Downlake, bass are looking to nest in the back of creeks and coves. They are also present on secondary points, where Carolina-rigged lizards will take some good fish. The brush is just touching the surface and bass are holding in the brush, around spawning sites.
Above the Clarksville bridge, bass are either spawning or staging for the spawn, holding on drops in 8-12 feet of water, taking any kind of plastic bait, as long as it is not watermelon or green pumpkin. Almost every angler on the lake is throwing these color plastics and the fish have become used to them. Try a red, blue or pumpkinseed bait instead and see if you don’t pick up fish behind them. Use the lightest sinker possible, as these fish are looking for a slow falling bait.
Fish the backs of coves and pockets, particularly those with brush, adjacent to a creek channel. With the brush being flooded, the fish will be holding tight to the brush, adjacent to the creek channel. Do not pass up “nothing” type banks. Just because they don’t have cover on them does not mean there are no fish available. Topwaters, such as gold or teal colored Rattling Rogues, will entice some bass, particularly early and late in the day. When the sun is up, toss blue flake power lizards into the middle of coves.
Crappie are on brushpiles in eight feet of water and are taking live minnows.
Stripers are up in the Dan and Staunton Rivers on their annual spawning run. Excellent white bass fishing in the upper reaches of the lake.
