Cumberland River below Cordell Hull
What to throw right now
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
Lures: Cut skipjack on 7/0 circle hook, Cut shad on 6/0 circle hook, Stink bait on treble (channel only)
Cut bait on bottom rigs. Put scent in the current seam and wait.
In a few hours
- Black / blue Reads as a baitfish silhouette when fish cannot see detail. Bass key on it in stain because it matches shad and bluegill profiles.
- Fire tiger Orange belly plus dark back plus chartreuse side. Built for water where fish hunt by flash and vibration.
Engine pick right now: natural, bloody
Guide pick for muddy water (fall): cut skipjack, stink bait, live bluegill
Catfish hunt by smell first. Color barely matters, contrast and scent do. Dark baits with bloody scent win in stain.
Full color matrix for muddy water
- water temp in target range+21
- hatch active+10
- pre frontal surge+8
- barometric trend+8
- in season+4
- wind speed+3
- cloud cover+1
- dissolved oxygen+1
Best window: last light
Flies: Clouser Minnow #2 (chartreuse/white), Lefty's Deceiver #2
Heavy jig-style streamer bounced on bottom in current seams.
In a few hours
Lures: 1/4 oz hair jig (white) tipped with minnow, 3/8 oz blade bait (silver/chartreuse), 4" paddle-tail swimbait (smoke/chartreuse)
Bright contrast jig vertical in tailrace seams. Chartreuse or orange head.
In a few hours
- Black / blue Reads as a baitfish silhouette when fish cannot see detail. Bass key on it in stain because it matches shad and bluegill profiles.
- Fire tiger Orange belly plus dark back plus chartreuse side. Built for water where fish hunt by flash and vibration.
Engine pick right now: chartreuse, white, purple
Guide pick for muddy water (fall): chartreuse, flame red, fire tiger
Light-sensitive like walleye but turn ON in stain while everything else slows. Feed all day in murk that shuts down bass.
Full color matrix for muddy water
- water temp in target range+22
- hatch active+10
- pre frontal surge+8
- barometric trend+8
- in season+3
- wind speed+3
- cloud cover+1
- dissolved oxygen+1
Best window: first light
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
Lures: 3/4 oz bucktail (white), 5" Sassy Shad on 1/2 oz head, Topwater pencil popper (fall schooling), Live skipjack on planer board (trophy water)
Black and blue jig or chartreuse spinnerbait tight to cover. Stained fish hold on wood and rock edges.
In a few hours
- Black / blue Reads as a baitfish silhouette when fish cannot see detail. Bass key on it in stain because it matches shad and bluegill profiles.
- Fire tiger Orange belly plus dark back plus chartreuse side. Built for water where fish hunt by flash and vibration.
Engine pick right now: chartreuse/white, shad, bone
Guide pick for muddy water (fall): black / blue, fire tiger, junebug
Bass see red and green well and chase high-contrast silhouettes in stain. Black and blue reads as a shad or bluegill profile when detail drops out.
Full color matrix for muddy water
- 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.
- water temp in target range+22
- hatch active+10
- pre frontal surge+8
- barometric trend+8
- in season+4
- wind speed+3
- cloud cover+1
- dissolved oxygen+1
Best window: first light
Flies: Clouser Minnow #2 (chartreuse/white), Lefty's Deceiver #2
Niche on fly. Heavy chartreuse Clouser trolled along 20 to 30 ft ledges.
In a few hours
Lures: 1/4 oz hair jig (white) tipped with minnow, 3/8 oz blade bait (silver/chartreuse), 4" paddle-tail swimbait (smoke/chartreuse)
Bottom-bouncer plus chartreuse crawler harness along contour. Slow troll 1.0 to 1.5 mph.
In a few hours
- Black / blue Reads as a baitfish silhouette when fish cannot see detail. Bass key on it in stain because it matches shad and bluegill profiles.
- Fire tiger Orange belly plus dark back plus chartreuse side. Built for water where fish hunt by flash and vibration.
Engine pick right now: chartreuse, white, purple
Guide pick for muddy water (fall): chartreuse, flame red, fire tiger
Walleye eyes gather light. They feed low-light and see chartreuse and orange deeper than any other colors.
Full color matrix for muddy water
- water temp in target range+22
- hatch active+10
- pre frontal surge+8
- barometric trend+8
- in season+4
- wind speed+3
- cloud cover+1
- dissolved oxygen+1
Best window: last light
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
Lures: 1/4 oz Roostertail, 1/8 oz spoon (silver), Sassy Shad 3"
Black and blue jig or chartreuse spinnerbait tight to cover. Stained fish hold on wood and rock edges.
In a few hours
- Black / blue Reads as a baitfish silhouette when fish cannot see detail. Bass key on it in stain because it matches shad and bluegill profiles.
- Fire tiger Orange belly plus dark back plus chartreuse side. Built for water where fish hunt by flash and vibration.
Engine pick right now: white, chartreuse, silver
Guide pick for muddy water (fall): black / blue, fire tiger, junebug
Bass see red and green well and chase high-contrast silhouettes in stain. Black and blue reads as a shad or bluegill profile when detail drops out.
Full color matrix for muddy water
- water temp in target range+22
- hatch active+10
- preferred time of day+10
- pre frontal surge+8
- barometric trend+8
- in season+4
- wind speed+3
- cloud cover+1
- dissolved oxygen+1
Dam generation & flow schedule
24h release schedule (table)
| Time | Flow (cfs) | State | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Latest readings
Live telemetry| Air temp (°F) | 68.3°F |
|---|---|
| Cloud cover (%) | 100% |
| Dew point (°C) | 21.1°C |
| dissolved oxygen mgl | 6.5 mg/L |
| gage height ft | 445.14 in |
| Relative humidity (%) | 50% |
| pH | 8.00 |
| 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 |
| Water temp (°C) | 20.9°C |
| Wind direction | E (90°) |
| Wind (mph) | 2.2 mph |
Reading freshness
Source update lag| Water temp (°C) | 36 min ago usgs |
|---|---|
| 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.
Tailwater staple; year-round on Caney Fork
Weeks 14-39 (Apr-Sep) on Caney Fork tailwater; matches South Holston schedule per shop consensus + thermal profile.
Cool overcast afternoons
Next few hours · best species
Prime windows for active feeding over the next 12 hours (CDT).
7-day forecast
Composite spot scores over the coming week.
10-day weather & pressure outlook
Extended NWS meteorological outlook.
| Day | High | Low | Wind | Cloud | Rain % | Pressure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96°F | 73°F | Unknown | — | 1% | 1,023.3 mb | nws | |
| 98°F | 72°F | Unknown | — | 3% | 1,023.4 mb | nws | |
| 98°F | 71°F | Unknown | — | 2% | 1,019.7 mb | nws | |
| 97°F | 70°F | Unknown | — | 3% | 1,015.3 mb | nws | |
| 96°F | 67°F | Unknown | — | 5% | 1,013.8 mb | nws | |
| 94°F | 69°F | Unknown | — | 14% | 1,013.0 mb | nws | |
| 89°F | 67°F | Unknown | — | 24% | 1,014.1 mb | nws | |
| 82°F | 59°F | Unknown | — | 22% | 1,016.2 mb | nws | |
| 83°F | 54°F | Unknown | — | 13% | 1,013.9 mb | nws | |
| 87°F | 55°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)
| 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 |