Persistence pays off.

[Alphahawk]

Sometimes they say things happen for a reason. Today I started out below dam at Nickajack. Very rarely is someone fishing the location I fish. But today someone was on it. I fished around some other areas and nothing doing there. I didn’t relish the idea of loading the boat up and going to some location up in the lake. But that’s what I did and fished same places I fished yesterday. It was hot today....near 90 degrees. My first stop was on a bank that has produced in the past but so far this year has not given up much...plus still no beds. I then headed to second spot and found a small bedding area that was not there yesterday and caught a few smallish Gills off of it and one beautiful redbreast. I turned the boat to scan areas I had already scanned yesterday and the side scan lit up like a Christmas tree and a big smile came on my face. I spot locked....made a few cast to find the line I wanted and it was game on. I boated over 80 shellcracker......nearly all of them at the 10 inch mark. Much to my surprise I also caught 17 yellow perch of a decent size. Not to mention the occasional largemouth. All fish caught on Fine Tail Banshee Area Super Ultra Light 6 foot trout rod. The line was 2.1# test ester and lure was either a Bison or Sow Bug colored Trout Magnet on a Daiwa Gekkabijin 1.5 gram jig head with #8 hook. I really didn’t want to leave......but with an 83 mile drive ahead of me I reluctantly did so. It is amazing how quick they can carve out a bed....these beds were not there yesterday. I’ve had a fantastic spring so far....with Gills....crappie.....Smallies....and now the shellcracker. Unfortunately I won’t be fishing again until next week. Life is good!

Regards






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[redearhoosier]

Fantastic day, Randy!!! That's a dream day!

[Special K]

Very nice read and some great pics of your bounty too. Very well done and I'm sure well worth the long drive.
Thanks for sharing your HOT day on a hot day.

[feeshrman]

Great report. Optimism and persistence pays off!


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[Alphahawk]

Fantastic day, Randy!!! That's a dream day!

Thanks....when you find those beds there can be 200 or more fish in them. I think you saw my video from last spring. My son and I found a shellcracker bed several years back in a creek that was 40 yards long and about 6-7 yards wide. The water was crystal clear and you could see all the fish. It was an amazing sight. All those fish I caught today are still swimming in Nickajack.

Regards


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[Eagle 1]

good job, nice fish .

[no luck]

Way to go love them crackers

[Slabprowler]

Good job! Persistence pays off! Glad you found em ! Was headed that way this morning and had to change plans!

[LedHed]

very nice

[D10]

Awesome day! Did you let those tasty Yellow Perch go too? That would have been tough! Thanks for the report. Did you make a video of this trip also? Hope so.


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