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.