11-22-2004, 02:41 AM
[font "Verdana"][size 2]WATER CONDITIONS:
The lake elevation is 1,007.7-feet, about 3-inches higher than it was last week. The lake is predicted to drop about 5-inches over the next two days. The lower 2/3 of the lake is clear, but the headwaters, on both river arms, are stained. Mid-day water surface temperature readings have been 66-degrees on most of the lake, but the upper, stained sections are cold, with early morning water temperatures as low as 50-degrees. Go to [url "http://www.tnfish.org/"]www.tnfish.org[/url] for the latest in detailed water quality profile information, and for additional information on TWRA's Norris fishery, as well as other lakes in east Tennessee.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]SUMMARY:
STRIPED BASS and SPOTTED BASS were hitting well, for most anglers, this week. BLUEGILL continue to hit popping bugs and crickets along the bluffs. LARGEMOUTH and SMALLMOUTH were agonizingly slow, as were CRAPPIE.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]LARGEMOUTH & SPOTTED BASS
Spotted bass moderate; largemouth slow. Surface to 20-feet. Spotted bass hit well on small jigs as deep as 20-feet, along rock walls and on humps in the creeks and in Loyston Sea. Small topwater plugs, such as Pop'R's or Tiny Torpedoes, brought in a fair number of Spotted bass in areas where baitfish were surfacing. Largemouth were slow to hit, but some were taken on Carolina rigged lizards or tube jigs. Bandit crankbaits, which had been taking fish, were not as good over the past week. Small spinnerbaits did ok on largemouth, but overall, largemouth were reluctant to bite anything.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]SMALLMOUTH BASS
Slow. Surface to 20-feet Smallmouth are starting to move into shallower water as the temperature cools. Small Bandits or 1/4-ounce pig'n jigs, Bass Assassins or Flukes when shallow. Rising water, an abnormally high water elevation and warmer-than-usual water temperatures didn't do smallmouth fishermen any favors. Those fishing in the cold, stained water upriver did catch some, but the take was meager.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]STRIPED BASS
Moderate. Surface to 30-feet deep 1/2-oz doll flies tipped with plastic twisters or Sassy Shads, or shad and alewife trolled or tightlined. Some on topwater plugs. Most stripers being caught are below 15-pounds, but the action is good at dusk and dawn. Island F to Straight Creek produced some fish, as did the Loyston Sea area. At least one striper over 40-inches in length was caught, an unusual occurrence since last year's die-off of many large striped bass. However, most of those caught have been under 15-pounds.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]WALLEYE
Slow 30 to 35-feet, along rocky submerged humps and hogbacks, especially in Loyston Sea and Cove Creek. But, with the drawdown and disappearance of the thermocline, these fish are dispersed, as is normal for the season. Fishing for walleye will be hit'n miss until February. Troll with large Thundersticks or Mod.911 Red-Fins, or jig the mid-lake humps with Mann O'Lures or Hopkins spoons. Troll chrome spinners (orange beads on the line are commonly used by those catching fish) tipped with a nightcrawler, on the bottom at 35-feet.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]CRAPPIE
Slow, improving. Best at night. 5 to 25-feet, in the brush along creek embayments. Shallower in early morning. Small tube jigs, popeye flies, or minnows in the brush. Night and early dawn were best. Big Ridge, Mill Creek, Sycamore Creek were fair; the river sections above Point 15 and above Point 31 were better, in main channel brush.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]BLUEGILL
Good. Surface to 25-feet. Occasionally deeper. Popping bugs or crickets are best. Fish broken-rock banks or rocky bluffs. Larger fish are deeper after the sun gets up; leave your bobber at home and tightline crickets to various depths until the fish are located. Keep moving until you find them. Popping bugs are doing well in early morning.[/size][/font]
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The lake elevation is 1,007.7-feet, about 3-inches higher than it was last week. The lake is predicted to drop about 5-inches over the next two days. The lower 2/3 of the lake is clear, but the headwaters, on both river arms, are stained. Mid-day water surface temperature readings have been 66-degrees on most of the lake, but the upper, stained sections are cold, with early morning water temperatures as low as 50-degrees. Go to [url "http://www.tnfish.org/"]www.tnfish.org[/url] for the latest in detailed water quality profile information, and for additional information on TWRA's Norris fishery, as well as other lakes in east Tennessee.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]SUMMARY:
STRIPED BASS and SPOTTED BASS were hitting well, for most anglers, this week. BLUEGILL continue to hit popping bugs and crickets along the bluffs. LARGEMOUTH and SMALLMOUTH were agonizingly slow, as were CRAPPIE.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]LARGEMOUTH & SPOTTED BASS
Spotted bass moderate; largemouth slow. Surface to 20-feet. Spotted bass hit well on small jigs as deep as 20-feet, along rock walls and on humps in the creeks and in Loyston Sea. Small topwater plugs, such as Pop'R's or Tiny Torpedoes, brought in a fair number of Spotted bass in areas where baitfish were surfacing. Largemouth were slow to hit, but some were taken on Carolina rigged lizards or tube jigs. Bandit crankbaits, which had been taking fish, were not as good over the past week. Small spinnerbaits did ok on largemouth, but overall, largemouth were reluctant to bite anything.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]SMALLMOUTH BASS
Slow. Surface to 20-feet Smallmouth are starting to move into shallower water as the temperature cools. Small Bandits or 1/4-ounce pig'n jigs, Bass Assassins or Flukes when shallow. Rising water, an abnormally high water elevation and warmer-than-usual water temperatures didn't do smallmouth fishermen any favors. Those fishing in the cold, stained water upriver did catch some, but the take was meager.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]STRIPED BASS
Moderate. Surface to 30-feet deep 1/2-oz doll flies tipped with plastic twisters or Sassy Shads, or shad and alewife trolled or tightlined. Some on topwater plugs. Most stripers being caught are below 15-pounds, but the action is good at dusk and dawn. Island F to Straight Creek produced some fish, as did the Loyston Sea area. At least one striper over 40-inches in length was caught, an unusual occurrence since last year's die-off of many large striped bass. However, most of those caught have been under 15-pounds.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]WALLEYE
Slow 30 to 35-feet, along rocky submerged humps and hogbacks, especially in Loyston Sea and Cove Creek. But, with the drawdown and disappearance of the thermocline, these fish are dispersed, as is normal for the season. Fishing for walleye will be hit'n miss until February. Troll with large Thundersticks or Mod.911 Red-Fins, or jig the mid-lake humps with Mann O'Lures or Hopkins spoons. Troll chrome spinners (orange beads on the line are commonly used by those catching fish) tipped with a nightcrawler, on the bottom at 35-feet.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]CRAPPIE
Slow, improving. Best at night. 5 to 25-feet, in the brush along creek embayments. Shallower in early morning. Small tube jigs, popeye flies, or minnows in the brush. Night and early dawn were best. Big Ridge, Mill Creek, Sycamore Creek were fair; the river sections above Point 15 and above Point 31 were better, in main channel brush.[/size][/font]
[font "Verdana"][size 2]BLUEGILL
Good. Surface to 25-feet. Occasionally deeper. Popping bugs or crickets are best. Fish broken-rock banks or rocky bluffs. Larger fish are deeper after the sun gets up; leave your bobber at home and tightline crickets to various depths until the fish are located. Keep moving until you find them. Popping bugs are doing well in early morning.[/size][/font]
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