08-10-2004, 02:41 AM
WATER CONDITIONS
Water surface temperatures continue to be in the low to mid 80's. The lake has a good green color to it right now. The lake level at the dam as of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening was 1,381.48 feet above sea level.
SUMMARY
Bass fishing has been fair this week, especially at nights. Most fish being caught though are small. It has been tough finding good keepers this week. If a fisherman is just looking to catch bass, then this week would be the perfect time. Several 10-13 inch bass have been caught using three inch pumpkin color grubs or tubes. The early mornings to midday have been the best time to catch these bass. The majority of the small fish caught have been largemouth and they have been taken mostly on the Watauga side. The best time to catch a nice smallmouth continues to be at night. This is when the smallmouth bass are the most active. Most anglers at night are having success using a root beer or black and blue pig-n-jig around the quick drop offs at bluffs or around any rocky banks. Crankbaits, Rattle-traps, and spoons are also catching a few fish here and there.
The striper and hybrid action has slowed down some, but continues to be pretty good. The majority of the fish caught are hybrids, with a few stripers are being found. The Misty Waters area on the Holston end and the Deer Lick area on the Watauga side continue to be where the majority of the fish are being found. These two places are producing mostly hybrids, with a few nice stripers caught at Deer Lick. Most of the fish are being taken by trolling live shad or Lure Jensen spoons . Chicken livers are also working well for the hybrids.
Crappie fishing has been slow but is picking up. The crappie are still suspended mostly, but a few are starting to move back into cover. Trolling with small grubs and flies or small crankbaits in 10-20 feet of water has been the most effective method of catching quality crappie. Some nice crappie have been taken on the Holston side the last couple of weeks, from the Point 7 sign along the shady bank in the bend there. Fishing the submerged brush at the mouth where Beaverdam Creek comes into the lake has also been a good spot to find crappie holding in cover. The ones caught out of the treetops were by a small 1/16 or 1/32 oz. white fly tipped with a minnow fished in about 8-10 feet of water.
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Water surface temperatures continue to be in the low to mid 80's. The lake has a good green color to it right now. The lake level at the dam as of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening was 1,381.48 feet above sea level.
SUMMARY
Bass fishing has been fair this week, especially at nights. Most fish being caught though are small. It has been tough finding good keepers this week. If a fisherman is just looking to catch bass, then this week would be the perfect time. Several 10-13 inch bass have been caught using three inch pumpkin color grubs or tubes. The early mornings to midday have been the best time to catch these bass. The majority of the small fish caught have been largemouth and they have been taken mostly on the Watauga side. The best time to catch a nice smallmouth continues to be at night. This is when the smallmouth bass are the most active. Most anglers at night are having success using a root beer or black and blue pig-n-jig around the quick drop offs at bluffs or around any rocky banks. Crankbaits, Rattle-traps, and spoons are also catching a few fish here and there.
The striper and hybrid action has slowed down some, but continues to be pretty good. The majority of the fish caught are hybrids, with a few stripers are being found. The Misty Waters area on the Holston end and the Deer Lick area on the Watauga side continue to be where the majority of the fish are being found. These two places are producing mostly hybrids, with a few nice stripers caught at Deer Lick. Most of the fish are being taken by trolling live shad or Lure Jensen spoons . Chicken livers are also working well for the hybrids.
Crappie fishing has been slow but is picking up. The crappie are still suspended mostly, but a few are starting to move back into cover. Trolling with small grubs and flies or small crankbaits in 10-20 feet of water has been the most effective method of catching quality crappie. Some nice crappie have been taken on the Holston side the last couple of weeks, from the Point 7 sign along the shady bank in the bend there. Fishing the submerged brush at the mouth where Beaverdam Creek comes into the lake has also been a good spot to find crappie holding in cover. The ones caught out of the treetops were by a small 1/16 or 1/32 oz. white fly tipped with a minnow fished in about 8-10 feet of water.
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