Thread: Spring Break Day 2 and a PB

Day 2, I am excited to get back out and look for some big White Bass that have started their genetically programmed journey to the fast flowing headwaters of Cherokee Lake. Late Monday afternoon I located a few places that looked fishy, even stuck a few nice ones in the rain before heading home.
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Running a little late this morning I just knew those fish would be waiting on me….Not. A few bluegill taps, but no White Bass to be found. Ok, if the gills want to play, I am always game. I switched to a Greenie Weenie Trout Magnet tipped with a nibble, it was the beginning of a fun day.
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Average size was under 7 inches but they were stacked up in the current breaks and hungry. I even found a few a Spotted Bass willing to play, but this fish along with the above Bluegill picture were not anywhere close to a PB, as a matter of fact my PB came on a species I have never caught before.
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I was fishing the Trout Magnet under their styrofoam Panfish Float , it seems to work well with the Varivas braid, no damage to the line and it stays in place. Well the obvious tic of this float when indicating a bite came identical to a Bluegill bite….set the hook and it was on….I mean on. Not a huge fish but what I saw next made my jaw drop. Is that Orange I am seeing? Golden Trout, Red Snapper, no freshwater dummy, Goldfish? What?
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?A dang Goldfish made his way to the hand I landed him, still open mouthed in disbelief. Not a Koi I don’t think, but I am no expert in aquarium species. There was a gentleman fishing below me and when I held it up he came over to see this my literally bright Orange catch. Now I live in the Volunteer state, my wife is a graduate of the great land grant University of Tennessee….and their all too familiar cheer of Go Big Orange went through my mind.
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The State record was caught in a nearby reservoir and is 3 pounds 5oz. I didn’t weigh this bad boy but I estimated about 2.25 to 2.5 pounds. Crazy, but honestly a first and Personal Best. Day 2 in the books, hope to continue my fishing/Spring Break adventures later in the week, so stay tuned and get out there and fish….everything seems to be biting.

PS, finally getting the hang of this selfie picture thing that includes the fish and the CDCOM hat!


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New volunteer fish species? Smoky’s stand in? Fine day. Thanks for sharing