Chickamauga Lake is a reservoir in Tennessee and it is a popular fishing and boating destination. This reservoir was created in 1940 when the Tennessee Valley Authority impounded a section of the Tennessee River. Chickamauga covers more than 36,000 acres with over 800 miles of shoreline.
Chickamauga lake is loaded with so many different species of fish, however most anglers come here to target largemouth bass, catfish and panfish. The largemouth bass fishery is really good and since they started stocking the Florida strain largemouth bass, this lake has really taken off. Largemouth bass over 10 pounds are very realistic on Chickamauga Lake. Catfish are here in good numbers also with many large fish in the system. Crappie, white bass, yellow bass and bluegill are found throughout the lake as well. Try throwing some smaller baits and you should be able to get a lot of action, especially in the spring in the fall.
There are also some very nice smallmouth bass, striped bass and walleye in this system. However, this reservoir is not loaded with these fish so you’re limited to certain spots where these fish are a little more congregated. The tailwater fishery below Watts Bar Dam is a great spot to fish if you want to target all three species of these fish. Some other good spots for smallmouth bass are around Nickajack Creek and around Hiawassee Island, also known as Jollys Island and Benham Island. This island is located in Meigs County, Tennessee, at the confluence of the Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers.
Florida Strain Largemouth Bass are Stocked Here
The state of Tennessee began stocking Chickamauga Lake with Florida strain largemouth bass many years ago with the hopes of creating a hybrid largemouth bass that grows to very large sizes and it also aggressive so anglers can catch them on a variety of lures. To say they succeeded would be a huge understatement. The largemouth bass fishery has taken off here and it is now one of the best largemouth bass lakes in the country. There are good numbers of largemouth bass and some very huge bass here that many anglers are catching on a variety of lures.
This Reservoir is an Awesome Multi-Species Fishery
If you use baits that mimic smaller minnows, there is a chance you can catch largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, white bass, yellow bass, crappie, bigger bluegill and even catfish. It is truly an amazing fishery for catching so many different species of fish. The live bait anglers really never know what they’re going to catch as long as they’re not using really big live baits. However, if you upsize to those bigger live minnows, bluegill or shad, you still might not know what you’re going to catch because you can easily catch huge largemouth bass, catfish, smallmouth bass and striped bass. It is a really fun place to fish if you like catching a variety of different fish species.
This Reservoir is Huge
This reservoir is huge that it can be overwhelming for many new anglers because you just don’t know where to start will all this water to fish. There is so much good water to fish, so it can be as simple as just breaking areas up into smaller areas and just go fish areas that look fishy. With so many species of fish in this lake, there is a good chance you’re going to catch something while you learn the better areas to fish.
Upper Half of the Reservoir
The upper half of this reservoir is more riverine than the mid to lower ends of the reservoir. Well you still may catch just about everything that swims in this lake in this part of the reservoir, most anglers come to this part of lake to target striped bass, big catfish and big smallmouth bass.
Middle Half of the Reservoir
The middle half of the reservoir has less current than you see in the upper part near Watts Bar Dam. This part of the reservoir is located near the town of Dayton, Tennessee and it continues west of Highway 60. This part of the lake is loaded with creek arms and there is a lot of development on the lake, so you will find plenty of boat docks and rip rap shorelines. You get a little less boat traffic here than down in the Chattanooga area, so you can definitely find some spots to have all to yourself. The bass fishing is very good in this part of the reservoir.
Lower End of the Reservoir (Chattanooga Area)
The lower end of the reservoir is a lot more popular since it’s located right in town. Because of the added fishing pressure in this area, the bass do see a lot of fishing lures in many of the obvious fishing spots. However, this part of the lake offers some unbelievable bass fishing. There are so many huge bass caught in this part of the lake, but you do have to put in your time and at times, it pays off to try some things that other anglers may not be trying.
Fish the Backwater Areas
Whether it’s the creek arms, the bays or the small coves just off the main river channel, there are so many good looking spots to target bass throughout most of the reservoir. In these areas, you will find boat docks, rip rap shorelines, rocky bottoms, wood and vegetation. Once you are on this lake, there will seem like a never-ending amount of spots that could hold bass and other species of fish too.
Fish Below Watts Bar Dam
The tailwater fishery below Watts Bar Dam is one of the best places to fish for big fish. Angler’s target huge catfish, huge stripers and some big smallmouth bass too. Make sure you pay attention to the water levels here because the current can be pretty fast when the river is running high.
Fish the Rocks
There is a lot of rock on the river. Some areas will have nice rip rap shorelines that are great spots to fish for a variety of fish. Other areas will have some nice rock bottom. If you spend a day on the lake here, there’s a very good chance you’re going to be fishing some rock at some point. Find some rocks near current and you’ll have a better shot at locating some smallmouth bass.
Fish the Weeds
There is a good amount of vegetation in the parts of the lake with less current. If you want to fish weeds, this is definitely a pattern you can fish from spring through fall. You’re going to find plenty of largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie around the weeds.
Fish the Wood
Like most river systems, there’s going to be a lot of wood scattered throughout the reservoir. Anglers that are targeting wood will usually be fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill or crappie. There is plenty of obvious wood that you can see with your eyes, however, you will need your electronics to find some of the better spots to target bass around the wood. There are some absolute giants that will be found around these downed trees around the lake.
