Walleye on the Chick ?

Gator · Sep 10, 2019

Has anyone heard of Walleye being caught lately on Chickamaug? I hear some caught recently near Dayton in 40-50 fow.

Lx545 · Sep 10, 2019

I caught one below the dam last week that was probably an easy 20-22". I didn't measure him because I wasn't messing with any teeth lol.

jb366 · Sep 10, 2019

I caught a couple last year down around the nuke plant. They're mean to cranks and hair jigs

Louisiana · Sep 10, 2019

I caught one on a crank late spring on the hiwasse

Tight_Lines · Sep 11, 2019

I have not caught any recently.. but i have caught 4 or 5 in the past year and a half on everything from spoons, hair jigs, to small crank baits

churly · Sep 11, 2019

Yes. Ive caught a couple this summer. next year I am going to dial in on those tasty critters. I caught mine targeting bass on ledges in 20'.

jaygivens70 · Sep 12, 2019

Does anybody know what happened to the sauger ? After all, they are a fish native to our big rivers. When this fish becomes locally extinct, I'd think that might raise some eyebrows !

rusty50576 · Sep 12, 2019

jaygivens70 - 9/12/2019 12:09 PM

Does anybody know what happened to the sauger ? After all, they are a fish native to our big rivers. When this fish becomes locally extinct, I'd think that might raise some eyebrows !

Well the construction of the dams put them behind the 8 ball. I still catch them in the holston and french broad rivers but I don't know if they are stocked or not

M GO BLUE · Sep 20, 2019

They're here all right

rsimms · Sep 21, 2019

jaygivens70 - 9/12/2019 12:09 PM

Does anybody know what happened to the sauger ? After all, they are a fish native to our big rivers. When this fish becomes locally extinct, I'd think that might raise some eyebrows !

The decline of sauger has been a mystery. TWRA had folks at Tenn. Tech do some research on it. Obviously dams and water conditions/flow had some influence on the decline, although sauger were here in good numbers for a long time after dams were built. Researchers never could their finger on a specific cause.

But TWRA began stocking walleye five or six years ago below Watts Bar specifically to try and replace the sauger stock. Walleye are MUCH more tolerant of marginal water conditions as compared to sauger. It has been highly successful. Most walleye are being caught immediately below Watts. Bar but as noted above, as lot of them make their way downstream as well.

jaygivens70 · Sep 24, 2019

Thanks, Mr. Simms for the info. I remember seeing you on the Tenn. Outdoorsman show several years back. I had a tenn tech report on sauger spawning on Browder Shoals back in the 80's. I know that Diamond Shoals below Pickwick Dam used to be a hot spot. Is there still any successful spawningn in that area ? I don't suppose that there is any natural reproduction in the stocked walleye. I always thought that sauger were more tolerant than walleye, at least in regards to turbidity. It is possible that siltation has finally covered up the sauger spawning areas. I would think that this could be researched, first by using using divers. We should not be losing such an important, self-sustaining fishery.

rsimms · Sep 26, 2019

jaygivens70 - 9/24/2019 1:22 PM

Thanks, Mr. Simms for the info. I remember seeing you on the Tenn. Outdoorsman show several years back. I had a tenn tech report on sauger spawning on Browder Shoals back in the 80's. I know that Diamond Shoals below Pickwick Dam used to be a hot spot. Is there still any successful spawningn in that area ? I don't suppose that there is any natural reproduction in the stocked walleye. I always thought that sauger were more tolerant than walleye, at least in regards to turbidity. It is possible that siltation has finally covered up the sauger spawning areas. I would think that this could be researched, first by using using divers. We should not be losing such an important, self-sustaining fishery.

I know they still catch sauger in the Pickwick tailrace but from what I here it has also declined dramatically there as well since years gone by. I'm actually not sure if the walleye are expected to spawn effectively or not?

tennfisher · Sep 26, 2019

According to https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/documents/ww_stocking.pdf, the stockings below were placed in Chickamauga this year. Data current as of August 5th. I'm happy to see both the striped bass and walleye stockings. 

SPECIES NUMBER DATE

Florida Largemouth Bass 62,334 05/21/2019

Striped Bass 18,771 07/17/2019

Striped Bass 49,507 07/23/2019

Striped Bass 39,022 07/23/2019

Walleye 64,168 05/09/2019

Walleye 122,802 05/14/2019

MJonesin · Sep 26, 2019

I would love to find/catch some if someone would be willing to send me a pm and give me some pointers on where to go. Heard all the hype, and always wanted to catch one. Didn't know they were around though.

porthos33 · Sep 29, 2019

The walleye bite this year has been off the chains in 2019! I've had 6 this year between 5-10lbs and we had some really good days sauger fishing last year. Both species were in schools when we find them. We found the walleye offshore from 5-25ft and they absolutely love the giant scroungers and swimbaits. The sauger are easiest to target below dams especially in the winter.

Walleye on the Chick ?

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