lake channel swing banks and bluffs, as well as the mouths of creek arms for baitfish schools. Anglers targeting smallmouth are fishing live bait on main lake gravel points and flats in 20-30 FOW near the drop-offs.
Hiwassee River below Appalachia Powerhouse – 1-8-25
Contributor - Tic Smith/Southeastern Anglers Guide Service
Water Temperature – 46 to 49 degrees
Water Clarity – clear
Water Level – TVA has been spilling the last few days around 4500 cfs which is not a good combination with the cold weather. In other words, no one has been out there fishing the last few days.
Fishing conditions – We do not have good conditions for fishing right now. It’s not the temps but the water flow which is affecting things. Once we get back to normal flows, the fishing will improve.
Hatches- There are midges and small baetis hatching in the mid-day hours particularly if it is sunny and winds are calm. Emergers and dry flies like parachutes in size 18 – 22 will get you some strikes from the rising fish.
Nymphs – standard pheasant tails with or without beads #16 to #18. Zebra midges are producing as well.
Kentucky Lake 1/15/25
Contributor - Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer (stevemc@charter.net)
WINTER FISHING WOES
Mean winter weather has not cooperated with Kentucky Lake’s winter fishing scene lately. It hasn’t exactly cooperated with duck hunters either! However, seems there’s always a few people testing the waters of Kentucky Lake regardless of the weather! Frigid temps have curtailed activity lately. That’s kept most anglers off the water and close to the fire.
There were a few days when the weatherman allows a short reprieve from north winds and falling temps but very few. Lake levels have stayed pretty close to the low level of winter pool lately. Readings this week were in the 354.9 range. Watercolor has been clear. Surface temps are in the low to mid 30’s. The lion’s share of winter fishermen are waiting it out indoors and hoping there’s a break in the weather soon.
Some crappie anglers ventured out a day or two when the weather moderated but it was a short honeymoon as bitter temps quickly replaced a day or two of warm up. Crappie were taken in the 9-to-15-foot depth range by anglers fishing jigs and minnows around manmade fish attractors. Some tested deep main lake ledges at times and found a few scattered fish holding in the 17-to-20-foot depth range. Some reports indicated a few fish were even deeper than that!
Meanwhile, fishing pox is starting to affect local anglers yearning to get out and about. Hang in there. Sooner or later mild days will rebound, and you can get out on the water and scratch that itch!
Normandy Lake 1/9/25
Contributor Captain Jake Davis - midsouthbassguide.com - Follow on Facebook
We found some nice fish active in late morning and afternoon this week. The best areas have been upriver. Current water levels are at 865.56. Crankbaits, Texas Rigs or Tightline Jigs have been our go to. We found some good bass using Forward Facing Sonar in open water. I was told anglers are still catching a few nice Walleye can be caught trolling crankbaits or drifting minnows/crawler harnesses on flats and in the river. Crappie are doing good as well on standing timber and brush piles. Water temperatures range from 47 to 51 degrees.
Lots of habitat work has been done on Normandy over the last four weeks by the Tennessee Bass Nation High School and Conservation programs, I highly recommend that angler get out before the water comes up and just look around. Keep in mind if you see habitat placed on the lake shore there is most likely habitat in the water just in front of these areas. They even fixed the ramp edge at Barton Springs. Photos of these areas can be found on the Tennessee Bass Nation Conservation Facebook page. Please Wear those Life Vest and drain your trailers before you pull up the ramps. For more information call Jake Davis at 615.613.2382 or msbassguide@comcast.net
Old Hickory 1/14/25
Contributor – Tanner Hale, Guide at www.briancarper.com
Old man winter is in full swing here in middle Tennessee, I think we have all experienced it from the snow fall at the end of last week. With the weather still mirroring last week and some of the temps dipping down even a little lower the fishing has still remained about the same. Crappie and bass both have not been very active as they are in the middle of adjusting daily to our winter weather. I have made it out on the water one day since last week we scrapped up 10 keeper crappie with one of them being a 2.34 pounder. Bite was slow we really had to slow things down to get bites. The fish seem dug in waiting for a weather change. We were targeting these fish in 20-30 foot of water with jigs and minnows.
