I'm still laughing because of how this trip started off this afternoon. The Avalanche was running low on $3.00/gal. hooch so I stopped for $50.00 worth on my to the ramp. While I was pumping, this classic TN character pulls into the station on a go-cart !! To make it even better, he goes into the store and emerges with a 6 pack which he puts between his feet on the floor of the cart. I'm laughing and I take out the digital to get a shot for the group and as I ask the guy if it's cool to snap his pic, he says "Hold on dude and I'll give you a GOOOOD picture". With that, he fires the go cart up and takes off around the truck and banks a turn so hard that he rides up on 2 wheels !! Man, I just love living here.
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u>Only in Tennessee baby !! (that brown bag holds a 6 pack)</u></p>
Oh man that's too funny.
Anyways....
I launched 17' of floating bliss at MCP at 3:20PM. The air temperature was 53 degrees under cloudy skies with a solid 7 mph breeze blowing out of the west. Nick-a-jack was up about 4" from yesterday and the surface temp was 51.5 degrees.
I headed out to Mickey's hump on the trolling motor so I could cast a Megabass Vision X110 a few times on the way. I picked up a dink as I made the corner by the cable crossing sign and shot a quick photo in case that was all I could muster.
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u>A little 'un kicks off my Sunday...</u></p>
I fished around the corner past the rest stop where I saw a camo colored boat with two guys crappie fishing - I think the boat had a CFF sticker on the side, but I didn't get close enough to be sure. As I went around them, I felt the slightest little tick on my jerkbait and it turned out to be an aggressive little bluegill.
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u>It's officially a multi-species day !!</u></p>
I swapped the jerkbait for a Lucky Craft CB100 and cast out to the hump. I spent 45 minutes out there and chucked the crankbait, the jerkbait, two different spinnerbaits and a c-rigged Senko, but only got a few hit & run taps to show for it. I trolled back to the shoreline under the Rte. 24 bridge and picked up another small largemouth on a spinnerbait.
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u>Now where did I leave that fish stretcher ??</u></p>
I worked my way down the bank back towards the park throwing a Megabass Flap Slap in Bream color and hooked up with a good largemouth that threw the lure on a nice jump about 12' from the boat. The next cast produced another strike, but that one came unbuttoned too causing me to use some salty language unsuitable for this forum. After a 3rd hit & miss in about 10 minutes, I figured it just wasn't my day (they always feel better when they get off for some reason). I picked the CB100 back up and started crawling it down the laydowns on the bank. The 3rd or 4th cast produced the first decent fish of the afternoon, but it still didn't measure.
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u>Close, but no cigar - is there a skunkin' in the works ?</u></p>
I continued getting hits on the crankbaits, but I couldn't get hooked up!! Finally as I cast to the riprap at the end of the rest area I felt a real strike and the rod loaded up good. A nice fight ensued and I landed the first keeper of the trip - about 15 3/4" and 2.2 on the digital scale - No Mr. Stinky for PG tonight !!
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u>YES !! Off the schnied - 2.2 lbs & just short of 16"
</u></p>
Darkness was coming quick so I stuck with the CB100 and it paid off one more time - right at the corner of the park between the no wake bouy and the camper area, I stuck a nice largemouth while ripping the bait free of some grass. The fish fought hard and jumped nicely on the way in. I lipped it at 6:20PM and called it a night. She was just over 17" and weighed 2.8 and was in great condition.
<p align="center">
</p>
<p align="center"><u>A perfect nightcap - the kicker fish weighed 2.8 lbs and measured 17 1/2"
</u></p>
Another great afternoon on The Nick in the books !!
PG
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u>Only in Tennessee baby !! (that brown bag holds a 6 pack)</u></p>
Oh man that's too funny.
Anyways....
I launched 17' of floating bliss at MCP at 3:20PM. The air temperature was 53 degrees under cloudy skies with a solid 7 mph breeze blowing out of the west. Nick-a-jack was up about 4" from yesterday and the surface temp was 51.5 degrees.
I headed out to Mickey's hump on the trolling motor so I could cast a Megabass Vision X110 a few times on the way. I picked up a dink as I made the corner by the cable crossing sign and shot a quick photo in case that was all I could muster.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u>A little 'un kicks off my Sunday...</u></p>
I fished around the corner past the rest stop where I saw a camo colored boat with two guys crappie fishing - I think the boat had a CFF sticker on the side, but I didn't get close enough to be sure. As I went around them, I felt the slightest little tick on my jerkbait and it turned out to be an aggressive little bluegill.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u>It's officially a multi-species day !!</u></p>
I swapped the jerkbait for a Lucky Craft CB100 and cast out to the hump. I spent 45 minutes out there and chucked the crankbait, the jerkbait, two different spinnerbaits and a c-rigged Senko, but only got a few hit & run taps to show for it. I trolled back to the shoreline under the Rte. 24 bridge and picked up another small largemouth on a spinnerbait.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u>Now where did I leave that fish stretcher ??</u></p>
I worked my way down the bank back towards the park throwing a Megabass Flap Slap in Bream color and hooked up with a good largemouth that threw the lure on a nice jump about 12' from the boat. The next cast produced another strike, but that one came unbuttoned too causing me to use some salty language unsuitable for this forum. After a 3rd hit & miss in about 10 minutes, I figured it just wasn't my day (they always feel better when they get off for some reason). I picked the CB100 back up and started crawling it down the laydowns on the bank. The 3rd or 4th cast produced the first decent fish of the afternoon, but it still didn't measure.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u>Close, but no cigar - is there a skunkin' in the works ?</u></p>
I continued getting hits on the crankbaits, but I couldn't get hooked up!! Finally as I cast to the riprap at the end of the rest area I felt a real strike and the rod loaded up good. A nice fight ensued and I landed the first keeper of the trip - about 15 3/4" and 2.2 on the digital scale - No Mr. Stinky for PG tonight !!
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u>YES !! Off the schnied - 2.2 lbs & just short of 16"
</u></p>
Darkness was coming quick so I stuck with the CB100 and it paid off one more time - right at the corner of the park between the no wake bouy and the camper area, I stuck a nice largemouth while ripping the bait free of some grass. The fish fought hard and jumped nicely on the way in. I lipped it at 6:20PM and called it a night. She was just over 17" and weighed 2.8 and was in great condition.
<p align="center">
<p align="center"><u>A perfect nightcap - the kicker fish weighed 2.8 lbs and measured 17 1/2"
</u></p>
Another great afternoon on The Nick in the books !!
PG
