Can anyone give me pointers on Dale Hollow?

First, an intro. I have been going to Dale since I was a little kid, almost 25 years at this point. We camped for many years, until my parents built a cabin there, near Sunset dock. We did a little of everything, mostly boat sports, snorkeling, and swimming. I fished a lot but never had a trip where we really slayed 'em. We would usually catch a wide variety of species in the springtime from shore, including dink crappie and some nice smallies.

In the last 5 years, we started to focus on fishing a bit more, and pulled in some decent bass. My dad caught his biggest LM at 4+ pounds. My wife went fishing there once, and we caught a few dink gills, so she was not impressed. I'd like to get her on some fish, and maybe "convert" her, lol.

I haven't been in a few years, but I will be taking my wife and kids down in a few weeks. I have a 12' w/ 9.9 set up for panfishing and two fishing yaks, and my dad may bring his 21' V hull I/O that we will set up with driftmasters. I will likely hit Wolf River, since it is close, and I hear the crappie are there. My dad wants to catch a walleye, as we have never caught one in that lake.

I read as many old threads as I could, so I have a little bit of an idea of what to do. I'm not looking for honey holes, it's just that this lake is so different than the lakes here in Ohio, and I really don'y know where to start. Can anyone give me some hints on patterns for summer crappie, bream, or walleyes? I'd be much obliged.

Maybe this should go in KY?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by montagc

Maybe this should go in KY?

---

It's worth a try ... but, I don't remember seeing any discussions about Dale, on the KY Forum.

TWRA report says nothing about Crappie :

Dale Hollow: Fishing is good; water temperature is 82 degrees. Lake is falling. Several walleye are being caught while trolling deep running crankbaits in 25-to-28 feet of water. Bass fishing is good at night while fishing spinnerbaits, jigs and soft plastics in 5-to-15 feet of water on points. A few trout are being caught near the dam while trolling with spoons in 40 feet of water.



... cp :kewl

Since you haven't gotten any replies I will offer my 2 cents. For bull blue gill, buy some crickets, place on smaller aberdeen hook, attach 2 or 3 good size split shot about 18" above hook. You will do better with 6 to 10 lb line fished on spinning (or light tackle). Go to where channel (either creek or river) runs adjacent to bank, creating a bluff. This will be VERY deep water. But, there are small ledges all along these bluffs where fish will congregate. You will need enough weight (split shot) on your line to get the bait down quickly, or smaller fish (bait robbers) will steal your cricket before you can get down to the bigger bull bream (and better fish) that will be holding in about 20 ft of water. I think you will find you will catch something on about every cast!! This is truly fun fishing! Don't be surprised if you latch on to a nice smallmouth or walleye............they like to hang around these areas also. When you do........HANG ON and take your time!!

For smallmouth and walleye fishing, this time of year, you will probably be better served to fish at night with more conventional tactics (jigs, spinnerbaits, etc.). For more fishing reports and lake info, go to SmallJaw.com This is a website pretty much dedicated to Dale Hollow fishing. I hope you have a great trip. The "cricket method" will almost guarantee that you and your wife will be giggling like little kids as you reel in those big 'ole blue gill and the occasional bass, walleye, or catfish that will bite your cricket!!

Have fun,
Mike

I fish Dale Hollow some. We fish the Wolf River area....just out from Gunnels Camp at Birdstown, TN. We just look at the rock bluffs and look for where a tree has slid off into 20 -25 ft. of water. WE used black and chartreuse jigs tipped with crappie nibbles. We lower them to the bottom around the tree and then slowly bring them back up. Have caught some nice ones there doing that. Jigs tipped with minnows work good too.

Cool, thanks guys! I am just outside of Byrdstown, so I think I'll stick to the Wolf River arm, and hit the bluffs, timber and channels. I mostly fish small streams and shallow lakes, so these deep water reservoirs confound me. I'm used to casting at stuff I can see.

That sounds like a good plan to me, montagc. Most of my fishing on the Hollow has been from Mitchell Creek down to the dam area, but the same tactics would work there, too. Good luck..and let us know how it went.

Don't really have anything to add, other than I started out camping at Dale Hollow when I was 6 weeks old! That was in 1957 and we would travel from our home in Louisville every Labor Day and camp, fish, and frog. 3 families of us and we'd put in at Sunset Dock, load up everything we needed for the weekend then just go out and find a spot on the bank to set up camp. Later on we started renting a cabin there for the weekend. Great, GREAT memories of Dale Hollow!!!! I even caught a 3 1/2 lb smallmouth when I was 7 from there. We were going to get him mounted but somebody came along and stole him from the basket hung off the back of the boat overnight.

Going good so far. No huge fish but plenty of good sized gills. We hit them in a spot just like G mentioned. My kids, who caught some of the biggest gills, said to tell you guys that you are geniuses!

Its only ten years later but starting to figure it out. A more purpose built boat and some guided trips helped as well.

https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...9g&oe=644E5DE1
https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...Xw&oe=644E38AC
https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...gw&oe=644F5FA4
https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...lA&oe=644F5C49
https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...WQ&oe=644D8AE8
https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...Hg&oe=644F2D18
https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...Lg&oe=644DBBAC
https://scontent.fluk1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...4w&oe=644E1F50

Go somewhere else. Spend your money in another state. I asked for information on Dale Hollow for crappie and did not get one response.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Quailtail

Go somewhere else. Spend your money in another state. I asked for information on Dale Hollow for crappie and did not get one response.

---

I was overthinking it. If you fish sticks and wood this time of year you will catch them. Minnows on slip bobbers shallow back of creeks up in brush. Treefalls on angled banks. Slides with wood near channels. etc etc. etc.