drumking, Watts Bar tailwaters, Drum, White Bass, Stripers, 4/03/15, Dr Phillip Gawthrop
Friday morning and Dr Phil was off all day and we didn't have to hurry. Chickamauga not running enough water to suit us, so we opted for Watts Bar tailwaters. 18,000 CFS up there. If we were fishing for Drum, then we had the Mother Lode. But, since we were after Rockfish, not so good. We only landed 2 of those. One hybrid that Dr Phil caught on the first or 2nd drift, about 4-5 pounds, and then a toad Rockfish that I was fortunate enough to land on 6 lb test Fluorocarbon line after a very long fight. It was 31 inches long and 15 lbs 4 ozs. We also landed 3 white bass. While I was trying to unhook the first white bass, Dr Phil hooked a monster Rockfish that spooled the 20 lb test line that I had on that reel before I could get the white bass free and start the big motor. When the spool got down to the bare minimum, Phil just jammed his thumbs on the spool and the fish pulled off. emoBang emoBang emoBang emoBang I have never seen a fish pull that much line off that fast. It was going upstream too.
Then to keep us occupied the other 3 hours that we fished, over 300 lbs of Drum came over the side of the G3. Whew! One last big one got my shoulders to hurting. Nearly all of them hurt my wrists. emoBigsmile We also donated several of my jigs to the rock piles up there. Most of our fish came on 3" swimming super fluke Jr in white ice and violet moon. Pink heads seemed to be preferred, although, chartreuse and plain heads worked too. They were running 3 turbines, 18,000 cfs and the water temp was 52.9 degrees, same as Tuesday. May try the Chick if they are running water this weekend. emoBigsmile emoGeezer
Friday morning and Dr Phil was off all day and we didn't have to hurry. Chickamauga not running enough water to suit us, so we opted for Watts Bar tailwaters. 18,000 CFS up there. If we were fishing for Drum, then we had the Mother Lode. But, since we were after Rockfish, not so good. We only landed 2 of those. One hybrid that Dr Phil caught on the first or 2nd drift, about 4-5 pounds, and then a toad Rockfish that I was fortunate enough to land on 6 lb test Fluorocarbon line after a very long fight. It was 31 inches long and 15 lbs 4 ozs. We also landed 3 white bass. While I was trying to unhook the first white bass, Dr Phil hooked a monster Rockfish that spooled the 20 lb test line that I had on that reel before I could get the white bass free and start the big motor. When the spool got down to the bare minimum, Phil just jammed his thumbs on the spool and the fish pulled off. emoBang emoBang emoBang emoBang I have never seen a fish pull that much line off that fast. It was going upstream too.
Then to keep us occupied the other 3 hours that we fished, over 300 lbs of Drum came over the side of the G3. Whew! One last big one got my shoulders to hurting. Nearly all of them hurt my wrists. emoBigsmile We also donated several of my jigs to the rock piles up there. Most of our fish came on 3" swimming super fluke Jr in white ice and violet moon. Pink heads seemed to be preferred, although, chartreuse and plain heads worked too. They were running 3 turbines, 18,000 cfs and the water temp was 52.9 degrees, same as Tuesday. May try the Chick if they are running water this weekend. emoBigsmile emoGeezer
