TWRA is now publishing fishing forecast for area lakes: The TWRA wants to build a comprehensive report each week of the state’s lakes. If you do not see a report for your favorite lake and you are someone who can provide a report please contact us at Ask.TWRA@tn.gov and provide us with your contact information
Fall Creek Falls Fishing Report: 27 Dec 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
Lake Conditions- Few anglers have been out lately, expect to have the lake almost to yourself. Right now, surface water temperatures are around 44°F. Fishing will be best after several warmer days and nights in a row. Water clarity is 5.5 ft. Due to drought conditions this past fall, the lake is a couple feet lower than normal pool. Low water levels would make it good time to get eyes on near shore fish habitat structures. A map of fish habitat in Fall Creek Falls can also be viewed and downloaded on the TWRA GIS Maps page under the “Download Data” tab. The automatic fish feeders will not be in operation through the rest of the winter.
Largemouth Bass: With cold water temperatures, focus on lures with a slower action. Shakey heads, dropshots, and Texas rigged soft plastics should produce if fished slowly near structure. If you are fishing offshore, try to find schools of shad or target points and ledges. Suspending jerk baits, mister twisters, or flukes should work well for suspended bass. An Alabama rig could also be worth a try for suspended fish Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Try fishing a little further offshore than you did in the warmer months, fish will be moving deeper in search of warmer water. Light line (2-4 lb. test) may improve your odds with clear water conditions. Worms and crickets are always a safe bet, but artificial flies, and small jigs (Like trout/panfish magnets) will also work. Try fishing near one of the fish habitat structures or natural brush in the lake. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing for Catfish is best mid-day through the evening after the water warms up a couple degrees. Try chicken livers, nightcrawlers, shrimp, or Bluegill to catch Catfish (The Bluegill creel limit still applies when used as bait). Target deeper water with structure or steep drop offs for winter Catfish. If you catch one fish, there should be others nearby. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fish habitat structures are a good place to start. Target structure at different depths until you find fish. The fishing piers can also be good spots to try. Live minnows work best, but jigs can also work. Let jigs sink to the bottom before working them back to you. Just like panfish, light line will likely improve catch rates. If you aren’t catching any, try a couple other spots or consider fishing for another species. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
22 Nov 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
Lake Conditions- Mild fall weather has prolonged good fishing. Right now, surface water temperatures are around 56°F. As we transition into winter, try to target warmer days for the best action. Fishing will be best after several warm days and nights in a row. Water clarity is around 6 ft. Due to drought conditions this fall, the lake level is a couple feet lower than full pool. The automatic fish feeders are currently full and in operation; however, feeders will not be in operation after December 1st and through the rest of the winter.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is fair. With cooling water temperatures, try fishing lures with a slower action. Shakey heads, dropshots, and Texas rigged soft plastics should produce if fished slowly near structure. If you are fishing offshore, try to find schools of shad or target points and ledges. Suspending jerk baits, mister twisters, or flukes should work well for suspended bass. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is good. Bluegills are the main panfish anglers are catching right now. Try fishing a little further offshore than you did in the summer, fish will be moving deeper to find warmer water. Light line (2-4 lb. test) may improve your catch rate in clear water conditions. Worms and crickets are always a safe bet, but artificial flies, and small jigs (Like trout/panfish magnets) will also work. Try fishing near one of the fish habitat structures or natural brush in the lake. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing is fair. Fishing for Catfish is best mid-day through the evening after the water has warmed up a few degrees. Try chicken livers, nightcrawlers, shrimp, or Bluegill to catch Catfish (The Bluegill creel limit still applies when used as bait). Target deeper water with structure or steep drop offs for winter Catfish. If you catch one fish, there should be others nearby. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fishing is fair. Crappie fishing continues to be hit or miss. Target structure at different depths until you find fish. Live minnows work best, but jigs can also work. Let jigs sink to the bottom before working them back to you. If you aren’t catching any, try a couple other spots or consider fishing for another species. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
30 Oct 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
