Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)
River / Creek
Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary) Conditions
Level Stable
Flow / Discharge
Unmeasured Reach
Local Hydrology
Water Temp
Pending Telemetry
Thermal Lag Model
Generation State
Unregulated flow
Natural Drainage
Barometer Trend
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NWS Station Barometer
What to throw right now
Per-species breakdown & tactics
Pick a fish, then Fly, Spin, or Colors. Your last pick is remembered.
Best window: morning
Bugs are hatching (fly). On rivers, try a Stimulator or Chubby Chernobyl with a rust Hare's Ear dropper and dead-drift across current. On lakes, twitch a perch-colored Game Changer along rocky banks at first light. Learn more: Dead drift and Topwater bass.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
Target the head of every plunge pool and the undercut banks on outside bends. A weighted #6 rust Wooly Bugger swung through the soft slot below each riffle pulls the bigger fish. Move every 3-4 casts.
8 wt rod, integrated intermediate or floating line, 8 ft of 16-20 lb fluoro tapered down (4X butt to 0X bite). #4 deer-hair frog or #4 popper on calm warm mornings; #6 Clouser in chartreuse/white or olive Game Changer on overcast days or deeper. Cast tight to cover (overhung wood, dock corners, weed edges), let the popper sit 4-6 seconds, then a sharp pop. For sub-surface: cast across to the bank, let the streamer fall, then 2-3 ft strips with hard pauses. Strip-set hard; bass jaws are bony and you need the line tight to drive the hook.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
Target the head of every plunge pool and the undercut banks on outside bends. A weighted #6 rust Wooly Bugger swung through the soft slot below each riffle pulls the bigger fish. Move every 3-4 casts.
8 wt rod, integrated intermediate or floating line, 8 ft of 16-20 lb fluoro tapered down (4X butt to 0X bite). #4 deer-hair frog or #4 popper on calm warm mornings; #6 Clouser in chartreuse/white or olive Game Changer on overcast days or deeper. Cast tight to cover (overhung wood, dock corners, weed edges), let the popper sit 4-6 seconds, then a sharp pop. For sub-surface: cast across to the bank, let the streamer fall, then 2-3 ft strips with hard pauses. Strip-set hard; bass jaws are bony and you need the line tight to drive the hook.
Flies: Clouser Minnow #6 (chartreuse/white), Frog Popper #4
Olive wooly bugger or black game changer. Dark silhouette first, drop to rust nymph if refusals.
In a few hours
Bugs are hatching (spin). River: tick a small brown jig with a smoke craw trailer along bottom seams. Lake: a tiny hair jig under a slip-bobber along rocky shore, or a Yellow Magic popper twitched slowly with long pauses. Learn more: Topwater bass.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
1/16 oz brown jig + small craw trailer ticked along bottom from the head of each pool back through the tail. Skip the open shallow runs — fish hold tight to structure on a creek this small.
BAIT OPTION: Live crayfish or a chunk of nightcrawler on a #6 hook with one split shot, drifted from the head of each plunge pool through the slack. Most consistent producer on small Overton County creeks.
Medium-heavy 7' rod, 20 lb braid + 12-15 lb fluoro leader (or straight 12 lb fluoro on a baitcaster). Texas-rigged 7" watermelon-red worm with a 3/16 oz tungsten weight + 4/0 EWG hook is the all-conditions standard. For active fish: 1/2 oz spinnerbait slow-rolled along points + drop-offs. For deep summer suspended fish: 3/8 oz football jig + craw trailer hopped along 12-18 ft ledges. Post-front shutdown: switch to a weightless wacky-rigged 5" Senko in green pumpkin, work it dead-slow next to cover.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
1/16 oz brown jig + small craw trailer ticked along bottom from the head of each pool back through the tail. Skip the open shallow runs — fish hold tight to structure on a creek this small.
BAIT OPTION: Live crayfish or a chunk of nightcrawler on a #6 hook with one split shot, drifted from the head of each plunge pool through the slack. Most consistent producer on small Overton County creeks.
Medium-heavy 7' rod, 20 lb braid + 12-15 lb fluoro leader (or straight 12 lb fluoro on a baitcaster). Texas-rigged 7" watermelon-red worm with a 3/16 oz tungsten weight + 4/0 EWG hook is the all-conditions standard. For active fish: 1/2 oz spinnerbait slow-rolled along points + drop-offs. For deep summer suspended fish: 3/8 oz football jig + craw trailer hopped along 12-18 ft ledges. Post-front shutdown: switch to a weightless wacky-rigged 5" Senko in green pumpkin, work it dead-slow next to cover.
