Watts Bar

[fishin3]

Well I took the boat out to see how she is after having her tuned up. She ran great!!emoUpsmile Now it was time to practice some more for the Dec 27 trip for Dale Hollow. So I was using the float-n-fly. I caught 2 drums, a largemouth (about 1 lb), 4 smallie ( 1.2 to 1 1.4lb) and the best was a 3+ lb smallie. I got to say I like the float-n-fly method esp this time of year. Hope this was just a warm up for the other trip. I am taking a digital camera with me for that trip. I will try to post any pics from it. Oh I put in at the dam and fished the bluffs starting at the first boat dock on the right out of the dam.

 

[DirkV]

Nice report! I bet that 3+ smallie was a blast on light tackle. I have never used the float and fly technique but have read a little on it. What rod length and brand do you use? What type of float and how deep do you rig the fly? What size fly do you use?
I fish Lake Hiawasse in North Carolina on ocassion and would like to try this technique up there.

 

[JerDog]

Nice fish and report? Some big smallmouth are out there from what I have heard at Watts Bar...How deep was the bluff you were fishing? Did you twitch it at all or just let if drift?

 

[fishin3]

I was using a B-n-M pole with a 1 1/2 in pear shape bobber clipped only with the bottom clip. The "fly" was a 1/16 jig with feathers on it. The bluffs were anywhere from 20 to 64' deep. I just let the bobber settle on it side and let the wind work it up and down. I would kind of do it like crappie fishing and let it set for a little while then try it in a different location. Hope that helps. Check out the B-n-M page for that rod. I can not complain about mine. Oh use clear line.

 

[polo-dog]

DirkV, could you see the depth of the fish on your fish finder? How deep did you have your "fly" set?

 

[RangerRob]

fishin3 - a buddy called me Sat nite after getting off the water on DHollow after his first trip w/ the float-n-fly ... I didn't think he was ever gonna shut up! He was pretty stoked, to say the least. He said it was one of the neatest experiences he'd ever had. Apparently though, he couldn't resist the urge and bagged it in favor of his fav cold weather tactic of throwing a finesse jig on points. Maybe he did the right thing .... his biggest smallie went 5 and change, but he still had major cudos for the f-n-f. Good luck up there on the 27th.

RR

 

[polo-dog]

Oops, I meant to make my question to fishin3 not to DirkV. Sorry about that, old brain you know.

 

[fishin3]

Polo-dog I just started with the rod length. Which is about 8 ft. then kind of adj from there. I just let them kind of tell me what they want. I was trying for just off the first ledge or so. That was just kind of my base line. I don't have a tried and true method of the depth yet just going with the flow.

 

[polo-dog]

Interesting, were most of them at 8 ft or less or were most of them deeper than that?

 

[fishin3]

right about there. I had it just a little past the end of the rod. So about 8-9 ft. Just off the first drop from the bluff.