For his main line, the Tennessee angler prefers Berkley SpiderWire Stealth in the 20-pound-test/6-pound diameter size. Supports an excellent black bass and striped bass fishery with the majority of interest directed toward largemouth and smallmouth. In August 2018, TDEC issued a precautionary advisory for smallmouth bass and channel catfish in the Nolichucky River from Douglas Reservoir upstream to the mouth of Bent Creek at river mile 14.9. Fishing the Nolichucky. If it’s quality and not quantity you seek, then look no further than the Swine River. Cap'n Jack rigs tubes by inserting 1/8- to 1/4-ounce bullet head sinkers about halfway inside them. "Any time I can find a deep hole — 5 feet or more — following several shoals positioned close together, I know I'm about to get into big smallmouth," he said. And third, hefty-size stream smallies will rarely pass on a meal, no matter how full they are, provided that meal is easy to capture. True trophy fishermen will be happy with one strike from a 5-pound river smallie over an eight hour day on the water. On the next two casts, fish the sidewalks. This ensures a healthy smally population season after season with regulated flows and cold water temperatures all summer long. To put it in simple terms, it’s fishing for Largemouth on a trout stream, but Smallmouth fight harder than either. Then either change lures and work that same area again or move on to another boulder or some other form of deep water cover.". During a day’s float you will have opportunities at Smallmouth bass, Spotted bass, Rock bass and Muskellunge. In August 2018, TDEC issued a precautionary advisory for smallmouth bass and channel catfish in the Nolichucky River from Douglas Reservoir upstream to the mouth of Bent Creek at river … He prefers to deadstick the Magic Stick, or as he says, "throw it out there and forget about it." The common denominator in all these outings is that West employed the same tactic, what he calls BDSing (short for bigger, deeper and slower). The guide cautions against using leaders, since the nonstretch line tends to cause mono leaders of even 17-pound test to snap on the hook set. The guide slow rolls the spinnerbait across the substrate. The depth is a security zone for smallmouth, and the conditions attract baitfish and crawfish, so the area is also a feeding zone.". The 2019 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Scott Canterbury shows off a lineup of effective bass fishing knots. Our trips on the Nolichucky River provides the best fishing and scenery around western North Carolina. The “Chucky,” in TN and NC has proven to be a fantastic fishery time and time again.