Lures: 1/16 oz brown jig + 2" smoke craw trailer (bottom-tick presentation), Texas-rigged worm (watermelon red flake), 1/2 oz spinnerbait (white/chartreuse), 3" soft jerkbait (smoke shad), 3/8 oz football jig + craw trailer (deep summer)
Black and blue jig or chartreuse spinnerbait tight to cover. Stained fish hold on wood and rock edges.
In a few hours
Clear
- Natural / shad Disappears correctly in clear water. Invisible for the wrong reason once stain cuts visibility.
- Watermelon red The clear-water bass standard. Red flake reads as craw without spooking pressured fish.
Best colors right now: watermelon, chartreuse/white, shad
Good colors for clear water (fall): watermelon red, natural shad, green pumpkin
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 clear water
ColorClearStainedMuddy
Natural / shadBestAvoidAvoid
Watermelon redBestAvoidAvoid
White / shadGoodGoodAvoid
PurpleGoodGoodAvoid
Black / blueAvoidGoodBest
ChartreuseAvoidBestGood
Fire tigerAvoidGoodBest
Orange / flame redAvoidBestGood
Hatch: 64% (BWO (fall)) Active hatch. Fly imitations and small surface bugs are working.
- Topwater commits hardest in the first 90 minutes after sunrise on calm warm mornings, see /learn/technique/topwater-bass.
- Bluebird high-pressure days after a cold front kill the topwater bite; switch to slow soft plastics in deeper cover.
Conditions Match Breakdown
- + water temp in target range+18
- + preferred time of day+11
- + barometric trend+6
- + cloud cover+5
- + dissolved oxygen+5
- + in season+5
- + solunar major window+4
- + cloud preference+3
- + new/full moon amplifier+1
Best window: morning
Bugs are hatching (fly). Light rod, floating line. Put a small dry (yellow Stimulator or black ant) on top with a beadhead Hare's Ear or olive damsel nymph underneath as a dropper — bluegill often eat the dropper. Cast into shade and along pad edges; wait a few seconds before twitching.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
3-4 wt short rod (7'6" or less) for tight casting under canopy. Bow-and-arrow or roll-cast a #14 yellow Stimulator or #12 olive damsel nymph into each plunge pool and pocket; let it drift through then pick up and move. Land the fly with no line on the water if you can — these fish spook hard.
5-6 wt rod, floating line, 4X tippet. Cover water with a #10 olive wooly bugger first, then drop to a #14 Pheasant Tail if nothing's eating up top. Vary depth + retrieve speed until you find what works.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
3-4 wt short rod (7'6" or less) for tight casting under canopy. Bow-and-arrow or roll-cast a #14 yellow Stimulator or #12 olive damsel nymph into each plunge pool and pocket; let it drift through then pick up and move. Land the fly with no line on the water if you can — these fish spook hard.
5-6 wt rod, floating line, 4X tippet. Cover water with a #10 olive wooly bugger first, then drop to a #14 Pheasant Tail if nothing's eating up top. Vary depth + retrieve speed until you find what works.
Flies: Olive Wooly Bugger #10, Pheasant Tail #14
Small chartreuse bugger or soft hackle under an indicator. Twitchy strips.
In a few hours
Bugs are hatching (spin). Ultralight rod. Hang a small beaded nymph under a tiny pencil bobber with one BB shot for casting weight. Flip into shaded pockets, wait 5–10 seconds, twitch once. When the bobber dips, set right away. This slow rig often beats moving lures on bright calm days.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
Ultralight 5'-6' rod, 4 lb mono. 1/32 oz inline spinner cast directly into the head of each plunge pool and let to tumble through. Move between holes constantly. For panfish in the shallow pockets, switch to a #6 Beetle Spin and slow it down.
BAIT OPTION: Red worm on a #8 long-shank with one split shot, drifted into each pocket. Old-school approach but consistently outproduces lures on this kind of creek.
Medium-light combo, 8 lb mono. 1/16 oz curl-tail grub on a steady retrieve covers the broadest set of conditions. Vary depth + speed until the bite is found.
ON THIS WATER (Mill Creek (Standing Stone tributary)): Small wadeable creek feeding Standing Stone Lake. Pocket water between boulders, short plunge pools, and a few deeper holes where the creek cuts undercut banks. Walk-and-stalk water; one cast per likely lie.
Ultralight 5'-6' rod, 4 lb mono. 1/32 oz inline spinner cast directly into the head of each plunge pool and let to tumble through. Move between holes constantly. For panfish in the shallow pockets, switch to a #6 Beetle Spin and slow it down.
