best smallmouth rivers in tennessee

I usually make mention of the generation schedule at Douglas Dam in my... Our experience with Jay was awesome. He used to rely heavily on 1/4-ounce hair jigs and a No. Anglers who fish the noted waters are proud to say Cherokee's very good smallmouth status has returned. From February through early spring, he's seen the results at the scales. Pickwick and South Holston lakes are two others that are on their way to a revered, legendary status, if they're not already there because of their consistency in producing quality brown bass. Matt won best bass last year in the Tennessee Angler Recognition Program. Little RiverThe Little River is not a river at all, but it is one of the largest streams in the Great … and A.J. For the best access to the lower end, put in at the ramp at the dam just outside of Jefferson City and work your way up the lake to Kidwells Ridge slowly hitting points, bluffs and humps. When conditions are right and they often are in February, the veteran smallmouth angler said the lack of fishing pressure on Watauga is one of the things that makes it a great smallmouth destination. Over the last two late-winter and early-spring seasons, Harris said anglers have seen some serious brown fish brought to the net. For those who like excitement with their world-class fishing for smallmouth bass, few rivers, if any, are better than the New. Nuckols said rising waters kill the Watauga smallmouth bite. In between road trips fishing the FLW Tour and Everstart Series, Strader gets on lakes like Watts Bar and Fort Loudoun as time allows. In fact, I wish I could go there now and land an old memory or two. One year after qualifying for and fishing the Bass Masters Classic, pro angler Wesley Strader from Rockwood still calls East Tennessee lakes his home waters. He said the smallies can be in the 20- to 40-foot range with a spoon in February and often the 30- to 35-foot mark depending on the amount of winter drawdown can be very productive. St. Lawrence River (New York) St Lawrence River is a part of one of the largest fisheries in all of … Regardless, you can’t go wrong fishing these streams. Although it’s the smallest Great Lake, Erie probably holds the largest … Proposing to name the best smallmouth streams in the Ozarks is a surefire way to start a heated conversation. In order to locate smallmouth bass and effectively catch them, you must first understand current and its intricacies. A Fluke fished up around laydowns in the Three Springs area can be good later in March and the bluffs and points above and below the Hwy. He said on a three-day fishing trip at Tellico, the majority of brown bass will be 4 to 5 pounds in size, but big kicker fish can be in the mix as well. When time doesn't allow you to make the drive to one of the legendary lakes across the state, there are a few overlooked East Tennessee smallmouth lakes that you need to make the journey to. Regardless, its fight and pure speed as it rocketed to the surface trying to throw the tube bait hooked me for life. You may not catch a boat load of them, but when they weigh in the 3- to 4-pound range and you can put them together in a tournament, you won't complain about the quality. Dale Hollow’s biggest claim to fame is that it is still the record holder for the world’s largest smallmouth bass. Access from the lower end can be found at Fort Lou doun/Tellico Canal Ramp adjoining those two bodies of water. Concentrate on long, tapering points vs. the more winterlike ones with a 45-degree angle. My best places are all main lake structure areas. This means that the bass will set up in areas that provide an ambush point. The first smallmouth bass over 6 pounds that I boated happened over a decade ago, and it wasn't from my favorite waters of legendry Dale Hollow Lake. By the numbers, you could boat as many as 10 to 15 smallies per outing. The lightest weight plastics like a Texas Rig or jig head need just enough weight to make bottom contact and then walk it down the shoal. Backup baits that produce in February include hair jigs and the Float-N-Fly. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. The weather and water conditions were almost identical to that trip he took just six days ago. Flowing northward from North Carolina to Tennessee, the Pigeon River itself skirts along the eastern side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is a particularly generous river when it comes to fishing for Tennessee s state sport fish — the smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu). They are young newlyweds who were taking time to enjoy their honeymoon here in East Tennessee. 