TWRA Weekly Fishing Report

Report by 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 - 11-27-24

Forecast Contributor – Richard Markland, Region 4 Fisheries Technician

Reservoir Conditions- Reservoir elevation is 136.65 water clarity 5-10 visibility.

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- Fair – No Report

Trout- No report

Striped Bass/Hybrid Bass- Fishing is Fair. Most of the 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. Watch for breaking fish in early morning and late evening good hybrids are being caught on topwater.

Center Hill – 12-4-24

Report Contributor – Will Schibig, Region III Creel Clerk.

Reservoir Conditions-

Center Hill Dam is generating, on average, 2,150 cfs per day. The reservoir elevation currently sits at winter pool, 625’ and falling. The water temperatures have dropped into the mid-to-high 50’s. The backs of creeks are sitting in the mid 50’s, while the main lake is 57-60 degrees. Water clarity in the creeks is 3-5’ of visibility, while the main lake is 8-12’ visibility. Baitfish are sitting deep, 30-60 FOW along channels and creek mouths.

Bass- Fishing is slow. Not a lot of fish being caught or fisherman out there during the latest cold snap. The ones who are fishing are catching some fish deep, 30-50’ deep suspended with baitfish in pockets near a channel. Jigging season is here, so it’s worth finding some big bait balls and seeing what’s following them.

Crappie- Fishing is slow. I haven’t seen any crappie fisherman this week, but the water temperatures are getting right for them to fire off. Locate baitfish schools in the back halves of major creek arms and target crappie suspended with the bait in 25-40 FOW. You can also hop from treetop to treetop in these same areas, while fishing in that 20-30’ range with jigs or minnows.

Chickamauga Reservoir November 11-15/18-2024

Report Contributor – Nathan Rogers, Region III Creel Clerk

The weather has been cooler throughout the mornings with lows in the mid 40’s but highs throughout the day as warm as 78. Water visibility is improving throughout the river. Current throughout the reservoir and below dams has been steady. The water levels are roughly 5.5 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): 63.3 degrees Fahrenheit

- Tennessee River (Lower Section): 65.7 degrees Fahrenheit

Water Clarity:

- Tennessee River (River Channel): 2.5 foot

- Creeks/Inlets: 2.5 feet

Water Level: 677.23 feet

Water Flow: (as of November 18^th)

- Watts Bar Dam: ~ 20454 cfs

- Chickamauga Dam: ~ 28740 cfs

Observed Species Information

Bass: Fishing is fair. Anglers are finding more success in creeks and sloughs. Finding creek channel ledges and points while throwing swimbaits, flukes, crankbaits, and A-rigs to attract bites. Topwater frogs over grass mats are picking up bites as well.

Crappie: Live minnows and small jigs over submerged structure, mostly in creeks or sloughs off main river.

Chickamauga - 12-5-24

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

Chickamauga is Crazy right now! Traps and Chatterbait are on fire in the grass. The A-rig is awesome with 3–4-inch Swimbaits and don’t forget the Jerk bait and believe it or not if you find some shallow grass with bait in it you can bust them on a frog! The Buzz bait is still a factor in the shallows! If you like to scope, then find the bait and have some fun in the middle of the creeks 8-15 ft.

Hiwassee River below Appalachia Powerhouse – 12-4-24

Report Contributor - Tic Smith/Southeastern Anglers Guide Service

Water Temp – 55 to 58 degrees

Water Clarity – Clear

Flows – check the TVA Lake Levels Website (Appalachia)

Fishing Conditions – Not much of a change from last week. Fishing is very good during all flows. It will slow down for about an hour once the 2 generator flows come up to where you are fishing. During 0 generator usage small nymphs like zebra midges and pheasant tails are working well. The 1 generator flows provide the most versatile fishing. The same small nymphs will still work but you can upsize in the faster flows. 2 generators give you some better streamer fishing and there is not a particular pattern or size to worry about. Big streamers mean bigger fish to me, but a #8 wooly bugger will get you more strikes. The baetis and midge hatches have been very dependable during the afternoon hours. #16 to #20 parachutes like the Adams and BWO’s are producing. A real go to is using a parachute that you can see with a #18 or #20 unweighted pheasant tail dropped a foot or so below it. Emergers in the same sizes will work as well. A 6x tippet in fluorocarbon for the dropper is recommended. The fish are spread out well but generally the best fishing right now is from Big Bend up to the powerhouse.

