WATER CONDITIONS
The water elevation on December 25^th was 1001.7-feet, which is 1-foot higher than last Wednesday’s elevation. The water level is predicted to fall 1.5-inches through Friday, December 27^th. The inflow is 11,868 cfs. The surface water temperature at Highway 25E’s crossing over the Clinch River was 43 degrees. The channel in the vicinity of the Highway 33 bridge crossing was 46 degrees. The surface temperature is 51 to 53 degrees from Loyston to Norris Dam, Cove Creek up to Twin Cove, and on the lower half of the Powell arm. The reservoir is clear in most locations, the exception being the upper end river arms and the head of some of the creeks. As the elevation drops, the stained water is expected to advance farther into the upper part of the reservoir.
Moon phase: quarter moon. The new moon is January 1st. The next full moon will be on January 16.
To view photos and Google maps of all access areas on the reservoir, go to http://www.tnfish.org/ReservoirLakeM...eMaps_TWRA.htm or http://tinyurl.com/chm2ts9.
For the Norris lake elevation, inflow rates, and generation times, go to http://www.tva.gov/lakes/noh_r.htm.

SUMMARY
Rising water, heavy rain, and cold weather has kept fishing pressure to a minimum. Bass are hitting along the shorelines at less than 10-feet deep in many locations. The discharge currents are putting smallmouth far out on the sloping points, but at less than 20-feet deep. Smallmouth are also hitting on the boulder-strewn shorelines at less than 10-feet deep. Crappie are hitting in Sycamore Creek and Clinch channel above Point 30. The head of the larger creek embayments are producing more crappie where there is some stained water.

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SPECIES DETAILS

BLUEGILL/REDEAR
Bluegill: Slow. Shellcracker: Slow.
Bluegill catches slowed with the colder water. Catches increased in deeper water along rocky, moderately sloped shorelines. If you’re using live bait, fish with crickets and no float, and keep moving. Mid-day catches have come as deep as 15-feet on tightlined crickets on steep, broken rock banks or with crickets dragged along the bottom. Crickets or mealworms are the best for bluegill, the bait tightlined or cast to steeper, broken rock banks where there is shade. For the larger ones, avoid using a float, but cast or tightline with sinkers to get the bait quickly to depth.
Afternoon shellcracker catches slowed since last week. For shellcrackers, slowly troll nightcrawlers, 10-feet deep on the bottom along sunny, gravel shorelines in the Loyston area and in the back of Lost Creek. These fish are hitting redworms or nightcrawlers but are scattered.

CRAPPIE
Moderate.
In the rear of larger creeks where there is brush on the channels and in the coves, on brush or timber. Stained areas are seeing catches as shallow as 5-feet, whether on the main channels or in the larger creek embayments.
5 to 15-feet deep on the lower end, tight to brush and wood structure. Main channel catches on the Clinch above Sycamore Creek and from Greenwelch ramp to Point 30 improved with better water conditions.
Good lures: Tuffy minnows, small doll flies, mini tube jigs (red/white, blue/white) and 1/32 ounce hair or feather jigs tipped with minnows, Trout Magnets, or Slider grubs in a variety of colors. Historically good locations to try: Powell River arm channel from Point 15 vicinity to Earl’s Hollow. Davis Creek from its headwaters to a half-mile below Powell Valley Marina. Doaks Creek. Big Creek from Indian River Marina to Campbell County Park. Cove Creek above Twin Cove Marina. Mill Creek, Big Ridge Hollow, Lost Creek above its junction with White Creek. Poor Land Creek. Bear Creek. Flint Creek. Sycamore Creek. The Clinch channel above Point 31.

LARGEMOUTH & SPOTTED BASS
Good.
Topwater to 15-feet.
Spinners, medium running Bandits or Norman crankbaits, and smoke colored grubs (Twisters) at less than 15-feet deep.
¼-ounce doll flies (lighter colors) tipped with minnows or two inches of nightcrawler are catching spotted bass on the gravel/rock shorelines, on the bottom at less than 15-feet deep.
Medium running crankbaits in crawfish or shad patterns, chrome lipless crankbaits, spinners, 3-inch plastic grubs (Twister type) or swimbaits (Yum, Yamamoto), are catching some largemouth and spotted bass close to shoreline rocks on the main channels.
The Powell side, Davis Creek, and Cove Creek continue to produce the most spotted bass.

SMALLMOUTH BASS
Good.
On the long points extending into the deeper channels, and on the edges of mid-lake humps at 20-feet.
¼-ounce doll flies (dark green or gray) tipped with minnows are working well along the bottom, at less than 15-feet deep on gently sloping gravel and large rock shorelines, often far from shore where the slope is more gradual. Float ‘n fly rigs worked for suspended smallmouth on sunny, breezy days at 12-feet, but that action was moderate at best for most.
5 to 15-feet on old timber and large broken rock structure, and on transition zones on the shorelines. On sunny days, smallmouth were found suspended at about 10 to 15-feet. Smoke colored plastic grubs, spinners and crankbait action is good for shallower fish. The better catches are coming on 4 or 6 pound test, low visibility line where the water is clear on the lower end of the reservoir. 15 to 20-foot deep shelf drop-offs, humps, and long points are producing larger smallmouth.
The water remains clear, with up to 10-feet of visibility. Line weights of 4 to 6 pound test are taking the most smallmouth is clear water areas for flies, smaller jigs, and plastic grubs or small Finesse worms.

*REGULATION FOR SMALLMOUTH BASS: June 1^st – October 15^th, one per day, 20-inch minimum length limit. October 16^th – May 31^st, five per day (in combination with largemouth), 18-inch minimum length limit.

STRIPED BASS
Good.
Surface to 25-feet in mid-channel on the river arms and large creek embayments. On sunny days, they’re being found at 40-feet in the channels. Surface feeding fish have been seen widely scattered across the reservoir in early mornings and late afternoons, mainly in the channels on the upper half of the lake where baitfish schools are most numerous. Bird activity is good where baitfish are shallow.
Loyston catches and surface feeding continue to be scarce. Some good locations are Island F to Highway 33 Bridge; Straight Creek to Point 30; Cove Creek from Point 3 to Point 4. But if there are flocks of feeding gulls, striped bass are likely in the area, feeding on the same forage.
Troll ½ to 1 oz bucktail jigs, umbrella rigs with trailers in pearl or chartreuse, or live bait (gizzard shad, shiners, or alewife) tightlined, or trolled with downriggers, to the depth of the forage fish schools in mid-channel especially across the points and humps.

There is a new, statewide hook regulation in effect. Read it here: http://www.eregulations.com/tennesse...s-regulations/

*REGULATION REMINDER FOR STRIPED BASS: November 1st through March 31^st, 1 per day, 36-inch minimum length limit.


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