1 target. Crawfish are also starting to molt and make an appearance. By Ian Nicely There are only a few places in the country where you can regularly catch smallmouth bass the size of the ones in East Tennessee. The smallies aren't quite ready to spawn, but they're thinking about it and moving slightly shallower. Smallmouth fishing is outstanding in the 53-mile New River Gorge near Beckley. Little River does not support as high densities of smallmouth bass as Abrams Creek, but does offer road access along Little River Road. This is your river fishing trip, so if you want to fish for something other than smallmouth bass I am more than happy to guide you for these other species of game fish. Located in west Tennessee, the Buffalo River is the last stretch of “small” water providing kayak anglers a good shot at catching smallmouth bass. February is not a month to be fooling around if you're a hardcore smallmouth fisherman. State: Michigan. had a fall break from... As a frequent fishing guide in Gatlinburg, the majority of rivers we fish are a short drive from Knoxville, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Smoky Mountain National Park, and the surrounding areas. We caught close to 20 smallmouth on a combination of live bait and spinnerbaits and a 4 lb 6 oz stud on topwater as the sun was setting. February is what Harris describes as the month to be on the water on Cherokee for what the lake has to offer, and the lower section is the place you'll want to spend most of your time. It can get very tough when early rains spill into the lake from the rivers feeding in from North Carolina. To learn more about the Float-. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Edgar Evins – Just outside Smithville, Edgar Evins State Park is located on the shores of beautiful … River smallmouth in the fall will move to the shallow gravel banks to feed on minnows in the early morning so Smith will tempt these fish with spinnerbaits, Jewel Bait Company Gem Blades 2.0 rigged with swimbaits, Flukes and topwater lures. And hey, Tennessee creeks are where I first wet the famed hook; these streams are also a time machine for me. During the months of April, May, and early June, anglers can enjoy some of the best fishing … Drops and stumps play a big part in his late-winter fishing taking advantage of the success of a jigging spoon. What gives Michigan its edge … I cast my bait out with a long cast and let it fall down to about 10 feet. Easton FMJ Arrows Offer Bowhunters More Penetration, The South's Best Waters for Trophy Catfish, Bass Pond Fishing: Catch Lunkers at Small Lakes Near You, Bass Blazers: The Right Gear for Speedy Retrieves, Go Big, Fast or With the Flow for August Largemouths, Summer Family Fishing in Midwest: A Minnesota Mixed Bag, Take Epic West Fishing Adventure Right Now, Four Overlooked Tennessee Smallmouth Lakes, Understanding Reel Retrieve Ratios and How it Affects Lure Presentations, Action and Power Ratings- How to Choose the Right Bass Rod, Hobie MirageDrive 360 Kayak Propulsion: Amazing Control and Power, Catch More Bass on a Jerkbait in the Cooler Months. Moving water creates a conveyor belt of food, washing everything downstream to the fish without them having to travel for it. I received my Captain’s License from the United States Coast Guard, and I am a licensed fishing guide in the state of Tennessee. The boat access at the Fort Loudoun/Tellico Canal Ramp will also keep you close to the action on the lower section of Tellico and the adjacent Back Creek section of the lake. There are days that Strader said Fort Loudoun could be considered a numbers lake for smallies, but for the most part, it's a quality brown fish destination. Nuckols, from Washington County, is no stranger to Watauga Lake and has enjoyed tournament wins there as well. Tournament angler Junior Harris from Greeneville said there's no doubt about Cherokee's comeback the last two years. |   That big brown bruiser was caught near the dam on deep, clear Watauga Lake on a cold and icy February morning. Josh has some smallmouth bass flies that would scare the heck out of a smallmouth bass on the Little Tennessee River. Summer playbook: Ready for a little summer fun the whole family can enjoy? Harris saw five-fish limits of brown fish weighing 18 to 19 pounds placed on the tournament scales last year. In addition to smallies, we may also fish for largemouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, striped bass, hybrid bass, walleyes, sauger, and crappies. Michigan. It was only a little less than a week ago when he caught a personal best of 51 smallies. Keep it up! Tennessee has a diversity of fisheries from the famed waters of the Tennessee River chock-full of grass, docks, and wood to the many highland reservoirs slam full of rock and clay banks. You can use a variety of baits to catch smallmouth in small rivers; it's all about the presentation. Rosa called me a few weeks before the trip to secure a date and during our conversation she said that Jordan who is an avid... Back in May of 2020 I took Mike and his son A.J. 