Where do they go? Need some help.

In the summer time, we usually troll crank baits on Center Hill Lake. We went a week ago and saw more fish and bait balls on the depth finder than I can remember than anytime in the past. We went yesterday and fished the same bank and checked several more places and found very few fish and very few bait balls. We checked different depths. Most of the fish on Center Hill in the summertime are between 18-22ft deep. A week ago, we probably saw 20+ bait balls in less than a mile of bank. We were very lucky to catch what we caught yesterday. 2 catfish, 1 crappie, and a KY bass. We have been fishing there for yrs and cannot remember ever catching a crappie. It was 15in and the fattest 15in crappie I have seen in a long time. Thanks for any advise. tnduxcaller

I have never fished Center Hill and don’t know the topography of the lake. I think it is more riverine than Chickamauga, the lake that I fish mostly. The depth you gave is about the same that the fish are found for the Chick. I would look for cuts into the main river from creeks etc and if you find stumps, brush, rock piles, or any other cover, on the downriver side of the cuts, this is where I would start my search. I hope this tip helps you and another thing, slow your presentation down. Oh, I just realized that you were trolling cranks. I fish with a single pole in hand and cast to the fish. Remember, slow. Dead sticking the jig works wonders. At times. Grin.

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Originally Posted by drumking

I have never fished Center Hill and don’t know the topography of the lake. I think it is more riverine than Chickamauga, the lake that I fish mostly. The depth you gave is about the same that the fish are found for the Chick. I would look for cuts into the main river from creeks etc and if you find stumps, brush, rock piles, or any other cover, on the downriver side of the cuts, this is where I would start my search. I hope this tip helps you and another thing, slow your presentation down. Oh, I just realized that you were trolling cranks. I fish with a single pole in hand and cast to the fish. Remember, slow. Dead sticking the jig works wonders. At times. Grin.

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Thanks for the info. I would like to come fish with you one day. We were trolling for the elusive walleye. Thanks again.

For me, trolling this time of year, is better in the bottom 2/3 of the reservoir. Upper reaches are better earlier.

I’ve never fished that lake but let me share what we found last week at Enid and Grenada. The Crappie were very skittish of the boats. One of the guys there said he was watching the Crappie on Livescope and as the boat moved over them, they scattered.

We ran Off Shore OR12 planer boards with Picos, c55s, and 733s cranks. 95% of our fish were on the boards and most of those were from the boards that were outside. We ran creek and river channels and cut the insides and outsides of channel turns. Many of our fish came from channel points in 30-40 feet of water.

Don’t be afraid to follow structure out into deep water. This time of the year the Crappie will be suspended in loose schools or even individual fish. Our catches were one here, one there but we covered a lot of miles of water.


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YOU;VE COMMITED THE CARDINAL SIN.Rod holders with no rods in them!!!!!!! lol Good job Trollers Rule!!!!!!

I don’t fish Center Hill in the summer....too many pleasure boaters....especially since they raised the lake back to normal summer pool. But from time time to time I have gone out in the summer. I cast and retrieve. You will find fish shallower there than most would think....and if you find them they will be big.....14 inch the norm and 15-16 inch not uncommon. If you don’t find them deep look for stand alone rock piles right off the banks. Now that the lake is back up there is more wood in the water than in over a decade. I would find it and fish it also.

Regards


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Thanks for the answers. MR DUX I think they scatter like you suggested. There was a N wind front and you could see uranus because the sky was so blue! To me when you are not seeing them on the depth finder. We did not have a scope on that boat. The crappie have to be out swimming the boat. Thanks for the replies.