TWRA Fishing Forecast

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 [email protected] and provide us with your contact information.

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Boone Reservoir – 8-2-23

Forecast Contributor – Richard Markland, Region 4 Fisheries Technician

Reservoir Conditions- Reservoir elevation is 1381.97. The water temperature is 84* degrees. Water clarity 10’ visibility.

Bass– Fishing is slow. Largemouth, Spots and Smallmouth are being caught on deep crankbaits or small shad like baits, spinnerbaits, Ned rigs, plastic finesse worms, soft jerk baits, creature baits, jigs by fishing along rocky points, standing brush or around docks. Topwater early morning and late evening.

Crappie- No Report

Trout- No report

Striped Bass/Hybrid Bass- Fishing is good. Most of the fish are being caught around Davis Dock up to Bluff City area on Holston side and Watauga Flats area using spoons or trolling live shad or trout 20-30’. Some have been caught on topwater back in the creeks or on main channel, starting to see some topwater action in the evenings.

Sunfish– Fishing is good – Fishing from fishing piers at Wingdeer Park using crickets, worms.

Chickamauga Lake – 8-17-23

Forecast Contributor – Billy Wheat, Follow on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/riprapfishingadventures and www.riprapfishing.net

Early morning Topwater great with a Pop-R, Pencil Popper or a Spook. The shad pattern seems to get more strikes. The big Chatterbait 3/4 paired with a 4.25- or 5-inch Swimbait I like the Driftwood Custom Baits paddle tails in a shad or bluegill pattern on the grass edges or shell beds when the current is running.

August is a great month to swim that worm and swim that jig in the grass. Remember to pay attention to the water flow schedule it positions the fish and usually will group them up. Water level is full and water temperatures are 80-85.

Dale Hollow – 8-16-23

Forecast Contributor – Will Schibig, Region III Creel Clerk.

Reservoir Conditions

Lake elevation continues to fall to 644’, and Dale Hollow Dam is generating, on average, 2,000 cfs per day. Water clarity has an average visibility of 6-8’, with 3’ in the backs of creeks. Surface water temperatures are very warm during the day, averaging 83-86 degrees.

Bass- Fishing is slow. Bass can still be caught deep (15-25FOW) during the day on rock piles or grass beds with finesse presentations. At night, these same fish can be caught on Colorado spinnerbaits, hair jigs, or big worms. There are some largemouth around shallow structure, target these fish with finesse lures as well.

Crappie- Fishing is good. Anglers are starting to catch numbers of fish on the upper end of the reservoir. Anglers trolling creek channels are catching numbers on crankbaits, while trollers on the main channel are catching quality slabs. 15-25’ seems to be the best zone depending on if it’s the creek or main river channel.

Walleye- Fishing is slow. Bites have slowed down, but quality is still good. Trolling harness rigs and crankbaits on grass flats mid lake is producing some fish but jigging deep-water structure on the lower end is producing the biggest fish. 25 FOW is the best range for trolling and even deeper for jigging.

EDITOR’S NOTE – Fire destroyed the gas dock and the store at Sunset Marina on 8-10-23. Please plan trips to Dale Hollow accordingly.

Douglas Lake -8 -17-23

Forecast Contributor Brad Burkhart – Follow on Facebook

As the heat of the summer finally hits its high, believe it or not the bass will start to head back to the shallows.

Shad schools are starting to show up in the late afternoon in deep pockets and all over the rivers above the fork. This can either be a great or an awful time to fish… I really enjoy late summer early fall fishing and this when I start fishing docks ALOT Don’t get fancy, I use a 1/2 oz green pumpkin football jig (they skip like a flat rock) paired with a like color 4” chigger craw. I use 17lb P-Line tactical fluorocarbon because it skips easier than 20 but is strong enough to get them out.

Early morning target deep bluffs with over hanging limbs with a top water for a quick big one then hit the docks. Won’t be long till we’re slinging top water baits all day.

God bless!!!! Message me if you want to book a trip.

Brad Burkhart

@bradburkhartprofishing

Fall Creek Falls – 7-12-23

Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.

