Watts Bar Lake
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Watts Bar Lake Fishing Reports
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Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
Species
Smallmouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Crankbaits 0-6'
Structure
Rip Rap
Zipperlips
Bronze Ambassador
12/1/21
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Docks
Water temp as of tonight at 6 pm. was 53.5 and I expect it to get a little bit warmer with our awesome warm-up this week and including two days at 70° (yee- haw). Catching some healthy Smallmouth with a fair amount of Largemouth mixed in. Fishing a 3" keitech /Sexy Shad on an owner underspin w/brass Colorado fairly slow. Fish are located around dock pilings that sit in 6 - 8' feet. Throughout the day they can be caught right up next to the bank or out in front of the boat docks. Follow up baits, rattling Ned (craw), 2.5" craw wiggle wart, and a few on dbl willow Sexy Shad spinnerbait...Tight Lines to all
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Spinnerbaits
Structure
Submerged Vegetation
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
67°
Went out fishing with my Dad on our annual day on the South end of Watts Bar, started out fishing right by the boat ramp, my Dad caught a few on Wopper Ploppers, I had a few hit a buzzbait as well. Moved up the lake to another area, started throwing a Castaic Atlas Spinnerbait, along a rocky main lake point and bank around boat docks and caught two bass back to back on consecutive casts, then my dad caught a very nice smallmouth about 17.5in long on a vibrating Jig. We moved up the lake further to another area that normally has a bunch of weeks in one area of the cove, caught a smallmouth on the spinnerbait, and another largemouth around 15in on spinnerbait. When we got to the area in the cove that there are normally weeds, all the weeds we used to see are gone, the amount of baitfish in the area was virtually none. There were some in the cove but without the weeds they were scattered. When we moved to another area were we normally see weeds too, all those were gone as well. We did pick up a few more fish on a new Riot Baits Minima Swim jig in that area but without the bait holding to the weeds, the patterns that we've fished in the past and expected all revolved around the bait schools around the weeds. Overall we caught 11 Bass, both largemouth and smallmouth. It was very discouraging to learn after we were there that they sprayed the weeds late last year which has effected the growth this year. Was a beautiful day on the water, the weather was perfect.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Umbrella Rigs
Structure
River Channels
Forage
Shad
Caught all my fish on bluff walls at channel swings.
Species
Spotted BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Crankbaits 0-6'
Structure
Rip Rap
Forage
Shad
Water Temperature
75°
The deal I found in practice was don’t get hung up in one area. Now at the time of this outing two hurricanes came through and the lake looked like a bottle of Nesquik. So, finding pockets with cleaner water helped. I would catch one on one stretch and then keep going and may catch another two pockets over. There’s a ton of grass subsurface so put your trolling motor on 6 and cover water.
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Buzzbaits
Structure
Laydowns
Forage
Shad
Bluff walls & backs of creeks. Turn trolling motor up, take topwater and just cover water. Fish your targets lay downs, rock , transitions banks. If you find a spot holding fish you can slow down and pitch laydowns and docks. Bite is tough just have to cover water to catch numbers. Hopefully with the cooler nights the bite will get better.
War Eagle Buzzbait 3/8 oz / Black Gold
Out of Stock
War Eagle Buzzbait 1/2 oz / Black
Out of Stock
War Eagle Buzzbait 1/2 oz / Black Gold
Out of Stock
The Captain
Bronze Ambassador
9/21/24
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Fall
Technique
Spinnerbaits
Structure
Brush Piles
Forage
Minnows
Water Temperature
76°
Spinnerbait strike at the end of a lay down on the main channel
Species
Largemouth BassSeason
Winter
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Baitfish
Bites were hard to come by. Threw flat sided crank, rattle trap, A-rig and Swimbait. Ended up catching 3 bass and 2 drum. Locate schools of gizzards Shad on river channel or creek channel swings. They were in 18-30 feet Saturday. Cast Swimbait let it sink to bottom and slow roll it, keeping it bumping bottom. Did catch 1 on initial fall. Caught 1 yo-yo trap on flat just adjacent to channel as well.
Walleye
