While fishing during winter months in Jefferson County can be exciting, I know many anglers are longing for that warmer weather and springtime fishing. Looking at the calendar, warmer months should be approaching, but here in East Tennessee it can be a toss up when exactly spring will settle in. The good news is that regardless of what mother nature decides to throw at us, we will have some “spring like” weather. Longer, warmer days, no matter how sporadic, will start getting fish of all species to act differently. Here is what I’ve witnessed on the water so far this year and what to expect during the winter to spring transition.
From Winter to Spring on Douglas Lake
One thing that I notice this time of year on Douglas Lake is water temperatures vary drastically. While one end of the reservoir might be dirty and warm, the other end can be clear and cold. The water temperature at the Dandridge Dock at the time of this report was 46 degrees. The warmest being 53 degrees in the upper section and the coldest being 40 degrees in the lower section. This might sound confusing at first, but it provides opportunities for all anglers. Whether you want to target cold water smallmouth with finesse techniques or throw crankbaits and cover water for largemouth, Douglas has everything right now.
Target main lake deep water points and schools of baitfish with damiki style baits, silver buddy style baits, small swimbaits and ned rigs to find bass in the clearer, colder sections of the lake. Look for shallow flat banks with scattered rock and steeper main lake rocky banks in the dirty warmer water to be successful with a variety of crankbaits and jigs. The unique thing about Douglas Lake is that you can have a great day of bass fishing with both largemouth and smallmouth bass on any section of the fishery.
Crappie fishing is fantastic this time of the year and will only get better until the heat of the summer. Look for fish to be positioned in 10ft-20ft of water out in the creek channels. Utilizing forward facing sonar or trolling methods is your best bet.
Winter to Spring Patterns on Cherokee Lake
Nearby Cherokee Lake is a little more consistent in water clarity and temperature. Apart from the extreme upper reaches and some of the larger creeks, the water is generally much clearer throughout the reservoir this time of year. Water temperatures as of this report are in the low 40s with some mid to upper 40s in creeks and pockets that tend to warm faster. Look for stained water to warm faster in pockets and run-ins in the river section. Use small crankbaits and jerkbaits to target largemouth bass. Smallmouth bass can be targeted throughout the fishery although more consistent on the mid to lower end of the lake. Search for isolated rocks out in 15-30ft of water and use damiki style baits, ned rigs and drop shots to give yourself the best shot.
Crappie fishing is good around brush piles in 10-20ft of water and also docks or marinas will hold fish. Striper fishing can be good throughout but look for larger schools in the mid to lower end of the lake in deeper water.
Plan a Spring Lakeside of the Smokies Fishing Trip
With the right preparation and a few tried-and-true techniques, fishing during the winter to spring season on Douglas and Cherokee Lakes can be an unforgettable experience. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and share your big catch!
About Skylar Hamilton
Skylar began his professional bass angler career in 2011 at the Bassmaster Open held on Douglas Lake, where he and his family lives. In 2017, Hamilton qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series at the age of 21 and won a Bassmaster Open and qualified for the Bassmaster Classic twice.
In 2021 he began guiding fishing trips on both Douglas and Cherokee Lakes. He is a US Coast Guard licensed captain, and while he is a pro bass fishing angler, he loves to also guide trips for crappie fishing.
Learn More: https://skylarhamiltonfishing.com