Along with fishing boundaries, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) guidelines will specify minimum length limits for smallmouth bass, creel limits (the number of a particular sport fish you may keep in one day ’ s fishing), and more. Although his rod and reel choice differs between his finesse jig and jig head grub applications, his mainline and leader preference remains the same. East Tennessee Guide Service offers 4 hour and 8 hour guided fishing trips for some of the best largemouth bass, small mouth bass, and striper to 6 different lakes in East Tennessee including Cherokee Lake, Douglas Lake, Chicamauga Lake, Norris Lake, Ft. Loudon Lake and Watts Bar Lake. Card pointed out that the Winch's slower 4:7:1 gear ratio is perfect for slow rolling a grub and that it helps him slow down his presentation which is crucial in the cold water. Most of his strikes come when the bait is falling. Come to East Tennessee this fall and go bass fishing with a seasonal bonus at Cherokee Lake. From the dam on up the Tennessee River just before you see the Knoxville skyline is where Strader said to put your smallmouth fishing emphasis. Recently Card took a few moments from his busy tournament schedule to visit with the Inside Line and to talk about fishing the Yamamoto Double Tail and Single Tail Grub for clear cold water brown bass. He'll spool up with 15 lb. These fish are delicious and they are fun to catch. They also utilize the same habitat and may compete with the larger smallmouth bass. Sirius is called the Dog Star because it’s the brightest star in the constellation of the dog that follows Orion the Hunter around. East Tennessee Region. Read more One of bass fishing’s most decorated anglers, Larry Nixon owns a well-deserved reputation for being able to catch ‘em every month of the year. Fishing with a variety of soft Winter time fishing on the Tennessee River for Smallmouth Bass. The receipt must be in your possession and have your name on it and the dealer’s name, address and license number on it. | Add your comment, Published 12:29 am Friday, January 17, 2020. Smallmouth Bas s These feisty fish can be found in large numbers and size in the Nolichucky and Holston Proper Rivers. The Perfect Crayfish Imitator While the Shad Shape Worm is an extremely effective offering for both largemouths and spotted bass, it is a must-have weapon in the arsenal of serious brown bass hunters. There is a reason they call the sportfishing and not catching. Once again, just ... The topwater action for smallmouth and largemouth is prime, and you get to fish amid the backdrop of spectacular fall colors. First, dress warm and brave the cold because colder weather will often trigger these big fish to bite. A Productive Summer of Fly Fishing the Smokies and East Tennessee August 28, 2018; Late Summer Fishing Report from the Smokies and East Tennessee August 2, 2017; Summer’s Last August 31, 2015; Running Out the Clock on Summer Heat August 28, 2015; To put it simply, where the baitfish are the predators will be there also. Card likes to fish a compact football head style jig. Want to catch smallmouth bass in the five to seven-pound range? FROM STAFF REPORTS The Hampton Bulldogs continue to play impressive basketball on both the girls and boys side as Hampton... read more, 2021 will present new challenges, healing, East Tennessee History: The Stolen Ornaments, Forgiveness is good New Year’s Resolution for 2021, Reader wants mask mandate from the governor, Despite pandemic, Elizabethton lights up at Christmas, Headrick-led Lady Cyclones defeat First Baptist Academy, Two local athletes join elusive 1,000th point club, Bulldogs fall to host Maryville in Christmas tourney, Hospitalizations, deaths, and positivity rate continues to rise, County Mayor releases statement on vaccines, A Life Lived: Sue Smith loved the Lord and her church, After naming bombing suspect, focus turns to motive, Cyclones win Heritage Christmas tournament, Getting a sugar fix… Hundreds turn out for the 2020 Downtown Elizabethton Trick or Treat, Alzheimer’s TN Caregiver Support Group meets Nov. 16. The rainbow trout minnow. Smallmouth Bass. The good smallmouth fishing in February is best on the lower half of the lake. The fifth stop of the FLW Tour is presented by Lowrance and sure to be fun if you like east Tennessee, smallmouths and good fishing (who doesn’t?). There is a rule established by the TWRA that allows any angler to use rainbow trout minnows for baitfish if the trout minnows are under eight inches in length and if you have a receipt from where you purchased the minnows. East Tennessee Best Times To Fish (by type) East Tennessee fishing adventures yield a wide variety of fish from our area lakes, rivers and streams. Next comes the fun part. finesse jig with a 4” or 5” Yamamoto Double Tail Grub,” revealed Card. Bassmaster noted smallmouth bass were particularly plentiful. “The Shad Shape Worm is my favorite for smallmouths and it’s a go-to drop shot bait for me.”, Tagged: Brandon Card, Yamamoto Grubs, double tail grub, single tail grub. The term actually comes from an ancient Greek term for the time in the summer when the dog star, Sirius, rises just before the sun. Want to catch smallmouth bass for the table? | Add your comment, BY IVAN SANDERS STAR SPORTS EDITOR ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com  Morgan Headrick had a little added incentive in Elizabethton’s 54-43 win over First Baptist Academy in basketball ... Little RiverThe Little River is not a river at all, but it is one of the largest streams in the Great Smoky … Michigan. It’s arguably the best lake in the country for trophy smallmouth. The dog days might not actually be the hottest days of the year, but they often feel like it. It's just a versatile bait that you can fish super shallow or deep and be able to cover a lot of water with it. In fact, the three biggest smallmouth ever weighed-in have come from Dale Hollow. Some people do not agree with fishing in this way, but as always, I fish for the photo and for the plate. He'll pair his jig with a matching 4” or 5” Green Pumpkin (297) GYCB Double Tail Grub. A new year awaits us, and with it new challenges. Stopped in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to do some smallmouth bass fishing in the Little Pigeon River and see what all i could catch. Wintertime