's high school buddy Tom fishing for river smallies. Try Rainy River, Lake of the Woods, for a mid-summer dream trip. It's one of the toughest lakes you can pit your skills against and at the same time it can produce that trophy when you least expect it. Shoreline access is limited by the rough terrain, but there are … Bivens suggests testing these quality waters all through the winter and February with a Bullet Lures' Float-N-Fly rig featuring 4-pound-test line and a 1/16-ounce jig. The "spring craw" color or those with root beer and chartreuse highlights are hard to beat in Loudon's stained water. Four rivers, the New, French Broad, Little Tennessee and Hiwassee rivers are ranked as NC's best smallmouth streams. There are a few smallmouth waters in East Tennessee that might not have legendary status, and may not turn your head like Dale Hollow. These four lakes we're spotlighting -- Cherokee, Fort Loudoun, Tellico and Watauga -- are all top lakes at times when it comes to producing trophy brown fish. Those that don't know him that well should also realize he knows the value of a jigging spoon in February on Watauga Lake. The owner and sole fishing guide of River Smallie Adventures. Main channel points are good starting spots in February. doun/Tellico Canal Ramp adjoining those two bodies of water. Bass will target baitfish, cra… Harris said as the water starts to warm later in the month, you'll want to fish more shallow as smallies move up. Smallmouth Bass and Trout attract anglers from all around the country, who come to the Little Pigeon River looking to chase the fish upstream. In those days, a two-pounder was as good as a ten-pounder to the younger version of me. What he's looking for in his big smallmouth hunt are transition-type banks. In colored water, he'll switch to a 1/8-ounce fly with chartreuse highlights and back to the routine 1/16-ounce gray and blue jig in clear conditions. Gasconade River – The Gasconade River is the longest river in Missouri. The numbers may not always be their strong points, but they all have a history of coughing up some big smallmouths in the form of 4- to 6-pounders and on up. Tellico Lake gets a lot of fishing pressure, but local angler and smallmouth fanatic Wesley Bivens said it's not specifically for smallmouth bass. That makes crankbaits in crawfish color imitations deadly in Strader's eyes, and he's seen what they can do in February. In smallmouth bass circles, there are waters like those of Dale Hollow that are considered sacred. "Many Class I … However, smallmouth as large as 2-3 pounds are commonly reported being caught by anglers in the park. I grew up fishing for smallmouth around Lynchburg, Tennessee, wading small creeks like Mulberry. All I can say is that we truly had a great River Smallie Adventure. There are also a few smallmouth waters in East Tennessee that might not have legendary status so to speak, but they do deserve more than a second look. They had a successful day on the Little Pigeon River and caught over thirty smallies as well as a few fish over twenty inches. That’s a good starting point. Harris said you also should never overlook what a 3-inch chartreuse Old Man String Ray Grub can do. Jerkbaits, spinner baits and buzz baits can all be used for smallmouth fishing. Skip over the vertical structure and start keying on areas near flats with more of a slope and pinpoint transition banks. The good smallmouth fishing in February is best on the lower half of the lake. Lake Erie, Sandusky Ohio. River Monster Guide Service offers fly-fishing adventures in Pigeon Forge, one of Tennessee’s premier Trout fishing locations. May move up on the lake is a good coldwater Watauga option is no stranger to Watauga lake has... By many anglers to be the premier smallmouth River in Missouri for it who like excitement with their world-class for... Is that we truly had a great time guiding Jordan and best smallmouth rivers in tennessee today fishing on Watauga lake in February best! Ride in either direction would put you where the big boys as opposed numbers... 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