Question about selecting good fishing spots

[East_TN_Patriot]

I live in Knoxville and I’m a total newbie when it comes to fishing, so please go easy on me. I have rod/reel/tackle and my license with trout stamp, so I’m set up to go. My problem is that I don’t know where to go and how to choose a good spot to target. I have to do some fishing with my son for one of his Cub Scout awards and I want to give him the best shot at actually catching something. Any advice or suggestions? 

[DaveTN]

This might help.

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/entertainment/outdoors/2018/07/05/east-tennessee-fishing-spots-fort-loudoun-lake-cherokee-lake-watauga-reservoir/686928002/

 

http://www.outdoorknoxville.com/play/fishing/local-fishing-spots

 

https://www.visitknoxville.com/blog/post/top-spots-around-knoxville-for-prime-bass-fishing/

 

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by DaveTN

[East_TN_Patriot]

I’ve read articles like this, but my problem is that I don’t know exactly where to go or what sort of spots to look for once I get there. I’ve tried fishing at Norris Lake and the Tennessee River a few times with no luck. I’m sure part of this due to my own lack of skill, but I also wonder if I’m just not throwing my line in the right sort of spots.

[xsubsailor]

 I've ordered several maps from this site and they are a great help. I don't know anything about the Tennessee river.

https://scmaps.com/downloads/tennessee/

This is the type of map you get.

I color coded and laminated mine.

Edited March 28, 2020 by xsubsailor

[Shorty]

Just about any lake/pond you go to, your chances of catching something are going to be within a couple of feet of any structure, as in docks, fallen trees, brush piles and trees hanging low to the water. (bass and bream).  Grasses and lily pads are good too for bass.  If you can find any of that near a running spring or creek that dumps into body of water, even better.  Expect to get hung up on something occasionally, it's part of fishing.  Right now.may be a bit tough with all the rain we've had.lately, but water temps should be going up soon and the spawn won't be far behind.

Look up your local fishing reports before you go to see where and what the fish are biting on.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Shorty

[RED333]

Live bait is the answer, be it red wigglers, night crawlers, meal worms and crickets., With a night crawler, hook it in the head end about 1/4 inch back from the tip. Now get a syringe with needle and inject air into the worm. with a sinker about 12 inches in front of the hooked worm cast it out and jig it back. Red wiggler you need a bobber, weight and small hook. put the weight about 12 inches above the hook, put the bobber 12 inches above the weight. Hook the worn as any times as you can on the hook. Cast near rocks or tree roots. Same set up for meal worms and crickets. This all these WILL get bites, small hooks for small fish.

https://www.theonlinefisherman.com/hooks

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=night+crawlers+worms+inject+air&t=ffnt&ia=web

[gregintenn]

Fishing is a hit or miss proposition. One day you’ll catch a truckload and the next day not get a bite.

[RED333]

Fishing, not as hard as golf and a lot more fun and you can eat on a good day.

[bud]

.

Edited June 9, 2020 by bud

[MacGyver]

Yep. If you’re trout fishing in Tennessee don’t cast a side eye at some canned corn on your hook, either. 

[TomInMN]

Look for transition areas, animals often like them. Moving to still or fast to slow water, big water depth changes, aquatic vegetation edges or holes, terrestrial vegetation into the water, even a really big rock (like half a car) in a pond where it doesn't really belong will sometimes hold fish.

 

Partly a commercial, but some decent advice: https://deepersonar.com/us/en_us/blog/finding-hotspots

 

A lot of guys up here have the Navionics app on their phones. That has the ability to share marked spots, so you might be able to see some places others are willing to give up. (Or do accidently.)

 

Is guiding something people do down there? If you can swing it, hiring a guide for a half or full day can be a decent way to get a foothold in a new area. (Even if *every* area is a new area...)

Edited March 30, 2020 by TomInMN
Jeez autocorrect, why so violent? No need to hurt the guides, let's just hire them...

[gregintenn]

10 hours ago, MacGyver said:

Yep. If you’re trout fishing in Tennessee don’t cast a side eye at some canned corn on your hook, either. 

Canned corn and tiny marshmallows work well for trout inn the Caney Fork and Obey rivers.

[peejman]

My Cub Scouts are working on the same requirement. Well, we were a few weeks ago... 

Brim and bluegill are easy to catch and fight just enough to be fun for kids.   

