Fishing Report For Watauga Lake, TN

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Watauga Lake is widely-known as an exceptional smallmouth bass fishery. For smallmouth, focus on the main body of the lake, on the lower end.

FALL. Fall is in full swing and smallmouth have followed schools of baitfish into coves and bays 6 to 18 feet deep. They thrive in the cold, clean water, which is an ideal environment for them. Tube jigs are a great choice when the bass are around 15 feet deep. Drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics are also popular in 10' water or deeper. Jerkbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful, when bass are shallow to mid depth. Later in Fall, smallies move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 20 feet deep. Fishing shallow for smallmouth is often good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

WINTER. Winter will isolate them around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. They can generally be found from 12 to 30 feet deep. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs tend to temp smallmouth in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. After ice out, when water temperatures rise into the 50's, smallmouth move from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. They feed heavily in 3 to 12 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 15 to 18 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

SUMMER. Smallmouth bass are currently feeding shallow early and late in the day in 6 to 12 feet of water. They are being caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, gizzard shad, and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 22 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action. Anglers fishing around the section of the lake around the Roan Creek arm, near the Watauga Dam, around Glendise area and Cobb Creek coves, are reporting good catches.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Considered by many to be the best walleye lake in the state, Watauga Lake is consistently delivering a lot of walleye well over 5 pounds.

FALL. Fall brought cooler temperatures to shallow water, drawing walleye and baitfish shallower. Walleye continue to be a major draw for anglers. Locals report catching nice walleye on long points, flats along the river and creek channels, and structure off shore. Main-lake islands, between the Fish Springs Marina and the Rat Branch are good places to begin searching. Jigs, swimbaits, spoons, crankbaits, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits are all historically good for catching walleye this time of year. Early Fall finds them in 10 to 25 feet of water. Later in Fall, they move out slightly deeper. Dragging jigs, bottom bouncers, or worm harnesses with nightcrawlers or leeches, around ledge drop-offs is catching walleye fairly consistently. Watch for the bigger walleye to be slightly deeper than the majority of the school.

WINTER. This Winter fishing for walleye has been pretty good through the ice, for the last few years. Before, during and after the ice, anglers report catching them in the main basin area, in 20 to 60 feet of water, along deep creek channel edges, rocky humps and ledges. Steep drops in the area toward the dam are also producing during these cold months. They primarily feed on small fish, staying close to the bottom. Blade baits, jigs, swimbaits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners, all work while deep trolling, casting or drifting.

SPRING. Early Spring brings warming water in the shallows, and draws walleye here to feed, especially rocky areas and inlet channels. Around May, the best fishing is during the last hour of the day, until midnight. In Spring work points, drop offs, submerged structure, rock ledges, flats and flats adjacent to deeper water. Here, in 4 to 15 feet deep, they will spawn once the water warms to the mid to high 40's. When they move shallow, bright colored jigs, tipped with minnows or nightcrawlers typically catch them. Spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are also working when walleye are up shallow. Afterwards, they move to 18 to 30 feet deep around points, flats, shoals and ledges, nearby shore, often staying in close proximity to their spawning locations.

SUMMER. Water temperatures rise in Summer, and walleye fishing is good if you can get your bait deep enough. Early in Summer, walleye tend to concentrate in 8 to 15 feet of water. Throughout Summer, early in the morning, and from dusk to long after dark are good times to catch walleye. At those times they move slightly shallower to feed in low-light conditions. Night fishing is often good in Summer, as well. The rest of the time they are cruising flats and creek channel edges, 15 to 40 feet deep , preferring the cooler temperatures. When the bite is slow, grubs and nightcrawlers, fished just off the bottom typically catch walleye.

Current Report: Good

Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish or small trout are good choices. Flashy spoons can be fished at any depth, either jigging, trolling or cast and retrieve. For big lakers, use larger baits. Lakers prefer deeper, colder water and often hang out below the thermocline.

FALL. Lake trout are returning to relatively shallow water, as Fall weather cools the lake. They spawn in the Fall, and for a few weeks can typically be found 30 to 80 feet deep on points, flats and humps that have a rocky bottom. Good catches are coming between the Butler Bridge and Watauga Point. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish, perch or small trout are good choices. Cloudy days, early mornings and early evenings are the best time to catch big lakers. Later in Fall they return to 50 to 120 feet deep, or deeper. Spoons, jigged vertically within the target depth can entice bites. Trolling with spoons, brightly-colored jerkbaits, and spinners with a variety of rigging methods to get these lures to run deep. For big lakers, use larger baits.

WINTER. Favoring water temperatures in the 40's, lake trout find areas to their liking in 60 to 160 feet of water, and tend to stay there throughout the cold months. Patient anglers willing to work slowly are catching some nice lake limits while trolling with leaded line or downriggers. Vertical jigging with spoons and jigs, are additional options during the cold-water season in 80 to 150 feet of water, or deeper.

SPRING. Prime laker fishing season is during Spring. Spring weather finds lake trout, along with baitfish, into 30 to 100 feet of water. Early Spring is a prime time to catch big lakers. Lakers are caught in areas of the lake which have deep water next to shallower, feeding spots. Jigs and heavy spoons are catching the majority of these big lakers. Slow trolling with leaded line or downriggers allows small crankbaits and spinners to be worked in deeper water, which also produces some nice fish. Later in Spring they typically drop into 60 to 150 feet of water.

SUMMER. Summer heat drives lake trout deeper, generally below the thermocline in 80 to 200 feet deep. Early and late in the day, lakers may feed as shallow as 40 feet deep. Generally, lake trout prefer to stay deep, near the thermocline throughout Summer. They look for depth variations like ditches, channels, humps and ledges, but are being caught in the deeper water around this structure. Heavy spoons and jigs, as well as very slow trolling, with leaded line or downriggers, produce many of the lakers being caught during Summer. In late summer concentrate on 5 to 75 feet of water.