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Petty: Cold-weather fishing heats up at Lake Junior

East Ridge residents Harold Skinner, left, and Terry Kilgore watch their fishing poles in hopes of a large TWRA-stocked trout taking the bait on Feb. 2 at Lake Junior. The two were not successful that day, but Kilgore returned the next morning and caught a limit of seven rainbow trout.
East Ridge residents Harold Skinner, left, and Terry Kilgore watch their fishing poles in hopes of a large TWRA-stocked trout taking the bait on Feb. 2 at Lake Junior. The two were not successful that day, but Kilgore returned the next morning and caught a limit of seven rainbow trout. East Ridge residents Harold Skinner, left, and Terry Kilgore watch their fishing poles in hopes of a large TWRA-stocked trout taking the bait on Feb. 2 at Lake Junior. The two were not successful that day, but Kilgore returned the next morning and caught a limit of seven rainbow trout.

By Gary Petty 5 min read

Despite traffic noise from Highway 153 and Amnicola Highway, visitors to TVA’s Lake Junior remained focused on one thing on a recent Saturday: catching trout.

Fishermen were lining the banks, wading the water and kayaking around the lake in hopes of landing the big one.

The opportunity was there.

“We stocked 3,000 adult rainbow trout January 6, and then it was open the following Friday. It’s open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (through April 30),” said David Young of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. “In addition to that, we have stocked 25 three-to-four-pound rainbow trout. That’s just to add to the fun and excitement.

photo Tony Evans sits alongside his 11-year-old grandson, Logan Evans, as they fish for trout at Lake Junior. Tony caught one of the bigger fish stocked by the TWRA in January.

“So far, the catch rates have been good. Twenty-five does not sound like much, but when they are that large, it took about four nets to get them in there.”