Fishing Report From The TWRA

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Here is the fishing report from the TWRA:

Center Hill:  Fishing is good. Water temperature is 60 degrees; lake is slowly rising.  Lots of bass are being caught on drop shots and spoons, while fishing under schooling shad, in 20-to-40 feet of water.  A few crappie are being caught on minnows around sunken brush in 15 feet of water. 

Chickamauga: The lake on 12/09/12 was .9 feet above the winter normal range.

The surface water temperature was in the 50's. Striped bass were being caught in the lower end of the lake. Bays, pockets or areas leading into the same have been the target areas for striped bass. Jigs, swimbaits, and spoons have been the best baits to use. Bass have been caught in the sloughs and along the river flats while using topwater lures, spinnerbaits and lipless lures. Crappie have been caught almost everywhere. Sloughs and riverbanks around brush, grass, or rocks have been areas where anglers have caught fish. A few sauger have been caught by those drifting the main river near the tailwaters. Jigs bounced along the bottom and sometimes armed with minnows have been the chosen weapon. Catfish have been caught by those drifting the main channel with meaty baits.

Cordell Hull:  Fishing is slow. The river is muddy and 55 degrees.  A few bass are being caught on jigs and spinnerbaits on channel banks in 10 feet of water.  Crappie fishing is good while fishing minnows and jigs in 10 feet of water around brush. 

Dale Hollow:  Fishing is slow.  Water temperature is 54 degrees; lake is rising. A few bass are being caught on jigs while fishing points in 20-to-30 feet of water.  Crappie fishing is slow with a few fish being caught on minnows and jigs, on the river, in 15 feet of water. 

Nickajack: The lake surface temperature was in the 50's. Largemouth bass were being caught near rip-rap and grass. Jigs, topwater baits, and lipless lures have been used most often for bass. A few crappie have been caught on the lower end, but the crappie fishing has been best near the tailwaters in the dead water and in the current diversion areas. An occasional striper and sauger have been caught in the tailwaters. Several anglers have caught catfish while using live bait. Many bank anglers have caught bluegill and catfish. Most bluegill have been caught while using worms for bait.

Watts Bar: The lake on 12/09/12 was .2 feet above the range considered normal for the season. The surface temperature was in the 50's. Striped bass were in the sloughs and pockets in the mid area of the lake. Threadfin shad have moved into these areas. Bass have been caught in the same locations. Topwater baits, swimbaits and jigs have been used to catch stripers. Downsize your lure to match the shad to increase the odds of hooking up with one of these monsters. Crappie anglers have caught plenty of fish this fall and the action is ongoing. Minnows and jigs have been used around brush and docks in 8 to 15 feet of water to entice crappie. Some open water bay crappie have fallen to crankbaits. Sauger and walleye have been caught in the tailwaters, but the best sauger fishing has not yet begun. Those that have been caught have been caught along the bottom by those using jigs and/or minnows. Catfish have been caught by those drifting the main channel with meaty baits.


Ocoee River Most Popular Whitewater Rafting River In America According To Recent Study

The Ocoee River is officially the most visited whitewater river in the United States with 229,542 visitors in 2012, according to research results announced today by tourism officials in Chattanooga. After the Ocoee River, the other four most visited whitewater rivers are: the Arkansas River in Colorado (208,329), Pigeon River in Tennessee (169,060), Nantahala River in North Carolina ... (click for more)

TVA Celebrates National Trails Day With Enhancement Efforts

The Tennessee Valley Authority will be making improvements at six trail locations in Tennessee and Alabama on Saturday, June 1, to celebrate National Trails Day and is encouraging volunteers to participate. Among the projects is the 1.5-mile Buck Island Trail on Guntersville Reservoir in Alabama. Partially destroyed by a tornado in spring 2011, the trail will be rerouted ... (click for more)

Woman Killed In Early-Morning Wreck On Thrasher Pike

A woman was killed in a single-vehicle crash in the 1200 block of Thrasher Pike early Saturday morning. Soddy Daisy Police Chief Phillip Hamrick said a female passenger was ejected from the vehicle. She was transported to Erlanger Hospital by LifeForce helicopter about 3:15 a.m. The driver was transported by Hamilton County EMS. It is believed he had non-life threatening injuries. ... (click for more)

City May Move Forward On $47 Million Wilcox Tunnel Project

City officials may move forward on a $47 million project to upgrade the narrow Wilcox Tunnel through Missionary Ridge. The City Council on Tuesday is to consider a resolution to apply for a $25 million federal TIGER grant. The city would still have to come up with $21,825,000 through "local funds or grants." The city has already spent $175,000 on the project. Improving ... (click for more)

Rep. Eric Watson Reflects On Memorial Day

Memorial Day is the time for Americans to reconnect with their history and the core values that make this country great by honoring those who gave their lives for the ideals we cherish. Soldiers are people who come from all walks of life, from every corner of this great land of ours. They are our fathers, our sons, our mothers and our daughters, our friends, and our neighbors.  ... (click for more)

Roy Exum: A Dose Of Foxhole Humor

During my quest this week for jokes and funny stories that would brighten my day, a surprising number of friends sent me hilarious samples of “fox-hole humor” and it made perfect sense. It was the most famous Marine – Chesty Puller – who once announced to his troops in Korea, “All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind ... (click for more)