Walleyes scarce, Rockfish good 3/19/20

My good friend, Gary is a school teacher at Central High School in Harrison and with the current scare, the school is closed until mid April leaving him with a few more days of fishing.

So he wanted to get in on the tailwater fishing this morning. We really wanted to catch Walleyes but we only caught two. TWRA has been shocking the Walleyes below Watts Bar for three days this week trying to get enough brood stock to make enough littles ones to go around for everyone. I don’t know if this had a negative effect on our fishing or not.

But the Striped bass made up for the lack of Walleye bites. We landed either 16 or 17 and we lost accurate count when we doubled two times in a row, but one time they pulled off before we landed them.

Gary caught a bird on one cast and it was released without harm. No Drum today thank goodness and no White bass either. I don’t know what has happened to the White bass up there but they should be tearing it up and are not.

3/8 oz jigs we’re perfect for the 46,500 cfs water flow. My biggest was 18.5 lbs and Gary’s biggest was about 16 lbs. My scales went on the blink. Needed new batteries and I didn’t have replacement in the boat. Water temp was 53.4 degrees. Perfect temp for Stripers. They were so feisty today.

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As usual, a great report. Gary's smile says it all. I bet there is not an angler here that would not want to go fishing with you. I have an idea. Don't know if Slab would approve, but what about a raffle, sell tickets and draw one lucky guy/gal. Send the proceeds to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis. Of coarse you would have to be willing, but I bet it would not take much to talk you into it, particularly since you like to teach the fine art of crappie pursuit!
Heck, I'll pick up the tab for y'alls lunch!

Congrats on another great day!

DK do you vertical jig for the walleye? Here in Michigan, when fishing the Detroit River, we use the trolling motor to slow our drift and keep the jig/line vertical, bouncing the jig on the bottom. We fish anywhere from 8 fow to 40 fow and use 1/2 oz up to 1 oz jigs. Just curious if you use a similar technique. Get some big ones, too.Attachment 369128

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Originally Posted by spartannation

DK do you vertical jig for the walleye? Here in Michigan, when fishing the Detroit River, we use the trolling motor to slow our drift and keep the jig/line vertical, bouncing the jig on the bottom. We fish anywhere from 8 fow to 40 fow and use 1/2 oz up to 1 oz jigs. Just curious if you use a similar technique. Get some big ones, too.

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DANDY stringer right there. Do miss those big fish up North. Ever fish for em' on the Maumee River during the spring run? That's similar to how it's done down here (except out of boats instead of waders). Little different baits, a little deeper and WAYYY wider water.

DK wrote the book on southern tailwater 'eye fishin', made me give up bass fishin' almost completely.

M
GO BLUE!
Devil Icon

You guys are good! Especially now that you’re fishing for birds!

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Originally Posted by spartannation

DK do you vertical jig for the walleye? Here in Michigan, when fishing the Detroit River, we use the trolling motor to slow our drift and keep the jig/line vertical, bouncing the jig on the bottom. We fish anywhere from 8 fow to 40 fow and use 1/2 oz up to 1 oz jigs. Just curious if you use a similar technique. Get some big ones, too.Attachment 369128

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Hello friend from up north. I fish for Walleyes just like I fish for Stripers. I drift seams below dam and cast, bump bottom, snapping jig up occasionally or very 5 seconds. Whatever it takes. If I can somehow get the jig to drift in the current about the same speed that the boat is drifting seems to give us best success. I don’t know much about the Walleyes because they have only been stocked in Chickamauga since 2013.

But, I found that they like the same jigs that I use to fish for Striped bass. Our best day, we caught a double limit. I love to catch them and can tell within 3-5 seconds after hookup whether I have a Walleye or a Striper. Grin. Water clarity seems to dictate what color they prefer and we adjust accordingly.

here is a list of my favorite plastics in no certain order. Zoom super flukes in white ice color and chartreuse. I usually dip the tail in chartreuse spike it. BPS Sassy Sally in the sexy Shad color. It is a killer and has been for years. 4 and 5 inch Sassy Shads in pearl color. Albino Shad color in I think bass assassins. Salt water 5” bass assassins in Treuse Goose Color. Salt water bassassins in green moon color.

Got any other tips for me anyone?

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Originally Posted by USMA65

As usual, a great report. Gary's smile says it all. I bet there is not an angler here that would not want to go fishing with you. I have an idea. Don't know if Slab would approve, but what about a raffle, sell tickets and draw one lucky guy/gal. Send the proceeds to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis. Of coarse you would have to be willing, but I bet it would not take much to talk you into it, particularly since you like to teach the fine art of crappie pursuit!
Heck, I'll pick up the tab for y'alls lunch!

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Interesting thought. I am willing to take most people that want to know how I fish and not just where I fish. There are no big secrets really. I’m not as good as you may think that I am, but I love to teach what little I know with the limitations that I put on my fishing. I don’t ever use live bait. I don’t do any kind of trolling even though at times trolling will locate and put more fish in the boat than my single pole casting. I only fish 1/2 days at my age (77). But I love the way that I go about fishing and learning how to fish. I love scouting for structure and fish. Although I don’t fish spoonplugs, Buck Perry’s books have taught me so much about fishing.

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Originally Posted by M GO BLUE

DANDY stringer right there. Do miss those big fish up North. Ever fish for em' on the Maumee River during the spring run? That's similar to how it's done down here (except out of boats instead of waders). Little different baits, a little deeper and WAYYY wider water.

DK wrote the book on southern tailwater 'eye fishin', made me give up bass fishin' almost completely.

M
GO BLUE!
Devil Icon

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I used to fish the Maumee years ago. Started wading and ended up taking the boat to get away from the crowds. We would cast upstream and reel in as the current took the jig downstream. Seemed to snag as many as we caught in the mouth.

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Originally Posted by drumking

Hello friend from up north. I fish for Walleyes just like I fish for Stripers. I drift seams below dam and cast, bump bottom, snapping jig up occasionally or very 5 seconds. Whatever it takes. If I can somehow get the jig to drift in the current about the same speed that the boat is drifting seems to give us best success. I don’t know much about the Walleyes because they have only been stocked in Chickamauga since 2013.

But, I found that they like the same jigs that I use to fish for Striped bass. Our best day, we caught a double limit. I love to catch them and can tell within 3-5 seconds after hookup whether I have a Walleye or a Striper. Grin. Water clarity seems to dictate what color they prefer and we adjust accordingly.

here is a list of my favorite plastics in no certain order. Zoom super flukes in white ice color and chartreuse. I usually dip the tail in chartreuse spike it. BPS Sassy Sally in the sexy Shad color. It is a killer and has been for years. 4 and 5 inch Sassy Shads in pearl color. Albino Shad color in I think bass assassins. Salt water 5” bass assassins in Treuse Goose Color. Salt water bassassins in green moon color.

Got any other tips for me anyone?

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Sounds like vertical jigging would work. Most use Fin-S minnows or Wyandotte Worms as bait and use a stinger hook. Check out Detroit River walleye videos on youtube to see how we do it.

Great job fellas! I'm glad you got your battery issue sorted out.

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Originally Posted by drumking

I’m not as good as you may think that I am

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:Rofl

...You're obviously MUCH better than you think you are :cheers2

Well done once again brother. I love to see your posts and your pictures,,, but most of all... love to see how you so unselfishly share tips and tactics with others.
You sir are what this website and being a sportsman is all about. Thanks for sharing.

Get some rest DK, I'll let you know how my skunking goes tomorrow... :pray :fish