What's working?

[polo-dog]

Now there are 70 of us signed up on this website and I know that there were a lot of guys out there fishing the last couple of weeks. It would be great to hear from a bunch of people what they tried, whether it worked or not to see what's going on out there. From day to day and week to week the fish seem to move or change what they are doing and it would be great to hear some good positive info but I think that I learn more from my bad days out on the lake so, share what didn't work too and we all can put together a pattern for what will work I would expect.

 

[polo-dog]

Ok, I'll go first, I haven't gone since two Wednesdays ago and the fish were hitting the surface in the eddie just downstream from where the main river current swept past the bank. The fish were over 11-14 ft of water and could only be caught on top. Buzz baits and chug bugs caught most of the fish. This wasn't on a bluff but it was on an inside bend of the TN river and the flat out front of the bank stayed in the 11-14 ft range until it fell into the depths of the river which was about 30-40 ft in depth. There were some small spotted bass out on the river ledge but were deep and not as active as in next to the bank. Ok, now, anybody else want do describe the pattern that's worked for them recently? It's okay if not but I'm still hoping that we all can help one another catch more bass. If anyone is on a good crappie or striper or bluegill or catfish bite I know we'd be interested in those species too.

 

[jason]

Bright, Sunny Skies: Largemouth hold tight to cover and strike zone is small so a reaction bite is the key. Pitching lizard to laydowns on secondary points and channels has worked well with docks being second best. Slowly swimming a lizard over submerged grass and flipping Senko/soft jerkbait along outside weedlines in main river channel is also productive for spots.

Windy, Cloudy Skies: For some odd reason these days rarely occur on Saturdays in summer. As a result, we've had a hard time patterning the largemouth other than along riprap with the Horny Toad so we've targeted spots. White 1/4oz spinnerbait retrieved slowly with current at bay mouths and between islands in secondary channels works. The Horny Toad burned along and over grass lines will get some violent strikes. When nothing else works, we fall back on Carolina or drop-shot soft jerkbaits.

If nothing is working and you just want to catch fish, a 3" white Gulp (Berkley) minnow grub on a 1/4oz leadhead will catch all the white bass you can handle. On the Hiwassee, they school all day long on bends in the main channel, particularly the S curve prior to the Tennessee.

You may not win a tournament with these methods, but it is consistent enough to make the sweat and sunburn worth it .

 

[DHaun]

Whats the best ramp in the area to use if one was going to target the s-curve?

 

[jason]

There is a ramp on 58 just before the Hiwassee bridge and one across it in 58 Marina. Put in and head downriver to the channel bends prior to the merger. You can also put in at Grasshopper and head upriver. When you come up on the Hiwassee Island after going under Hwy 60, stay to the right side and then bare right onto the Hiwassee.

 

[polo-dog]

Live bait, shad or 4-5" minners near the bottom on channel drops, dropping from 12 ft flats to main channel of approx. 50 feet. Bass stacked up and hungry. Very few stripe mixed in, maybe because I was using adult shad in stead of 1 1/2 to 2"ers. Lots of rock/ hard bottom on edge of flat seemed to hold the fish. No fish were on the flat, they were all up next to the drop or just over the edge of the drop.

 

[ranman]

Man I haven't been since my last dogfight.This is friggin killin me! My partner called me Tuesday morning and we talked about how depressed we both were that the "season" was over and how we had nothing to look forward to every week and how our wives don't understand and how they spend all our money and how work has slowed down and how gas cost to much and how......................emoCool

 

[jason]

Dude, you need to wet a lineemoBigsmile !

 

[polo-dog]

ranman, you need some piscatorial hydrotherapy.

 

[ranman]

I finally got busy again! But now I don't know if I should be happy about it or not. I have work and money again but don't have any free time. Feast or famine.

 

[jim4596]

whats fishing? i havent been since the gas got up so high. i decided that im not going to give the oil companies anymore money than i have to. and we all know that those outboards use the gas. besides, been working a ton. when it cools down i will get out there and see if i can catch a couple.

 

[polo-dog]

There's always kayaking/canoeing.