Aaron and Vivian Hurley learned firsthand that the sometimes-swift tailwater areas
below Tennessee River dams can be outstanding locations to target big blue catfish.
Tailwater Catfishing A-to-Z
Story and photos by Capt. Richard Simms
We were drifting along in the current immediately downstream from Chickamauga Dam on the Tennessee River. It’s a routine pattern—run upstream near the dam and then drift with the current a few hundred yards downstream. Then fire up the outboard and repeat. It is a tried-and=true spring and summer technique for putting excellent numbers of catfish in the livewell.
On this day, the catfish were on fire, with two or three solid blues coming aboard on every drift. Then suddenly we heard the blast of a loud siren. I looked upstream and saw yellow flashing lights on the face of the dam and thought, “Dang! I didn’t think they were going to do that today.”
The sirens and flashing lights are a safety warning to boats in the area that the Tennessee Valley Authority dam operators were cranking up the hydroelectric generators, releasing more water downstream. The siren gives boats in the area about three minutes warning to leave the hazardous waters close to the dam.
In this case, the warning was well-founded because they cranked the generators up hard!
TVA has a website and an app that provide fishermen with an estimate of each day’s generation schedule. However, at the top of the display it always reads, “Water release schedules can change without notice due to unanticipated weather changes or power system requirements. Large amounts of water could be discharged at any time.”
That’s what they did on this day, and what had been a somewhat easy, relaxing drift downstream suddenly became a whitewater sleigh ride, virtually impossible to fish effectively.
With my clients expecting another four hours of fishing, I knew it was time to go to Plan B, and if it didn’t work, Plan C, D or even E.
Capt. Aaron Massey, an accomplished Tennessee River catfish guide said, “Some days you get a curveball, and you’ve got to try to put the puzzle together, but that’s what makes it so rewarding—those days when you do overcome the curve balls and figure out how to catch them anyway!”
Hydro Generation Info
First, a little “water flow lesson.” We will use TVA’s Chickamauga Dam as an example. When they turn on all four hydroelectric generators at Chickamauga Dam full blast, they are releasing about 46,000 cubic feet of water per second, known as “cfs.” Obviously, the generation varies and can even be as low as zero, although that is rare on the Tennessee River. Also, other dams have different numbers of generators, so anglers must learn how to interpret the information they can glean from TVA’s “Lake Level” website or mobile app.
“The TVA app is extremely important,” said catfishing expert Capt. Joe Jellison, better known as Chatt Cats on YouTube. “It gives me an idea on what the current/flow will be, how many generators are running and, more importantly, it helps me plan out my trip with clients on best times to start fishing or other key details.”
Every dam varies in the number of generators and flow rates capable of being released. It is critical that you monitor the posted schedules on a daily basis and as often as possible. Then correlate what the schedules say compared to what you see and experience on the water. Even the posted numbers can be somewhat general estimates. But over time you will come to recognize “patterns” that will be consistent day-to-day.
Only by doing some homework over a period of time can you really begin to comprehend and piece together what you see on the website, versus what fishing conditions you’ll have on a given day or even at given hours. Otherwise, you’ll just be looking at some arbitrary numbers that are seemingly meaningless.
How Much Is Too Much
This can vary greatly based on different anglers’ personal preference and style of fishing. Personally, I prefer medium flow below Chickamauga, which would be between 20,000 and 30,000 cfs, at least if I’m fishing close to the dam. Current flows always slow down the further downstream you go. If I’m fishing four or five miles downstream (or farther), I prefer much more flow, 30,000 to 46,000 cfs.
Many catfishermen believe the fishing can even be better when flood gates are open, in addition to generators running full blast. At Chickamauga that means flow rates 50,000 cfs and higher, sometimes much higher.
“Flooded conditions can be harder to fish and require more attention to safety, but really high flow can yield a real trophy catfish,” said Capt. Jellison.
Capt. Sam Simons has been guiding for catfish for more than 15 years. He is a part time guide and fulltime school teacher. He jokingly says, “I’m not a catfishing expert. I’m just a teacher trying to make up for my financial career mistake.”
