Here is the TWRA fishing report for June 19:
Center Hill: Fishing is fair. Water temperature is 85 degrees. Lake is stable. Bass fishing is fair at night while using jigs, spinnerbaits and soft plastics in 5-to-10 feet of water on channel banks. Walleye fishing is good while trolling nightcrawlers on clay banks in 16-to-20 feet of water. Bluegill fishing is fair while fishing crickets in 10 feet of water on gravel banks.
Chickamauga: The lake is full and stable. The surface temperature is in the mid eighties. The lack of current has the bite for all species more difficult than one might expect. Kentucky anglers that spent several days fishing for catfish last year during this same time slot were catching as many as one hundred catfish a day. This year they are catching less than ten. Deep bass are not as dependable because the bass really do not position themselves as they might during normal times with current. Some bass are being caught along the bank. Plastic worms are the most used lure by most anglers. Bluegill are being caught along rocky bluff areas and some bluegill are spawning. Striped bass can be caught in numbers below Watts Bar Dam. Shad is the better bait. The shad are difficult to get below Watts Bar Dam. A better alternative would be to get the shad somewhere else. Some crappie are being trolled up by a very few anglers in the deep secondary holes. Some dock pitchers are sharing community holes and a few are being caught. Most dock pitchers are catching black crappie and secondary creek anglers are catching more white crappie. Jigs, minnows and crankbaits will complete any crappie arsenal along with the required accessories such as split shots, hooks, and floats.
Cordell Hull: Fishing is good; Water temperature is 78 degrees; lake is fairly stable. Several good largemouth are being caught while fishing submerged stumps and points in 5-to-10 feet of water. A few crappie are being caught on jigs around laydown brush in 5 feet of water.
Dale Hollow: Fishing is slow. Water temperature is 86 degrees. Lake is stable. A few smallmouth are being caught early in the morning on topwater baits, while fish are chasing shad. Bass fishing is fair at night while using jigs and small plastics in 5-to-10 feet of water on points. A few walleye are being caught while trolling deep running crankbaits on the main lake flats. A few trout are being caught near the dam while trolling with downriggers in 40-60 feet of water.
Nickajack: The lake surface temperature is in the 80's. Bass are being caught more often along ledges or ditches adjacent to the main channel. Areas above Mullin's Cove are holding bass along the flats adjacent to the main channel. Plastic worms are being used for bait more often than other lures. Some schooling bass are being caught on the lower end. Some topwater action has occurred especially near the schoolers. Catfish, stripers, and other popular species should pick up when the current flow increases. Sunfish are being caught along rocky bluffs and shorelines and on the bottom in the upper reservoir.
Watts Bar: The lake is full and the surface water temperature is in the 80s. The bass bite is slow. Some anglers are catching a few good stringers, but the average catch is below what is normally expected. The water flow is very minimal on most days. Summer bass holes are not very consistent with the present conditions. The best bet for hooking up with a few bass would be fishing the banks with plastic worms rigged various ways along the main channel. Crappie are being caught in deep secondary brushy areas while using jigs, minnows or a combination of both. Target depth should be 15 feet deep. Some bluegill can be caught around bluff walls and docks while using worms or crickets. Catfish anglers are reporting mixed results. Shad is the better bait for the larger fish. Striped bass can be caught in the tailwaters for those that are proficient in the art of striper fishing. 40 stripers a day is not unattainable. Shad is the better choice. For the numbers to be good all the conditions must be in alignment.