To learn more or get out on the water with us check out Brian Carper’s guide service at www.briancarper.com.
Parksville Reservoir 1/2/25 - 1/5/25
Contributor – Nathan Rogers, Region III Creel Clerk
The weather has been colder throughout the weekend with lows in the upper 20's and highs throughout the day up to 44. Current throughout the reservoir has been steady. Visibility is good throughout the reservoir with lower end being slightly murkier. The water levels are at full pool; the latest depth recorded is below. For any discharge or lake elevation info, check out the TVA Lake Info App.
Reservoir Conditions
Water Temp: 48.6 degrees Fahrenheit
Water Clarity: 7 feet
Water Level: 828.1 feet
Water Flow: (as of January 5th)
- Ocoee#1 Dam: ~ 652 cfs
- Ocoee#2 Dam: ~ 1431 cfs
Observed Species Information
Bass: Fishing is fair. Throwing jerk baits, A-rigs, and swimbaits around schools of bait in open water and creek mouths. Float-n-fly fishing also attracts bites on steep rocky ledges and points in creek arms.
Yellow Perch: Fishing is good. Live minnows or worms, also small jigs/grubs, on shallow channel ledges/flats on upper portion of reservoir.
Percy Priest 1/8/25
Contributor – Arnie Shanklin, Guide at www.briancarper.com
I’ll be providing crappie and sauger reports this year. With the weather the last week I’ve only been sauger fishing from the bank and the bite is picking up along the Cumberland River with this cold weather coming in this week. 3” paddle tail (shad color) on 5/16 - 3/8 jig heads working the best.
To learn more or get out on the water with us check out Brian Carper’s guide service at www.briancarper.com.
Tellico Lake 12/4/24
Contributor – Scott Dalton, WL Tech 1, Fisheries, Region 4
Water temperature has dropped into the 50’s. Large and smallmouth Bass are being caught as water temperatures cool.
Tims Ford 1/9/25
Contributor Captain Jake Davis – Follow on Facebook
Despite the cold weather some fish can still be caught. Early morning start time is not necessarily this time of the year. Waiting till it warms a little on most days is best not just for fishing but anglers as well. Some good fish can be caught on 3.5-inch swimbait, jerk baits along steep bluffs banks and using Forward facing Sonar in open water areas like channel bends. We caught a few fish in creek mouths area with shad using jerk baits, 1/4oz Shakey Head with a finesse Trick worm and ½ ounce Tightline Green Tequila Jig this week work around brush piles in 8 to 15 feet of water. Over the past two weeks, it’s been tough to get quality keepers, but you can still have a lot of fun. Don’t pass up the opportunity to flip laydowns, especially around deep water with a Texas rig. Crappie are doing better than Bass; several guys have caught some really nice slabs using minnows and artificial grubs around laydowns and brush on the deeper docks.
The current Lake level is 874.68 with a forecasted level slowly rising to 875.13 over the weekend. Water temps are between 47 and 50 degrees on most of the lake. Lots of habitat work has been done on Tims Ford over the last four weeks by the Tennessee Bass Nation High School and Conservation programs, I highly recommend that angler get out before the water comes up and just look around. Keep in mind if you see habitat placed on the lake shore there is most likely habitat in the water just in front of these areas. Photos of these areas can be found on the Tennessee Bass Nation Conservation Facebook page. Please, drain those trailers before pulling up the ramps. The next person will really appreciate it. Always wear your life vest while on the water, with the colder water and colder air temperatures, you only have a few minutes to get out of the water if you fall in. Capt. Jake 615-613-2382 or msbassguide@comcast.net
Watts Bar 1/15/25
Contributor – Billy Wheat, Follow on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/riprapfishingadventures and www.riprapfishing.net
Watts Bar is all the way down and the bait is definitely the key with that Minner getting pinged! More and more bait are loading up in the current breaks. Tons of White Bass and those big stripers are hard to outrun with a Minner. I’ve always loved cranking the bar with anything from a shad rap to a 5xd. Chunky rock and gravel everything is around points and current breaks on the main channel. But if I could just take one bait right now it would be an A-rig cause they’re killing it right now.
