Dale Hollow 6/11-6/18

[Chefdave]

Fished Dale while on my honeymoon. What a great time. We had a houseboat which was very nice. I fished mostly at night and although the bite seemed to slow as the week progressed, we still caught enough to keep us out. Stayed mainly within a couple miles of Cedar Hill resort. 90% of the smallies came on 1/4 oz. Punisher jigs with zoom pro craw jr., with a worm rattle, and dipped in chartreuse. We tried tapering points and banks with deep grass first and really didn't do well at all. We then moved to channel points, bluffs, and drops and really tore em up early in the week. Most of our fish came out of 20 - 30 feet of water. Lots of three and four pounders. My wife caught one over five and I got one 6.5 pounder. I'm not usually accustomed to fishing for smallmouths because of where I normally fish, and the fact that I am mostly a shallower water fisherman with the exception of ledges and stuff. But I would jump at the chance to go again. Thanks to all the guys who answered my posts before I went. You were all a great help.
Chefdave

[elnutsmalljaws]

6 1/2 is an awful nice Smallmouth, Congrats. I caught 2 over 6 this past winter at Dale and would trade my wife of 8 years for one over 7. I believe I had one over 7 on Feb of 2004, but she LDR'd (Long Distance Released after straightening the hook out on my jig) on me after a really good fight. My best friend was in the boat with me and was sure she was an easy 7, hint I say in his words "maybe 8". After seeing the 2 I caught this past winter, I also believe she was an "easy 7 maybe an 8". Still wake up in cold sweats dreaming of that day and seeing her come to the top just out of net range for the last time before the bulldog run to the depths again. Hell where's my boat, I going to Dale right now to find her again.

Tight Lines

[opie13]

Sounds like a pretty awesome honeymoon trip. I will be down the first week of July and hope to get in a little night fishin myself.

[mhall]

Excellent job Chefdave!! The new wife with a smalljaw over five and you got a six and a half, that's nothing to sneeze at my friend. Congats on a honeymoon to always remember.