Kentucky Lake 12-4-24

Report Contributor - Steve McCadams, Professional Guide/Outdoor Writer (stevemc@charter.net)

WINTER WEATHER CALLING THE SHOTS

Bad weather has been the story this week across the Kentucky Lake region as another brutal cold front descended. On Monday the fishing scene saw a gusty beginning of a week full of cold fronts that kicked off with a snowy day reminiscent of a mid-winter weather pattern. Although winter doesn’t officially arrive until December 21 to anglers across the region it feels like it arrived early. Below average temperatures escorted by bone chilling northwest winds have been anything but welcomed by late fall fishermen here.

A stop at Paris Landing State Park by Bass Anglers Sportsmen’s Society (B.A.S.S.) dropped anchor here this week on a rare late season bass tournament but day two of the event on Thursday was postponed due to a nasty weather forecast. Some 250 teams pushed the competition back a day as they hope to complete the fishing here on Saturday, where temperatures are expected to be slightly better, but conditions have been quite challenging all week. Daytime highs on Thursday were forecast to be only 29 degrees; Friday’s high was expected to reach only 35 degrees. Saturday’s high could rebound to a balmy 46 degrees!

Meanwhile, an unforgiving Kentucky Lake was sleeping at a low level of 354.2 range. That’s the low ebb of winter pool elevation and a scenario that can be quite challenging to any anglers, especially those not familiar with the reservoir’s shallow sandbars. Surface temps have dropped to the low 40’s the last few days. Watercolor is clear.

A few bass fishermen were targeting smallmouth spots wherever they could dodge the wind. Crappie anglers managed to catch a few fish the last week or so whenever winds allowed them to move about. Depths of 14 to 14 feet have given up a few fish on main lake ledges whenever anglers found deep brush piles and stake beds.

When the weather gets this bad about the only beneficiaries are duck hunters, deer hunters assuming they’re in a nice, heated stand or a few rabbit hunters following the baying beagles.

Only big dollars in a bass tournament and the chance for the winner to advance to the Bassmaster Classic will pull them away from the fire and comfort zone somewhere indoors and away from the nasty elements of a big cold windy lake.

By early next week temperatures will moderate slightly but rainy days are expected to enter the picture on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

Percy Priest – 12-4-24

Report Contributor - Brian Carper - briancarper.com - Follow on Facebook

The last few days Percy Priest Lake has been great for bass! With the water temperature between 42°- 47ﾟand the lake 3ft below summer pool, the fish are moving into their winter patterns. Upper and mid lake has been the most productive for us on points, drop offs and ledges between 8'-15'. Swimbaits have been producing and continue throughout the winter.

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

Tellico Lake - 12-4-24

Report 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.

Watts Bar - 12-5-24

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

Watts Bar is absolutely great right now! If you find grass bust them with a trap or Chatterbait if you are a ffs hammer, then scope them! Now is the time where many people can catch them many ways. Find the bait find the bass! If you have limited electronics, the throw an A-rig! The lake is full of bait!

Watts Bar 11-27-24

Report Contributor - Captain Wallace Sitzes – Follow on Facebook

Now that the water has drawn down quite a bit numerous species of fish have lost access to habitat along the bank. This will get crappie and bass clustered up where they can be easier to target.

The bass I've been catching have all been shallow close to steep drop offs that were holding plenty of baitfish. The lure choice doesn't seem to be as important as the time and the place. When those bass are schooled up busting shad in the shallows, they usually aren't real picky eaters because they are in competition with each other. I use a fluke more than anything for shallow bass, but the fish will take a variety of shad pattern baits.

The crappie fishing has really been heating up with quite a few people catching limits. A lot of the fish are still spread out so they can be easier to catch by dragging or pushing baits. The black crappie are especially easy to catch this time of year in coves around docks and stump beds.

The catfishing is good just about all year here except for when we don't have water flow or when the fish are spawning. The few times that I've targeted big catfish lately we've done really well. Yellow bass and cut shad have been my best 2 baits. The blue cats can show up just about anywhere the shad are which is pretty much everywhere. The flatheads usually stick to deep structure close to or in the channel this time of year and up until spring when the water warms up. They also like river bends where they can tuck themselves down in the mud. A lot of people think flatheads only eat live bait, but they love a fresh piece of cut baitfish especially in colder water.

West Prong, Little Pigeon River - 12-4-24

Report Contributor – Scott Dalton, WL Tech 1, Fisheries, Region 4

Rainbow Trout are being caught in Pigeon Forge. They were stocked by the City in late November and will be again in December. Smallmouth bass are being caught as well but in the lower part near Sevierville.