Can’t find the bass…

[TNcreekfishing]

Hello and good morning everyone!  I live here in East TN up near the smoky mountain national park. It’s really good for trout fishing but over the past few months I have gotten serious about fishing for smallmouth in the Little River (which is really a creek about 20-30 yards wide).  It’s a long creek, running out of the mountains and all the way through Blount County until it eventually dumps into the lake.  During the summer I was killing it. I did a lot of research and felt like I was doing everything right because I was having so much success.  But now that fall is here and temps are dropping that has drastically changed. I’ve been skunked the last 3 times I went out not even a nibble and it’s become a little disheartening.  I mainly fish the upper end of the river closer to the mountain and going through the valley and my idea is I had so much success here during summer cause the water was cooler and the riffles and current brought a lot of oxygen on those hot days.  So basically ’m wondering if the drop off in activity is due to the changing of the seasons and the water being too cold coming out of the mountains so they migrated further down river towards warmer, calmer water for the coming winter? That’s just my theory but idk cause I’m so new to this and I know smallmouth can be very nomadic but I’m sure there has to be some sort of route or pattern they follow and I’m wondering what you all think. Does anyone have insight? Similar experiences from fishing this type of body of water? Are they going to be shallow or deep and are there any specific baits or lures smallies love in the fall? Thanks for any input 🙏 

[TnRiver46]

Hey man get off my turf……. Just kidding I grew up around there. You assumed correctly, bout time for the bass fishing to slack off upstream of Rockford. Luckily it gets really good below the small dam at egwani from now til spring 

[TNcreekfishing]

16 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hey man get off my turf……. Just kidding I grew up around there. You assumed correctly, bout time for the bass fishing to slack off upstream of Rockford. Luckily it gets really good below the small dam at egwani from now til spring 

@TnRiver46

😂 that’s awesome man, I was really hoping for someone who knew this area and you were the first to comment, that’s perfect.  Thank you so much for the info. Yea, I knew something was up when the bite just died with the weather and I was talking to my boss who worked at Rockford Manufacturing and he was telling me to go down that way. I know exactly where you’re talking about I’ve fished from the bank there at the park behind 4 corners market before but didn’t have much luck. I really wish I had a kayak to get in there and fish the other side close to the golf course because there are a lot of logs and lay downs so fingers crossed I told my wife that’s all I wanted for Christmas.  Sadly I’m stuck on the bank right now so time to google earth the area for some bank access areas.

[TnRiver46]

Should be good crappie fishing near the ramp on topside near singleton station. There’s also a gravel ramp just downstream of Rockford mfg with decent access . I lived on roddy branch rd for 5 years. 
 

For bank fishing I typically go to fort loudoun and tellico dams 

[TNcreekfishing]

15 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Should be good crappie fishing near the ramp on topside near singleton station. There’s also a gravel ramp just downstream of Rockford mfg with decent access . I lived on roddy branch rd for 5 years. 
 

For bank fishing I typically go to fort loudoun and tellico dams 

@TnRiver46

small world, my mom actually grew up on that road. Never been down it but I know that area cause I lived a couple years right up from there on old knoxville hwy but wasn’t into fishing back then so I didn’t get to scope it out. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to come on here and make a post then hear from someone who knows the area.  I’m gonna drive over there when I get off work today and check the area out. 

[TNcreekfishing]

@TnRiver46

You weren’t lyin, caught these at boat ramp right beside Roddy branch. I thought this would still be smallmouth territory but I’m not complaining it’s a good fish.

[TnRiver46]

That’s a good un! There’s smallies down there but more LM