Fishing Report For Woods Reservoir, TN

By Rick Seaman

May 28, 2025

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Fishing Report Woods Reservoir, TN

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Woods Reservoir, TN

Black Crappie - White Crappie

Uncle Buck's Panfish Creatures Curly Tail Minnow Rigged

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Excellent

During the cold months of Winter, crappie fishing was good for anglers targeting river channel edges in 20 to 25 feet of water. As Spring is warming the water into the mid 60's, crappie are moving into shallow water to spawn. Expect to find crappie in 5 to 10 feet of water in the upper end of the lake, above the Highway 127 bridge. Stumps, brush, wood and vegetation are all good places to cast small crappie jigs or live minnows. Once the spawn is over, and the hot Summer sun warms the shallows, crappie retreat to depths of 15 to 20 feet, or deeper. Light tackle with 4 lb to 8 lb line is ideal. Fish finders and forward facing sonar help locate schools of crappie.

White Bass

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good

White bass here have completed their spawn run upstream into the river area, and running creeks. Good numbers are being caught east of the Highway 127 bridge. This is a prime time to fill the livewells with some fat white bass. Minnows, swimbaits, curly-tail jigs, underspins, small crankbaits, small jerkbaits, and most any lure that looks like baitfish are working. During Summer, Fall and Winter the white bass congregate in the main lake areas, following schools of baitfish.

Channel Catfish

Current Report: Good To Very Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Channel cats weighing over 10 pounds are being caught here with some regularity. The prime area is the section of the lake, up-river from the Highway 127 bridge. Fishing for channel catfish is very productive here around the stump fields, in this area just off the river channel. Fishing late in the day until midnight often produces the best fishing activity as this is prime feeding time for channel catfish. Spring, and again in Fall, are some of the best time of year. Cut bait, especially shad, or big gobs of nightcrawlers are the most popular baits here. Slip sinkers, 3-way rigs, or Carolina rigs are all working to keep the bait close to the bottom.

Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass, warmouth, white bass and yellow bass at Woods Reservoir in Tennessee.

Woods Reservoir is a 4,000 acre lake with around 65 miles of shoreline. It's one of the best crappie lakes in the state, and sizable populations of white, largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, plus walleye, catfish and sunfish. Fishing is open to the public, and there is ample areas for fishing from the bank.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Tennessee Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".