|
Along the Water's Edge
Watts
Bar
Lake:
Features 783 miles of shoreline and provides the largest inland nesting population of ospreys in the Southeast. Ospreys nest May-July, concentrated between the Euchee Boat Dock and Thief Neck Island. Concentrations of great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, and great egrets may be seen near Long Island. Waterfowl and bald eagles are common in winter. Public lands of Watts Bar Reservoir Reservation are home to white-tailed deer, raccoon, woodhcuck, muskrat, fox, mink, skunk and coyote.
Watts Bar can be divided into three sections - upper, middle and lower. The upper section is riverine and has the most fertile water. The middle and lower sections offer the better fishing. Springs in the mid-lake provide cool, well-oxygenated water that attract baitfish and improve summertime fishing. The lower end has more dissolved oxygen, and steep, rocky banks.
Size and Depth: 38,600 acres at full pool. A maximum depth of about 70 feet is found near the lock. The lake extends 72.4 miles from the Watts Bar Lock and Dam (RM 529.9) up to the Fort Loudon Lock and Dam (RM 602.3).
Shoreline: There are 697 miles of shoreline, most of which are steeply wooded banks. Development is moderate around much of the lake. Rock/rubble banks are present on the south end of the reservoir.
Cover: The once abundant milfoil is now totally absent from the lake. Only minor areas of pondweed and coontail remain. There is, however, considerable woody cover along the banks and on shallow flats. Logs, stumps, fallen trees and man-made brush piles are present. Shoreline brush (willow and button bush) provides excellent cover during periods of high water. The TWRA maintains about 20 fish attractors around the lake.
Featured Species: Largemouth Bass, Small mouth Bass, White Crappie, Stripe (white bass), Striped Bass (rockfish), Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, Bluegill.
Other Species: Spotted Bass, Sauger, Walleye, Yellow Bass, Cherokee Bass (hybrid striped bass), Yellow Perch, Rock Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Redear Sunfish (shellcracker), Warmouth, Flathead Catfish, and Bullhead.
Forage: Gizzard shad, threadfin shad, mosquito fish, brook silverside, steel color shiner, golden shiner, spot fin shiner, log perch, and a variety of other minnows.
Directions: To Watts Bar Dam from I-75, take Exit 60. Go west 16 miles.
|
