20 April 2013
Turkey season is still open, however my son went to work on a farm this morning. After dropping him off at the farm I figured I could squeeze in a little fishing. I launched at the boat ramp near Misty Waters, loaded the schnauzer into the boat, and immediately noticed shad flipping. This was unexpected due to the time, late morning, so I grabbed the net and began to cast. After chasing the shad for about 45 minutes I realized that one day I am going to have to buy the 10′ diameter net. These things must have been scattered everywhere, I didn’t catch any.
Got on the big motor and headed to Candy Creek. I use the trolling motor to go toward the back and after a while I catch 4 big ones. Put them in the cooler I use for bait for 5-15 minutes. I had read somewhere that it will allow them to release something and when you place them into fresh water, they will survive longer. I read this on the internet so I figure that it has to be true, bonjour. Â Anyway, the casting continues as I tend to get greedy when it comes to bait, like I will actually need it, and end up catching about 15 big shad.
With the excitement of an 8 year old the night before Christmas, it is off to the Dam. Now I didn’t know if this was a good idea as typically the hybrid here have seemed to be more fond of smaller bait, but it was worth a shot. Upon arriving, I get a call from my son and he is going to join me. I have enough time to make one pass at the Dam and end up getting nothing.
Head to the boat ramp, grab the son and we are off to the Devault Bridge area. The wind is up and making things a little more difficult and the air temperature was fine in the sun, but cold from wind and clouds. We fish a good portion of this area and get one hit. The flat line behind the boat bows twice but then releases. The shad was fine, the adrenaline was flowing, and I figure the fish was laughing. This is the only hit of the day and we decide to pack it in early to get the yard mowed.
We did have some new events happen this day. The schnauzer found out why I had asked her not to mess near the front of the boat when her hair had gotten tangled with a hook. I didn’t hit the skin, but I did get to do a little untangling. This didn’t take long due to my vasts experience with untangling fishing line.
As we go to load the boat, I backed the trailer into the water and my son was going to drive the boat on the trailer. This was his first experience in the wind and the first pass resulted in a start over, don’t worry, no one was at the ramp waiting to launch. As he began coming toward the trailer, the schnauzer decides to jump out of the boat into the water. She had never been in the water other than a bath and she hates that. He kills the engine, removes his wallet as I yell grab the net. She swims toward the boat and he is able to retrieve her.
This was hilarious after the initial scare and now I am curious as to how she will handle trips in the future. She is typically scared of everything, but an urge overwhelmed her today. Sorry no good fish pics, not even a wet dog pic, but hoping that this cold front moves through quickly and maybe we can get this striper fishing up and running. Have a great week and God bless.
14 April 2013
I have delayed entry into the journal for multiple reasons, it has been a busy spring. A lot has been going on around these parts and praise the Lord the website has been picking up. Now this is a one man operation and a technological ignorant man at that. I will do my best to get the journals rolling well, but I have only gone a couple of times and both had similar results. Not to give too much away, but I will add them both here as I remember not the date of the first.
Second trip was attempted just as an effort to get out. The South Holston is pushing 800+ CFS and I had no idea if I could wade. This weekend had been filled with Turkey hunting and it was a ball. We didn’t get anything due to the competition of live hens all around, but it was loud and fun for a while.
Anyway, today I headed to the SoHo and attempted to brave the raging waters. Wading was difficult and I tried about everything I had. I finally got about 3 hits using a flashback pheasant tail. They were subtle and there is a decent chance that it may not have been a fish at all. However, due to the lack of production, I have proclaimed them to be bites.
I only fished for a couple of hours and talked to another angler for a bit. I realized that I had a good day. In walking back to the truck I began to think, fishing isn’t really about catching fish, that is more like finding out the reason your doughnut doesn’t have a hole is because it is filled with custard. In other words it is more like a treat. I enjoy getting out.
I hope to go a couple more times this month, but we are going to chase after the Tom at least till we get one. Send us in some fish pics and let us know how your doing: tfr@tnfishingreport.com
First trip began in the SeaArk, if you see it out on Boone Lake, give me a wave, it is aluminum and as of now I am able to keep it a bit longer. My son and his friend wanted to hit the lake, so I hooked it up and took it to church with us. This brought laughter and embarrassment from the daughter, however, it got us on the water sooner.
After church we go through a drive thru, after his buddy told me that he was kidding about being a vegetarian, and head to the bait shop. I remember the attempt at gathering shad last year and figured let’s just make sure. We pick up a few large shiners and add some minnows to the mix in case we can find a few crappie and head to the lake.
We stop at a late spring honey hole, wind playing a part in my selection, and drop some lines. We are not there very long when our guest hooks one. It was the greatest 1.87 second fight you have ever seen before he released it. I told him that we typically get a visual before release and we moved on. Later on the son gets one, apparently he takes advice from his friend and released the fish prior to us getting a visual. I am not sure if they are doing this so as to increase the size in their mind or if the hook set just isn’t taking.
We move on and the flat line with the big shiner takes off. I run to the back of the boat, set the hook, feel like it is set and give the rod to our guest, 3 seconds later it is released. Perhaps my hooks rusted over winter?
We head to the wall of the Dam and pitch toward the bank. I have one hybrid that flew toward my shiner, but did not take it, I reckon he was expecting threadfin. We went home fishless, but we had a good day.
