Cumberland River below Cordell Hull (lower)

86 excellent scored 41 min ago how is this scored?

Catfish 86

Water: Tailwater

Location: Smith

Target: Sauger, Striped Bass, White Bass, Catfish

Nearest Access: Cumberland River below Cordell Hull (lower) (36.28250,-85.93670)

Sun: 6:26 AM – 6:50 PM (CDT)

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What to throw right now

Fly anglers

Stunt approach: 9 wt sinking line, 30 lb fluoro to a 6" meat-fly with chicken-liver scent. Cast across-current into a known scour hole + let it sink to bottom, then strip 6" at a time with long pauses. Not common in TN; treat as exploratory.

Spinning / casting anglers

Heavy spinning or baitcasting combo, 50 lb braid + 30 lb fluoro leader. For drifting: 7/0 circle hook on a 3-way swivel with a 2-3 oz sinker; bait the hook with cut skipjack (largest available, palm-sized chunks for trophy fish). Drift broadside across the channel edge or anchor upstream of a creek mouth and let the bait sit. Post-rain flush is the trigger; first 24 hours after a 1"+ rainfall puts big fish on submerged wood.

Per-species breakdown & tactics

Pick a fish, then Fly, Spin, or Colors. Your last pick is remembered.

Best window: after dark

Not a practical fly target most days. Heavy Clouser dredged deep is the novelty play.

In a few hours

Fly

10%

Lure

53%

Bait

35%

Hatch: 80% (terrestrials) Peak hatch. Surface bite is on now.

Why this score

hatch active+10
pre frontal surge+8
barometric trend+8
in season+4
wind speed+3
cloud cover+1

Best window: last light

Streamer game with a 7-8 wt and a fast-sink integrated line (Sonar SL Type 6 or equivalent). 4-6 ft of 16 lb fluorocarbon to a #2 Clouser or Deceiver in chartreuse/white. Cast down-and-across into the slack water below dam piers, count down 4-8 seconds depending on flow, then short strip-strip-pause. The strike comes on the pause. Sauger especially: hold the rod tip 6 inches below the surface and feel for the soft tick, sauger don't slam, they inhale.

Flies: Clouser Minnow #2 (chartreuse/white), Lefty's Deceiver #2

Heavy jig-style streamer bounced on bottom in current seams.

In a few hours

Fly

32%

Lure

78%

Bait

55%

Hatch: 80% (terrestrials) Peak hatch. Surface bite is on now.

Why this score

hatch active+10
pre frontal surge+8
barometric trend+8
in season+3
wind speed+3
cloud cover+1

Best window: first light

9-10 wt rod, integrated intermediate or Type 3 sink line, 6 ft 30 lb fluoro to a #1/0-2/0 Clouser or 6" articulated baitfish. For surface schools at dawn: cast LONG into the boil (60+ ft), strip-strip-pause back through the school. For sub-surface holding fish: count down the sink line to the depth you're marking on the graph, then 18-24" strips. Strip-set hard; striper jaws are bony and a missed set is a missed fish.

Flies: Game Changer 6", Clouser Minnow #1/0 (chartreuse/white)

Olive wooly bugger or black game changer. Dark silhouette first, drop to rust nymph if refusals.

In a few hours

Fly

37%

Lure

83%

Bait

55%

Hatch: 80% (terrestrials) Peak hatch. Surface bite is on now.

Stripers stress hard above 78°F surface temp. If you're trophy-hunting in July-August, fish dawn-only on Cherokee or Norris and bring an aerated bait tank.
TWRA stocks Cherokee, Norris, Watts Bar, Tims Ford, Cumberland tailrace, the trophy water is Cherokee + Norris.

Why this score

hatch active+10
pre frontal surge+8
barometric trend+8
in season+4
wind speed+3
cloud cover+1

Best window: last light

6-7 wt with a sink-tip or intermediate line, 4 ft 12 lb fluoro, #4 Clouser in white-over-chartreuse. Cast into the current void behind a sand bar or rip; strip-strip-pause back through. The pause is critical, whites smash on the pause. Spring tributary run (Feb-April): wade the mouths of feeder creeks and cover water on every retrieve. Surface schools at dusk: cast through the boil, NOT at the boil, and strip fast.

