Fishing Report
CHICKAMAUGA ? Water temperatures are warming substantially and this is allowing more fish to be caught more consistently on summer patterns. At times, the deeper humps can be fished with crank baits and plastic worms for a load of bass and the very next day, it will be hard to get a bite. Some shallow fish are still being caught. These shallow water areas are either very close to deep water or are located in shallow areas with a flow of cooler water from some source. Humps, ledges, and sunken islands are a few key areas where most anglersare concentrating their efforts in the deeper locations. The larger percentage of bass being caught will be in water deeper than 12 feet of water. These deeper water fish are easily marked with electronics. As stated in the Watts Bar report, if the electronics doesn?t show fish then there is a good chance you will not catch any. Crappie anglers are still catching plenty of fish along the river drops near heavy cover and in the lake areas near brush in water deeper than 12 feet deep. Current flow will allow for a more shallow bite. The dead or still water will cause the crappie to move a little deeper. Minnows and jigs will both work as long as they are fished in the brush instead of close to the brush. Bluegill can still be caught in shallow water, but the numbers have moved to the river ledges. Catfish are being caught by drifters in the main channel. All the normal stuff is being used by catfish anglers.
DALE HOLLOW ? Fishing is great. The water temperature is 82 degrees; lake is stable. Lots of smallmouth are being caught at night on jigs and spinner baits on rocky points in 8-to-15 feet of water. Walleye fishing is great at night and daytime, while trolling stick baits and nightcrawler rigs in 15-to-22 feet of water. Bluegill fishing is still good using crickets and nightcrawlers around willow bushes around bushes. Lots of trout are being caught at night under the lights while using nightcrawlers and corn in 25-to-40 feet of water. Some good strings of walleye and crappie are being caught while fishing under the lights while grabbing shad or fishing with minnows in 10-to-15 feet of water.
WATTS BAR ? Deep; that is about all the information needed for a successful fishing trip for all species except bluegill and they can still be caught fairly shallow around docks and piers, as well as river bluffs. All the things normally used for bluegill are being used. White bass can be caught along breaks in the main channel. The better breaks seem to be along sunken islands and humps. The target area for the most successful trips should be 25 feet deep. Spinner-type lures, such as roostertails fished slowly and pumped up and down along the bottom, will allow for as many bites as time allows. The number of fish, when located, that can be caught is limited only to the amount of time that one can fish.
Bass can be caught on primary points and humps on a variety of lures. Most bass are located in 15-to-18 feet of water. Electronics should be used to locate the areas before fishing and then fish. If your electronic finder does not show fish, then there is a good chance that you will not catch any. Jigging spoons can be used to catch these fish. Trolling or casting a crank bait is the most popular method used to catch these fish. Carolina-rig worm fishing is a very effective and easy method to catch these fish. This method for me, though, is about like watching flowers bloom. Catfish are being caught along the bottom of the main river channel on a variety of baits. As I always say, the bigger bite will come while using shad or cut bait. Striped bass or rockfish are being caught in the lake, but the better locations are in the Clinch River or the tailwaters below Ft. Loudoun.
(Information from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; Compiled by Dale Stubblefield.)