FINALLY. A day off to go check on the toothy-critters

After a TON of work (at work, and at home), and NO LOVE from the turkey-birds, and a COMPLETE CLUELESSNESS of the slabs right now, I decided it was time to see if the toothy-critters still lived in Chickamauga, below the WB dam.

I have not been after them up there since the winter before last, and they cooperated pretty good the last time I was up that way. Wanted to start early but the lightning/thunder kept me at the ramp until around 845a. Finally launched and headed for the tailwaters. Did note that the temp below the dam was 63*Current started at 17K CFS and ended in the mid-40K's.

THE PLACE LOOKS LIKE A BIRD SANCTUARY!!!!! Had as much fun watching the birds as I did fishing! Watched an aerial battle between a Bald Eagle and an Osprey that was nothing short of EPIC!!! (The Bald Eagle laid the smack down, btw...)

Had this critter swim up beside me and thought for a second I was in Florida again??? Pelican? Stork? I have no clue but it was a beautiful bird.

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Did have a tangle with two of DK's pets, and this one provided a DRAG-BURNING RUN that I could have swore would be a striper. She was LLLOOOAAADDDDDED and huge as a way-oversized football
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At the end of the day, got 3 toothy's in the boat (and pretty sure I had a 4th hooked.....for a few seconds). AND THAT WAS IT. 2 drum and these guys AND THAT WAS IT. Pretty slow for what I usually do up there. All of the toothy-critters were over 18" and skinny as pencils. There was 1 particular current-break where all three came from AND NOWHERE ELSE. Started with a 1/4oz jig with a albino fluke and ended up with a 1/2oz jig with a pearl ice junior fluke paddle-tail (tail dyed chart., caught fish on both)The fall/winter bite provides BONE-JARRING strikes, but this bite was EXTREMELY SUBTLE (Reminded me of how spawners strike in northern waters, but I know temp has to be way beyond spawning temps, and not sure these fish actually spawn here anyway.)
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Was hoping to see some bigger fish, but these 3 were welcomed-guests to the freezer, right beside the pre-spawn slabs I found a few weeks ago. Only difference was that the FILLETS of the eye's were BIGGER than most of the crappies I bring home!
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Wrapped it up at 3pm, sunburnt and smiling. Not great, not horrible, better than the turkey hunting this spring, and certainly better than work. Didn't even check my email ONCE.
:cheers2

Way to go brother. Thanks for the pics and the good read about your day on the water.

A good day for the toothy critters. The limit is 5 up here so you did well in my book. I bet that Drum was a hoot, especially in the current. That does look like a White Pelican, not real common around here. Great picture. I almost took the day off to fish also but needed to get prepared for Summer School, starts Monday. As far as the Crappie, they should be winding up the Spawn and headed back out to deeper haunts. Check deep brush and shady deep water docks. Bluegill should be shallow soon, give them a whirl, also good freezer fillers.


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I enjoyed the post!! Thanks for taking us along.
Would have loved to see the eagle osprey match!!


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Enjoyed reading the report. Thanks for sharing. :)

Nice! I gotta come up that way and try walleye fishing one of these days.

Great report.
Thank You Kindly for sharing your day.
Hope you get to go again soon...

Good report on the marble eyes, M. The Walleyes do spawn up there but I don’t know if the spawn is successful or not. We caught some females that were about 1/2 spawned out and early on, there was one that was stuffed with eggs. We used 3/8 oz jigs with the 3.5” BPS Sassy Sally Sexy Shad color. Before daylight, we have our most success just below the wing wall. I don’t know the numbers that we have caught at that spot. Others have been about 1/2 way down to the power lines on the seam breaks before the out of state guide boats get up there and start running the seams up to the turbines. They spook all the Stripers that we catch on those drifts before they run through the fish. Obviously they don’t know to run around the fish in order not to spook them, but it seems to me that they care only for their clients and have no regard to other fishermen up there. I wish that they would go back to North Carolina and fish their own waters. There are three guide boats that seem to run together. None are courteous.

Nice!

Very nice

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Originally Posted by drumking

Good report on the marble eyes, M. The Walleyes do spawn up there but I don’t know if the spawn is successful or not. We caught some females that were about 1/2 spawned out and early on, there was one that was stuffed with eggs. We used 3/8 oz jigs with the 3.5” BPS Sassy Sally Sexy Shad color. Before daylight, we have our most success just below the wing wall. I don’t know the numbers that we have caught at that spot. Others have been about 1/2 way down to the power lines on the seam breaks before the out of state guide boats get up there and start running the seams up to the turbines. They spook all the Stripers that we catch on those drifts before they run through the fish. Obviously they don’t know to run around the fish in order not to spook them, but it seems to me that they care only for their clients and have no regard to other fishermen up there. I wish that they would go back to North Carolina and fish their own waters. There are three guide boats that seem to run together. None are courteous.

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EXACTLY the same, DK. Sounds like the same seams I've fished...and AGREE on the guides that obviously own the place. Had one of them run within thirty yards of me early in the morning. The second time he did it, he left with one of my jigs in his rig. Couldn't hear what he was yelling but appeared that he was telling me "I was #1". EXCELLENT use of a jig in my opinion. He didn't come close to me after that though
:cheers2

This summer, I'm gonna give it a shot up there at night and see if some of the ol' yankee tricks work on the southern fish as well.

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Originally Posted by drumking

Good report on the marble eyes, M. The Walleyes do spawn up there but I don’t know if the spawn is successful or not. We caught some females that were about 1/2 spawned out and early on, there was one that was stuffed with eggs. We used 3/8 oz jigs with the 3.5” BPS Sassy Sally Sexy Shad color. Before daylight, we have our most success just below the wing wall. I don’t know the numbers that we have caught at that spot. Others have been about 1/2 way down to the power lines on the seam breaks before the out of state guide boats get up there and start running the seams up to the turbines. They spook all the Stripers that we catch on those drifts before they run through the fish. Obviously they don’t know to run around the fish in order not to spook them, but it seems to me that they care only for their clients and have no regard to other fishermen up there. I wish that they would go back to North Carolina and fish their own waters. There are three guide boats that seem to run together. None are courteous.

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Courtesy left with disco DK

Thank you for the post, I have never caught a walleye on the Tennessee river. But they are on my list. Good Job M... :ThumbsUp

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Originally Posted by Mr. S

Thank you for the post, I have never caught a walleye on the Tennessee river. But they are on my list. Good Job M... :ThumbsUp

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They're there Mr. S., not just stacked like cord-wood but they are there. You could go catch 20 crappie (on a BAD day) for every single walleye you'll put in the boat, but they are there. Just show up KNOWING you may not catch one, stay patient/put in your time learning the pattern and you'll see, they're there

...just ask DK and CU ON THE LAKE
:cheers2

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Originally Posted by M GO BLUE

They're there Mr. S. Just show up KNOWING you may not catch one, stay patient/put in your time learning the pattern and you'll see, they're there.

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I have a hard enough time with catching 10 crappie much less 20, and I don't wanna even start thinking about eye's, just one more thing on my plate... :crazy: