I was able to fish a tournament last week and go fishing from the bank for a little while yesterday and here is what is going on.
The bass are scattered. Some are deep, shallow, and everywhere between. There is a ton of bait everywhere you go and most appear to be gizzard shad. However, there are a few threadfins around. The water is cooling off and is in the mid to upper 70's. The lake is still at full pool, but I suspect that will change very soon. Normally, TVA starts lowering it shortly after football season starts.
It is very easy to catch bass right now, both largemouth and smallmouth. All one needs to do is go to the back of creeks and coves and chug a lipless, or other small crankbait and you WILL get bit. Also, I've been catching them by tossing small plastics on spinning gear near dock posts, laydowns, and rocky areas. Size is a whole different story! For every keeper it seems like I have to go through 15 slicks. To catch the bigger fish, I think it would be wise to fish closer to the main lake, but still near the creeks and coves. Fish a little deeper and use bigger crankbaits, spinnerbaits and bigger plastics.
Catfish are also biting very well. The best bait I've used is live gizzard shad caught with a throw net. Blues, Flatheads, and Channels are all pretty shallow and are feeding heavily. They can even be caught occasionally on crankbaits.
White bass, Yellow bass, and Striped bass are also on the move. The whites and yellows can be caught on small crankbaits, spinners and grubs. The stripers are a little harder to catch and the best bait is live bait. Although, it is possible to catch some on crankbaits, bucktails, and topwaters such as big Zara Spooks.
Good luck, have fun, and take a kid with you!
