CHICKAMAUGA ? The water surface temperature is in the 40?s and rising gradually each day with the warmer conditions. Crappie can be caught suspended in the creek channels while fishing underneath a floater. The river crappie tend to bite better while using a float this time of year. These fish are being caught in water depths up to 30 feet but the fish will be suspended at depths ranging from 6-to-14 feet deep. Ledges, bluff walls and creek openings will all offer opportunities for locating a few crappie. Minnows and jigs will offer equal results. Bass anglers are catching heavy stringers once the fish are located. Some anglers are catching deep fish on the ledges and ditches while using spoons and jigs. Other anglers report greater success on main channel flats while casting jerkbaits and trap type lures. White bass and striped bass are being caught in the tailwaters. Live bait or jigs are the most effective bait that most anglers are using. A few scattered catches of sauger have occurred.
DALE HOLLOW ? Fishing is fair. The water temperature is 41 degrees at Lillydale; 43 degrees at the Dam. Some nice smallmouth are being caught on the float?n?fly method on secondary points with deep water. Most smallmouth are being caught on jigs and Whirley Bee?s in 25-to-35 feet of water. A few good largemouths are being caught on jigs in heavy wood cover and grass in 15 feet of water. Crappie fishing is slow with a few good blacknose being caught with minnows near grass while using slip bobbies in 15 feet of water.
WATTS BAR ? Water surface temperatures are in the 40?s and rising. Stripers, big and small are being caught in the tailwaters below all the dams and at the steam plant near Kingston. Rockfish, white bass, and cherokee bass are all being?caught in the areas reported.? Live bait will offer the best results. Artificial lures including jigs and spoons have also produced a fish or two. Sauger anglers are finding keepers difficult to catch. Crappie anglers are catching several fish suspended along the major creek ledges. Jigs and minnows are both being used. About 10 days ago there was a major shad die-off due to cold water temperatures. Some heavy bass have been caught on jerk baits.? Bass fishing has otherwise been slow.
(Information from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; compiled by Dale Stubblefield.)