Lake Conditions- Lake is being maintained at typical summer pool, but the lake is currently several inches low. Surface water temperature is 82-84°F and water clarity is 3 ft near the headwaters and 7 ft at the dam. Ten automatic fish feeders are currently in use from the dam to the lakeside cabins and boat dock. Threadfin Shad and Golden Shiners were recently stocked as forage.

Largemouth Bass: Fishing is fair. Some bass are being caught using wacky-rigged plastics along the edge of weed beds. Some 1–2-pound bass are being caught, but most are under 1 pound. The best bass bite has been early or late in the day, but overall has slowed down since the spring. Most folks targeting bass are catching around 1 per hour. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.

Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is fair. Anglers are still catching some Bluegill and Redear, but the larger fish have moved out a little deeper. Try red worms, Catawba worms, or crickets in 8-15 ft of water. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.

Catfish: Fishing is excellent. There have been lots of 5–8-pound catfish caught in the last several days. The monthly all-night fishing was slow. The morning bite has been on fire and the evening action has been steady and good. You need to be where the fish are, if you don’t get a bite in 15-30 minutes, try another spot. The feeders are a good spot to start, but people are still catching stringers on underwater flats and adjacent to the many ditches. Channel Catfish are being caught using chicken livers and Catawba worms. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.

Crappie: Fishing is slow. Some small fish are still being caught near brush, artificial structure, and the boat dock using live bait and patience. Most crappie caught in the last few weeks have been 8-9 inches long. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.

Hiwassee River below Appalachia Powerhouse – 8-16-23

Forecast Contributor- Tic Smith/Southeastern Anglers Guide Service

Water temp – 64 to 70 degrees F depending on the flow schedule

Water clarity – stained

Water level – average cfs is 3150. (Go to TVA.com to check flow schedules) This tailwater schedule is posted after 6pm the previous day. Click on Apalachia to view info.

Flyfishing for trout is slow. During periods of no generation use a small dry dropper rig with #16 pheasant tails. Upsize during the 2 generator flows. Streamers are also a good choice during the higher flows

Hatches – Terrestrials such as hoppers and beetles are the best flies to throw for dry fly fishing. Some caddis #16 to #18 in a cinnamon color are out in the evening.

Spin fishing is productive with 1/8 and 1/16th gold bladed spinners. Small Rapalas are productive during the higher flows.

Kentucky Lake 8-16-23

By Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer ([email protected])

CATFISH STILL KING OF FISHING SCENE

Make no mistake about it; catfish is still king of the summer fishing scene on Kentucky Lake!

In the aftermath of abundant rain that fell in the wake of repeated thunderstorms passing through the region earlier this week and portions of last week ample runoff has entered the Tennessee River watershed lately. As a result, Kentucky Lake has plenty of current flowing as TVA has been discharging over 57,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) this week through Kentucky Dam.

Lake levels and discharge rates could change daily. Lake levels are falling slowly and were dancing around the 357.8 range. Watercolor is mostly clear, but more stain has entered the main channel area the last few days. Surface temps are in the 85-to-87-degree range.

A cool front has slipped in the door and given anglers a rare touch of fall for a few days. That’s a welcomed change to the heat and humidity, which is the norm for August angling. The forecast indicates the break from hot weather will be a short honeymoon.

Fishermen could see some foggy mornings enter the fishing scene. A light jacket or long sleeve shirts may replace sunscreen or a day or two.

Meanwhile hefty stringers of blue catfish are dominating the Kentucky Lake fishing scene again this week. Good flowing current has helped prolong the summer bite and anglers are taking advantage of it.

Whenever discharge rates increase at Kentucky Dam it has a domino effect upstream for summer cat fishermen stalking the deep holes along the Tennessee River.

Where bend and turns or perhaps humps and other irregular features in the topography occur that may divert the submerged flow is where anglers frequently discover buried treasure in the form of ole’ whiskers. Schools of catfish are hot on the trail of meandering balls of baitfish and such spots pay dividends.

Kentucky Lake’s summer catfish bite should continue to hold up for several more weeks as long as steady current stays in the picture.