Lake Conditions- Fishing is still good overall, but fish will become increasingly lethargic as winter sets in. Surface water temperature is around 62°F, but this will drop with the impending cold front. Water clarity has improved to 8ft. Due to dry conditions this fall, the lake level is a couple feet lower than full pool. Ten automatic fish feeders are currently in use. Feeders are located near the dam, the lakeside cabins, the lodge, and the boat dock.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is good. Bass fishing is the most consistent fishing right now. Bass are being caught along the banks and offshore. Try shaky heads, dropshots, or other soft plastics along the bank and around structure. If you are fishing offshore, try to find schools of shad or target points and ledges with swimbaits, mister twisters, or flukes. As the water temperature drops, try fishing lures with a slower action. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is good. Bluegills are the main panfish anglers are catching right now. Worms and crickets are always a safe bet, but artificial flies, and small jigs (Like trout/panfish magnets) will also work. Try fishing near one of the fish feeders, a fish habitat structure, or natural brush in the lake. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing is good. Fishing for Catfish is best during the low light periods of the morning and the evening. Few anglers have been targeting Catfish recently, but chicken livers, nightcrawlers, and Bluegill will all produce catfish (The Bluegill creel limit still applies when using Bluegill as bait). Catfish can be caught around the fish feeders and the boat dock, but other underwater flats and ditches can be productive. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fishing is fair. Crappie fishing has been very hit or miss lately. If you aren’t catching any Crappie, try another spot or consider fishing for another species. Crappie are being caught from the fishing piers and around fish habitat structures. Live minnows are work best, but jigs can also work. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
25 Sept 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
Lake Conditions– Fishing has improved for all species as we’ve moved into fall. Surface water temperature has dropped to around 75°F and water clarity is 3 ft. Ten automatic fish feeders are currently in use. Feeders are located near the dam, the lakeside cabins, the lodge, and the boat dock.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is good. Bass fishing has improved with the cooler temperatures. Bass are being caught along the banks, but more fish are being caught offshore. Try shaky heads, soft plastics, or topwater lures along the bank. If you are fishing offshore, try to find schools of shad or target points and ledges with swimbaits and mister twisters. The thermocline is around 20 ft deep right now and Largemouth are being caught in 10-15 ft of water. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is good. Anglers are catching Bluegill and Redear on a variety of baits and tackle. Red worms and crickets are always a safe bet, but artificial flies and small jigs are also working. Try fishing near one of the fish feeders, a fish habitat structure, or natural brush in the lake. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing is good. Fishing for Catfish is best during the low light periods of the morning and the evening. Fishing is especially good in the evening. Chicken livers, nightcrawlers, and Bluegill are all producing catfish (The Bluegill creel limit still applies when using Bluegill as bait). Catfish can be caught around the fish feeders and the boat dock, but other underwater flats and ditches can be productive. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fishing is good. Crappie are being caught from the fishing piers and around fish habitat structures. Live minnows are working best, but jigging can also work. Anglers have reported catching some nice size Crappie in the past several weeks. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
29 Aug 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
Lake Conditions- Overall fishing has slowed down with the recent HOT weather. Try fishing early or late in the day or on cloudy days. Areas with shade will fish better in the middle of the day. Fishing should improve with cooler weather in the forecast. Surface water temperature is 80-86°F and water clarity is 4 ft near the inlet of Fall Creek and 6 ft towards the dam. Ten automatic fish feeders are currently in use. Feeders are located near the dam, the lakeside cabins, the lodge, and the boat dock.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is fair. Fishing for bass is best early or late in the day. Bass are being caught on beetle spins and square bills if you can find weed beds or pockets of submerged habitat. Wacky-rigged soft plastics and Chatterbait have also been producing. Most bass caught have been under 1 pound, but bass up to 6 pounds have been caught in recent weeks. Anglers targeting bass are catching between 0.5 and 1 bass per hour. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is fair. Anglers are still catching Bluegill, but the Redear bite has slowed in recent weeks. Anglers using crickets near the feeders have done well catching Bluegill. As the day warms up, Bluegill are moving deeper and closer to structure. Try red worms, crickets, or live minnows in 8-15ft of water. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing is slow. Few anglers have been targeting Catfish, but the morning bite has generally been better than other times of day. Anglers targeting Bluegill with crickets and red worms are catching a few Catfish. The feeders are a good place to start, but Catfish can also be caught on underwater flats and in ditches. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fishing is fair. Crappie are being caught around offshore structure using live minnows. Many of these fish are in the 8–9-inch range. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
