Catfish tips?
 

Hello everyone, I have been fishing in Murfreesboro for the past couple of years but have not tried any catfishing, which I hear is amazing in Tennessee (I used to go 3-4 times a week back in MA). Anyways, I know how to catch cats but I was wondering if anyone had any tips for me as to where I could get bank access on the Cumberland, JPP, the Stones River, or anywhere close to those. Also does the access area below JPP Dam close at night? I know a lot of places close after dark. Any info would help thanks!

I don't think you can really go wrong at any of the public access points on Percy Priest if you're after eater size cats. If I'm in the mood for some catfish, I usually fish at Jefferson Springs, just because its close to the house. I'll go early in the morning before the crowds, catch some shad for cut bait and throw the bait out as far as I can. I usually will catch some nice 5 lb channel cats (sometimes bigger) anytime I head out. I typically don't take them home with me, I just like to catch them for fun since they're easy to catch and the lake is full of 'em.

Alright that sounds good. Yeah I mainly want to go just for the fun of catching them, maybe keep one here of there for dinner. Thanks for the tip!

Ive always had good luck at the mouth of the stones where it dumps into the cumberland. Usually a good amount of skipjack there as long as there is some current in the cumberland. The mouth of the stones is a really good "mixed bag" place as well. Ive gone down there on hot summer days and happened to find a good school of walleyes, or smallmouth or cats. AS long as there is some current in the cumberland you should be able to.catch some cats there. There is access on both sides of the mouth. Just depends if you wanna walk across the bridge to the other point or not.
Good luck!

I haven't fished out there much since its so far from me but I can say I never got kicked out from below jpp dam after dark, I always fished the spill side and not the generation side. Had luck in mid-late fall with dip baits and liver. The one time I tried fishing the area where stones dumps into the cumberrland the current was way to fast for the gear I was using, the place looked great though.

Alright I'll check those places out thanks everyone!

They will kick you out on the generator side of the river at dusk, I have been many times. Depends on when the park police come through, sometimes before dark, sometimes well after.

Strange... I have never heard of a fishing curfew before. Are they worried someone will get hurt with a sudden water level rise at night? I thought that is what the siren was for.

The Cumberland is very productive for all three species of cats a mile or so downstream from Ashland City. We put in at Brush Creek and go a mile or so towards the bridge.

We net shad in Brushy creek for bait. One pole has cut shad, and another has live shad hooked like a minnow under the dorsal fin. We catch all our cats in the channel in 35-40 feet of water. Thirty pound blues and 5 pound channel cats are normally caught on every trip. Dawn to 10:00 AM is the most productive.