Opinions welcome

I fish a 5,000 acre lake. It has become an absolute party lake on the weekends. Jet skis, tubing, group swimming, etc. The main lake areas are so churned up with all the commotion that any kind of trolling is impossible. Spot lock gets as confused as a guy on a 3 day drunk.
Now, here is my thought.
The fish that are on the main lake channels, points, etc, are so disturbed that they go into a non feeding mode until the activity stops. The coves are less affected.
Opinions please

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Go early! Those peeps usually are getting on the water when I'm loading the boat. The second choice would be heck with the fishing and join in the FUN!

When I lived in TN I fished Dale Hollow Lake. I learned early on not to fish the lake after Memorial Day. Way too much boat traffic....and this is on a 27,000 acre lake. The few times I did fish it with all the traffic I caught fish but it was a royal pain in the neck doing so. So in the summer time we fished the lake at night.


Regards

I agree, night fishing might work or Week day mornings


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If I read between the lines you guys agree that all the ruckus shuts the fish down :dono

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Originally Posted by silverside

If I read between the lines you guys agree that all the ruckus shuts the fish down :dono

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It didn’t at Dale Hollow. The problem was just the sheer number of pleasure boaters. It could be a dead still day as far as wind goes but the lake would be white capping with good size rollers. All of that from the boat traffic. I had a small boat and it would be extremely uncomfortable in those conditions. Loved fishing points there but it was nearly impossible. I only cast and retrieve but if you pulled cranks, use planer boards, it is impossible. Eventually had to quit night fishing as my night vision went south.

Regards


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Originally Posted by silverside

If I read between the lines you guys agree that all the ruckus shuts the fish down :dono

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It has to have an effect if they are up shallow less than 6 feet. But I can’t stand to fish with the boat constantly rocking.


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:popcorn, following

some lakes here are just that way , if you think they party hard there , you should see some of the ridiculous stuff here . but it never seems to shut the fish down , it just shuts the folks trying to ketch them down and or makes them so mad they want to fight.
I would tend to think you will need to pick the when you go carefully , midweek might be the ticket and or maybe first frost and after .....:dono

The boat traffic on my home lake doesn’t shut the fish down. It shuts me down tho. This old body can’t take all that wave action like I used too. I get out at 6 and fish til 11 but the traffic starts at 8:30 even on weekdays. My problem is I can’t stay on my spots without constantly adjusting my TM. And I have spotlock. I have spots 18 ft deep, fifteen ft from shore where the river channel runs thru. Those waves are murder in that close to shore as even the water gets muddier as more of them come out. I go to a restricted HP lake on the weekends I want to fish all day.

spot lock? never heard of it.

Same problem with boats going below a certain speed that causes wakes and boat rock - worse being in a small boat.
Catching fish isn't that much of a problem because the boat traffic is out toward deeper water. Falling overboard while fishing standing is.
It seems it's done on purpose to show who owns the water - home owners that is.
Good thing I have 4 small waters to fish within 35 min. - no gas motors allowed. Peace & quiet - ahhhhhh.

I find Sunday evenings to be tolerable. My wife likes to fish summer evenings for a few hours and if we can't get out during the week, Sunday evening isn't too bad. Once mid-August come around and kids start heading back to school, other activities start to fill in on family time.
As far as the fish go, all the commotion doesn't seem to bother them too much, I can normally find some active fish in 7-12 FOW.

This is the time of year when I go early and come back by lunch time if I go on a Saturday or a holiday and tend to fish the flats or drop-offs near the nav and main river channels. By then the boat traffic starts picking up, and I don’t like rocking and bouncing around like that.

early early EARLY on public waters in the summer for a multitude of reasons , heat , crowds and ....heat and crowds ....and heat and crowds ....
did I mention the heat and the crowds ? :dono:Rofl

Middle of the week is better, especially during the spawn in the spring.

They seem to bite better while my boat is riding the surf boat wakes? :dono Seems to make my presentation better? :Rofl

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Originally Posted by Ketchn

, heat , crowds and ....heat and crowds ....and heat and crowds ....
did I mention the heat and the crowds ? :dono:Rofl

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Here it just makes them drink more! :cheers2

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Sounds all too familiar. Harrison Bay on Chicamauga Lake is a disaster waiting to happen. I go early and leave my noon...or drive an hour to a more peaceful ramp/area.
However, SCHOOL starts tomorrow! :HandsClapping

I feel your pain.

Be patient. It will calm down about the time school & football season starts. You'll get your lake back and not have to tolerate blazing heat either.

This time of year, I migrate to smaller lakes that don't allow jetskis, waterskiing, or swimming.

I wait until the bigger lakes clear out come Fall. The fish are still there and willing once everything settles down.

Save your sanity and concentrate on less ridiculous waters.

Jim

Come on FALL!

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Originally Posted by happycaster58

Come on FALL!

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Heck yeah. Will be time to hunt the elusive whitetail.

I like to boat party as much as anyone but when I’m fishing I like to be alone I’ll travel as far as necessary to be by myself even if it takes me away from the best areas. I’ll also head out before the sun comes up and be done by the time everyone else is heading out and I generally will fish during the work week.

I don't fish any of the big lakes. When fishing on the water I am in a solo canoe. I stick to quiet waters...small lakes and slow moving small rivers. No jet skis or party boats to worry about. Some of these waters don't even allow motorized craft. All I have to worry about is the heat. And if I stay close to tree lined shore even the heat is bearable.


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IMHO boat traffic doesn't affect the fish feeding. If they don't like it they will go somewhere else. Boat traffic affects fisherman being able to get to the fish.

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Originally Posted by soonerdg

If they don't like it they will go somewhere else.

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Exactly the thought I was trying to make.



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Last year i wanted fish really bad. So slid the boat off the trailer about dusk. Found me a couple of good tie off points on the bridge. Set me underwater light up and waited. About an hour after dark i see a boat coming. Thinking to myself wow how polite these people are....they slowed down.....navigation lights are legal radio is low all that jazz. Then i noticed it. It was a 26' surf boat. HOLY BATMAN that thing had a wake. Changed my underwear and loaded the boat. They can have it till Sept 20 fish biting or not.

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