EricM
Well-known member
I was supposed to be in the new house by now, but like with most things in my life, God giggles with/at me fairly often. We are still living on my friend's "gentleman farm" and have learned to watch out for duck crap on the front porch when we go outside. These are not your standard mallard-type ducks. They are magnum domestic 8-pound monsters and are plumb full of cracked corn. They left us a fairly large gift yesterday.
I hit the road at 4:30 this morning. I remember now why I often fish for catfish and bluegill at midday.
I ran up to Watts Bar Dam to see what was going on with the wide variety of fish that often accumulate in the area. As I had hoped, I was the first one to the dam and had my pick of fishing spots. I picked a nice spot against the wing wall and proceeded to tie up there. Seems the nose of my trolling motor (yep, the one I just fixed) sticks out over the edge of the boat in just exactly the same spot that smacks the concrete first when one approaches the wing wall in the dark at speeds rarely seen outside of the Bristol raceway. Aww, you guessed. Bent a pivot rod and cracked a cast aluminum part. CRAP.
Fishing was fun, but the species available have changed. No striped bass or walleye today, and I didn't try for catfish. I cast a spoon in the fast water and caught skipjack and white bass until my arms (and most of the rest of me) hurt. Big skippies are easily caught fairly close to the surface on small spoons and sabiki rigs when you get into the fast-water seams. Nice, (but not the magnum) white bass are there in the deeper spots, while smaller whites are pretty much just under the skipjack. I probably caught and released 50 whites and untold skipjack.
To keep things interesting, the occasional freshwater drum will hit and run out in the current to give a wonderful fight. I really need to quit cussing when I get them to the boat - the stupid things are FUN to catch in the fast water!
I met Richard Simms up there, who was showing off our great fishing to a client. When I left, they had switched from the white bass to drifting for catfish and already had a half dozen to their credit. I do like his G-3 boat!
A couple of hours did me in, and since I released everything today I could nap instead of cleaning fish when I got home.
I do, however, need to order parts for the trolling motor. Again.
Here's my smiling face, despite today's damage:
I hit the road at 4:30 this morning. I remember now why I often fish for catfish and bluegill at midday.
I ran up to Watts Bar Dam to see what was going on with the wide variety of fish that often accumulate in the area. As I had hoped, I was the first one to the dam and had my pick of fishing spots. I picked a nice spot against the wing wall and proceeded to tie up there. Seems the nose of my trolling motor (yep, the one I just fixed) sticks out over the edge of the boat in just exactly the same spot that smacks the concrete first when one approaches the wing wall in the dark at speeds rarely seen outside of the Bristol raceway. Aww, you guessed. Bent a pivot rod and cracked a cast aluminum part. CRAP.
Fishing was fun, but the species available have changed. No striped bass or walleye today, and I didn't try for catfish. I cast a spoon in the fast water and caught skipjack and white bass until my arms (and most of the rest of me) hurt. Big skippies are easily caught fairly close to the surface on small spoons and sabiki rigs when you get into the fast-water seams. Nice, (but not the magnum) white bass are there in the deeper spots, while smaller whites are pretty much just under the skipjack. I probably caught and released 50 whites and untold skipjack.
To keep things interesting, the occasional freshwater drum will hit and run out in the current to give a wonderful fight. I really need to quit cussing when I get them to the boat - the stupid things are FUN to catch in the fast water!
I met Richard Simms up there, who was showing off our great fishing to a client. When I left, they had switched from the white bass to drifting for catfish and already had a half dozen to their credit. I do like his G-3 boat!
A couple of hours did me in, and since I released everything today I could nap instead of cleaning fish when I got home.
I do, however, need to order parts for the trolling motor. Again.
Here's my smiling face, despite today's damage:
