Here is the fishing report from the TWRA:
Center Hill: Fishing is fair. Water temperature is 79 degrees; lake is fairly stable.
Bass: A few bass are being caught on topwater baits while fish are chasing shad.
Walleye: A few walleye are being caught while trolling above Sligo in 12-to-15 feet of water. Bluegill: Several bluegill are being caught on crickets and nightcrawlers in 10 feet of water on gravel flats.
Chickamauga Reservoir: Reservoir Conditions: Summer normal elevation: 682.0 feet. Winter normal elevation: 676.0 feet. Current elevation: 682.7 feet. The water surface temperature is in the mid 70’s.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is good.
Shallow water to about 16 feet deep is the best depth. Start shallow and move out later. Worms of various sizes, crank baits and some topwater lures are being used.
Smallmouth Bass: Tailwater smallmouth are occasionally being caught. Jigs, crankbaits and plastic worms are being used.
Crappie: Some crappie are being caught in the river and along deeper secondary banks. Blowdowns and docks are frequent targets. Minnows or jigs are the enticers.
Striped bass: A few are being caught in the tailwaters. They were fairly thick earlier. Some up to 40 pounds were being caught, but it seems they have moved out of the immediate tailwaters. Various lures including jigs, “The Rig”, and topwater lures are being used. The shad is the steak bait.
Bluegill/shellcrackers: Crickets, worms, and small jigs are being used along some of the channels between the river and the sloughs. Most shallow water fish are in transition to deeper water.
Sauger/walleye: Not much going on with the sauger. Walleyes have energized that population of anglers that enjoy sauger fishing. Crankbaits trolled below Watts Bar Dam are being used to catch walleye up to 23 inches in length.
Catfish: River drifters are catching fish while using various meaty baits.
Dale Hollow: Fishing is good. Water temperature is 76 degrees; lake is fairly stable.
Bass: A few bass are being caught on topwater baits early in in the morning and late at night around shallow cover.
Smallmouth bass: Several smallmouth are being caught on swimbaits and topwater baits on points and flat in10-to-15 feet of water.
Walleye: Walleye fishing is slow. A few walleye are being while trolling at night in 10-to-15 feet of water.
Shellcrackers: Lots of shellcrackers are being caught on nightcrawlers on gravel flats in 5-to-10 feet of water.
Watts Bar: Reservoir Conditions: Summer normal elevation: 740.5 feet. Winter normal elevation: 736.0 feet. Current elevation: 740.9 feet. The water surface temperature is
Largemouth Bass: A lot of bass are being caught in areas leading from the shallow water to the deeper water. 10 feet of water around docks and brush is a combination where one may expect to catch fish. Getting a big bite has been challenging. Jigs and creature lures are being used most often.
Smallmouth Bass: Rocky banks near the deep water have been targeted for smallmouth bass. Jigs, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits are being used.
Walleye/Sauger: Some Ft. Loudon Dam frequent anglers have reported catching some walleye while using crankbaits. They suggested that night hours are probably better. No observations though.
Crappie: Docks and brush in the deeper secondary areas are being fished by several anglers while using minnows or jigs. The better depth seems to be 15 to 25 feet.
Catfish: Many fish are being caught by drifters using meaty baits from many sources. One angler uses frankfurters soaked in grape jelly.
Striped bass: Slower than normal in the tailwaters. Action seems to be gradually warming.