Walleye fishing is better on lower third of Norris

 The following is a weekly summary of the fishing conditions on Norris Lake as reported by creel clerks from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). 

View Map

The lake level on Monday, June 6 was 1,020.65 feet and expected to remain stable over the next few days. 

Surface temperatures range from 75 to 80 degrees depending on time of day and location.

The shoreline alewife spawn and fishing action that accompanied it is almost complete.

Crappie fishing is best at night under lights in the headwaters of the larger creek embayments and near large rocks and wood structure. Some decent-sized crappies are being caught upriver in shoreline brush.

Largemouth bass are hitting plastic worms and jerk baits (such as Flukes) in shallow water near wood structure where they’re nesting. Topwater action is improving.

Smallmouth bass have dropped into deeper water and are hitting crank baits, soft jerk baits, tube jigs and pig’n jigs. Shelf rocks, gravel areas and points as deep as 30 feet are prime locations to find smallmouth bass.

Spotted bass are active in the main channels and at the mouths of coves on rocky points. They are hitting small white-skirted spinners and whacky-worm rigs fished along rocky banks near wood structure. Spotted bass are also hitting plastic grubs on leadhead jigs tipped with an inch of nightcrawler and fished along gravel and rock banks.

Striper action is good in late afternoon and at dawn in the Loyston Sea/Bear Hole Bend area and in the larger creeks off the main body of the lake. Shad and alewives tightlined into schools of baitfish seems to be a productive technique.

Walleye fishing is fair. Night fishing action is best on the lower third of the lake with jigged Mann O’Lures and snagged shad or alewives.

Bluegills are hitting crickets and worms fished along steep, rocky banks. A few have moved into the shallow flats to spawn.

Shellcrackers are hitting a variety of baits and small lures fished very close to shoreline brush 5 to 10 feet deep. Redworms, nightcrawlers, waxworms and crickets are all good baits for shellcrackers.