big eye
Active member
what's the biggest 5 fish sack that has been caught in a tourney on our three area lakes"the bar,chick and nick?i saw buddy gross with 28lbs last year anyone no of any bigger sacks than that
biggest 5 fish sack
- Thread starter big eye
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rsimms
Well-known member
It was not a tournament, so I know it doesn't really count ... but a long time ago (early 1980's) when Nickajack was really hot, we had a 10-fish string one day that was a tad over 60 lbs. Here's a picture of "some" of them. I was TWRA Photog at the time... I figured it wouldn't look too good to put all ten of them on the stringer. And don't bash me too bad... this was well before "catch & release" caught on. emoAngel
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adamwstewart
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Rsimms,
Since I was just a tot back in the 80's, what made Nickajack so good back then? I know it is one of the newer TVA impoundments, and I know BASS used to hold tourneys there. What has proven so detrimental to it in recent years? There seems to always be a ton of grass and plenty of forage. I'm just curious; I've only been fishing it for about 6 years.
AWS
Since I was just a tot back in the 80's, what made Nickajack so good back then? I know it is one of the newer TVA impoundments, and I know BASS used to hold tourneys there. What has proven so detrimental to it in recent years? There seems to always be a ton of grass and plenty of forage. I'm just curious; I've only been fishing it for about 6 years.
AWS
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<font face="georgia,times new roman,times,serif">Lamar Hardin weighed in a sack back in the spring in the 58 boat dock tournament (Hiwassee River) that zero'ed the scales out at 28pounds. They weighed the fish keeping one off the scales while the other 4 were weighed to keep it from clearing out again, then they weighed the other fish by itself and totaled his 5 fish limit right at 31 pounds. He said he was culling 6 pounders, must be nice.</font>
rsimms
Well-known member
Real good question... I can't say for sure, but I believe it is because that was just a few years after Eurasion milfoil showed up in quantity. Just like the bass fishery in Chickamauga crashed when milfoil died, it exploded for a few years after it first showed. Nickajack Dam was closed in 1967... my first memories of significant milfoil were in the mid-1970's. Of course it took a few years for the positive impact to really be felt... therefore fishing was just awesome in late 1970's and early 1980's. Anytime you have a significant habitat change, good or bad, you'll have ensuing peaks and valleys until wildlife populations "stabilize. The early 80's were definitely a peak and in ensuing years things have pretty much stabilized. That's my theory anyway.
m17glock
Well-known member
is that the same tourney that lamar just fished around the islands in front of the ramp?
i was working on a mans DSL not long after that who said he and his partner had 27 or so lbs w/2 hours left to fish.
they thought they had it whooped till lamar weighed in.
"shoulda fished those last 2 hours" he said emoLaugh
xroadsbasser
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RSimms, you said that Nickajack Dam was closed in 1967......I bet you mean Hales Bar!!!!
Bprice
Well-known member
XR, I think he means that the lake was dammed up in '67...</p>
Richard that is a really cool picture, i love those old sporting magazine covers. Do you happen to have the text from the article?</p>
Richard that is a really cool picture, i love those old sporting magazine covers. Do you happen to have the text from the article?</p>
rsimms
Well-known member
Yea... what Bprice said. By "closed" I meant that's when they actually shut gates on the new Nickajack Dam.
Bprice... I have that magazine. However there isn't an article associated with that particular picture. As TWRA Photog I was the Photography Editor for Tennessee Wildlife magazine. We chose pictures simply for their "eye-catching, window-dressing" qualities. I have all the Tennessee Wildlife magazines from the years I was Photo Editor... I shot a lot of great pictures. But as I tell everyone... it's easy to shoot great pictures when taxpayers (or license buyers) are paying for the film. emoLaugh
adamwstewart
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Rsimms,
Has the grass population ever 'crashed' on Nickajack like it did at Chickamauga?
Has the grass population ever 'crashed' on Nickajack like it did at Chickamauga?
dunk
Well-known member
the grass did not crash on chick.TVA in their infinite wisdom decided that all the rich folks must be right get rid of the grass. B.A.S.S. used to come in every yr and bring thousands upon thousands dollars to chattanooga and surrounding area. shortly after they killed the grass 86ish not sure of the date. jimmy houston walked across the stage @ the dam , and i quote " i have not caught a keeping fish in three days of fishing" and that was the end of that. fortunately i was around for the days of the grass on the chick. and some of these older wiser fellows than me (they can back me up on this) it was a common thing to go out and catch two or three fish in the 7-8# range for four or five hours fishing .HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE NOW? while i admit over the last two or three yrs chick is making a comeback( this is notable in the tourney weights). If all was left alone( in my o) this lake would now be as good or better than guntersville, probably better. i never used to go to guntersville to fish grass i had it right here in my back door. either the chick or the nick.
I realize i kinda got off thread here but yall hit a sore spot.
As for the best five bag for me most of you know 20#s + just a few weeks ago then again you don't have a 10.98 kicker everyday either.
personal best 5- 28# and change on the big G, 100 boat dogfight not even good enough to get a check IMAGINE THAT!!!!!!
THAT THE WAY IT USED TO BE AROUND HERE ON THE MIGHTY CHICK
heres to bigger and better grass mats
dunk
I realize i kinda got off thread here but yall hit a sore spot.
As for the best five bag for me most of you know 20#s + just a few weeks ago then again you don't have a 10.98 kicker everyday either.
personal best 5- 28# and change on the big G, 100 boat dogfight not even good enough to get a check IMAGINE THAT!!!!!!
THAT THE WAY IT USED TO BE AROUND HERE ON THE MIGHTY CHICK
heres to bigger and better grass mats
dunk
rsimms
Well-known member
No. It did go downhill for a while at the same time Chickamauga milfoil coverage went away, but it never completely disappeared as it did on Chickamauga. Remember, for what it is worth, Nickajack receives a significantly higher "nutrient load" since it is downstream from Chattanooga (and Moccasin Bend). We all know that fertilizer always helps grass grow better.
Bassallday
Well-known member
5 smallmouth in a tx up in wisconsin 19.17lbs.We took 1st and missed big bass by 2oz.
