Cooling Water Temperatures Bring Better

It’s that time of year again! As summer begins to transition into fall, the catfish are becoming more active and starting to move around in search of food. After the spawning period, they’re hungry and looking to put on some weight before the colder months arrive. On my most recent trip, my guests and I located a moving school of catfish and were able to put some quality fish in the boat — including the biggest catfish they had ever caught! That’s always a special moment for any fishing trip. This time of year can be an excellent opportunity to target catfish because they become more mobile and are often easier to locate when they are actively following schools of baitfish. As the water begins cooling, the fall feeding pattern can really start to develop, creating some exciting opportunities for both numbers and quality fish. I’m currently booking late-summer and early-fall catfish trips, so if you’ve been wanting to get out and battle some Tennessee River catfish, now is a great time to book a trip. Grab a date and let’s go fishing!

The Striped Bass have finally made their migration up the river! After being noticeably late this year with almost no fish showing in April, they have now pushed all the way into the cool water section and all the way up to the dam. Numbers are increasing steadily each week, and even on my mixed-bag multi-species trips we are now catching a couple of Stripers on a regular basis. The fish are surprisingly focused on smaller Gizzard Shad right now instead of the bigger baits they usually prefer. Just today, a guest landed a beautiful 35-pound Striped Bass on a very small Gizzard Shad. The bite has been excellent whether the turbines are running or not. Due to the ongoing drought, the river hasn’t been generating much lately, but that hasn’t slowed the fish down at all. We are still a little below summer pool but getting very close, and these conditions seem to be triggering a really strong bite. If you’ve been waiting for the stripers to show up in good numbers, now is the time. The migration is in full swing and the fishing has been as good as we’ve seen so far this season. Whether you want a dedicated Striper trip or a fun multi-species day, we’re getting into them consistently. Tight lines! Captain Billy

Not every guide will say it, but this has been a tough spring for Striped Bass fishing. Last year, water levels were already above summer pool by mid-April, and the bite was incredible across multiple species. This year has been a different story. A dry April has left water levels nearly four feet below normal summer levels, and the Striped Bass bite has been slow, with fish seemingly locked down. That said, other species have been active. Catfish, White Bass, and Freshwater Drum are biting in good numbers and helping keep trips productive. We did manage to land a big Striped Bass today, though the bite was unusual—pretty typical of how unpredictable they’ve been lately. At first, I thought it was a small Largemouth Bass, but once it realized it was hooked, it took off hard and gave my client a serious fight. A great surprise! We also caught a lot of catfish on this combo trip, and my guest landed a few new personal bests, which made for a great day overall. Hopefully, as water levels rise back toward summer pool, the Striped Bass bite will improve.