bass fishing is your time on Watauga Lake. In less than 48 hours we will close the door on 2020. Richard is good, but the best guide on that lake since Rogne Brown retired is Dillon Falardeau. I’ve seen photographs of other smallies that large, caught on a fly. Cherokee, tellico, Norris, Watauga, and south holston are all excellent smallmouth Fishing. Every winter the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency stocks thousands of trout to supplement the population of the lake. The Damiki fishing technique got its name from the most popular lure used for the technique, the Damiki Armor Shad. Its waters are home to a flourishing population of fish, … Smallmouth Bass. One of the finest tailwaters in the US, the Clinch River flows from the base … It is not worth the risk. Hook and Plastic Pairings Are Key to Success — Part I, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, 849 S Coppermine Rd, Page, AZ 86040, USA, Grubbing for East Tennessee Smallmouth with Brandon Card, Jay Yelas Drop Shotting the Shad Shape Worm for Smallmouth. If you want to mix things up a bit, you’ll find fantastic smallmouth fishing on Knoxville’s three rivers. Covering 27,700 acres, the lake is the premier smallmouth fishery in the state of Tennessee. Sometimes he will change up the presentation by reeling the grub off the bottom and letting it pendulum back down. In addition to smallies, we may also fish for largemouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, striped bass, hybrid bass, walleyes, sauger, and crappies. Personally, that is all I need to break the winter blues. East Tennessee is home to some of the best bass fishing opportunities in the entire country. The Damiki fishing technique got its name from the most popular lure used for the technique, the Damiki Armor Shad. The Damiki or “video game fishing” technique has become a popular method for winter bass fishing, especially smallmouth, in several East Tennessee reservoirs. With a solid track record on California largemouth factories like Clear Lake and the Cal Delta, Reese gets plenty of face time with jumbos of Florida-strain origin; but every now and then, he feels the need to pick on the those big brown beasts. Dale Hollow is no secret to any serious bass fisherman. “The 4” Yamamoto Single Tail Grub is a really popular bait here in East Tennessee,” said the GYCB Pro. Nestled in the foothills of the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, Cherokee is a uniquely highland reservoir. Bass Fishing Tennessee: Dale Hollow Reservoir. Watauga Lake is a special body of water that is deep enough to support a good trout population. A newcomer to the Tennessee fishing scene, muskies have gained a following among wintertime fishermen, particularly in East Tennessee. Cherokee Lake and Douglas Lake are just outside of the Great Smoky Mountains and provide some of the best largemouth and smallmouth fishing in the area. The best smallmouth fishing is going to be at Chickamauga. Many of these trout cruise around the shoreline for several weeks and search for food. The Damiki or “Video Game Fishing” technique has become a popular method for winter bass fishing, especially smallmouth, in several East Tennessee reservoirs. French broad, Nolichucky, pigeon, little Tennessee, holston, little river, tellico, clinch, even abrams creek in the national park has smallies. I am a Visual Storyteller, helping you leverage opportunities that help people see you and your brand more clearly. Large spi nners, jointed plugs, and large swim… The GSMNP has over 700 miles of freestone streams filled with Brown, Rainbow and Brook Trout along with Smallmouth Bass and Rock Bass. Information for fishing in the State of Tennessee. when fishing deeper than 20' or to compensate for the wind. But during the summer months of June, July and August on Wilson and Pickwick lakes on the Tennessee River in north Alabama, most smallmouth anglers don’t get excited unless they catch a 6-8-pound smallmouth. What gives Michigan its edge … Huge smallmouth and walleye patrol the points of the lake looking for these trout minnows so they can fatten up before the spawn. Card likes to make a long cast and slow roll the grub back to the boat, letting it bump along the bottom. And so Teo, his nephew Boaz and buddy Trey snuck off to the river for some social distancing and smallmouth fishing on Sunday, May 17. Sooner or later you will be checked by a TWRA game warden, and you will get a hefty fine if you cannot prove where you got your trout minnows. East Tennessee smallmouth bass are usually aggressive feeders that will readily take a fly, and because they live leader of Yo-Zuri Top Knot Fluorocarbon. River Fishing. They are the perfect size of baitfish for predators such as smallmouth and walleye so they attract these larger predator fish. My friend Alex caught a 23” smallmouth in one of the tailwaters last year. Throughout most of the nation, a 4-pound smallmouth bass is considered a trophy fish. It's effective for me from the fall through the spring. There are many days, especially in the colder weather when the big fish are sitting up way shallower than what you think, that I'll cast it up to the bank. Below is a recommended guide table for the best times of the year to catch your favorite type of fish. Smallmouth Bass will hit a variety of lures and can be caught during all four seasons here in East Tennessee. The French Broad River and Holston River come together just east of town to form the Tennessee River. His go to color is a mix of Green Pumpkin, Brown and Orange — a pattern known locally as Norris Craw. I know anglers who fish all day for only a few bites but the bites they get are from fish that are wall-hangers. Both are considered by many famous anglers to be some of the best bass fishing rivers in the country. As a professional freshwater fishing guide, my goal is to give you the best opportunity to catch smallmouth bass (smallies) in the beautiful tailrace and freestone rivers of East Tennessee. We do fish all year and no matter the time of year there’s always fish to be caught. You cannot use brown trout or brook trout for bait. The Damiki rig is a jig head paired with any 3-4 inch shad imitating plastic lure. Michigan is the top location for smallmouth bass fishing. 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