Middle Tennessee Bass Anglers, I'm Moving To Your Area...

[Surpriser]

In just a matter of days, I'll be moving from Alabama to Murfreesboro TN, and could use some advice and info. I'll probably be spending the majority of my time on Percy Priest and Old Hickory (never fished either lake). 

 

My home lakes are Pickwick Lake and Wilson Lake. I'm very familiar with how they set up, and generally do fairly well fishing them. So that's really my foundation for bass fishing knowledge. 

 

I know middle Tennessee has a reputation for good smallmouth, but beyond that, I'm in the dark. Any recommended bodies of water or useful info would be GREATLY appreciated. 

 

Specifically for Priest and Old Hickory --- How's the water clarity? Are there gizzard shad? Herring? Are there spotted bass?

 

Is the Stones River worth any time? It'll be only a couple minutes from me and might be a good 'last couple hours of the day' place for me to wet a line. 

 

I'm looking forward to making the most of my Tennessee fishing license, and hopefully meeting a few of y'all on the water!

 

Thanks! 

[Jawjacker]

I'm not from mid tn and haven't fished Preist but I have fished Dale Hollow. It's extremely clear and has some good spots in it. It was several years ago and I fished in winter using float n fly, from what I hear they do a lot of night fishing in summer. My guess it's due to boat traffic and water clarity. It's not much but all I got. Good luck on your move.

[KevO]

_{Priest and Old Hickory are waste of time in my opinion.  I only fish them if I don't have enough time to drive somewhere good.  I live in Franklin which is about 20 minutes from the boro.  I can be to New Johnsonville (KY Lake) in a little over an hour, Pickwick and Gville is about a 2 hour drive, and my favorite Dale Hollow in about 2.5.  KY will fish just like pickwick, Old Hick will also fish similarly to it as well but with a lot more pleasure boats in a smaller area.  Priest is ok from late October through the spawn, I'd go anywhere else during the summer.  Dale Hollow is by far my favorite and its been on fire the past 2 years.  From Thanksgiving through Memorial day the day time bite is real good, summer time through the fall is night fishing but I don't do much of that.  I try to fish it at least twice a month during the winter and spring.} 

[rickv404]

If you're fishing Percy Priest, look for smallmouth at the upper end, towards the dam, and the lower end for largemouth, where the lake tapers towards Stones river. Be careful of rocks. Water is clear and deep, though Old Hickory is occasionally a little murky. Rock fish are good in the lake as well, though I never managed to catch one. Also Sauger and Walleye. Old Hickory is good in the coves and the steam plant near Gallatin I understand is a good place. Tims Ford is another lake further south that looks good. There's also other lakes near it - Woods and Normandy. Another choice is Center Hill lake. Big, with a lot of fingers, though it is less known for bass than Sauger. Middle Tennessee is excellent for freshwater fishing, unlike West Tennessee.

[Surpriser]

  On 5/13/2015 at 6:55 PM, KevO said:

_{Priest and Old Hickory are waste of time in my opinion.  I only fish them if I don't have enough time to drive somewhere good.  I live in Franklin which is about 20 minutes from the boro.  I can be to New Johnsonville (KY Lake) in a little over an hour, Pickwick and Gville is about a 2 hour drive, and my favorite Dale Hollow in about 2.5.  KY will fish just like pickwick, Old Hick will also fish similarly to it as well but with a lot more pleasure boats in a smaller area.  Priest is ok from late October through the spawn, I'd go anywhere else during the summer.  Dale Hollow is by far my favorite and its been on fire the past 2 years.  From Thanksgiving through Memorial day the day time bite is real good, summer time through the fall is night fishing but I don't do much of that.  I try to fish it at least twice a month during the winter and spring.} 

 

KevO, thanks for the insightful reply, brother! 

 

Yeah, I will miss my 10 minute drive to Pickwick in a big way. Still haven't made it to KY Lake but it's just a matter of time before I do.

 

I launched from the Vivrett ramp with a buddy and fished a couple hours on Percy the other day. There's a lot of rock, from what I can tell, and not much grass. It'll take some adjusting for me, but I welcome the idea of learning new lakes. Still haven't laid eyes on Old Hickory.

 

 

  On 5/15/2015 at 3:32 PM, rickv404 said:

If you're fishing Percy Priest, look for smallmouth at the upper end, towards the dam, and the lower end for largemouth, where the lake tapers towards Stones river. Be careful of rocks. Water is clear and deep, though Old Hickory is occasionally a little murky. Rock fish are good in the lake as well, though I never managed to catch one. Also Sauger and Walleye. Old Hickory is good in the coves and the steam plant near Gallatin I understand is a good place. Tims Ford is another lake further south that looks good. There's also other lakes near it - Woods and Normandy. Another choice is Center Hill lake. Big, with a lot of fingers, though it is less known for bass than Sauger. Middle Tennessee is excellent for freshwater fishing, unlike West Tennessee.

 

Great advice, thanks! I'm happy to bass fish any lake where I can learn something new and become a better fisherman. 

 

Center Hill is now on my list of lakes to check out. I drove by it the other day while visiting Burgess Falls and Rock Island with a friend, and it looked like some fun. 

[KevO]

  On 5/17/2015 at 2:35 AM, Surpriser said:

KevO, thanks for the insightful reply, brother! 

 

Yeah, I will miss my 10 minute drive to Pickwick in a big way. Still haven't made it to KY Lake but it's just a matter of time before I do.

 

I launched from the Vivrett ramp with a buddy and fished a couple hours on Percy the other day. There's a lot of rock, from what I can tell, and not much grass. It'll take some adjusting for me, but I welcome the idea of learning new lakes. Still haven't laid eyes on Old Hickory.

 

 

 

Yep, all rock and no grass.  There are some good fish but it gets beat to death on a daily basis.  Good luck.