08-26-2004, 04:26 AM
WATER CONDITIONS
Water surface temperatures seem to have dropped a couple of degrees this week compared to weeks past. The lake has a good green color to it right now. The lake level at the dam as of 12:00 p.m. Wednesday was 1,382.42 feet above sea level.
SUMMARY
Bass fishing continues to be slow. Tournament fishing has been especially tough during the daytime hours. The fish that are being caught are small. Several anglers have reported catching a few fish, but no keeper size bass. Several 10-13 inch slicks continue to be 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. What keeper fish are being caught, seem to be hitting a darker colored Texas-rigged worm or crankbaits. 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 on the Holston side.
The striper and hybrid action is doing well right now. Both, the bigger stripers as well as the hybrids, are being caught in good numbers. The Misty Waters area on the Holston end and the Deer Lick area on the Watauga side are still producing several fish, but the hot spot this week has been around the Point 2 area. Several hybrids and some small stripers have been taken here all week using live shad. Trolling with Lure Jensen spoons at about 20-25 feet has also been doing well. Chicken livers will also work well for the hybrids for people who do not like to troll.
Crappie fishing is still slow . The crappie are still suspended, but should be moving into the brush soon. 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. Fishing the submerged brush at the mouth where Beaverdam Creek comes into the lake has been the best spot to find crappie holding in cover. The ones caught out of the treetops have been with 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 seem to have dropped a couple of degrees this week compared to weeks past. The lake has a good green color to it right now. The lake level at the dam as of 12:00 p.m. Wednesday was 1,382.42 feet above sea level.
SUMMARY
Bass fishing continues to be slow. Tournament fishing has been especially tough during the daytime hours. The fish that are being caught are small. Several anglers have reported catching a few fish, but no keeper size bass. Several 10-13 inch slicks continue to be 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. What keeper fish are being caught, seem to be hitting a darker colored Texas-rigged worm or crankbaits. 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 on the Holston side.
The striper and hybrid action is doing well right now. Both, the bigger stripers as well as the hybrids, are being caught in good numbers. The Misty Waters area on the Holston end and the Deer Lick area on the Watauga side are still producing several fish, but the hot spot this week has been around the Point 2 area. Several hybrids and some small stripers have been taken here all week using live shad. Trolling with Lure Jensen spoons at about 20-25 feet has also been doing well. Chicken livers will also work well for the hybrids for people who do not like to troll.
Crappie fishing is still slow . The crappie are still suspended, but should be moving into the brush soon. 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. Fishing the submerged brush at the mouth where Beaverdam Creek comes into the lake has been the best spot to find crappie holding in cover. The ones caught out of the treetops have been with 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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