For whatever reason every spring they allow it to get very high and render that ramp unusable. Go on past rat branch to fish spring marina will cost a few bucks to park but at least your vehicle is safe.

A Ned rig is always a go to and a kytec. Be careful on the banks there is still a lot of brush left from where it was drained to repair the dam. It's been 2 weeks since I fished it. "A" rig, silver buddy, jerkbait was working really well.

I can only speak for our lakes here in East Tennessee. Absolutely there has been a decline. I know I'm going to step on toes here but a lot of this is our own fault. Several issues I see. The advances in electronics has put us directly onto fish they can't hide anymore, we have people that are pulling fish up from 100 feet, yes the argument will be we fizz them or bleed their swim bladder and there fine. If that's the case why are we seeing these large fish floating upside down dead at the ramps where they are released after the weigh in. Here is another observation on our lakes there is several large spring tournaments during the spawn when you put up the kind of money that's being offered its hard to resist pulling these big fish off their nests only to have the bluegills eat the the fry. I use to see fry all the time that's not the case anymore. Next is the fishing pressure on our lakes there is a tournament or rodeo almost every day. I fish every day that I can I love to be on the water. I have changed several things I do and don't do. I do not fish for those deep fish anymore and haven't for several years. I refuse to pull fish off their nests that's just destroying the future fish. I'm extremely careful how I unhook and release a fish hopefully to catch it again someday. I'm not saying to stop fishing but change the way we are doing it. Go to the catch weigh and release instead of hauling them around in our live wells only to have them die. Stop or block off certain areas of the lakes during the spawn to give them a chance to reproduce little things to preserve our future anglers. Again this is just my thoughts and observation.

Let me know a time and day you go to Watsons and I will meet you there and introduce myself. Can talk more about our lakes around here.

By the way I'm a jersey boy to what part are you from

Birdog
Go by Watsons they can hook you up with what you need also talk to Rex or one of the young boys there. They are great people and very helpful. We are blessed to have so many places to fish here. Yes our lakes are deep but you don't have to fish very deep to catch them totally depends on the time of year around here as to where they are. I keep a ned rig tied on all year long. Go to YouTube and watch some Ned rig fishing to get some ideas on using it. Again the guys at Watsons will point you in the right direction.

What part of Tennessee are you in. I'm in east Tennessee.

Hello Cals69
Throw a Ned rig you will catch most anything in soho.