Brought to you by: Fishtale Lodge
Report for July 13th, 2001
Catfishing Improves Along Main Channel
This week's fishing report indicates improvement for
catfish along the main river channel while crappie and bass action
continues to hold up. Some mayfly hatches are providing activity for
bluegill and other panfish too.
Hot weather continues to be the dominant factor for most anglers. The
early morning and later afternoon outings are the most appealing right
now. And, night fishing has improved in popularity too as both bass and
stripe fishermen are beating the heat by casting beneath the stars.
Surface temperatures have climbed into the 84 to 88 degree range across
most of the reservoir, as there have not been many cool nights lately. A
few thunderstorms have delivered some temporary relief to the hot and
humid conditions but relief has been short lived.
Observed elevation in the Paris Landing area this week was 359.3 range.
TVA indicates lake stages will be falling in the days ahead with a
predicted reading of 358.8 by the end of the week. That means there
should be current in the main river each day.
Catfishing has improved lately as the hot weather has sent the cats
deep. It's easier to pattern their whereabouts when hot weather combines
with current. Those factors send the fish where there's food and good
dissolved oxygen.
Lately, the success stories from catfishermen are coming from the depths
of 20 to 35 feet along the main bank of the Tennessee River channel.
Finding irregular cuts and turns in the riverbank is often a key.
Working the areas where big bays or creeks empty into the main channel
will usually put you in productive territory. Often the current is
washing baitfish downstream and the catfish lie in the nooks and
crannies letting the current deliver shad right to their doorstep.
Bumping bottom with a heavy sinker yet keeping the bait up somewhat works
best. Watching a LCR unit is important as you'll sometime mark suspended
catfish and need to adjust your line accordingly.
Nightcrawlers, cut shad, and beef liver have been working well. It's
about time some catalpa worms were showing up too.
Crappie are still being found on the deep sides of sandbars in the main
lake. Depths of 18 to 26 feet were producing fish this week. There's
some crappie still lingering in the deep brushpiles and stakebeds in 13
to 15 foot depths. If you catch a cloudy day those areas will produce.
Live minnows and jigs tipped with minnows are the popular items on the
menu. Big Sandy is still clear while a little dingy water is coming
through the reservoir on the main river channel.
Working those deep ledges will produce some good crappie this time of year
but you have to observe your depth finder closely and slowly work the
submerged structure favoring the deep side of the ledge.
Bass anglers are still finding fish taking big crankbaits, Carolina
rigged worms, and jigs fished on the main lake ledges.
Several smallmouth continue to tag a leadhead jig and finesse baits as
anglers throughout the area are learning to pattern the bronzebacks.
Night fishing is producing some smallies too as anglers toss
spinnerbaits along sloping banks and main river points.
There's still some bass running the shallow grassbeds where minnows can be
found and some are taking buzzbaits and floating worms. Most of the
smaller bass are still working shallow cover. A lot of small largemouth
are biting but it's fun, nevertheless, to find a strike now and then on
those surface lures.
Mayfly hatches are still underway out on the main lake shorelines and
islands. Anglers lucky enough to find a hatch are tearing up the panfish
with flyrods and popping bugs. The ultra light rigs are producing too if
you tie on a small spinner or grub.
Night fishing has produced some stripes as anglers fish beneath floating
lights. Drawing the shad is imperative and the current has helped too.
Some stripes and sauger are being caught while
anglers troll deep diving crankbaits along the main river sandbars but
reports indicate the fish are quite scattered. Not much in the way of
surface schools of white bass just yet but that should improve in the
weeks ahead.
There's no denying the heat index lately but you can still enjoy some good
fishing if you take advantage of those early morning and late afternoon
periods, not to mention the night fishing option.
For Other Fishing Reports
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Steve McCadams
is a professional hunting and fishing guide
here in the
Paris Landing area and host of The Outdoor Channel's television series IN-PURSUIT.
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