Kentucky Lake is legendary for the nice shellcrackers it produces. Guides like Garry Mason, shown here, spend many of their spring days guiding exclusively for shellcrackers and bluegills. Photo by Jeff Samsel.

Don't tell the bass specialists or trout purists. They probably wouldn't listen anyway. The fact is, though, that bluegills and other panfish serve up some of the most fun angling action of all the fish that swim in Tennessee, both because of the fast action they typically provide and because the back-to-the-basics tactics that tend to produce the best action are just plain fun ways to fish.

With an eye on angling enjoyment, we've selected a handful of fisheries across Tennessee that serve up excellent panfishing. Offerings vary dramatically in the species mix and the nature of waterways themselves. The common denominator is consistently fine panfish action. We'll begin in the eastern part of the state and work our way west.

ROCK BASS RIVERS
Several East Tennessee streams offer their own unique brand of panfishing, where rock bass steal the show. Assorted other sunfish species, smallies and possibly a walleye or a catfish will also find their way into mixed-bag catches, but rock bass serve up the fastest action and really fun river fishing. The approach is simple: Throw grubs or small spinners close to rocky shores. The results are predictably good. Rock bass are not fabulous fighters, but they hit lures with gusto and they tend to gang up, creating spells of foolishly fast action.

While several East Tennessee streams offer some amount of rock bass opportunity, fisheries biologist Bart Carter recommended two rivers in extreme upper East Tennessee that stand from the rest. Carter, a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency stream biologist in Region IV, said the Clinch and Powell rivers, neighboring flows that rise in the mountains of Virginia and flow southwesterly through their Tennessee portions, are the best of the best for rock bass.

The Powell River is Carter's top pick for sheer numbers of rock bass. Although there are some large fish in the mix, fast action is the main attraction in this fishery. The Upper Clinch, on the other hand, is Carter's trophy rock bass selection. The Clinch, best known for the tailwater trout fishery below Norris Lake, provides many miles of fine cool-water river fishing from the Virginia/Tennessee line to the headwaters of the lake, and this is the area that the rock bass call home.

Both the Powell and the Clinch are fairly large rivers that can be waded, fished from the bank or fished from johnboats or other small crafts. The upper end of the Clinch's Tennessee run is fairly flat and lends itself well to fishing from a small boat. Closer to the lake, the river's grade steepens, creating more shoals or rapids, depending on water levels. Boating is more challenging in this section, but wade-fishing is generally better. The Powell runs a fairly gentle course throughout the Tennessee portion and is well suited for wading or floating.

The rivers' banks are mostly private, but the TWRA does operate a couple of access areas along each. In addition, numerous roadside areas along each provide popular fishing access. Information about public access points is available from www.tnfish.org.