Watts Bar 12/12/24
Contributor - Captain Wallace Sitzes – Follow on Facebook
The fishing has been a little unpredictable lately with the cold front. Some days the conditions seem perfect, and the bite is slow and other days it's freezing and windy and they're gorging. For the most part the fishing has been pretty good for multiple species. Bass are stacking up on shallow rock points covered in baitfish. I'm also seeing small groups of big bass in the backs of very shallow muddy coves pushing shad and busting all over the surface. Most anglers head to deeper holes and drop offs this time of year but a lot of big bass go very shallow. They are easy to spot without electronics and you don't need experience on this lake to find them. Scout early mornings and later in the day and look for the fish busting shad on the surface. I throw flukes and swim jigs and I fish them fast even throughout the winter.
The crappie fishing has been pretty good lately. A little slow but you can still catch a limit. I'm mostly catching them in 25 - 35' of water. They are tight inside the brush in most spots because of the drum, striper and birds. Most of the fish I'm catching are 10 - 12" long but I'm finding some bigger fish in shallower water. Most white and black crappie I've been getting over 15" are in about 12 - 15' of water where there's plenty of small shad around. I typically prefer a 1/16 jig head unless I'm fishing really deep or fishing in heavy current or wind. They don't care about what brand jigs, what knot you tie or even too much about the color. Any shad or natural pattern works. They are either biting or they aren't. I would suggest taking some minnows with you, but lately I've been catching almost everything on a jig.
The walleye, sauger and crappie fishing is picking up good below the dam. Bucktail jigs, spoons and jerk baits work well. There's also striper and white bass in there that are pretty easy to catch with jigs and top water lures.
Fishing for catfish right now is pretty easy. Find the birds diving along the edge of a channel and anchor up. Yellow bass and fresh cut shad are hard to beat right now. As the temp drops the blue cats will be heading into shallow coves to gorge on shad so fishing from the bank or dock will be really good soon if you don't have a boat. If you are casting past stumps or sunken structure, I would suggest a float to keep your line up by the surface, so you don't snag or have a fish wrap you up.
West Prong, Little Pigeon River 12/18/24
Report Contributor – Scott Dalton, WL Tech 1, Fisheries, Region 4
Rainbow Trout are being caught in Pigeon Forge. The City of Pigeon Forge supports trout stocking, once a month during the months of Nov., Dec. and Jan. These are large fish, and they are stocked between Patriot Park and The Island. The last stocking was December Friday 13th.
Woods Reservoir 1/9/25
Forecast Contributor Captain Jake Davis – Follow on Facebook
Grass lines and Brush have been the remain your best bet, Bass are slow, and Crappie are better, and guys say they are catching Crappie on Minnows some are being caught on soft plastic grubs. Bass are still coming on a shaky head rigged finesse bait and a Tightline Mussel Crawler Jig in Green Tequila. A few are being caught on crankbaits and jerk baits. We found our better fish in 8 to 15 feet of water using Tightline Mussel Crawler jigs tipped with Twin Tail grubs, soft plastics, and Carolina Rigs. Water temperatures range from 46 to 51 degrees. Duck Hunting season is in full swing, please be aware of hunting locations around the lake and that the lower end of the lake is closed to all traffic...boats or walking the bank. Please wear your life vest all the time while on the water. Give me a call to book your trip, fall fishing can be lots of fun on Woods. Capt. Jake 615-613-2382 or msbassguide@comcast.net
