First visit to Tennesse.

[Striper]

My wife has to go for work for a week in June. I'll be joining her to try some fishing. We are from MA and this will be my first time to TN.
We will be staying in Chattooga and she will be working in Jasper.
What I am honestly looking for is some places I could fish. I will be shore bound.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Keith

[SalmonDaze]

There's no shortage of guide services if you want to get away from the shore. Large mouth, stripers, crappie, even muskie and trout if you want to run up to Dale Hollow.

From the shore, you can readily go after stocker rainbow trout and browns on the Caney Fork. If you can get there during the week and avoid the canoe flotilla of the weekend; you'll have a MUCH better outing.

These are a bit of a drive from Chattanooga; hopefully, others will chime in with places along Chickamauga. Naturally, Google earth is your friend.

Good Luck! Welcome to TN.

[Striper]

Thanks for the reply. We'll be in TN June 6th - 10th.

[Striper]

Marion County Park???
Any good? Is there a fee to fish it?
This is just a start on my soon to be journey to TN for questions.
Any and all replies will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Keith

[FishAddict]

being shore bound in that area I'd look into fishing the Nickajack tailwater. If you are not nimble you might should pass, but you can usually catch something below the dams (bass, white bass, stripers). There are some guys that fish that area on here, maybe they can help you out. I only know the tailwaters near Nashville so I can't give you specifics, hope that helps.

[Striper]

Thanks FishAddict.

From the place my wife is going to be working out of here's my list of areas close by.

Nickajack Dam.
Shellmound Boat Ramp
Anchor Inn Bait & Tackle
Seredino Ramp/Hale's Bar and Boat Ramp
Bennet's Lake
Marion County Park.

These are within about 20 minutes or so.

[Striper]

My personal best in MA.

[Alphahawk]

What are you fishing for? What type of gear do you use...heavy...light...ultra light? I can help you out but since you're bank bound really need to know how you plan to fish so I can send you to right spots. I have fished all the areas you have mentioned....no fee at Marion County Park.


Regards

[Alan 54]

What are you fishing for? What type of gear do you use...heavy...light...ultra light? I can help you out but since you're bank bound really need to know how you plan to fish so I can send you to right spots. I have fished all the areas you have mentioned....no fee at Marion County Park.


Regards

Alpha good to see you are back. I am sure you have been wearing out the panfish on 2lb line. I watch your videos when I get a chance. Could you make a post with your youtube channel? I'm sure many would enjoy watching.
Striper, Alpha is a wealth of knowledge on fishing in Tn.

[Alan 54]

Alpha, I had an extra few minutes. So, I thought I would post your youtube channel. Hope you don't mind.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwWCjOaWgSZm8ogjti50JFg

[Alphahawk]

Alpha, I had an extra few minutes. So, I thought I would post your youtube channel. Hope you don't mind.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwWCjOaWgSZm8ogjti50JFg

No I don't mind at all.

Regards

[Striper]

7' medium rod. Paired with a Plueger president reel. 20lb braid. Unfortunately it was cheaper to buy a tranel rod than ship my personal ones.
Mostly I'll be goign for bass but will content anything on the end of the line.

[SAMBOLIE]

7' medium rod. Paired with a Plueger president reel. 20lb braid. Unfortunately it was cheaper to buy a tranel rod than ship my personal ones.
Mostly I'll be goign for bass but will content anything on the end of the line.

Blue Gill and Shellcrackers must be a blast on that equipment. :) You may want to upgrade to 40 lb. line.

[Striper]

I use 30 and 40# on my Striper rods. Biggest LMB I’ve gotten here in MA is a 6.66 on 16#.

[SAMBOLIE]

I use 30 and 40# on my Striper rods. Biggest LMB I’ve gotten here in MA is a 6.66 on 16#.

My best Hybrid from shore on 4 lb mono and Berkley UL rod was estimated over 6 lbs.
I fish the Cumberland with 10# braid and 8 # fluro leader on medium light rod. Got a few Smallies in the 21-22 in. range when there was current.

What is you bait of choice for bass?

[Striper]

I’ve been having great luck with BPS’s the Egg and Strike Kings wake bait.
Rebel’s bigger frog and cricket have great to.
I’m planning on packing a small bag with an assortment of the listed plugs. Also some spoons and soft plastics.

[Striper]

For fishing local I customized a cart

[tkwalker]

For fishing local I customized a cart

Sorry, no pic's .. TK

[Alphahawk]

7' medium rod. Paired with a Plueger president reel. 20lb braid. Unfortunately it was cheaper to buy a tranel rod than ship my personal ones.
Mostly I'll be goign for bass but will content anything on the end of the line.

While I had plenty of big gear years ago I now only use UL gear. But...with that type of gear and what you are not probably wanting to fish for I would go below Nickajack. Walk up the sidewalk to the dam. If you can get on the rocks and make your way to the rocks behind the first boil. Hybrids...Smallies...largemouth....just about anything will be in there. If you can't navigate the rocks look for the small cutbacks from the dam on down....right by the sidewalk. The hybrids below Nickajack can get quite large. On the opposite side of the dam make your way down the to the end of the bay where it meets the river. Smallies and Spots hang out there. The other spots you mentioned...Shellmound...Bennet Lake...Marion County Park...will be really be better for panfishing. But...at Marion County Park out on the hi way, is a culvert that goes under the road. You can see it on the map right before you get to the park. Park your car on the side of the road there and fish the culvert opening. Been known to produce big largemouth and plenty of big crappie.


Regards

[SAMBOLIE]

While I had plenty of big gear years ago I now only use UL gear. But...with that type of gear and what you are not probably wanting to fish for I would go below Nickajack. Walk up the sidewalk to the dam. If you can get on the rocks and make your way to the rocks behind the first boil. Hybrids...Smallies...largemouth....just about anything will be in there. If you can't navigate the rocks look for the small cutbacks from the dam on down....right by the sidewalk. The hybrids below Nickajack can get quite large. On the opposite side of the dam make your way down the to the end of the bay where it meets the river. Smallies and Spots hang out there. The other spots you mentioned...Shellmound...Bennet Lake...Marion County Park...will be really be better for panfishing. But...at Marion County Park out on the hi way, is a culvert that goes under the road. You can see it on the map right before you get to the park. Park your car on the side of the road there and fish the culvert opening. Been known to produce big largemouth and plenty of big crappie.


Regards

Great info, Alpha.

[Striper]

Thanks for the reply Sambolie. I’ll check it out.
Honestly I wish the cost for bringing rods on a plane was cheaper.

[Striper]

What is the natural baits in the Tennesse River/ Resevoir? Unfortunately being a tourist I gotta pack light.

Thanks again to everyone for your help and infomation.

[Halli]

Threadfin shad, Skipjack Herring and Green pumpkin colored crawfish.

[Striper]

Thanks for the info, tips and everything else. In 4 days I'll be trying my luck.
Thanks again.
Tight Lines to all.