Thanks for the tip, ranman & polo-dog

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jason

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Finally checked out Gunstocker Creek...well worth itemoThumbsup . After going under the bridge, we fished the grassy flat on the left. There appeared to be a small ditch running perpendicular to the creek channel with a long log laying across it and a good submerged stump just before it. We also fished on the right side, where there is a grassy hump with a log sticking about 2' out of the water. We went straight there after launching and fished it from 1 to 3. After catching a ton of keeper spots, we decided to give the area a break and went out pitching to laydowns. We came back to it around 6 and caught several hefty largemouths and more spots. We ended up with 3 fish over 4lbs with the biggest being a 5-9. All these fish came from within a 30' radius of the two logs. The majority of the fish were caught on 3/8oz Booyah bleeding spinnerbaits in white and a few on a texas rigged Yum Zellamander in junebug. Although my father-in-law and I were both using the same brand spinnerbait, I caught the most and all of the big fish. Upon further inspection, we found that mine had tandem willows instead of the colorado/willow combo his had. Just one of those little differences that the fish keyed in on, I guess.

Again, thanks to both of you for the info. It's refreshing to fish a new spot instead of our usuals. It's also a blast catching that many quality fish this time of year. Is the fishing always this good here, ranman?
 
That is fantastic!!!!!!!!!! I need to get out to the Hiwassee area and fish. Down here near Chattanooga the fishing is good but I think that the fish are very educated and from what I've heard the Hiwassee area is packed with willing fish. I love to catch fish on spinner baits! I have a buddy that pours them up for me and I make them the way I like them. It's hard to find them the way I like them without going broke. Thanks again for the specific info. I think the more we all share what we know, the more fish we all will catch. I just looked at the Outdoor life link that DHaun had in one of his posts and also looked at the Lunar times at this website: http://www.primetimes2.com/pages/4-astrotables.html
You may have hit the Outdoor Life best times to fish right on the head from 1-3 or at least close to it. Being where the fish are and when they are ready to pig out is the key as far as I can tell.
 
Nope! the last tourny I spent in there I zeroed. But the water was falling sun was brighter and higher and we were fishing faster with buzbaits.But when its on boy it sure is on! good job!I'm glad you guys could catch a few there!I'm going to try a new spot that I found on the map last night hopfully this afternoon.Deep sumerged point just out from coppinger creek. Was there any current yesterday? That can also make a huge difference in how they bite.Also did you see any schools of baitfish?
we should have sterted seeing them on the surface in the low light hours by now,
But I haven't seen a single school yet.
 
The wind was blowing right into the creek mouth and bait fish were flipping around everywhere. We were slow rolling the spinnerbaits across the tips of the grass. When you snatched the spinnerbait free, baitfish would scatter and a spot would grab it. I used the same technique with the lizard and it seemed to attract the largemouth. I did not see a beaver dam...is it farther back in the creek? There was a couple fishing for bream or crappie and they stayed in the back around those little islands and what appeared to be an old rock dam.

I know you don't want to give up your honey-holes, ranman, but I would like to know how you find these submerged grassy spots. Does this area completely grow over in summer, like the ones at the Hiwassee/Tennessee intersection?

Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures, so you guys will just have to take my word for it. I'm a home electronics retailer (satellite, home theater, accessories, etc.) and believe it or not, I still don't have a digital camera. Kind of like the carpenter whose house is falling apart! Next time out, I'll take my wife's camera phone if she'll let me.
 
The first time I went in there was a tournament that my partner didn't show up for,
We were supposed to be in his boat that night, so I was there without my boat 15 min before blast off!So I got a ride with someone else who took me in there . I think you are fishing a diff. area than the one I fish.If you are out in the channel probably two or three red buoys below the bridge you will see a point on the left side of the creek right on the channel.behind that one deeper in the creek there is another very "skinny" point with grass on it.That is where I start and work my way around from there. I am not fishing underwater grass but rather the grass edges on those little islands. Sounds like you are doing better in there than I am though! There is an old roadbed in the back of it I think.
 
Maybe we are talking about two different places. We went all the way to the back where you have to duck your head as you go under a small bridge.
 
When you guys talk about "grass" do you guys mean that you are fishing milfoil or is it the Chara grass that only grows a few inches tall max. by the end of the year? Is the milfoil coming back to a large degree in the Hiwassee and upper areas of the lake? I was in the back of Soddy Creek late last summer and it looked like there was a lot more grass there than in years past.
 
I'm talking about the tall grass you can see growing at the water's edge, looks kinda like cattails.you are fishing way deeper into gunstocker than I thought.
 
This grass is about 3"-5" tall with small, feathery leaves. It was in 4' of water and any type of wood structure within it held fish. Our second time through I saw a submerged stump that we missed and that's where I caught the big one. I stalled the spinnerbait as I bumped it and watched the flash of green as he hit.

I don't know enough about grass and the various types to be able to identify locations where it might exist. I'm used to fishing the visible stuff that everyone has seen and probably hit before I got to it. I can remember fishing Mullins Cove years ago and there would be up to 10 boats at a time picking their way through the weeds. What I want to learn is how to pinpoint the submerged grass that the average "weekend warrior" overlooks. The problem with the Hiwassee is that some of the potential hot spots are off the main channel and boat traffic, especially the big cruisers, would make them nearly impossible to fish.
 
I was hoping that you would say that. Early in the 90's TVA or someone killed off nearly all of the milfoil in Chickamauga, making one of the premier fishing lakes in the area into one of the toughest fishing lakes in the area. The pro BASS circuit held one more pro bass tournament here and then said that they would never again come here because the fishing was so poor. Milfoil coming back to the lake is great, it produces so much oxygen and holds the fish shallow so that you can fish shallow and catch fish even when the water is really warm. The Chara grass that has come back here in the lower end of the lake just doesn't hold the fish or get nearly thick enough like the milfoil. I'm so glad to hear that the milfoil is coming back there and will be headed to the lower end of the lake in the next few years barring some TVA mischief.
 

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