Watts Bar Lake report by TWRA with the data coming from http://huntfishbuddy.com
Fishing Report
Watts Bar Lake: The tailwaters below Ft. London has been visited by many successful anglers targeting crappie, white bass, black bass, striped bass, sauger, and walleye. Channel bumping jig fishermen were catching sauger and walleye.
Slow water anglers were targeting crappie while using jigs and/or minnows. Those targeting the banks while armed with jigs were catching all basses.
Lake anglers were catching some bass while tossing jigs and rigs. The results have been good but less than impressive. The river seemed to be the better area. Crappie were being caught in deep brush piles in main lake areas. Some suspended crappie were being trolled up in water depths of 20 feet. Some good catfish have been caught while using live bait. 27 Feb 2012
The lake elevation is at 737.1 feet which is in the normal range for winter. This elevation is 1.1 foot above the winter mean level. Tailwater anglers are catching many fish.
Shellcrackers were caught off the bank on the Oak Ridge side of the river while using worms below Melton Hill Dam.
The water below Ft. Loudon Dam is giving up many species of which some of these are white crappie, black crappie, striped bass, white bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, largemouth bass, sauger, walleye and catfish. Shad, jigs, spoons and meaty baits can be used to catch all the previously mentioned species.
Sauger and walleye can be caught bottom bumping in the main channel. Black bass are generally targeted along the banks. Catfish are caught in the main channel. The other basses can be caught along the bank or in the open water especially in the immediate area of the dam.
The lake is getting better as the season progresses. Shallow bass and crappie can be caught around brush, stumps, rocks and along flats. Some deeper water fish can be caught near the same structure as the shallow fish. The shallow water areas may be becoming more heavily visited than their deeper counterparts. The unusual warm winter has moved the season ahead of the calendar. Jigs and/or minnows remain the favorite bait or lure for crappie. Lipless lures, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and jigs are the obvious choices for tricking a hungry fish. Some have chosen another path consisting of a wad of baits that in total equal the rig. 21 Feb 2012
The surface water elevation on 2/05/12 was 683.7 feet. This is one foot above the winter mean elevation. The surface water temperature warmed to 54 degrees in the most recent days.
Some brushpile bay crappie were being caught by those tempting with jigs and/or minnows. Most crappie being caught were white and this may be because of the area these crappie were being caught. Some deep creek crappie were being caught by those crankbait trollers that have perfected the art of slow trolling. These anglers determine the location and depth of the crappie and at that point it becomes a bit like picking cotton.
Bass are being caught at locations that suggest it may be closer to spring than the calendar may suggest. Shallow large water bays and the area leading into the same is one type of area anglers are targeting. Pinpoint anglers are tossing jigs and fan casters are throwing lipless lures and the “Tennessee Rig”. Some nice smallmouth are being caught, but the average bass being caught is green and will weigh about 2 pounds.
The tailwaters below Ft. Loudon Dam are difficult to fish because of the heavy current. A few sauger and walleye are being caught. Most anglers are fishing the protected and still water below the dam and these anglers are targeting crappie and white bass. The average catch of these anglers will consist of crappie, catfish and white bass. These anglers are using jigs and/or minnows for bait. 08 Feb. 2012
The lake elevation on 1/29/12 was 6.7 feet above the winter mean elevation. The lake was flooded and hazardous due to floating trash. Only a few fish were being caught. Most anglers were not challenging the conditions. 01 Feb. 2012
The surface water temperature is in the mid 40’s. On 1/22/12 the lake elevation was 2.4 feet above the winter mean. The most popular area on the lake has been the tailwaters below Ft. Loudon Dam. Numerous anglers have caught numerous species of fish until the most recent days when the action cooled down a little. Some nice white bass, rockfish, sauger, smallmouth bass and walleye have been caught in previous days. Most walleye being caught have averaged nearly 12 inches in length. One angler reportedly caught some sauger in excess of 4 pounds. This was reported but not verified. White bass catches of 100 have occurred by some anglers while using jigs for bait. Jigs tipped with minnows seems to trigger the majority of sauger bites while bumping the bottom of the main channel.
Most crappie being caught have been of the white variety and these fish have been taken while using jigs or minnows in the still lake type areas. Some black crappie have been caught in the current and near the rocks. Only a few whites have been taken in these areas. The lake has been slow with only a few anglers enjoying the warmer than normal weather. Those that have been on the water have caught largemouth, smallmouth and crappie. Crappie have been caught suspended in the large creeks while tightlining or pushing jigs. Depth control is maximized while pushing jigs. Pushing jigs is a technique that is advanced from the normal casting of jigs or minnow dunking. It is still crappie fishing so it isn’t that advanced. Bass are being caught shallow and as deep as 15 feet in some instances. Jigs, “Tennessee Rigs”, and crankbaits are being cast more often than other lures. A surprising amount of baitfish can be found shallow around docks even on the coldest days. Evening temperatures warm the water considerably. 26 Jan 2012
