Originally Posted by
ON3 3Y3D WILLI3
Great report and a great fish. I’ll begin my annual pilgrimage to the Hollow on January 1st and I can not wait. As Geo made mention of, I owe just about everything I know about fishing Dale to Elwood Lumpkins. Many years ago he and I went down on New Year’s Day and had an all world haul. Several 5s, several overs, doubles, and a fantastic ‘competition’ bite. What is that you may ask? Well, I cast out and begin to wiggle the bobber when it just disappears. Not in the typical FnF fashion whereby with a slight gulp, your bobber is pulled down. No, it was there and then it was not and that fish hit my fly on a 13 ft leader with however much braid I had out on the cast and the line went straight taut. She hit it and went down as fast as she could. Elwood notices and says that’s a ‘competition’ bite. She wanted to nab it and get away quick. He says this as he casts in proximity while I’m playing my fish. His bobber sets up and boom, down it goes. My fish was small and easily brought to the boat and released while he’s playing his. I grab the net. I’m nervous. He’s shouting that this lady has shoulders and may be his largest ever out of Dale. I’m more nervous now. Get her to the net and she’s a solid 6.5. I would have called her 7+ and we are both ecstatic. We caught a lot of fish after that and it was truly an all world day that we will never forget. I fish that same exact spot for one full day solid each year. Not moving whether the fish are there or not. With each cast I make during that day I remember the smile on his face and the knowledge he shared with me during our times on that lake. My PB is a 12.5 LMB, I’ve caught 200 lb tuna, and 100+ pound tarpon, bonefish out the wazoo, big big trout, and tiger fish and Nile perch in Africa but nothing, and I mean nothing, beats a 4 pound SMB on the fly at Dale Hollow in January.