Water ConditionsThe water elevation is fluctuating between 793.7 and 793.9-feet. Surface temperatures in the channel may vary through the day according to the discharges from Norris Dam and the discharge through Melton Hill Dam. Because of the low level in Norris Reservoir, the outflow from Norris Dam into Melton Hill continues to be low, with outflow rates running between 200 and 400 cfs. The Melton Hill channel has warmed to 84 degrees (surface temperature) with some of the larger hollows up to 86 degrees. The Bull Run Fossil Plant is not running. Flow rates, elevations, and generation times can be found online at http://www.tva.gov/lakes/noh_r.htm.

SPECIES DETAILS
CRAPPIE
Slow. Some night anglers, fishing under lights in the larger creeks have reported better luck.
5 to 10 feet deep, early morning hours or at night under lights, near shoreline or deeper brush.
The better locations were in the heads of the larger creeks, near flooded brush and near timber. Night fishermen are taking some under lights on the lower end hollows. Tuffy minnows tightlined into the brush, 1-inch tube jigs, popeye flies tipped with minnows, trout magnets.

LARGEMOUTH BASS Fair during midday; better at dusk on shady, rocky banks, and at night.
Surface to 15-feet deep. Rear of hollows and at 10-feet on the channel’s gently sloping banks, near wood structure, red clay, and rocks. Topwater action was good on small topwater plugs or soft plastic Flukes/Assassins in some of the creek mouths which open into the main channel.
Crankbaits and spinners were second to slider worms or lizards, small rubber skirted jigs, rubber grubs (Twisters), and Brush Hog-type lures. Watermelon and pumpkin colors continue to work.


SMALLMOUTH
Slow.
Very few smallmouth were seen caught during the daytime. Most smallmouth catches have come at night on the main channels, near small points and on main channel humps.
Surface to 20-feet on points leading into the main channel, near wood structure. Those fish have been in deeper water along the channels, on broken rock banks or occasionally on rock bluffs. Surface hits are slow.
Brush Hogs, ¼ oz rubber skirted pumpkin colored jigs, and shad or pearl colored Flukes, shaky head jigs rigged with 4- or 6-inch Slider-type worms in pumpkin colors.

STRIPED BASS
Fair. Best at dawn.
Surface to 20-feet. Some surface action is being seen in the mornings and late afternoons where baitfish schools were located, most being on the main channel as far down as Reactor Bend.
The Bull Run discharge has stopped, eliminating the baitfish concentrations which had been attracting striped bass. Live shad/skipjack, umbrella rigs (see hook rule). Upriver action has almost stopped due to low water levels when there is no generation from Norris Dam.

WHITE BASS
Fair.
Surface to 10-feet.
Very few white bass catches are being seen, but main channel breaks were seen in random locations. The channel from the mouth of Clark Center to Reactor Bend had some sporadic surface breaks during the afternoons.
In the main channel near sand bars and at the mouth of the larger creeks.
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.

BLUEGILL and SHELLCRACKER
Good.
On the bottom in the coves, 5 to 15-feet deep. Many have dropped into deeper water on the steep banks. Larger bluegill are deeper than those in the shallow brush.
Crickets or red worms are catching bluegill and shellcracker on the bottom, in the rear of coves, especially where creeks enter the lake and cover is present. Shellcracker are hitting redworms or small minnows fished under floats, in the shallows at less than 10-feet deep. Good bluegill catches are being taken on crickets fished with no float, along the bottom in coves and flats. Popping bug action is good for those few who are fishing that way. Deeper water is producing some in shady, rocky areas on crickets tightlined to about 10-feet.