The Reel Thing: Get in while the getting's still good

As has been the trend in recent weeks, local bass fishing continues to reach its high point in the season in the midst of the fall.Reports from both Boone and Watauga Lake show all species of bass have had strong weeks to start the month of November. On Boone, stripers have been the strongest in particular, while there's been more of a smallmouth and largemouth lean on Watauga.Still, bass anglers have continued to see success throughout the fall.That has oftentimes been both in terms of the quantity of fish reeled in as well as their size. Unsurprisingly, the key has been to find the schools of bait fish. A good rule of thumb, if you find the shad, you'll find the bass, too.One angler posted on Facebook he had caught 20 bass in a trip after locating a group of shad, and it was at decent depth.Otherwise, crappie fishing in the area is slowly improving by the week as well, and is expected to continue in the near future.Also in the coming weeks, the TWRA is expected to begin its winter stocking schedule of trout. According to their website, the winter schedule will start the week of Thanksgiving, with the closest location being Ralph Stout Park Pond in Mountain City.Elsewhere in East Tennessee, Mossy Creek in Jefferson City, Pistol Creek in Maryville, and Fountain City Lake in Knoxville are listed as winter stocking locations for 2025-26. Oneida City Park will join the list at the start of the new year.If you have a story you'd like to share, a fishing event upcoming, or an update on your local waterways, feel free to reach out to Andrew Smith at asmith@sixriversmedia.com.