This fishing report is provided by TWRA Creel Clerk and huntfishbuddy
DOUGLAS LAKE TENNESSEE FISHING REPORT - by Gary Loucks
25 December 2012
WATER CONDITIONS:
The water elevation at 6:00 AM, 25 December 2012 is 952.82 feet. This reflects a .46 foot increase in elevation from last week’s report. Average surface temperature on the lower lake area is 47.4 degrees. Upper lake and river temperatures were not recorded. Water temperature at 20 foot depth averaged 44.2 degrees on lower bay areas. The water clarity has been stained across the entire lake. Those not familiar with Douglas Lake should gain information from local bait shops, other boat anglers or the creel clerk assigned to the lake before venturing onto the water. The lake is now hazardous due to the decrease in depth. Special caution needs to be exercised especially from center of lake to right shoreline above Swann’s Marina upstream all the way to and beyond point 18.
SUMMARY:
The early part of the report period, Thursday and Friday, saw good fishing in light of very cold air temperatures. Very heavy weekend rain and high wind created extremely difficult lake surface conditions keeping anglers at home. Those who braved the elements enjoyed some good crappie fishing. Creels weren’t heavy but those who caught keepers caught good ones. Bass were active with a good many suspended in deeper water. Sauger and walleye are starting to be active. Sauger has been a surprise as they have been showing up in creels at the lower end of the lake in greater numbers than walleye. Catfish anglers seem to always show up when the weather is at its worse and they were catching fish.
LARGEMOUTH & SMALLMOUTH BASS: Good
Largemouth have been suspended in 25 to 35 feet of water in the bay areas. They, and smallmouth, are also holding against the rocky shorelines, especially those with deep drop offs at the water line. Creek shorelines have been productive, especially those with snags and fish attractors present.
Crank baits and spinner baits have been observed in use the most. The primary colors anglers have been using is shad or chartreuse. Deep diving baits were predominant.
Put the crank baits deep enough to scrape the muddy bottom with the lip or pull over rocks allowing the crank bait lip to click off the rock and shale. Find mud humps and the deepest ditches and depressions and put a spinner bait right in them. Suspended fish are the most difficult and there are no easy answers.
Best bets for bass have been on the shorelines in the bay area. The fish seem to like the option of going deep or shallow. The bay area shorelines and deeper water out fished the creeks with their shallow shorelines.
WHITE BASS: Fair
White bass are still not showing in numbers. Their time to shine is just around the corner. No change in the white bass report for this week.
WALLEYE/SAUGER: Good
Walleye and sauger were on the move this report period with more and more showing in creels. Sauger in creels were usually in the 9.5 to 10.5 inch length categories. Walleye and sauger have been caught primarily at creek mouths on the lower lake.
Use hard jerk baits, green plastic grubs, hair jigs, minnows and lead heads with feather tails. Green lead heads have been particularly effective.
Fish jig heads in current and allow them to bounce along on the bottom mud. A feather tailed green or florescent orange lead head is deadly if tossed into the edge of a flow and allowed to tumble along with the current. Jig in deep holes and along structure. Jigging holes is one of the most productive methods on the upper river section of the lake. A lead head tossed along the edges of flowing water and allowed to tumble will provide success. Jigging is probably the method of choice with trolling a close second.
The upper river system still is the most productive part of the lake with creek mouths on the lower lake a second choice.
CRAPPIE: Good
Crappie fishing has been good over this report period. Anglers have been catching them in large numbers. A low percentage of keepers, however, were present in creels. Be very careful about measurements as the fish caught are predominately in the 9 7/8” length category with a sixteenth inch short of legal.
Tube jigs, 1/32 ounce hair and feather jigs of various color, minnow or jig and bobber adjusted to just off the bottom all will work well. Crappie spinners have been employed more this week but, the hair jig and bobber still wins out for lure popularity. Let water coloration be an indicator for color selection. Crappie are distributed in deep and shallow water both. Trolling with minnows or weighted Joe’s flies as well as tiny silver spoons are recommended. Trolling remains very popular and is one of the most effective methods of getting crappie into the boat.
Crappie have been selective in their hang-outs this week. Muddy Creek and Flat Creek were off, while Indian Creek proved productive. Nina Creek, as always, is productive. The Leadvale section of the lake was also fishing very good. Again, crappie are available in great numbers but, use care on your length measurements.
BLUEGILL: Fair
Bluegill have not been targeted heavily this report period.
CATFISH: Good
Catfish anglers have come out to the lake in greater numbers than normal and have enjoyed some good fishing.
