WATER CONDITIONS
On May 7th the water level was 793.46-ft and was predicted to remain fairly steady through Friday, May 9^th. Surface temperatures in the channel may vary through the day according to the discharges from Norris Dam and the discharge through Melton Hill Dam. The outflow from Norris Dam was low this week, allowing the water to warm to 75 degrees (surface temperature). Discharge water from the Bull Run plant was 77 degrees. The water in the main channel was 73 to 75 degrees, and clear or with a light stain in most areas. Some hollows saw temperatures as high as 78 degrees.

SPECIES DETAILS
CRAPPIE
Fair.
Crappie are spawning in many of the coves at 3- to 10-feet deep.
Crappie catches were slow at Clark Center Park. Some catches came from the Solway access vicinity, Bull Run Creek, Beaver Creek, Bearden Creek, and a few in the Bull Run plant discharge canal. Mid-section to lower end creeks and larger hollows with downed trees and brush.
Tuffy minnows, 1-inch tube jigs, popeye flies tipped with minnows, trout magnets.

LARGEMOUTH BASS
Good.
Surface to 10-feet deep. Some are spawning or are post-spawn.
Largemouth are hitting on the main channel bluffs, shallow, where wood structure is nearby. Others have been caught in the back of the coves, on secondary points, within inches of wood structure (downed trees in most cases).

Shad or crawfish color crankbaits and watermelon color soft swimbaits, Brush Hogs, and rubber skirted jigs were taking some on the main channel, rocky banks, very close to the shoreline. The edges of the sandbar humps in mid-channel produced a few on deep running crankbaits where milfoil was present.
3/8 oz spinners, soft swim baits, Zoom grubs, or slider worms on shaky head jigs, ½-oz hair or rubber skirted jigs. A variety of watermelon colors have been the favorite colors.


SMALLMOUTH
Slow.
Some have been caught from the surface to 10 feet on points leading into the main channel, near wood structure, close to the shoreline.
Brush Hogs, ¼ oz rubber skirted watermelon colored jigs.

STRIPED BASS
Fair
Surface to 20-feet. Some surface action is being seen in the mornings and late afternoons where baitfish schools are located.
The Bull Run discharge fish have dispersed. The water in the channel is the same as in the discharge, resulting in lower baitfish numbers in the discharge area.
Live shad/skipjack, umbrella rigs (see hook rule). Good surface action has been seen in mid-channel in this section.

WALLEYE
Slow
5 to 10-feet
Channel near Hwy 61 Bridge and shoals above.
Doll flies tipped with plastic grubs (Twisters), Rapalas, Shad Raps.
On the bottom in mid-channel and in the shoals above Hwy 61 Bridge.

WHITE BASS
Moderate. Same pattern as last week.
Surface to 10-feet. On sunny days, on the bottom in creek mouths and the Bull Run discharge canal. White bass catches were lower than in previous weeks, but catches are still being made where creeks flow into the reservoir.

Main channel shorelines and off shallow bars in mid-channel, mainly on the portion from Bull Run Creek and above. Clear days saw these fish as deep as 15-feet, but hitting well on the surface on cloudy days.

Tuffy minnows or shiners were working best, either cast to the breaks or fished deep. Small chrome/white spinners, minnows, white hair jigs, 2 to 4-inch plastic swimbaits or grubs on leadheads.