A lot of anglers are targeting the 40-to-50-foot depth range, but some fish have been suspending at times in their pursuit of meandering schools of shad. Successful anglers that have learned to monitor their sonar screens are scoring big catches of both blue and channel catfish.

Productive baits have been nightcrawlers, chicken livers, cut bait such as bluegill, big minnows, catalpa worms, hot dogs dipped in various homemade concoctions and shrimp just to name a few. There are some good commercial baits available at your favorite bait shop that are working too.

Scattered reports of summer crappie have come in from anglers still stalking stake beds and brush piles around the 12-to-15-foot depth range. Most were tightlining jigs tipped with minnows or Berkley Power Bait crappie nibbles in white or chartreuse.

Deeper crappie have been taken around 18 to 25 feet by anglers tightlining live minnows. Some are tipping jigs will minnows as well. The live minnow seems to be enticing to summer crappie.

A few boats are trolling crankbaits over main lake ledges and picking up a potpourri of species around the 12-to-15-foot depth range. It’s not unusual for trollers to encounter crappie, white bass, yellow bass, drum, catfish, sauger and an occasional hefty largemouth or smallmouth bass.

The trolling technique covers a lot of water and sometimes a school of white bass can be discovered holding on the edge of a drop-off.

White bass have been seen in the jumps around the Paris Landing sector on days when calm winds delivered placid water that allowed anglers to hear and see them busting shad. The surface activity has been inconsistent, but anglers are tossing spoons and Rooter Tails to catch them once the school submerges around main lake sandbars.

Bass fishermen are still banging away at main lake ledges with big deep diving crankbaits, swim baits, Texas and Carolina rigged worms and even tossing finesse baits at times in hopes of enticing finicky bass to bite.

Hopping a hair jig with a craw type trailer is another summer bait that always seems to be on the rod of the summer bass fishermen’s arsenal.

Now that some cool weather has entered the fishing scene anglers need to make the most of it and get out and about. It’s a nice reprieve from the hot and humid conditions but it won’t last long!

Normandy Lake – 8-4-23

Forecast Contributor Captain Jake Davis – midsouthbassguide.com – Follow on Facebook

Normandy is producing some nice fish as well. Crankbaits, Texas Rigs or Tightline Jigs have been our go to as the shad spawn is starting again. We found several really nice bass using Crankbaits at the end of points in 3 to 8 feet of water. Walleye can be caught trolling crankbaits or drifting minnows/crawler harnesses on flats and in the river.

I’m being told the Crappie are doing good, you can catch them around brush in the river and standing timber. Keep an eye on the habitat that TWRA and TN Bass Nation put out the last couple years Water temperatures range from 86 to 90 degrees. Please wear your life vest all the time while on the water. Capt. Jake 615-613-2382 or [email protected]

Norris Lake – 8-9-23

Forecast Contributor – Paul Shaw, Norris Creel Clerk.

Water Temp: 83-86

Water Clarity: 4 to 6 feet, good color. The upper end rivers are running in clear after some staining from recent heavy rains.

Water Elevation: 1,014.4 feet (midnight) The elevation has remained steady since last week’s report. Summer pool for the reservoir is 2020 feet (above sea level). The lower elevation has hindered fishing in shoreline vegetation, as is the norm for the summer months. Check the free TVA Lake Info app for daily elevations, predictions, and flow rates.

Summary: Summer fishing typically remains fairly constant with temporary changes when thunderstorms or rain events pass through. Daytime fishing on the weekends is usually a bust because of high boat traffic. However, if you can tolerate it, mudlines kicked up by the wave action can be good places to fish in a lake as clear as Norris. Fish do not like sunlight!

Largemouth Bass: Moderate at the break of day; slow in midday. Fair at night from sunset until midnight. The pattern remains the same: Coves at dawn have been pretty good on topwater or on Senko-type lures near brush or wood structure. Productive lures have been soft swim baits at depths to 20 feet on steeper main channel shorelines, medium running crankbaits, Senkos, drop-shot rigs, green/pumpkin lizards or worms on Carolina rigs on the flats or Texas rigs on steeper, rocky banks. Soft jerk baits drifted down under sunken timber, or spinners worked down the same timber have caught some. Surface to 25 feet.

