Fishing Report

Douglas: Average surface temperature on the lower lake area is 52.2 degrees. The water clarity is stained across the entire lake. The lake is now hazardous due to the decrease in depth. Special caution needs to be exercised especially from point 18 and upstream. Crappie were the most sought after fish for the week and the fishing was good. Crappie anglers were enjoying good catches over the entire lower end of the reservoir. Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing was good also. The best fishing occurred on the main lake areas.  Sauger and walleye are showing up in creels on a routine basis. Bluegill are spotty but when found, they are available in good numbers. The chilly weather seems to have brought the catfish anglers to the water in greater numbers. White bass are not active.

Fort Loudoun: The average surface temperature is in the mid 50’s. The water is clear, with a slightly heavy green tint. With the lake level down about 3-3.5 feet, the bass seem to have gone to deeper water. Most bass anglers seem to be struggling to catch any keeper size bass right now. Deep water structure such as dropoffs and ledges and submerged islands become bass magnets when the water level drops. The crappie bite is still improving daily. Boathouses are a good place to search for some good keeper crappie. Some of the bigger crappie are still a little deep, as deep as 20 feet. As always, live minnows are the best bait choice for crappie, but they are also hitting trolled crankbaits right now.

 Melton Hill: The average water surface temperature is in the mid 50s. The reservoir is still mostly clear with a slightly heavier green tint. Largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, along with striped bass, are all chasing schools of pinhead minnows around the entire reservoir. Find a school of those tiny silver sided minnows and watch for the bass to chase them. If you find schools of bait fish, the game fish or predator fish will be nearby. The bass bite seems to be best on cloudy, overcast days with low barometric pressure. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits seem to be the best lure choice right now for bass. Medium diving crankbaits with at least some silver in the color are doing fair on the breaking fish. Blue and chrome rattletraps are a good choice. Chartreuse and white spinnerbaits are doing fair also. Crappie are moving up into shallower water but still holding tight to structure. Muskie are doing fair right now and seem to be holding close to structure. Bluegill are biting very well and should continue to improve. Catfish are also biting nightcrawlers and cut bait.