Chickamauga 4/6

[polo-dog]

Fished today with my buddie Rodney, started off in Wolftever creek, the water temp was only 56-57 degrees, down from 62-62 less than a week ago. Rodney caught one nice keeper right of the bat. The activity level on the lake was really slow, other than the numbers of boaters out there. Getting around was a bit of a bummer as I didn't want to make anyone mad at me, there just wasn't enough room anywhere. We fished shallow for the most part, he caught the frist fish on a shallow running crankbait. We stayed in Wolftever for some time without many other hits. I did catch a big crappie on guess what? A 6 inch lizard, texas rigged. We had a good hoot about that, or at least Rodney did. We then decided that the bass just weren't cooperating and I had cast up some bait earlier in the week next to my dock so, I figured that the catfish would not be so slow to eat. We fished out on the main lake with long since dead shad and caught a few, mayeb five or six before all we had left were a few small bluegills, we tried them but they didn't hold onto them. They would hit the 'gill and then let go. Rodney had one at the boat before the fish just let go of the 'gill. Here are some pics. Weather permitting I'll be back out there tomorrow with Bill.

 

[flip1up]

Looks like a good day on the water, nice fish Polo.

 

[polo-dog]

I'd rather have bass but I think with all the boats on this end of the lake fishing for crappies I think that most of the fish are shut down. I was marking a bunch in the 7-10 foot range but I didn't spend the time to fish for them long. I need to get better at fishing that depth of water more efficiently. Luckily the cats are always hungry.

 

[flip1up]

I enjoy catfishing sometimes. I really enjoy catching any fish though. When I'm taking my son I almost have to go catfishing, thats his favorite species.

 

[TennesseeTalker]

pretty kats there Polo ... I don't mind catching them ... as long as I have a towel!!!

TT

 

[DHaun]

Great Report Polo - Thanks! I have read about some anglers who prefer to scale one side of the 'gill...not sure why though but maybe it helps with them taking and/or smelling the bait. How deep were the cats?

 

[polo-dog]

Either on top of a bluff at 25 feet or on the bottom of the drop at 40-42 feet.

 

[drc]

What species and how big were the shad you netted up?

 

[polo-dog]

I did net up some threadfins but they were really not bunched up like they are in the fall. They were all much bigger too, in the 3-4inch range. I also cast up some Hickory shad in the shallow warter in the back of Wolftever but they really are scattered. Hard to score on them because they aren't coming to the surface much. You see a flit a long way off and you go to the spot and hope that they are still close to where you saw the flit. I have thrown behind the boat when I have see what looks like a lot of bait on the depthfinder but really haven't found that very productive. The Hickories can be used as cut bait and the big threadfins can be cut in half and probably catch twice the number of fish.