Smallmouth Bass: Slow during daylight. Better after dark and until dawn. During daylight hours, 25-30 feet. Shallower at night. Snagged baitfish cast to the shoreline at night and slow-rolled willow leaf or large Colorado blade spinners on moderately steep banks at night. The sides of deep-water humps and ridges fished with pig’n jigs at 25 to 30 feet on the lower end is tedious fishing but has picked up some good smallmouth. Drop-shots, soft swim baits, pig’n jig type rigs are standard fare. Green or gray skirt Popeye jigs (¼ to 3/8 oz) tipped with tuffy minnows and worked slowly across the bottom always catches smallmouth. During the daylight hours, look for suspended smallmouth at 20 feet, especially on bluebird days with a rising, or high barometer. Cloudy, breezy days and nights have been best. Live, large shiners rigged with a small split shot and allowed to drift down to 20-plus feet on the main channel, rocky shorelines have worked well at night through about 10 a.m. Use a pound-test line as light as your nerves will allow. Clear blue florescent line in daylight hours is to be avoided; it’s a fiber optic and is too visible if the fish are finicky.

Walleye: Slow. Not much change. Most catches are in the Loyston to Rabbit Island section. Night fishing with Mann O’Lures or similar spoons jigged under lights has been slower than casting, snagged shad/alewife to the shorelines. Daylight trolling with Bill Normans or Redfins for suspended walleye can be pretty good where schools of alewife or shad are located. Keep the depth at about 25-30 feet on the lower end (Loyston to the Dam). Daylight bottom trolling with spinner/crawler rigs are picking up some, but it’s slow; many walleye are feeding on suspended schools of alewife these days, far from the bank. Trolling plugs for suspended walleye has been the most productive method during the day. Upper river

Bluegill: Good. Hit the flats in the back of protected coves for late spawning bluegill. Some are returning from the flats and are in deeper water. Smaller ones always hang around brushy areas, but larger ones will be returning to steeper rocky banks. For the best results, tightline any bait as long as it is a cricket. Try different depths close to the steep, rocky banks and keep moving until you find them. If you can’t get crickets, use wax worms or red worms. Night crawlers can work but are a distant fourth. Dawn to 9 a.m. is best. Popping bugs worked close to the shorelines at dawn is productive but very few are doing that.

Shellcrackers: Slow. Fish in isolated areas in the back of larger creeks next to fish attractor brush or downed timber or flooded brush. Mill Creek, Lost Creek, Poor Land Creek, some in Sycamore Creek. Red worms, night crawlers, wax worms, small minnows, small spinners. Less than 10 feet, on the bottom near brush.

Crappie: No change. Fair, at night and in the early morning hours before the sun hits the water, in the standard locations where there are flats and brush: Sycamore Creek, the back of Lost Creek, the upper reaches of Cove Creek, and upper Davis Creek in the coves near the cemetery boat ramp and in Doaks Creek. Shiners or tuffy minnows tightlined to 10-15 feet near brush. Popeye jigs tipped with tuffy minnows, or Bobby Garlands fished either tightlined into brush (for late morning hours) or fished under a float near brush.

Catfish: Fair. Nightcrawlers or chicken livers or rancid shrimp on rocky banks or on flats off main channels late in the day for channel cats. Flatheads are hitting on live bluegill at night in the backs of hollows and on main channel, boulder shorelines, very close to the bank.

Striped Bass: No change. Improved to good. Dawn to about 9:30 a.m. on sunny days. The Loyston Sea area, the mouth of Lost Creek, the islands near Hickory Star, have had good catches. Topwater with Zara Spooks at dawn has been good on some days were breaking fish have been seen near Gourd and Rabbit Islands. Shad or alewife, umbrella rigs, or large swimbaits trolled to depths as deep as 40 feet in those sections, shallower in the Loyston section. In the main lake body, stripers have been caught in the Loyston/Lost Creek area, Gourd and Rabbit Islands on trolled Alabama rigs (remember the 3-hook law!) or large chrome spoons jigged down to suspended fish.

