When Crappie Won't Bite, Tennessee River Has Great Alternatives

Barton said the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) controls how and when he fishes because the agency's electricity generation dictates current flow.

"The stronger the current, the more the fish are going to be pulled out into the river," he said. "With a lighter current, the fish are going to be more spread out and harder to catch. Also, the bright sunny days means the fish tend to stick close to structure. On cloudy days, they are more spread out. Ideally, the best day would be good current flow with sunshine."

Barton said TVA has an app (www.tva.com/environment/lake-levels/tva-lake-info-app) that anglers can use to determine the generation schedule and dam water output for each lake. The app shows what the current flow is for the specific lake, the history for the previous six hours and a projection of water flow for the following two days.

"It (the projections) doesn't change much," he said. "But on our trip, you saw it change. It had been afternoon generation. Then we got a cold front with cooler nights, and it changed to morning generation. From now until March or April, it will stay mornings. As it warms up next spring, it'll flip back to afternoons.

"Ideal current flow below Wheeler Dam would be 30,000 to 50,000 (cubic feet per second), and below Wilson it would be 30,000. Wheeler can generate up to 98,000. If you start getting over 50,000, which is great current, you just go down the river because it's too tough to battle it near the tailrace. But that really turns the fishing on down the river, where if you've got 25,000 or 30,000, you're pretty much forced to fish closer to the dam because you don't have enough current down river to position the fish.

"But I want to caution people to not go to that dam unless you know what you're doing, and, by all means, wear that life vest."

When he's fishing with live bait, he's looking for two different locations where the fish are likely to hold to be able to ambush anything coming out of the tailrace.

"There's two theories," Barton said. "There's site specific fishing on rockpiles, ledges or wood. Most of the time, I do better just drifting. My theory is I go to the spot where I caught them the last trip. That doesn't always work because the fish move, but I start there first. If I start a drift in 12 feet of water and don't do any good, then I'll move up to 8 or 9 feet or I'll go to 14 or 15. That's all I do is move my depth. It's just a matter of if they've moved deep or shallow.

"When you're fishing the tailrace, it's all about seams. I don't think bottom structure has anything to do with it. It's where two currents meet and create a seam or the outside edge of the current. But that's not just the tailrace. Anywhere you go down the river that has an abutment or anything sticking out can create a current change. That structure may be the size of my garage, and it's going to create that seam. That's where the fish are going to be most of the time."

Barton said when clients ask about a fishing trip, he tells them to expect to catch multiple species of fish in a five-hour trip.

"It could include a miscellaneous sauger or skipjack (herring), but seven species is what two people in this boat are normally going to catch," he said. "With good conditions, I expect to catch 40 to 50 fish in a five-hour trip. Now, that's not a great day. That's just what I expect to catch. And, if you're lucky, you can catch a four-pound smallmouth. That's very doable. A five-pound smallmouth is what we call a trophy fish. If I have people who just want to catch smallmouth, that's what they're looking for.

"Most of my clients are just people who want a bent rod and to have fun. If they catch a four-pound smallmouth, that's just a bonus. Most people just want to catch fish, and that's why I like to call it a multi-species fishing trip."

Visit www.brianbartonoutdoors.com or call 256-412-0969 for information about fishing on the Tennessee River. Other than the multi-species trips, Barton also does seasonal fishing that targets species like catfish, crappie and bream, both bluegills and shellcrackers (redear sunfish).

When you're in northwest Alabama, don't forget about the lodging available at Joe Wheeler State Park, which sits on the banks of the Tennessee River near Rogersville. Joe Wheeler has perfect accommodations for anglers, including the cabins away from the main lodge. The cabins are located on the south side of the Tennessee River near Wheeler Dam. This area has accessibility to both Wheeler and Wilson Lakes. A boat launch for Wheeler Lake is available in the cabin area, and another boat launch is located across Highway 101 at Wheeler Dam for Wilson Lake access. Visit www.alapark.com/parks/joe-wheeler-state-park/cabins for details. Also available is the Fisherman's Cabin, located near the boat launch on First Creek.

After your fishing trip, Colbert County has an abundance of places to visit, including the Helen Keller home, Fame Recording Studios, Muscle Shoals Sound, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Coon Dog Cemetery. Visit www.colbertcountytourism.org/attractions for more information.

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