My best advice is KISS.... live worms, small hooks, a bobber, and go find a local fishing pier or just stand on the bank where the water isn't moving fast and there isn't much debris to get hung up on.  Go when it's warm and the fish will be more active near the surface.  

We've caught bunches of them standing on the bank near any of the multitude of boat ramps.  If you've got more than one kid, don't plan to do much fishing yourself.  You'll be busy helping them the whole time.  

Edit... this is a great way to teach kids patience in a world of instant gratification.  If you're not having luck, change your depth, move 100 yds down the bank... or just wait longer. You can spend an hour with without a nibble, and then all of a sudden you can't bait the hooks fast enough. That's just how it is. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by peejman

[Dirtshooter]

To add to the above post, keep your corks as small as possible to keep your bait suspended. The bigger the cork, the bigger the splash and fish are spooky. I learned that from years of fishing, I actually use turkey quills for my corks when bream fishing with a cricket. If a fish so much as breathes on the cricket that light float will move. Good luck, good times with your son. My old quote is keep your kids hunting and fishing and you won't have to be hunting them when they are teenagers!!

[TomInMN]

@Dirtshooter, would you tell us how you rig a turkey quill? You've got me curious...

[bud]

.

Edited June 9, 2020 by bud

[MacGyver]

I heard from him last week - holed up wherever he is these days.  Seems to be doing alright.  Don't know what his connectivity looks like out there.

[quedz]

3 hours ago, bud said:

Where's @bersaguy these days?

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• LAST VISITED 4 hours ago

  4 hours ago

[quedz]

1 minute ago, hughd said:

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•  N/A

  4 hours ago

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by hughd
double post

[Dirtshooter]

Hey Tom, take about 3 or so inches of the turkey quill, either tail or wing feathers, trim any fuzzy feather off. Take 2 pieces of either surgical tubing smaller diameter that the quill. Thread fishing line thru the tubing and roll over the quill and slide it to desired depth. You can also use the small rubber bands that orthandontist's use.

Doug aka Bersaguy is ok.

[Dirtshooter]

I have to give credit to the man that taught me this trick, Walt who lives near Yazoo City, Ms. He worked with my BIL, and it was said the only reason he worked was to buy shotgun shells and crickets so he could hunt turkeys and catch big bluegill!!

[bersaguy]

Hey yall. I'm still around and kicking. Just not goin out and trying to catch that nasty bug the is going around. My Daughter and SIL have been doing all my errand running since they both are still working. SIL(Tommy) is Superintendent on a big construction site in downtown Nashville and all of his employees are wearing N95 masks that are required for their job spraying fireproofing and my daughter is doing home healthcare 1 on 1 in the persons home and she is also wearing scrubs and a N95 mask while at work so they do my shopping while they are out. Tommy gave me an N95 mask to wear when they come in the house to bring supplies and once they leave I spray what they bought with Lysol and let it sit a few minutes. Once I have things put up I wash my hands with soap and hot water and then add hand sanitizer to the mix. According to the map of counties with the virus the county I live in which is Smith only has 3 recorded cases and I'm trying to not be number 4. Hope all of you stay clear of it.  Stay safe my friends!!

[RED333]

Good to hear from you Doug, glad you are staying in.

[gregintenn]

5 hours ago, bersaguy said:

Hey yall. I'm still around and kicking. Just not goin out and trying to catch that nasty bug the is going around. My Daughter and SIL have been doing all my errand running since they both are still working. SIL(Tommy) is Superintendent on a big construction site in downtown Nashville and all of his employees are wearing N95 masks that are required for their job spraying fireproofing and my daughter is doing home healthcare 1 on 1 in the persons home and she is also wearing scrubs and a N95 mask while at work so they do my shopping while they are out. Tommy gave me an N95 mask to wear when they come in the house to bring supplies and once they leave I spray what they bought with Lysol and let it sit a few minutes. Once I have things put up I wash my hands with soap and hot water and then add hand sanitizer to the mix. According to the map of counties with the virus the county I live in which is Smith only has 3 recorded cases and I'm trying to not be number 4. Hope all of you stay clear of it.  Stay safe my friends!!

Glad to hear from you, Doug. Check in with us once in a while when you get a chance.

Oh yeah....tell us the secret to catching fish please.

Edited April 10, 2020 by gregintenn

[AuEagle]

Happy you're doin' OK Doug.