Percy Priest – 8-17-23

Forecast Contributor Brian Carper – briancarper.com – Follow on Facebook

Although it is mid-August and typically a grind catching bass, we have been continuing to catch quantity and quality on Percy Priest Lake. With the water temperature at 82° and 5″ above summer pool, the fish are still schooling on humps, points and ledges in 5 to 12 feet of water. The upper end of the lake has been the most successful for us when fishing with plastic worms. We’ve been fishing with Texas rig and Ned rig finesse worms and ribbon tail Power worms. Crankbaits are typically a great producer for us, but it’s during the end of the summer months when they are reluctant to bite the moving baits. The crappie have continued to produce as well. However, their activity has slowed down a bit. You can find crappie all over but can only scrape up 10 to 15 keepers per trip. Live minnows have been our best producer when fishing brush piles in 15 to 20 feet of water.

For more information or Book your trip today at www.briancarper.com

Pickwick – 7-28-23

Forecast Contributor Tyler Finley – Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tyler.finley.750

The dog days of summer have set in. The bite is slowing down and fish began to move from summer locations to fall. There is still fish being caught deep as well as in the grass. The fish in the grass seem to be picking up and producing more bites. These fish will be caught with a topwater in the morning and slowing down dragging during the heat of the day. Bites have been tough but once you find an area they will come in a hurry.

Reelfoot Lake – 6-12-23

Forecast Contributor – Brent Callicott

Water levels slowly dropping in Reelfoot Lake with a low Mississippi River and lack of rainfall. The Mississippi River has a lot to do with water levels in Reelfoot Lake because of the water table. The river being just a mile to two miles from the banks of Reelfoot Lake.

We were able to be at or above average on rain for this time of year recently, but the pattern lately has been dryer than normal.

So, Reelfoot Lake water temps continue to rise but the recent cool down will cause the water to drop a few degrees through say today. Upper 70’s, low 80’s are right now.

Watercolors continue to get that summer look. Usually at this time of year as the water temps rise and air temp rise, watercolors change and get thicker with greenish and brownish tint.

Oxygen levels are usually ok but if we go longer periods of time without fresh water, things change and not for the best.

Reelfoot Lake continues to drop everyday little by little. Despite that and water qualities dropping some, the Bluegill bite remains tops. Then following close by is the Catfish bite. Bass would be third and Crappie last. In the last couple of years, the Bluegill bite has gone well into the June month and some through July.

Crickets and Wax Worms best choice of bait. Look for a few leftover beds as well as fish Cypress Trees that shows signs of the small roots that are at the edge of the water levels. These areas are cleaned off and white looking. Bluegill beds also put off a certain smell and once you experience that smell you won’t forget it.

Catfish are being caught a variety of ways both with Yo Yo-s and rod and reel.

Bass still best around some trees and certain lily pad patches. Some seed moss showing up and that is usually another good place to start with certain weed less topwater baits.

Overall, going into July, August, September, the bite may or usually might slow down but if we end up with on and off rains and a cooler summer, this may change things. The key is some summer rain and cooler than normal days.

But one thing for sure, usually a Bluegill, Catfish or Bass bite is possible in the heat of the summer.

Tellico River and Tributary Streams 7-28-23

Forecast Contributor- Cody Fischer, https://www.facebook.com/tellico.outfitters

Current Streamflow: 188 cfs

Water Temps: mid 60s to 70s depending on location.

The summer heat has finally caught up with us this week. Better than average stream flows for late July have thankfully kept things cooler than normal for mid-summer. You will be able to find temps at or below 65° from Green Cove upstream to the NC state line and on any tributary over 2,000′ in elevation. You may be able to find good water temps below Green Cove, but I would encourage anyone practicing catch and release to take a thermometer and measure water temps before fishing that low. If water temps read 68° or higher, move to higher elevations until you find temps below 68° to ensure that any trout released are not stressed to the point of morbidity.

Dry flies and small nymphs are the best choice to fish both upper Tellico and the tributaries. Select dries and nymphs in the 12-16 range. Slender bodied nymphs such as perdigons, rainbow warriors and Frenchies have been top producers.