BAIT OPTION: Red worm on a #8 long-shank with one split shot, drifted into each pocket. Old-school approach but consistently outproduces lures on this kind of creek.
Medium-light combo, 8 lb mono. 1/16 oz curl-tail grub on a steady retrieve covers the broadest set of conditions. Vary depth + speed until the bite is found.
Lures: Red Squirmy worm #12 OR olive damsel nymph #12 under a tiny pencil bobber, 1/16 oz jig, small spinnerbait
Beetle spin or tiny jig tipped with wax worm. Slow roll past beds.
In a few hours
Clear
- Natural / shad Disappears correctly in clear water. Invisible for the wrong reason once stain cuts visibility.
- Watermelon red The clear-water bass standard. Red flake reads as craw without spooking pressured fish.
Best colors right now: natural, black
Good colors for clear water (fall): natural nymph, olive, smoke
Sight feeders in shallow water. Small and bright beats big and natural except in the clearest spring pools.
Full color matrix for clear water
ColorClearStainedMuddy
Natural / shadBestAvoidAvoid
Watermelon redBestAvoidAvoid
White / shadGoodGoodAvoid
PurpleGoodGoodAvoid
Black / blueAvoidGoodBest
ChartreuseAvoidBestGood
Fire tigerAvoidGoodBest
Orange / flame redAvoidBestGood
Hatch: 64% (BWO (fall)) Active hatch. Fly imitations and small surface bugs are working.
Conditions Match Breakdown
- + water temp in target range+15
- + barometric trend+6
- + cloud cover+5
- + dissolved oxygen+5
- + solunar major window+4
- + in season+3
- + new/full moon amplifier+1
Next 24 hours · weather forecast
Scroll for hourly temperature, wind, and precipitation.
7PM
67°
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8PM
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7% rain
9PM
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7% rain
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7AM
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Latest readings
Live telemetry| Air temp (°F) | 70.0°F |
|---|---|
| Cloud cover (%) | 93% |
| Dew point (°C) | 7.8°C |
| Relative humidity (%) | 42% |
| Chance of precipitation (%) | 4% |
| Barometric pressure (mb) | 1,025.5 mb |
| Rain past 6h (in) | 0.00 in |
| Wind direction | Variable |
| Wind (mph) | 0.0 mph |
Reading freshness
Source update lag| Barometric pressure (mb) | 6 min ago openmeteo |
|---|---|
| Wind (mph) | 6 min ago nws |
| Cloud cover (%) | 6 min ago nws |
| Air temp (°F) | 6 min ago nws |
| Rain past 24h (in) | 3840.1 h ago openmeteo stale |
| Rain past 6h (in) | 5.1 h ago nws |
Hatch matcher · this month
Active aquatic insect emergences & suggested imitations.
Midge
Sizes 18–24
Recommended patterns:
Zebra Midge #20, Griffith's Gnat #20, WD-40 #20
Tailwater staple; year-round on Caney Fork
BWO (fall)
Sizes 20–22
Recommended patterns:
RS2 #22, Parachute BWO #20
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
NWS forecast where it reaches, Open-Meteo beyond it. Days run midnight to midnight, spot time.
| Day | High | Low | Wind | Cloud | Rain % | Pressure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat Oct 31 | 79°F | 58°F | 6 mph SE | 87% | 9% | 1,025.4 mb | nws |
| Sun Nov 1 | 67°F | 54°F | 7 mph SE | 95% | 56% | 1,027.3 mb | nws |
| Mon Nov 2 | 71°F | 54°F | 5 mph SSE | 84% | 19% | 1,023.9 mb | nws |
| Tue Nov 3 | 76°F | 57°F | 11 mph SSE | 47% | 15% | 1,018.9 mb | nws |
| Wed Nov 4 | 71°F | 62°F | 11 mph S | 97% | 77% | 1,012.5 mb | nws |
| Thu Nov 5 | 70°F | 57°F | 4 mph WSW | 94% | 63% | 1,010.7 mb | nws |
| Fri Nov 6 | 67°F | 52°F | 4 mph NW | 74% | 24% | 1,008.1 mb | nws |
| Sat Nov 7 | 65°F | 49°F | 3 mph W | 77% | 6% | 1,010.7 mb | nws |
| Sun Nov 8 | 56°F | 49°F | 7 mph SW | 95% | 9% | 1,009.6 mb | openmeteo |
| Mon Nov 9 | 53°F | 39°F | 4 mph W | 62% | 16% | 1,011.1 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 |