12 July 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
Lake Conditions- Lake is being maintained at typical summer pool, but the lake is currently several inches low. Surface water temperature is 82-84°F and water clarity is 3 ft near the headwaters and 7 ft at the dam. Ten automatic fish feeders are currently in use from the dam to the lakeside cabins and boat dock. Threadfin Shad and Golden Shiners were recently stocked as forage.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is fair. Some bass are being caught using wacky-rigged plastics along the edge of weed beds. Some 1–2-pound bass are being caught, but most are under 1 pound. The best bass bite has been early or late in the day, but overall has slowed down since the spring. Most folks targeting bass are catching around 1 per hour. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is fair. Anglers are still catching some Bluegill and Redear, but the larger fish have moved out a little deeper. Try red worms, Catawba worms, or crickets in 8-15 ft of water. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing is excellent. There have been lots of 5–8-pound catfish caught in the last several days. The monthly all-night fishing was slow. The morning bite has been on fire and the evening action has been steady and good. You need to be where the fish are, if you don’t get a bite in 15-30 minutes, try another spot. The feeders are a good spot to start, but people are still catching stringers on underwater flats and adjacent to the many ditches. Channel Catfish are being caught using chicken livers and Catawba worms. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fishing is slow. Some small fish are still being caught near brush, artificial structure, and the boat dock using live bait and patience. Most crappie caught in the last few weeks have been 8-9 inches long. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
06 June 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
Lake Conditions- Lake is being maintained at typical summer pool. Surface water temperature is 78°F and water clarity is 5 ft near the headwaters and 15 ft at the dam. Ten automatic fish feeders are currently in use from the dam to the lakeside cabins and boat dock. Threadfin Shad and Golden Shiners were recently stocked as forage.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is good. Several bass are being caught using soft plastics and swimbaits mimicking minnows and Bluegill. Most bass are being caught near the bank along structure and near spawning beds and average 12-14 inches, but a few 3–4-pound fish are also being reported. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is great. Anglers are catching lots of Bluegill and Redear up to and over ten inches using redworms, nightcrawlers, and crickets. The Bluegill and Redear spawn is well underway. Anglers targeting coves and flats in 5-15 ft of water are doing particularly well. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing is good. Channel Catfish are being caught using night crawlers, chicken livers, and hotdogs along the bank especially near the automatic fish feeders. Anglers are having success using Carolina-style rigs early morning, evening, and through the night. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fishing is great. Some nice fish are being caught near brush, artificial structure, and the boat dock using small swim baits and minnows. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
17 May 2023
Forecast Contributor – Region 3 Fisheries Staff.
5-17-23
Lake Conditions– Lake is being maintained at typical summer pool. Surface water temperature is in the low 70s and water clarity is about 10 feet. Ten automatic fish feeders are currently in use from the dam to the lakeside cabins and boat dock.
Largemouth Bass: Fishing is good. Several bass are being caught using jerk baits, ned rigs, Sinkos, drop-shot lures as well as weedless Zoom craws working slow along the bottom. Most bass are being caught near the bank along structure and near spawning beds and average 12-14 inches, but a few 20+ inch bass are also being reported. Daily bass creel limit is 10 fish per day and only 1 (one) over 16 inches may be harvested.
Bluegill and Redear Sunfish: Fishing is great. Anglers are catching lots of Bluegill and Redear up to and over ten inches using redworms and some nightcrawlers. Bluegill have moved up to beds and can be caught readily in these locations while the Redear spawn is well underway. Daily Bluegill/Redear (in combination) creel limit is 10 per day, no length limit.
Catfish: Fishing is good. Channel Catfish are being caught using night crawlers, chicken livers, and hotdogs along the bank especially near the automatic fish feeders. Anglers are having success using Carolina-style rigs early morning, evening, and through the night. Daily catfish creel limit is 5 per day, 16-inch minimum length limit.
Crappie: Fishing is fair. While the Black Crappie spawn is mostly over, a few nice fish are still being caught near brush and artificial structure using small swim baits and minnows. There is no creel or length limit on crappie at Fall Creek Falls Lake.