The heat of summer is also an excellent time to chase large and smallmouth bass in lower elevation streams and lakes, both of which tolerate being caught and released in the heat much better than trout. Mornings and evenings are prime feeding times for bass in both lakes and streams. A variety of streamers, crayfish patterns and poppers will produce fish. Give smallies on the fly a try. If you haven’t caught one on a fly rod yet you’re missing out on an amazing fight.

Tims Ford – 8-4-23

Forecast Contributor Captain Jake Davis – Follow on Facebook

Lots of good action at night right now, but please slow down and keep your lights on. Sped Craws, Crankbaits, and Jigs around cover are good as well. Early mornings and Late evenings are seeing some good topwater action. We continued to catch fish spread out on secondary points and around brush piles. Best lures have been Tightline Mussel Crawler jigs tipped with Twin Tail grub. Texas Rigged creature baits, produced as well.

Stripe and rock fish are still can be found off points, on river channel bends with bucktail jigs, swimbaits and live bait. Lake temperatures are between 88 and 90.5 degrees and the lake level is basically at summer pool. Please wear your life vest all the time while on the water and watch for floating logs. Capt. Jake 615-613-2382 or [email protected]

Watts Bar Reservoir – Aug 11th – Aug 14h, 2023

Forecast Contributor – Nathan Rogers, Region III Creel Clerk

The weather was cloudy with chances of storms most of the weekend. Temperatures were around mid to upper 60’s at night and reaching as high as 91. Lake visibility was still poor due to heavy rain events. Water temperatures were cool throughout the riverine sections of the lake and warmer in main lake areas. Water level was at normal summer pool level.

Reservoir Conditions

Water Temp:

Water Clarity: Tennessee River channel 4 feet

Water Level: 740.2 feet

Water Flow: (as of August 14th)

Species Specific Information

Bass: Fishing soft plastics still seems to be the angler’s choice. For example, Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, Ned rigs, dropshots, and shaky heads with craws, lizards, and other soft plastics in around 10-15 feet. Others are also finding success with buzz baits and spinner baits on rock walls, near docks, and channel ledges. Top water bites are successful in early morning or late evening.

Catfish: Fishing creek channels or main river channel with cut bait. Anglers below the dam are fishing up against the dam and finding success

Striped Bass: Drifting with live bait (Shad, Skipjack Herring) below dams with some current. Some anglers also found success trolling downstream from dams with small crankbaits.

White Bass: Small spoons, mister twisters, and jigs on river channel in current

Wilbur Tailwater – 8-2-23

Forecast Contributor – Richard Markland, Region 4 Fisheries Technician

Tailwater Conditions- Tailwaters elevation 1585.75. Avg discharge is 240 cfm. The water temperature is 40-46 degrees. Water cl8arity is clear top to bottom. The fishing conditions change throughout the length of the tailwaters with flow rates.

Trout- Fishing is good. The most productive areas are Wilbur Dam downstream to Hunter area, not a lot of big fish but if you are looking for numbers the upper end is the place to be. Trout are being caught using Rapalas, Night crawler, Rooster tails, Small Flies.

Woods Reservoir 8-4-23

Forecast Contributor Captain Jake Davis – Follow on Facebook

Grass, Grass and Grass remains the name of the game, Bass and Crappie all can be found along grass edges and on deeper cover. Best numbers came on a shaky head rigged finesse worm. We found our better fish in 10 to 12 foot of water using Texas Rigged D-Bombs from Missile Baits and Tightline Mussel Crawler jigs tipped with Twin Tail grubs, soft plastics, spinnerbaits and A-Rigs.

Our best fish all came on a Golden Flash Jig from Tightline Jigs. Drifting/trolling with spider rigs for Crappie is picking up some nice slabs but you have to weed through the short fish. Water temperatures range from 88 and 89 degrees. Please wear your life vest all the time while on the water… Give me a call to book your trip, Summer and early Fall fishing can be lots of fun on Woods… Capt. Jake 615-613-2382 or [email protected]