Old Hickory Reservoir
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: Live bluegill (4-6") on slip-bobber over a brush pile, Chicken liver in a mesh bag (low turtle attraction), Shad-gut dough on a #2 treble (firm bait stays on the hook), Cut skipjack on 7/0 circle (large hook + heavy weight discourages turtles)
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, live
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
- Turtle pressure is heavy on small TN lakes (Cane Creek, Standing Stone, TWRA family lakes, plateau state-park lakes) from May through September, especially after sunset.
- Live bluegill on a slip-float OR chicken liver in mesh outfishes loose cut bait when turtles are active.
- If you commit to cut bait, use the largest possible chunk on a 7/0+ circle hook so turtles can't strip it.
- barometric trend+12
- pre frontal surge+8
- wind speed+7
- in season+4
- cloud cover+1
Best window: first light
5 wt rod with floating line, 9 ft 5X tippet to a #8 Crappie Candy or 1/32 oz marabou jig. Spring spawn (55-68°F water): dap or short-cast under dock corners + into brush; let the fly fall 2-4 ft then twitch once. The fall does the work. Summer + winter: switch to a sink-tip or full intermediate line, count down to the brush depth (8-12 ft), then microscopic 2" strips. Crappie eat lightly, set on any line stop, no rod sweep.
Flies: Crappie Candy #8, Marabou Jig 1/32 oz
Chartreuse marabou jig or small Clouser under an indicator. Count down to the school depth.
In a few hours
Ultralight 6'6" rod, 4-6 lb mono OR 8 lb braid + 6 lb fluoro leader. Spring: 'shoot' a 1/32 oz curly-tail grub far under docks by bow-and-arrow casting the rod tip + flicking the lure. Let it fall on slack line; strike on the drop. Summer: vertical-jig a 1/16 oz hair jig directly above marked brush piles; 6" lifts, 3-second pauses. Minnow on a slip-bobber set 6" above the brush is the bail-out when the bite is light.
Lures: 1/32 oz curly grub (white/chartreuse), 1/16 oz hair jig, Minnow under slip-bobber
Chartreuse jig tipped with minnow, vertical over brush. Slow fall triggers the eat.
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, pink/white
Guide pick for muddy water (fall): chartreuse, fire tiger, black / chartreuse
Crappie hunt by flash and vertical profile. Chartreuse and white outproduce naturals in every stain level except gin-clear.
Full color matrix for muddy water
- Crappie bite shuts down hard during post-frontal high-pressure days; commit to spring + fall windows where you can.
- barometric trend+12
- pre frontal surge+10
- wind speed+7
- in season+4
- cloud cover+1
Best window: first light
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
Lures: 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
- 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: watermelon, chartreuse/white, shad
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
- 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.
- barometric trend+12
- pre frontal surge+10
- wind speed+7
- in season+4
- cloud cover+1
Best window: last light
Flies: Black Wooly Bugger #10, Hare's Ear Nymph #14
Heavy jig-style streamer bounced on bottom in current seams.
In a few hours
Lures: 1/16 oz jig, small spinnerbait
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: black, natural
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
- barometric trend+12
- pre frontal surge+8
- wind speed+7
- in season+3
- cloud cover+1
Best window: morning
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
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
- 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: watermelon, chartreuse/white, shad
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
- 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.
- preferred time of day+15
- barometric trend+12
- pre frontal surge+10
- wind speed+7
- in season+4
- cloud cover+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.
- barometric trend+12
- pre frontal surge+8
- wind speed+7
- in season+4
- cloud cover+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
- barometric trend+12
- preferred time of day+11
- pre frontal surge+8
- wind speed+7
- in season+4
- cloud cover+1
Next 24 hours · weather forecast
Scroll for hourly temperature, wind, and precipitation.
Latest readings
Live telemetry| Air temp (°F) | 74.9°F |
|---|---|
| Cloud cover (%) | 100% |
| Dew point (°C) | 21.1°C |
| Relative humidity (%) | 40% |
| Chance of precipitation (%) | 8% |
| Precipitation (in) | 0.00 in |
| Barometric pressure (mb) | 1,019.9 mb |
| Rain past 24h (in) | 1.20 in |
| Rain past 6h (in) | 0.00 in |
| Wind direction | ENE (68°) |
| Wind (mph) | 4.1 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.
Year-round on tailwaters/lakes
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).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99°F | 75°F | Unknown | — | 1% | 1,023.5 mb | nws | |
| 100°F | 75°F | Unknown | — | 2% | 1,023.2 mb | nws | |
| 99°F | 75°F | Unknown | — | 2% | 1,019.4 mb | nws | |
| 98°F | 73°F | Unknown | — | 3% | 1,015.1 mb | nws | |
| 99°F | 74°F | Unknown | — | 4% | 1,013.1 mb | nws | |
| 96°F | 73°F | Unknown | — | 12% | 1,012.5 mb | nws | |
| 91°F | 70°F | Unknown | — | 23% | 1,014.0 mb | nws | |
| 84°F | 66°F | Unknown | — | 20% | 1,016.1 mb | nws | |
| 85°F | 61°F | Unknown | — | 13% | 1,014.3 mb | nws | |
| 90°F | 64°F | Unknown | — | 10% | 1,017.0 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 |
Access points & navigation
- Anchor High Marina 36.2976, -86.6465 phone map Google OSM
- Avondale Recreation Area 36.3234, -86.5411 phone map Google OSM
- Gallatin Marina 36.3469, -86.4773 phone map Google OSM
- Metro Beach Swim Area 36.2989, -86.6633 phone map Google OSM
- Old Hickory Dam 36.2966, -86.6594 phone map Google OSM
- Old Hickory Dam Boat Ramp 36.2983, -86.6628 phone map Google OSM
- Rockland Park 36.2973, -86.6506 phone map Google OSM
- Saundersville 36.3173, -86.5595 phone map Google OSM
- Special Needs Access 36.3576, -86.4731 phone map Google OSM
- Station Camp Creek 36.3482, -86.5136 phone map Google OSM