Flies: Clouser Minnow #4 (white/chartreuse), Wooly Bugger #6

Olive wooly bugger or black game changer. Dark silhouette first, drop to rust nymph if refusals.

In a few hours

Fly

37%

Lure

83%

Bait

55%

Hatch: 80% (terrestrials) Peak hatch. Surface bite is on now.

Why this score

hatch active+10
preferred time of day+10
pre frontal surge+8
barometric trend+8
in season+4
wind speed+3
cloud cover+1

Dam generation & flow schedule

Gen off, wadeable Gen on, high flow Now marker

24h release schedule (table)

Time	Flow (cfs)	State
Wed 6:00 AM	7,970	Spill/Off
Wed 6:00 AM	6,600	Spill/Off
Wed 7:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 7:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 8:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 8:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 9:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 9:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 10:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 10:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 11:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 12:00 PM	0	Spill/Off
Wed 1:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Wed 2:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Wed 3:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Wed 4:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Wed 5:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Wed 6:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Wed 7:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Wed 8:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Wed 9:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Wed 10:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Wed 11:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 12:00 AM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 1:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 2:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 3:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 4:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 5:00 AM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 6:00 AM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 7:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 8:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 9:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 10:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 11:00 AM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 12:00 PM	0	Spill/Off
Thu 1:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 2:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 3:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 4:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Thu 5:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Thu 6:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Thu 7:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Thu 8:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Thu 9:00 PM	13,200	Spill/Off
Thu 10:00 PM	6,600	Spill/Off
Thu 11:00 PM	0	Spill/Off

Next 24 hours · weather forecast

Scroll for hourly temperature, wind, and precipitation.

12PM

92°

5 SW

1PM

94°

0 N

2PM

95°

0 N

3PM

96°

0 N

4PM

95°

0 N

5PM

95°

0 N

6PM

92°

0 N

7PM

87°

0 N

8PM

83°

0 N

9PM

81°

0 N

10PM

79°

0 N

11PM

78°

0 N

12AM

76°

0 N

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76°

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3AM

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6AM

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8AM

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9AM

80°

0 N

10AM

87°

0 N

11AM

91°

0 N

Latest readings

Live telemetry

Air temp (°F)	69.6°F
Cloud cover (%)	100%
Dew point (°C)	21.1°C
Relative humidity (%)	50%
Chance of precipitation (%)	5%
Precipitation (in)	0.02 in
Barometric pressure (mb)	1,020.0 mb
Rain past 24h (in)	1.81 in
Rain past 6h (in)	0.00 in
Wind direction	E (90°)
Wind (mph)	2.2 mph

Reading freshness

Source update lag

Barometric pressure (mb)	0 min ago openmeteo
Wind (mph)	0 min ago openmeteo
Cloud cover (%)	0 min ago openmeteo
Air temp (°F)	0 min ago openmeteo
Rain past 24h (in)	2777.1 h ago openmeteo stale
Rain past 6h (in)	0 min ago nws

Hatch matcher · this month

Active aquatic insect emergences & suggested imitations.

Midge Sizes 18–24

Recommended patterns: Zebra Midge #20

Year-round on tailwaters/lakes

Craneflies Sizes 10–14

Recommended patterns: Cranefly Larva #12, Adult Cranefly #12

Weeks 10-39 (Mar-Sep) on Stones River + lower Cumberland; long warmwater season.

Next few hours · best species

Prime windows for active feeding over the next 12 hours (CDT).

Wed 1:00 PM best window today

White Bass (midday) 100

Wed 2:00 PM

Catfish (midday) 45

Wed 3:00 PM

Sauger (afternoon) 45

Wed 4:00 PM

Catfish (afternoon) 45

Wed 5:00 PM

Catfish (afternoon) 45

Wed 6:00 PM

Catfish (afternoon) 45

Wed 7:00 PM

Catfish (last light) 45

Wed 8:00 PM

Sauger (after dark) 45

Wed 9:00 PM

Catfish (after dark) 45

Wed 10:00 PM

Catfish (after dark) 45

Wed 11:00 PM

White Bass (after dark) 45

Thu 12:00 AM

Catfish (after dark) 45

7-day forecast

Composite spot scores over the coming week.

