So I'm pretty new,  this is my first season change since I started fishing just after the beginning of summer.  I only fish from the bank,  and for the most part,  heavily pressured areas.   I was starting to get a grasp on the summer pattern, but things are cooling off here in Knoxville and I've been struggling with a bite the last week or so.  

 

What are some things to look for, what can I expect?  What would be suggested baits for heavy pressure area fishing from the bank?

 

I usually take 2 rods, both baitcaster, sometimes a spinning outfit.  One with a Texas rig or jig of some sort and the other for whatever, be it a frog, lipless crank, spinner, or whatever.

There is definitly a tougher period when they first start the flushing of the upper reservoirs.  At least for me too.  But shad will start coming in numbers to the back bays here pretty soon and the fish will follow.  A great time of year....good luck.  

I too am definitly on the learning curve on east tenn lakes but that is what makes fishing awesome.

We managed to get out on a boat for the afternoon.  They sure we dumping at the d**n.  There way so much current.  And we did happen to find huge numbers of bait fish a little way in a cove off the main lake.  Seemed white bass was mostly chasing the bait.  I didn't manage to land a fish the other 2 in the boat did well.  Still had fun and learned alittle something too.

I fish Norris lake and since they started dropping the water(past month or so) the bite has gotten tougher.

I have not seen the baitfish activity like I was seeing all summer.

 

I've had to go out towards the main channel and fish deeper to get some keeper bites.

In the next couple of weeks the baitfish should start heading back into the creeks and the bite will usually start to pick up.

 

The early fall is the toughest time IMO as the fish seem scattered and tough to pattern

Yup, the schools of shad will start moving to the back of the creeks soon. As of last week they haven't yet, at least where I was fishing.  I'll be on Ft. Loudon tomorrow evening for a few hours on my yak so we'll see if they are further back now. I'll be throwing anything that looks shaddy; spinnerbait, swim jig, soft plastic swimbaits, stick worms and flukes, lipless, topwater, jerkbaits, dropshot maybe even an A-rig.  

Getting hot again, don't abandon summer pattern yet 

I wondered about that when I watched the weather yesterday morning. 

Don't forget to keep a topwater on hand also. The temperatures have not receded dramatically for the water temperatures. I have had success with the Whopper Plopper and with the bass chasing the shad it would be a great idea to be throwing a top water bait and then go with something suspended.

 

 I've been watching them chase the schools of shad around up at the surface at every shoreline, I been to in the past week.  I've got a shad colored whopper plopped and a couple jerk baits and lipless cranks to match, but they don't seem to care.  But with as clear as the water has been, I can't say I blame them.  

Murdered them on Sunday......with grandson.....Tuesday night figured we got this......NOT!!!!

Lol, yeah, it seems about as predictable as the weather.   Nice little cool down this weekend,  then back into the 80's next week 

Been catching fish on topwater chasing shad still

Oh...me too.....just not the good ones when fishing the wildcats....

Oh...Well.....all good.

Very up and down time of year for me. Skunked on Cherokee a couple weeks ago. Went to Norris yesterday expecting another bad trip, ended up getting several solid fish tossing a 3/4oz football jig on bluffs, and steep channel swing banks with laydowns. Pulled up a good fish on a flat late in the evening with a buzzbait too.

Sounds like a good day.  Going to hit watts for a tourney Sunday with fingers crossed.