"Like some other lakes, water flow makes a big difference here," he said. "The discharges have a definite effect on angling success. An hour or so prior to discharges, you will find some bass feeding and the same is true during the discharge. After things stabilize, you can expect another hour or so of reliable action.

It's like fishing a tailrace area for bass in some ways, so figure from midmorning until noon rather than very early or very late. If you don't want to worry about the discharge schedule, then go back into the creeks. Bass stay in them year 'round."

Summerlin suggests paying attention to rocks or other structure where the fish can hold easily during periods of high water flow, a common occurrence on Old Hickory. Channel edges, especially around bends, are prime spots if there are downed trees or bushes there. Bass, including some big ones, are often found shallow.

In early May, by all means, work spinnerbaits and jerkbaits from ankle-deep water outward until you are convinced that they either are or are not there. Casting toward a lunker bass that you can see is great fun unless you are prone to getting excited and wind up decorating a shoreline tree with your lure.

He also added that milfoil has historically been a hit-or-miss proposition due to efforts to get rid of it, but where it exists, the aggravating vegetation is a boon to bass anglers. Although this type of cover is most common well over into the summer, it pays to keep it in mind, and when the first sprigs start poking above the surface, run a spinnerbait or Rat-L-Trap as close to the shrubbery as you can get it.

NICKAJACK LAKE
When John Collins retired and moved to the Chattanooga area, he did it with one thing in mind other than getting away from the crowds that make up the proverbial rat race: bass fishing. His scratched and dented aluminum bass boat has become a common sight on Nickajack in the past decade.

"In early May -- when I expect the largemouths to be on the beds -- you can find them in the expected bays and coves where the current doesn't pose a problem. The Nickajack Cave area is a good place to start and with a name like that it has to be interesting."

Collins added that another consistent area in terms of production, not only during the spawn, is the Bennett Lake stretch. He said it resembles a picture that a serious bass angler would draw to show perfect bass habitat, with flats, humps and drop­offs that bass can relate to."

Like any number of local anglers, Collins frequently starts off using a Rat-L-Trap as a prospecting bait because it allows him to cover a lot of water in minimal time. When an aggressive bass grabs his offering, he slows down and switches to a crawfish crankbait first, especially in areas with rock or gravel, then winds up with either a crawdad or black/blue jig-and-pig.

"I keep meaning to try a Carolina-rigged lizard," he said, "because I know that they will work. I just never seem to find the time to get around to it. When the bass are biting, it's hard to get away from what you know and have confidence in. On Nickajack when the bite slows, it's easier just to switch locations."