Eddie Nuckols travels to less pressured waters in Tennessee during February, and Cherokee and Tellico lakes are on the list of his targets. Photo by Larry Self.

Mention Dale Hollow and heads turn, and rightly so. There are also a few smallmouth waters in East Tennessee that might not have legendary status so to speak, but they do deserve more than a second look.

In smallmouth bass circles, there are waters like those of Dale Hollow that are considered sacred. Pickwick and South Holston lakes are two others that are on their way to a revered, legendary status, if they're not already there because of their consistency in producing quality brown bass.

For a few minutes, take your mind away from fishing the waters that will probably produce the next world-record smallmouth bass. When time doesn't allow you to make the drive to one of the legendary lakes across the state, there are a few overlooked East Tennessee smallmouth lakes that you need to make the journey to.

The waters we've isolated as top picks don't get the respect they deserve, but they're defiantly not slouches when it comes to producing quality brown fish. February is not a month to be fooling around if you're a hardcore smallmouth fisherman. Water temperatures are just starting to warm and will range from the low 40s to the upper 40s at best. Not your typical spawning situation, but ideal to start looking around for big smallies.

Largemouth bass may make their first serious moves in March, but smallies do it in February. These four lakes we're spotlighting -- Cherokee, Fort Loudoun, Tellico and Watauga -- are all top lakes at times when it comes to producing trophy brown fish. The numbers may not always be their strong points, but they all have a history of coughing up some big smallmouths in the form of 4- to 6-pounders and on up. The only way you're going to find out is to read on and then get on February's chilly waters and experience big smallmouth fishing for yourself.

CHEROKEE LAKE
The first big smallmouth I ever laid eyes on came from Cherokee Lake. I can still picture that 6-pound-plus bronzeback from my past, and I wasn't even the lucky fisherman to boat it. Regardless, its fight and pure speed as it rocketed to the surface trying to throw the tube bait hooked me for life. Right after high school in the 1980s, Cherokee was a serious destination for smallmouth fishermen. It's never ceased from producing smallmouth bass, but there have been up and down cycles over the last few years. Anglers who fish the noted waters are proud to say Cherokee's very good smallmouth status has returned.

Tournament angler Junior Harris from Greeneville said there's no doubt about Cherokee's comeback the last two years. From February through early spring, he's seen the results at the scales. Over the last two late-winter and early-spring seasons, Harris said anglers have seen some serious brown fish brought to the net. You may not catch a boat load of them, but when they weigh in the 3- to 4-pound range and you can put them together in a tournament, you won't complain about the quality. Harris saw five-fish limits of brown fish weighing 18 to 19 pounds placed on the tournament scales last year.

February is what Harris describes as the month to be on the water on Cherokee for what the lake has to offer, and the lower section is the place you'll want to spend most of your time. A Fluke fished up around laydowns in the Three Springs area can be good later in March and the bluffs and points above and below the Hwy. 25-E bridge will deserve your hair jig attention later on, but the section of the lake from the Kidwells Ridge area down to the dam are smallmouth hangouts in February.

Main channel points are good starting spots in February. You'll want to concentrate on depths of 15 to 20 feet for the most part this time of year. Harris said as the water starts to warm later in the month, you'll want to fish more shallow as smallies move up. If you put in your time and search them out, the lake's many humps can also pay off for smallmouths.

Cherokee Lake has a strong history of being a Silver Buddy lake all winter long and particularly on through February. Harris said the hump factor can be key to catching Silver Buddy fish. He said working a 1/2-ounce Silver Buddy over humps can produce solid brown fish. Harris has his best success casting the bait onto humps and points and then popping it off the bottom creating a natural flash with the bait's flutter. Backup baits that produce in February include hair jigs and the Float-N-Fly. Harris said you also should never overlook what a 3-inch chartreuse Old Man String Ray Grub can do.

For the best access to the lower end, put in at the ramp at the dam just outside of Jefferson City and work your way up the lake to Kidwells Ridge slowly hitting points, bluffs and humps. There's plenty of structure to divide your opportunity into more than one trip.