Well they are holding the Classic weigh in within sight of my porch! Still not sure where they will launch but I guess that’s not terribly important (my guess is the tellico canal). Also not sure if they will allow locking through dams, ft loudoun lake is probably the worst bass fishing lake on the Tennessee river. Oh well, pretty cool to see it on the home water !!

It seems like a pretty good setup to host the tournament with access to two different lakes and a river (3 bodies of water total) and then to have the Weigh-In, Expo, and Take-Off all three within walking distance from each other. 

Not sure why BASS doesn't have this on their website. 

56 minutes ago, RHuff said:

It seems like a pretty good setup to host the tournament with access to two different lakes and a river (3 bodies of water total) and then to have the Weigh-In, Expo, and Take-Off all three within walking distance from each other. 

The only weird thing I can't understand is there is no boat ramp at the take off. But all those 3 things you mentioned in walking distance are also within walking distance of my house!

I bet Mr. Defoe is one happy camper.

6 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Well they are holding the Classic weigh in within sight of my porch!

A lot of Members here, how big is your porch? 

It should hold about 6 people hahaha. Might have to cut some trees down for a better view!

There is a boat ramp a mile or so down river from Volunteer Landing. I think it's called Gov. Ned McWherter/ Riverside Landing Park. It's a fairly nice ramp with good parking. I won't be at all surprised if Knoxville doesn't make it nicer/ wider before next March.

 The Pro's can fish Ft. Loudon or Tellico Lakes (connected by a canal), the TN River, the Holston River up to the I-40 bridge or the French Broad River up to the Hwy 168 bridge. From what I heard, no locking through to Watts Bar but I'be not read it anywhere.

For those of us unfamiliar with that area, what is the fishery like? 

 

Will it be a challenging tournament, like a US Open for golf or will limits be the norm? 

 

Being in Eastern Tennessee, will all 3 species come into play?

Lot of big smallmouth, yes all 3 species and meanmouth as well but they usually count those as spots in tournaments. 14" minimum keeper limit for largemouth and 18" for small mouth. Spots you can keep 15 of any length so I guess they will put a 12" limit on them for the classic. There are two reservoirs connected by a canal, ft Loudoun and tellico. Ft Loudoun is the main channel of the Tennessee river and is typically more stained and has more current. Tellico is on the little Tennessee river and comes out of the mountains from North Carolina. It is much clearer water and not nearly as fast. The holston and french broad come together just upstream of Downtown Knoxville to form the Tennessee river. These rivers can be moving up to 3-4 miles an hour carrying logs and junk if Douglas and Cherokee dams are pumping hard. There are a couple sets of shoals they could reach on the holston side, really only one shoal they could legally fish on the french broad side. The current can be somewhat slack and water can get very low in the spring when they begin to raise the upland flood control lakes, could see a lower unit or 3 busted (like mine). Other years it's plenty deep and chocolate milk colored. Once the current slows down into each lake, there are a ton of boat docks and rip rap and vertical bluffs. It can be challenging at times but 20 lb limits are not uncommon at local tournaments 

14 hours ago, volzfan59 said:

There is a boat ramp a mile or so down river from Volunteer Landing. I think it's called Gov. Ned McWherter/ Riverside Landing Park. It's a fairly nice ramp with good parking. I won't be at all surprised if Knoxville doesn't make it nicer/ wider before next March.

 The Pro's can fish Ft. Loudon or Tellico Lakes (connected by a canal), the TN River, the Holston River up to the I-40 bridge or the French Broad River up to the Hwy 168 bridge. From what I heard, no locking through to Watts Bar but I'be not read it anywhere.

I used that ramp last night, it’s not as big as you think. It gets full on a warm Saturday without a tournament 

I'll admit I did a little happy dance when I read the classic will be held in Knoxville.

 

Biggest event in the sport less than an hour away,I'll be there all 3 days!!

Gonna hate waiting all year though

 

 

Good for Knoxville... I didn't figure Tellico/Loudoun would be the choice of lakes though.

38 minutes ago, 38 Super Fan said:

Good for Knoxville... I didn't figure Tellico/Loudoun would be the choice of lakes though.

Hahahahaa ... I know right?

 

Keeper, Excellent read on the tournament waters. Couldn't have said it better. I've never used that ramp, just driven through the parking lot. It was just the closest ramp I could think of to Volunteer Landing and Thompson Bowling. I could see the city/ state improving it before March however.

I retired from a local Sheriff's Office, I'll ask some KPD and Knox County friends to let me know when they hear. I'm sure the planning meetings will start soon. I know a TWRA Officer, I'll ask him next time he's in BPS.

1 hour ago, volzfan59 said:

Keeper, Excellent read on the tournament waters. Couldn't have said it better. I've never used that ramp, just driven through the parking lot. It was just the closest ramp I could think of to Volunteer Landing and Thompson Bowling. I could see the city/ state improving it before March however.

I retired from a local Sheriff's Office, I'll ask some KPD and Knox County friends to let me know when they hear. I'm sure the planning meetings will start soon. I know a TWRA Officer, I'll ask him next time he's in BPS.

You are definitely correct,

its really the only decent launch anywhere near volunteeer landing. I think Concord is the next closest  two lane ramp and it’s 20 miles down river! Poland creek is kind of two truck capable.........

I remember fishing the Wrangler Nationals here in Knoxville many years ago and we launched under the bridge downtown.  Can't remember how many boats we had but it was quite a few.  Believe they are only having around fifty with some observers of coarse.  May not be the best body of water on the Tennessee but believe this town knows how to put on big events and the potential is there for some good weights and crowd participation.