TREND SPARKLINE (7-DAY BITE SCORE) Score Range: 0 - 100

Wed Sep 16

61 fair

Wed Sep 16

72 good

Wed Sep 16

45 fair

Wed Sep 16

45 fair

Wed Sep 16

45 fair

Wed Sep 16

45 fair

Wed Sep 16

45 fair

10-day weather & pressure outlook

Extended NWS meteorological outlook.

High	Low	Wind	Cloud	Rain %	Pressure	Source
96°F	72°F	Unknown	—	1%	1,023.3 mb	nws
98°F	71°F	Unknown	—	3%	1,023.4 mb	nws
98°F	72°F	Unknown	—	2%	1,019.7 mb	nws
97°F	70°F	Unknown	—	3%	1,015.3 mb	nws
96°F	69°F	Unknown	—	5%	1,013.8 mb	nws
94°F	70°F	Unknown	—	14%	1,013.0 mb	nws
90°F	67°F	Unknown	—	24%	1,014.1 mb	nws
83°F	60°F	Unknown	—	22%	1,016.2 mb	nws
84°F	56°F	Unknown	—	13%	1,013.9 mb	nws
88°F	56°F	Unknown	—	11%	1,016.6 mb	openmeteo

Trends · 7 days

Hover chart points for telemetry details. Gold dot represents latest reading.

Barometric pressure (mb)

Water temperature (°F)

Fishing regulations (TWRA)

Statewide creel and length limits. Confirm the current rule on TWRA before you keep a fish.

These are statewide defaults only. Many waters have their own creel, size, or season rules that override this list. Check the water you are fishing on TWRA before you go.

TWRA fishing regulations · Water-specific exceptions

Statewide defaults (19 rules)

Statewide creel and length limits by species
Species	Rule
Alligator Gar	No harvest allowed. Must be returned to water immediately.
Black Bass (includes Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted Alabama And Coosa)	No more than 5 black bass per day in any combination may be taken. \| None
Catfish	Only one (1) catfish over 34 inches may be harvested per day. No harvest limit on catfish less than 34 inches.
Crappie	15 \| 10 inches
Lake Trout	Only 2 of your 7 total trout may be lake trout. \| None
Muskellunge	1 \| 36 inches
Paddlefish	Paddlefish may be harvested from April 24 through May 31. Daily creel limit is 2 fish per day with no size limit. Culling is prohibited. Exceptions on Center Hill, Cherokee, and Watts Bar reservoirs.
Redear Sunfish (shellcracker)	20 \| None
Redear Sunfish Or Shellcracker	20 \| None
Region 1 Crappie Exception: Unless Otherwise Noted For Specific Waters.	30 \| None
Rock Bass Or Redeye And Shadow Bass	20 \| None
Sauger Or Sauger/walleye Hybrids	10 \| 15 inches
Shovelnose Sturgeon	No harvest allowed. Must be returned to the water immediately.
Skipjack Herring	100 \| None
Striped Bass Or Hybrid Striped Bass (any Combination)	2 \| 15 inches
Trout (all Trout Species Combined)	7 \| None
Walleye	5 \| 16 inches
White Bass	15 \| None
Yellow Bass, Bluegill, Warmouth, Bream, Bullheads, Pickerel, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, And Nongame Species	no limit \| None

Access points & navigation

Bob Lowery Sr. Boat Ramp 36.2241, -85.9431 phone map Google OSM
Buffalo Ramp 36.3106, -85.8751 phone map Google OSM
Carthage Boat Ramp 36.2432, -85.9453 phone map Google OSM
Defeated Creek Marina 36.3006, -85.9071 phone map Google OSM
Horseshoe Bend River Ramp 36.2795, -85.9392 phone map Google OSM
Sullivans Bend 36.2956, -85.8688 phone map Google OSM
Sullivans Bend Ramp 2 36.2987, -85.8715 phone map Google OSM
ramp below powerhouse side 36.2824, -85.9369 phone map Google OSM

Cumberland River below Cordell Hull (lower)

What to throw right now

Per-species breakdown & tactics

Full color matrix for muddy water

Full color matrix for muddy water

Full color matrix for muddy water

Full color matrix for muddy water

Dam generation & flow schedule

Next 24 hours · weather forecast

Latest readings

Reading freshness

Hatch matcher · this month

Next few hours · best species

7-day forecast

10-day weather & pressure outlook

Trends · 7 days

Barometric pressure (mb)

Water temperature (°F)

Fishing regulations (TWRA)

Access points & navigation