Fishing Report by TWRA creel clerks and huntfishbuddy
Melton Hill Lake Tennessee Fishing Report - Charley Hensley
December 28, 2012
WATER CONDITIONS
The predicted water level is approximately 793.5 ft. above sea level.
The average water surface temperature is in the mid 50’s.
Cooler surface temperatures can be found in the early morning hours.
The reservoir is still mostly clear with a slight green tint.
SUMMARY
No changes from last week. Striped Bass are chasing the schools of what looks to be gizzard shad around the entire reservoir. Find a school of those tiny silver sided baitfish and watch for the bass to chase them. If you find schools of baitfish, the gamefish or predator fish will be nearby. I actually witnessed a 49 lb. striped bass caught last Saturday on a skipjack in the area of reactor bend. The bass bite seems to be best on cloudy, overcast days with low barometric pressure. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits seem to be the best lure choice right now for bass. Medium diving crankbaits with at least some silver in the color are doing fair on the breaking fish. Blue and chrome rattletraps are a good choice. Chartreuse and white spinnerbaits are doing fair also. Crappie are moving up into shallower water but still holding tight to structure. Muskie are doing fair right now and seem to be holding close to structure. Bluegill are biting very well and should continue to improve. Catfish are also biting nightcrawlers and cut bait.
MUSKIES
Moderating
3 to 12-feet
The main channel below the steam plant is always a good place to try. Fallen timber and submerged or at least partially submerged timber seems to be a favorite hangout for big muskies. Big chartreuse spinner baits and big trout imitating jerk baits are a good choice right now. Bulldogs and shallow invaders are excellent lure choices for big muskies. Remember, there is 50 inch minimum length limit on these trophy fish. This means a musky less than 50 inches must be returned to the water unharmed.
BASS
Moderating
8 to 20-feet
The best bet right now is to fish for the breaking fish whenever you find them. Medium diving crankbaits are doing fair right now. Minnow imitating light colored crankbaits with a little silver are catching some largemouth and smallmouth. One-half oz. jigs tipped with a critter craw are also doing well. Crayfish scent is good to use on jigs because they resemble crayfish very closely. If the dam is not spilling, the bite seems to be a little slower. Rocky outcrops and points seem to be holding the bigger bass, while submerged timber or underwater humps and islands are holding good numbers too. The downstream sides of ambush positions are very good spots to try a crankbait, while medium divers and swimbaits are good lure choices for fishing deeper water. Rattletraps and other lipless crankbaits are good for covering lots of water quickly.
CRAPPIE
Moderating
6 to 17-feet
Crappie seem to be biting better, and are moving into shallower water. Submerged structure like brushpiles and just about any other fallen timber is holding some good keeper sized crappies. Around 8-10 ft. seems to be the preferred depth for the bigger fish. Reactor Bend in the Reactor Cove area is a good place to start looking for crappie. A 1/16 oz. hair jig in brown and brown and white is a good lure choice.
STRIPED BASS
2 to 12-feet
Big 20 to 30 lb. stripers are chasing those schools of little silver sided minnows around the reservoir and staring to break back in the coves. Striped bass are always present in Melton Hill and there have been a few anglers fishing for them. The best bait for stripers or (rockfish) is undoubtedly live skipjack. Live skipjack hooked through the back just behind the dorsal fin with about a 6/0 circle hook is a good rig for stripers. You can either tightline them or tie a partially inflated balloon onto your line at whatever depth you desire. Let the skipjack swim around as much as it wants to. Striped Bass have no trouble swallowing an 8-10 inch skipjack. However, you must have heavy tackle for these big fish
December 21, 2012
WATER CONDITIONS
The predicted water level is approximately 793.5 ft. above sea level.
The average water surface temperature is in the mid 50’s.
Cooler surface temperatures can be found in the early morning hours.
The reservoir is still mostly clear with a slight green tint.
SUMMARY
Striped Bass are chasing the schools of what looks to be gizzard shad around the entire reservoir. Find a school of those tiny silver sided baitfish and watch for the bass to chase them. If you find schools of baitfish, the gamefish or predator fish will be nearby. I actually witnessed a 49 lb. striped bass caught last Saturday on a skipjack in the area of reactor bend. The bass bite seems to be best on cloudy, overcast days with low barometric pressure. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits seem to be the best lure choice right now for bass. Medium diving crankbaits with at least some silver in the color are doing fair on the breaking fish. Blue and chrome rattletraps are a good choice. Chartreuse and white spinnerbaits are doing fair also. Crappie are moving up into shallower water but still holding tight to structure. Muskie are doing fair right now and seem to be holding close to structure. Bluegill are biting very well and should continue to improve. Catfish are also biting nightcrawlers and cut bait.
MUSKIES
Moderating
3 to 12-feet
The main channel below the steam plant is always a good place to try. Fallen timber and submerged or at least partially submerged timber seems to be a favorite hangout for big muskies. Big chartreuse spinner baits and big trout imitating jerk baits are a good choice right now. Bulldogs and shallow invaders are excellent lure choices for big muskies. Remember, there is 50 inch minimum length limit on these trophy fish. This means a musky less than 50 inches must be returned to the water unharmed.
BASS
Moderating
8 to 20-feet
The best bet right now is to fish for the breaking fish whenever you find them. Medium diving crankbaits are doing fair right now. Minnow imitating light colored crankbaits with a little silver are catching some largemouth and smallmouth. One-half oz. jigs tipped with a critter craw are also doing well. Crayfish scent is good to use on jigs because they resemble crayfish very closely. If the dam is not spilling, the bite seems to be a little slower. Rocky outcrops and points seem to be holding the bigger bass, while submerged timber or underwater humps and islands are holding good numbers too. The downstream sides of ambush positions are very good spots to try a crankbait, while medium divers and swimbaits are good lure choices for fishing deeper water. Rattletraps and other lipless crankbaits are good for covering lots of water quickly.
CRAPPIE
Moderating
6 to 17-feet
Crappie seem to be biting better, and are moving into shallower water. Submerged structure like brushpiles and just about any other fallen timber is holding some good keeper sized crappies. Around 8-10 ft. seems to be the preferred depth for the bigger fish. Reactor Bend in the Reactor Cove area is a good place to start looking for crappie. A 1/16 oz. hair jig in brown and brown and white is a good lure choice.
STRIPED BASS
2 to 12-feet
Big 20 to 30 lb. stripers are chasing those schools of little silver sided minnows around the reservoir and staring to break back in the coves. Striped bass are always present in Melton Hill and there have been a few anglers fishing for them. The best bait for stripers or (rockfish) is undoubtedly live skipjack. Live skipjack hooked through the back just behind the dorsal fin with about a 6/0 circle hook is a good rig for stripers. You can either tightline them or tie a partially inflated balloon onto your line at whatever depth you desire. Let the skipjack swim around as much as it wants to. Striped Bass have no trouble swallowing an 8-10 inch skipjack. However, you must have heavy tackle for these big fish