He said, “I prefer medium current for drift fishing and higher current for anchor fishing. If there is low current, I try to stay near the dam. But with increased current, I often like to make my way downriver to find fish that are feeding on mussel beds. I like to light-tackle drift (see more below) with 10-pound-test line for exciting fights.
“Anchor fishing, in higher flow, I like to go ‘tree hopping’—anchoring upstream from downed trees that could potentially hold big fish.”
Again, your experience may vary on your local tailwaters. That is where the “homework” becomes necessary.
The Light-Tackle Technique
At Scenic City Fishing Charters, our guides often call on a unique technique we’ve developed. We refer to it as our “light-tackle drift.” Our rods are standard 6- to 7-foot spinning rods, usually medium action with a standard spinning reel loaded with monofilament as light as 8-pound test up to 20-pound-test braided line.
We simply cast baits (often chicken breast) out on light lines upstream of the boat while drifting gently along with the current. We use the least amount of weight possible, sometimes no weight in relatively shallow water. A weightless bait drifting naturally like a feather in the current is the perfect presentation for a catfish hunkered behind a hump or rock waiting on a meal to drift by.
The equipment is the same most anglers might use for bass or even bluegills. The only difference is we have caught catfish up to 70-plus pounds on such gear. One of my clients even holds a catch-and-release world record from the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame for the biggest blue cat taken on 10-pound test line.
Capt. Mike Mitchell, owner of SouthernCats Guide Service, is one of the most well-known trophy catfish guides in the Southeast. During his guiding career, Capt. Mitchell has always matched his tackle to the fish he pursues, most often using rods, reels and line seemingly better suited for deep sea fishing. It is absolutely true that clients stand a far better chance of successfully landing the fish of a lifetime using heavy tackle.
Recently, however, Capt. Mitchell has started using his own light-tackle technique as well.
“Light tackle really is a ton of fun,” said Capt. Mitchell. “Presentation is a big plus. It’s so natural, and you just seem to catch more fish.”
On light line with light tackle, you cannot overpower a trophy catfish. Your goal is to simply outlast him. That’s when I use my favorite saying, telling clients, “Remember, it’s patience over power.” This video shows a good example.
However, we also tell clients, “When you hook a big cat on relatively light tackle, you are dancing with the devil.” That means there is a greater chance of losing the battle.
What About Reservoirs
Few catfishermen will ever argue that tailwaters are extremely productive catfish waters. Sometimes, however, based on personal preference or out of necessity, many catfish addicts fish reservoirs. However, water releases are still important.
On our Tennessee River lakes, generators upstream or down may be cranking full blast, yet at mid-lake, current flow is virtually impossible to detect.
But the catfish know it’s there!
Even when we can see no evidence of current on the water’s surface or in our boat’s drift, there is water moving, and catfish can feel it.
“A strong current can make fishing the lake really great,” said Capt. Massey. “I tend to look at the main channel just like a river in this scenario. I’ll fish current breaks (if I can see them), structure on the ledge, creek and mouths of sloughs.”
There have been many days I am fishing Chickamauga Lake without much luck. But by reviewing the TVA mobile app, I know they are going to increase generation at Chickamauga Dam at 1 p.m. On more than one occasion, at 1 p.m. (or soon after), our bite will improve, sometimes dramatically. And that is true whether I can feel a change in current or not. Again, the catfish know it.
In Conclusion
Many anglers avoid tailwaters because they don’t like fighting the current. The key, however, is don’t fight it. Learn to adapt your fishing techniques so you make the current your partner, fishing with it versus fighting it. When you master the variables of water flow in your own tailwaters, and adjust your locations and techniques accordingly, the result is definitely going to be more catfish in the net.
(Capt. Richard Simms is the editor of or our sister publication, CrappieNOW Magazine. He is also a “semi-retired” fishing guide on the Tennessee River and owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. Formerly he was a game warden for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before becoming a photographer and PR guy for TWRA. That led to a 30-year career as a broadcast journalist and freelance outdoor writer. Check out his book, “An Outdoor State of Mind.”)
