DAMS

Has anyone been fishing the tailwaters below Watts Bar, Chickamauga or Nickajack, from bank or boat ? Have the access points in Chattanooga re-opened yet ? My main interest is panfish, and have been catching some, but I am wondering about the status of the Sauger in East TN.
 

Nikoli

New member
Was at the chic dam this weekend, the docks and piers where closed but was still able to get down 2 the water. Saw 2 different guys pull a 3 and a 4lb bass, my buddy has a cast net and was able to catch a lot of little minos off the rocks. It’s posssible but the current when I last saw it was crazy.
 

churly

New member
flows are so large right now they are not allowing locking through so, it may not be safe.
 
Since high water flows push fish into slack water areas below dams, a lot of water is accessible from the bank. Also, unfortunately, a lot is Not. The walkway below Watts Bar Lock is a decent place to try bank fishing. It ought to be under water now but should be usable again when the water drops one or two feet. (Unless you want to wade) I've been catching panfish down there, before the real heavy flows started, most recently, Feb. 13. The water was fairly clear then, but may be muddy now. Any reports on conditions or results below Nickajack ?
 

Tight_Lines

New member
Agreed Porthos,
They are still pushing a TON of water through Chick Dam and does not look like there is end in sight with 2 to 4 more inches of rain expected over the weekend and monday. water is still very muddy. i might try river park this afternoon where the creek comes in for slack water. with the water being so high it is about the only accessible place to fish from shore right now with all trees that are hanging in the water in behind chatt st. where i normally fish.
 

M GO BLUE

New member
Haven't put a keeper Sauger in the boat in over 5 years and I've fished for them HARD. Areas where I used to catch limits of them don't seem to hold a fish anymore. I'm sure some guys are getting a few with the amount of boats I see fishing for them. Have talked to some old timers at the ramps that say they can still get a few but they are pretty rare.

I understand their spawning production is largely dependent on REALLY GOOD water flow during spawning season...Maybe the cycle will reverse in the next few years with the wet-winters we've been having.
 

JAMEST

Member
was below nickajack tuesday slackwater full of fish they just did not want to eat caught a couple white bass is all
 
To Jamest: Were you fishing in the large backwater around the launching ramp below Nickajack dam ? I've tried it down there a few times without success. Were you on the bank or in a boat ? Those fish oughta bite...time of day can make the difference, as well as a slow (SLOW) retrieve ! I used to depend on plastic tubes and grubs, but now use the Berkley gulp worms a lot. Visibility in the murky floodwaters can be an issue, so I add a yellow crappie chunk and/or spinner blade ahead of the worm on the jig head.
 

JAMEST

Member
fished the area where you put the boat in below the dam and the unfinished lock area water was so high the sidewalk by the boat ramp was covered up several were fishing did not see many caught. we were throwing small plastics and small spinners beautiful day to be out
 
Is the water real muddy down there around the boat ramp ? If so, a bright-colored jig suspended under a float might be better than cast-and-retrieve. The reduced speed can make a difference, if that's what they want. Any clue as to the water temperature ?
 
With another two inches of rain in the forecast for mid-week, we might end up casting off of the parking lot ! I think it will be easier to fish if the water goes down a few feet, instead of up. Last month, the backwater below Nickajack was gin-clear and low, and I couldn't get a bite. I guess that the fish had no reason to be there !
 
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