Both channel and blue cats have been put in the creel this report period with channel cats the predominant fish in creels. Many good channel as well as blue catfish in the 2 to 5 pound category as well as a couple 12 pounders have been seen over this past week.
Muddy and Flat Creeks gave up some good channel catfish and a few blues. The shorelines on the main bay found blue catfish to be the primary species. All catfish taken have been against, behind or in structure whether it be depressions on the bottom, bridge piers, rocky cliffs or at the base of mud humps (islands).
Bluegill and chicken liver used to be the bait of choice. More and more anglers are using marinated shrimp as bait.
19 December 2012
WATER CONDITIONS:
The water elevation at 9:00 PM, 19 December 2012 is 952.36 feet. This reflects a 1.31 foot drop in elevation from last week’s report. Average surface temperature on the lower lake area is 50.9 degrees. Upper lake and river temperatures were not recorded. Water temperature at 20 foot depth averaged 48.5 degrees on lower bay areas. The water clarity has been clear across the entire lake. Those not familiar with Douglas Lake should gain information from local bait shops, other boat anglers, or the creel clerk assigned to the lake before venturing onto the water. The lake is now hazardous due to the decrease in depth. Special caution needs to be exercised especially from point 18 and upstream.
SUMMARY:
It has been a good week for fishing. Sauger and walleye are showing up in creels from the lower lake. Largemouth and smallmouth bass catches have improved as well as crappie success. Catfish anglers have been active the past week and have been very successful on the lower end of the reservoir. Muddy and McGuire Creeks are not fishing to expectation but, Indian Creek has proven again to be productive for another week. Data has not been collected from the upper lake this report period.
LARGEMOUTH & SMALLMOUTH BASS: Good
Largemouth have been suspending at 30 feet for some reason. They are also on the shorelines of the main bay as well as on creek banks. The main bay and creek mouths proved to be holding good fish for the report period. Creeks seemed to be off.
Shad colored crank baits and silver, yellow, white, and red/white spinner baits were productive. Shad colored rattle traps trimmed with red were also effective baits.
Areas above Swann’s Marina are good bass bets. Anglers fishing the bay area at or near the dam have been having luck with largemouth. Smallmouth have been caught on Muddy Creek in good numbers but they are under the size limit, for the most part.
WHITE BASS: Fair
White bass are being caught with more regularity, however; they haven’t started their runs yet. This season holds high expectation for good fishing for white bass.
White bass are distributed throughout the lake but still have not been caught routinely this report period. Try smaller lures. Silver spinners, minnows or green crappie jigs seem to be as good as anything. Large size lures are not catching fish.
White bass are being caught in faster current. Continue to fish deep depressions and especially in fast water as it comes off an inside curve in the lake or river shoreline where available.
WALLEYE/SAUGER: Good
Walleye and sauger are becoming more and more active as is proven out by creel surveys. The lower lake is producing some nice walleye but the sauger are undersized with most fish caught falling into the 9 to 9.5-inch length category.
Use hard jerk baits, green plastic grubs, hair jigs, minnows and lead heads with feather tails. Green lead heads have been particularly effective in current if allowed to bounce along on the bottom mud. A feather tailed green or florescent orange lead head is deadly if tossed into the edge of a flow and allowed to tumble along with the current. Jig in deep holes and along structure. Jigging holes is one of the most productive methods on the upper river section of the lake.
CRAPPIE: Good
The entire lake is good crappie fishing. Nina Creek has been fishing well. The big mud flat near the mouth of Indian Creek has also been a good hot spot. Rocky walls along the main bay of the lower lake has been good as well as the shallow mud flats in the area of point 18.
Tube jigs, 1/32 ounce hair and feather jigs of various color, minnow or jig and bobber adjusted to just off the bottom all will work well. Crappie spinners have been employed more this week but, the hair jig and bobber still wins out for lure popularity. Let water coloration be an indicator for color selection. Crappie are distributed in deep and shallow water both. Trolling with minnows or weighted Joe’s flies as well as tiny silver spoons are recommended. Trolling remains very popular and is one of the most effective methods of getting crappie into the boat.
BLUEGILL: Fair
Bluegill have not been targeted heavily this report period. Crappie are getting all the attention it seems..
Use bobber with worms, smallest spinner flies, hair flies, tiny hair jigs and try crappie size spinners tailed with either a minnow or green swim bait and try shrimp. Fish any creek bank, especially where rocks are prevalent along the bottom. Fish surface to 20 feet all day. It appears that bluegill are wandering and hot spots are not reliable day to day.
CATFISH: Good
Catfish anglers have not been highly active across the lake and therefore current input is limited. However, both channel and blue cats have been put in the creel this report period and have been taken on the lower end of the reservoir.
