east Tennesee catfishing

[jrod79]

does any one know how to get skippys in the winter at either below loudon dam or below watts bar dam and also i need a reliable way of getting shad at these two places without having to get so close to the turbines in the boat because they wont let you walk down the rocks close enough to actually get any . any info would be appreciated as i live in nc but was made to be a tennessean

[Big Dav]

Jeremy,
Welcome to the BOC. I am sure others familiar with those areas will be along to offer the advice you are needing.

[jrod79]

i appreciate it. its hard to get shad down there and be safe and successful at the same timeand ive never tried fishing in the winter much less catching skipjack for bait

[jrod79]

i appreciate it. its hard to get shad down there and be safe and successful at the same timeand ive never tried fishing in the winter much less catching skipjack for bait in the winter that is

[jtrew]

Welcome to the BOC, Jeremy! If there's a power plant warm water discharge anywhere near you, that's the spot to get skippies in the winter.

[keithcatfish]

Skips are hard to find in the winter below Ft. Loudon dam. The warm water discharge at the Kingston steam plant is your best bet.

[Patmansc]

Keith, can you fish there from the bank or do you need a boat?

[jrod79]

where is the kingston steam plant

[jrod79]

hey keith catfish where is the kingston steam plant?

[keithcatfish]

Its in Kingston, TN, on Watts Bar. Drive west on Rt. 40 and you will darn near run into it. It can be fished from a boat as well as the bank.

[rsimms]

I can't help you much on the skipjack. I give up on them in the winter... too hard to locate/catch in my neck of the woods (Chattanooga). But it doesn't bother me... when I want to catfish I just switch to bluegill. It is easy to catch tons of winter bluegill on main channel bluffs. They'll suspend 15-20 feet down... a 1/32 or 1/16 ounce jighead tipped with a wax worm and I have all the fresh bait I want in short order. And I'm convinced that "cut 'gills" work just as well as skippies. Sadly however, our big fish bite has been really tough. Loaded the boat with "eaters" (1 - 3 lb. blues) a week or so ago. But I haven't been back out since it turned hard cold.

[jrod79]

thanks keith .hey is that the hothole below the dam on the left if ur going toward the dam?also thanks to rsimms i think bluegill work well too but i have a friend who has never done any catfish or skipjack fishing and i think he thinks im full of it when i tell him about the fishing in tn so i cant wait to get him down there so he can see what its all about