COURTESY OF TN WILDLIFE RESOURCES AGENCY
May 24, 2011
Chickamauga: The water level is at full pool. The water temerature is 75 degrees. Bass are being caught in shallow water near weedy areas. Plastic worms, crankbaits and spinnerbaits will be enough to catch plenty of fish. The lower end of the lake has several bass that are being caught in water depths of 15 feet. Crappie are being caught in sloughs and creeks along the deeper ends of the blowdowns. One local angler is catching crappie on jigs that match the color of the cicadas dropping into the lake. Shell cracker and bluegill are being caught in shallow isolated pockets. Catfish are being caught by those drifting near the rocky river banks while using all the typical baits normally used for catfish. Stripers large and small are being caught in the tailwaters.
Cordell Hull: Fishing is good. Water temperature is 68 degrees. Lake is fairly stable. Bass fishing is good while fishing soft plastics and topwater baits in 2-to-5 feet of water around cover. Crappie fishing is fair while fishing small jigs in 5 feet of water around lay down trees. A few striped bass are being caught near Gainesboro on shad.
Dale Hollow: Fishing is great. Water temperature is 72 degrees. Loke is falling slowly. Bass fishing is good early in the morning and late in the evening on topwater baits and swimbaits around points and schooling shad. Shellcracker and bluegill fishing is great with large numbers of big fish being caught near willow bushes in 5-to-10 feet of water on nightcrawlers. Trout fishing is excellent near the dam while trolling downriggers in 20-to-30 feet of water. Walleye fishing is fair while trolling crankbaits and stickbaits in 10-to-15 feet of water.
Nickajack: The surface water temperature is 75 degrees. Bass are being caught in large numbers in the lake while using plastic worms more often than any other lures. Most fish being caught are 2 and 3 pounders. Shallow banks are being targeted most often. Some crappie are being caught along secondary rocky areas. Shellcrackers and bluegill are being caught shallow in isolated pockets. Shellcrackers are averaging smaller than most anglers are accustomed to catching. Crickets are as good as bait as any bait while targeting sunfish. Catfish are being caught by drifters in the main channel. Redbreast, bluegill, crappie, spotted bass, catfish and smallmouth are being in the tailwaters below Chickamauga Dam. Some stripers are being caught in the same area on jigs and shad.
Watts Bar: Bass are being caught most often in shallow water and near points and drops adjacent to the shallow water. Plastic worms and crankbaits are the most used items in the tackle box. Crappie anglers are primarily trolling jigs or minnows in open water in areas leading from the dip to the shallow water. Bluegill are being caught shallow and small numbers of shellcrackers are being caught mainly in the Clinch River. Catfish are being caught by open water drifters. Shallow rocky areas in the main channel are one type of area where catfish can be caught. A smorgasbord of fish are being caught in the tailwaters. Surface water temperature is in the 70's.











