Center Hill: Fishing is good. The water temperature is 70 degrees; lake is stable. Several good bass are being caught on Carolina rigs, while fishing points in 5-to-15 feet of water. Bluegill fishing is good on gravel banks on nightcrawlers and crickets in 5-to-10 feet of water. A few walleye are being caught on crankbaits in 5-to-15 feet of water near Sligo. Chickamauga: The water level is at summer pool. The surface temperature is near 70 degrees as of May 20. Fishing for all species is good. Many shellcrackers are being caught in the slack isolated water. Jigs, worms and crickets are all being used by successful anglers. Crappie are being caught in all areas except the most shallow places. Only a few stragglers are being caught in the spawning areas. Crappie are being caught along river bluff walls and near structure in the creeks. Minnows and jigs are both being used with equal results. Some anglers get the quick biters on a jig and then switch to minnows. Bass are being caught most often in the larger creeks. A variety of lures are being used. Spinnerbaits, topwater, and plastic worms are the most popular choices. Eight feet of water is the most popular water depth for most bass anglers. Water as deep as 30 feet and as shallow as one foot are also holding a few bass. Weather and time of day will move the bait fish into different areas and as a result the bass will follow. Tailwater white bass and rockfish are being caught as long as the current is present. Weather changes have impeded the striper bite. Some white bass are being caught near humps on the lower to mid areas of the lake while casting jigs and spoons. Some have been caught while surface feeding. Catfish are being caught shallow in the coves, deep near the tailwaters and in the vicinity of Sequoyah. All the normal catfish baits can be used. Shad is the best choice. As a general rule, the nastier, the better. Dale Hollow: Fishing is good. The water temperature is 65 degrees; lake is stable. Several bass are being caught on shad, while fishing points and grass in 15 feet of water. Night fishing for bass is good on spinnerbaits and jigs while fishing in 2-to-5 feet of water on points. Walleye fishing has been good, while trolling crankbaits on windy banks in 5-to-15 feet of water. Several bluegill are being caught on crickets and nightcrawlers while fishing flats in 5-to-10 feet of water. Watts Bar: The water level is at summer pool. The water temperature is near 79 degrees. Crappie are being caught in the deep creeks where some unusual bottom feature exists. Minnows and jigs are being used. The optimal depth seems to be 18 feet. The larger number of bass that are being caught seem to be coming from rocky banks in the large creeks and in the river. Bluff walls are not as good as sloping rocky banks. Crankbaits are being used most often. Rockfish are being caught near the tailwaters. The weather changes have slowed the bite. Warmer and more stable weather patterns will allow for a more consistent striper bite. Some large creeks are being successfully fished for rockfish. These fish are located about as far toward the backend of the creek as a boat can go. Target creeks should have rocks and current. White bass are being caught upstream near Loudoun while using jigs or shad and along the river humps in the downstream waters. Many bluegill are being caught by bank fishermen. Worms and crickets are both being used. Catfish are being caught most often in the backwaters and in the larger creek channels. Percy Priest: Crappie: Slowing down. Fish deeper around cover. These fish may take a short reprieve, but will bite all summer over the cover that they are moving back to. A few fish should still be spawning, so don’t be surprised if you pick up a crappie or two in shallow water. If you do, work the area for a second or third bite. Bass: Still biting good. It is time to find humps and ledges and fish them with Texas or Carolina-rigged baits or in the deeper holes deep running crankbaits (Radar 10, 20, etc might be good). Once they get on these humps and ledges they school up and create fast-paced fishing. Also, if the water stays above summer pool, consider using a jig or spinnerbait around areas normally out of the water. Like catfish, bass (and all fish for that matter) like to investigate new territory full of fresh food (worms, caterpillars, etc) Hybrids: Biting pretty well. Look in the Viverett and Suggs Creek areas for early morning activity. They are not up on top for bank anglers as much as they should be soon. You can troll for them or throw for them if you are in a boat and find schooling shad. Look for that to happen soon if it is going to happen this year. Catfish: Look around the big rocks and fish around downfalls. Use minnows or stinkbaits. Fishing under a moving bobber is hard to beat this time of year. Pre-spawn catfish love minnows. Also, Priest has been up a bit in recent weeks. Consider fishing in areas you might not normally fish since catfish have an ability to smell things better than any other fish. They may be up there looking for food. Old Hickory: Crappie: The bite is still decent. Like last week, find brush or cover and fish it. Work downfalls. Find the docks and fish all around them with jigs or minnows. Minnow fishermen in Cedar Creek were working docks and reported that they were having decent success. They were also catching bluegill, although they were not the targeted fish. Fish the docks and note the ones that produce the best for you. Chances are they will produce the best next year, too. Bass: Bass fishing is still excellent. Fish worms, spinnerbaits, etc. around the willow grass. The fish are sticking close to grass, especially if the water has a little bit of depth away from the grass. Fish docks, too, and fish rock. Bluegill/Shellcracker: Shellcracker fishing is pretty good, but should get better. Look for them to move closer to the bank this week and become very available. Bluegill have several more good weeks to get into the position where you can cast and catch all day long. Fish near the willow grass and around docks and you will catch pre-spawn panfish. Caney Fork and Elk River: Both are fishing well. The Caney generation schedule is likely to hurt you this weekend. But, it should settle way down after the most recent rains and fish good all late spring and summer.
