Thread: Watts Bar Help - First time in the lake

Originally Posted by Big Ridge Brewer

If you don't mind me asking where did you put in at? I've been thinking about trying out the lake but am torn about going there or Douglas. I live close to Norris Lake and do fish it, but it's not the crappie lake that I'm used to fishing from growing up on Ky Lake and then living in Chatt for over 12 and fishing the Chick.

I'm sure there are crappie here on Norris, but they have been challenging for me to really get on them. This lake is deeeeep.

I ended up putting in at Rowden Branch. I think they have named the ramp Big Springs, but is used to be known as the Hog Pen, as I've been told.

Ive fished Douglas a fair amount of times. Douglas probably has a lot more crappie, but it doesn't have near the size - most "keepers" end up in the 10-12" range.

As to Norris, good luck. Very hard lake to fish if you don't know it. Very deep. Most people I know crappie fishing on Norris are fishing over brush piles or attractors they know about. There are crappie there, and I hear lots of people catching them, but I haven't found many that will say where.

I can get to Kingston in about an hour, but wasn't sure if people prefer fishing a little further south.

As to Norris I've had sporadic luck, still learning the lake for sure. I think I'm a tad spoiled from fishing Ky Lake and the Chick. I will have to lower my expectations and work harder at finding them, they're here just not going to be huge numbers. Plus the limit is 10 which I just recently found out....I had always assumed it was 15.

From the TWRA website:

Norris is relatively infertile and does not, and never will, support as many fish as more fertile reservoirs like Boone, Douglas, and Cherokee.