Fishing Report From The TWRA

  • Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Here is the fishing report from the TWRA:

Chickamauga Reservoir:  Reservoir Conditions: Summer normal elevation: 682.0 feet.  Winter normal elevation: 676.0 feet.  Current elevation: 679.2 feet on 2/24/14.  The water surface temperature is 43 degrees in some areas and on Sunday water surface temperature as warm as 67 degrees was found.
Largemouth Bass: Slow in the mid to upper reservoir with better results downstream.  Some very large fish have been caught.  The “Tennessee Rig” and jerkbaits have been used most often.
Smallmouth Bass: A few fish in the upper and lower reservoir have been caught by those using crankbaits along the main channel banks.
Spotted Bass:
Most anglers have been catching spotted bass while targeting other species.
Crappie: Upper to mid reservoir angling has been challenging with better results on the lower end.  Minnows or jigs have been being used in open bay areas.  Most fish are being caught in 15 feet of water or deeper.  A few areas have shallower fish where the water warms quickly with daytime heating.
Striped bass: Some anglers have caught these fish while bass fishing.  A few have been caught on the upper reservoir.
Bluegill: Most bluegill have been caught by anglers targeting other species.
Sauger:
  No observations or reports.
Catfish: Main lake live bait drifters have caught catfish.


Dale Hollow:
Fishing is slow.  Water temperature is 40 degrees at Lily Dale. 
Smallmouth: A few fish are being caught with jigs in 25-to-35 feet of water. 
Largemouth: A few largemouth are being caught in the Obey River on jigs on channel banks in 15-20 feet of water.
Crappie:  Fishing is fair with a few fish being caught around laydown trees in 10-to-15 feet of water. 

Great Falls:  Fishing is slow.  Water temperature is 49 degrees. Lake is fluctuating up and down. 
Bass:  A few bass are being caught on jigs around laydown trees in 10-to-20 feet of water.
Crappie: Crappie fishing is very slow at this time. 

Watts Bar:Reservoir Conditions: Summer normal elevation: 740.5 feet.  Winter normal elevation: 736.0 feet.  Current elevation: 739.2 feet on 2/24/14.  The water surface temperature in most areas is 44 degrees with pockets of warmer water in many areas.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing has been slow with only a few anglers catching fish.  The “Tennessee Rig” has been the most used bait.
Smallmouth Bass: See largemouth.
Walleye: A few upper reservoir fish have reportedly been caught while bumping jigs along the main river bottom.  No observations.
Sauger: A few anglers have caught very few fish while bumping jigs along the bottom.
Crappie: Most crappie have been suspended in deep bays.  Minnows and/or jigs have been the baits used.  In just a few areas, anglers have caught crappie shallow under a float.  Look for warm water drainage areas.
Catfish: Drifters using meaty baits in or near the main channel have caught the most fish.
Striped bass:  Some striped have been caught by just a few targeting them.  Most fish that have been caught were caught by bass anglers using the “Tennessee Rig”.


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