During a morning stroll to the Decatur waterfront, I found several boats fishing between the Alternate 72 Bridge and the Norfolk Southern Tennessee (railroad) Bridge. In this historic region where Rhodes Ferry Park marks a significant point in the infamous Trail of Tears, I saw a good sampling of river options.
One boat was fishing tight to the riprap paralleling the railroad tracks.
Another boat was tucked inside a small marina with boat docks and a break wall. This angler caught a good keeper on a spinnerbait. He appeared to be targeting a specific spot on the inside edge of that rock wall; possibly a small culvert.
The railroad bridge got plenty of attention with anglers working around the pilings.
Across the river, multiple boats were fishing the perimeter of small islands. These contour variances accommodate a variety of techniques such as cranking, spinnerbaits, jigs and topwaters.
The morning’s mix of clouds and sun will continue throughout the day, until the forecasted afternoon thunderstorms arrive. A light east-southeast wind and a midday high of 80 degrees will make for sweltering conditions.
A key detail that will clearly influence the day’s fishing is current — or the lack thereof. Keeping an eye on floating logs, I noticed they weren’t making much downstream progress.
Current positions fish for feeding opportunities and enlivens the water with a cooler, more oxygenated flow. With minimal flow, fish become lethargic and less likely to feed outside of key bite windows.
Most anglers will report a grinding struggle at today’s weigh ins. It’s likely that the later flights will benefit from the cooling influence and barometric fluctuation ahead of the afternoon storms.
