WATER CONDITIONS
The water elevation on December 18^th was 1000.7-feet, which is 1-foot lower than last Wednesday’s elevation. The water level is predicted to fall 9.6-inches through Friday, December 20^th. The inflow is 4,490 cfs. The surface water temperature at Highway 25E’s crossing over the Clinch River was 44 degrees. The channel in the vicinity of the Highway 33 bridge crossing was 47 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 mud-stained sections of the Clinch and the larger creeks are quickly clearing.
Moon phase: waning gibbous. 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
Fairly stable water and colder water temperatures have helped smallmouth, spotted bass, and largemouth catches. Most of the good catches have come from water less than 15 feet deep. In sections where there is a bit of color, medium running crankbaits, spinners, and plastic grubs have accounted for most of those fish caught. Stained water on the upper end helped shallow water crappie catches improve.
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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 plastic grubs (Twisters) are taking most of these species from shorelines where there are larger broken rocks.
Where there are schools of baitfish, a fast, ripping retrieve with small X-Raps, Yo-Zuris, and small, slender jerk baits are catching fish when they’re shallow and feeding. Night fishing with spinners was taking some fish during the full moon.
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.
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 improved with shallower fish. Drop-shot rigged hair jigs or drop-shot rigged small Finesse worms; marabou jigs; tube jigs; smoke plastic grubs; deep running and medium running crankbaits; or swim baits are taking smallmouth less than 15-feet deep off wood and/or rock structure. 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.

*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.