Beginning Wading Spots in Middle Tennessee

Well just did a search of forum and figured out people don't like to give such info out. Where do I find a copy of Tennessee Gazeteer? Walmart?

[Adough]

Originally Posted by bneshe01

Well just did a search of forum and figured out people don't like to give such info out. Where do I find a copy of Tennessee Gazeteer? Walmart?

I got my gazeteer at Borders. I find it helpful, however google maps and "Acme Mapper" are better tools. Acme is much smoother. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up the gazeteer though.

Sorry to quote but, the forum won't let me directly respond. Still haven't figured out why.

[Travis C.]

The small wading streams do get tight lipped. I have some you can't buy off me and that has kept some big smallies there for years.

My suggestion would be get a map or TN fishing guide book, find major tributaries to the lakes, follow them backwards until you hit wading water then go up stream from there. There are also others just scattered that don't dump into a major body...those are real gems.

2 things to remember.

Always ask permission when going through private property.

&

If you find a good one..... don't tell a soul.

It dont take to many people that keep fish to ruin a good stream so most people dont put info on the board for all to see.You will have better luck getting info by pm some of the people that fish the skinny water.Wher are you located and how far are you willing to drive?

Well I live in murfreesboro and I'd be willing to drive an hour or two I guess. Looking for someplace to wade and fish and practice casting more than anything. Somewhere not too deep or fast as I've never waded before. Panfish (bream and such) would be fun too. Anyone have any suggestions please PM.

Under advisement of a fellow member I deleted the info I posted. So if you want any hints or advice just pm me.

[tsuggs]

dude,get on the greenway and take red/chart crappie tubes with 1/8 jig head,some small plastic worms etc.i waded yesterday and caught 25 gills,8 red eye,4lm and 3 spotted bass.also find a good stretch below walter hill.these are no top secret destinations but can produce good numbers of small fish with an occasional big surprise.

[Catchingtrout]

I am out there doing the same thing. Our creeks and small rivers are loaded with fish. I'm sure there is some validity to the "keep your spot quiet" but I tend to find that most people aren't willing to get their feet wet and walk a mile or more up a creek to find good holes. They park their car and fish within 50' of it. Find a map with blue lines and follow them. Any of the creeks that end up in the lake have great fishing. The Delorme Atlas and Gazetteer is a great start. I use them in about 6 states. They are sold anywhere from Walmart to BPS. There is also a series of map books that are specific to each part of TN called "Sportsmans Guide" I believe, that were developed by some credible sources you might recognize from this and other sites.

Good luck and try catch and release. You can't catch them again if you kill them.

[brandonnash]

New forum member here but long time fisherman.


I wade fish the stones river all the time. Mostly on the east fork below walterhill dam. You can wade most of the stones river below dams in murfreesboro. Below nice mill dam is very easy to get in and fish from the bank also. In town off thompson lane by the greenway you can wade down as far as you want and have a good variety of fish. After the first big curve in the river I've been wading in the middle of a school of spotted gar a few times. Most of the time you'll catch me out fly fishing, which I'll be doing today, but past that the biggest I get up to is an ultra light rig for any part of the stones.

[Travis C.]

Greenways are great places to start your searches.

On the keeping of spots quiet, they should problably be sent in a PM format if you want to help someone out. For example right now at 10:31 am on a Monday there are 22 people viewing the forum and only 7 are members. Sometimes you have every intention of helping a fellow member but this site gets a bunch of internet traffic that has no intentions of signing up or contributing instead just gaining info.

On a broad scale that is fine and part of this site's function but I have personally seen the word get out on places that had very little fishing pressure. Then usually the progression is overcrowding, fish get removed in small places that don't have the population to withstand it, the place gets trashed and finally shut off to fishing by the owner or city.

I say always help out a fellow angler but keep this in mind when posting specific locations.

Thanks for all the advice. Went wading yesterday and had a great time in spite of all the Mosquitos and how much of a pain in the butt it is to change flies when you don't have a place to set your rod down.