Dale Hollow is doing good.

Fished today with lots of small - small mouth, i did boat one 4.5 L mouth, this is the only
lake such a fish is considered a disappointment.

Water temp main lake by Willow Grove 59, we are about to get some 28 degree nights.

I fished main lake all day, (I got on these small fish an wouldnt leave them hoping for a big one) following the channel along where it comes up to the flats trying to keep the live bait in 35 ft range.

[url]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj130/rickhise/100_0524.jpg[/url]
[url]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj130/rickhise/100_0523.jpg[/url]

Rick have any fish started pulling up shallow....I haven't been out to get any minnows yet but hope to make the first trip of the year down there in a few weeks

[QUOTE=Fishin is life;472286]Rick have any fish started pulling up shallow....I haven't been out to get any minnows yet but hope to make the first trip of the year down there in a few weeks[/QUOTE]

wish I could help about shallow, i never knowingly get out of the deeper stuff, except in the spring,

now when i got near 22 ft or less im looking to get back out

Those are some r[QUOTE=rickhise;472280]Fished today with lots of small - small mouth, i did boat one 4.5 L mouth, this is the only
lake such a fish is considered a disappointment.

Water temp main lake by Willow Grove 59, we are about to get some 28 degree nights.

I fished main lake all day, (I got on these small fish an wouldnt leave them hoping for a big one) following the channel along where it comes up to the flats trying to keep the live bait in 35 ft range.

[URL]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj130/rickhise/100_0524.jpg[/URL]
[URL]http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj130/rickhise/100_0523.jpg[/URL][/QUOTE]

Those were some real nice pics. Bigger smallies to come as water temp goes down.. I love cold water smallies...

Same every year even with artificials. We throw jigs and catch 20-30 fish with maybe one up to 4 pounds at the first, then as the water cools, we catch fewer and fewer fish but they get bigger. By the time January hits, we may only catch 10-12 fish but five of them will be from 3.5 pounds up to 5 pounds. I'm sure feeding them shiners would be more productive but it sure is fun watching the line jump when they pounce on a jig!

thanks shutup/fish,
Day:
I know the excitment you talk about when that big one hits the jig,crank,swimbait,fly,
I get the same rush when I see that line peeling off live/bait.

Thanks for the report Rick, gets me excited. I am going to be down there Wednesdat fishing with Gentry. Hope we can stick a good one for some photos.

This may be a dum question but where would those big fish be at other times of the year?I know fish eat all the time & at times better or like bass if you throw it close they going too try too eat it.YMO:cool:

someone else will have to answer that, thats where i brake down, I have spots that hold good fish, when i run into the smaller fish there ill stay too long. Without improving the results.
By fishing close to deep water I feel my chances are much better for a big fish, (big as in heavy 4's or better), then i again I can see lots of room for improvement on my tech.
Ill be back at the same spot this morning lol.

[QUOTE=raincheck;472381]This may be a dum question but where would those big fish be at other times of the year?I know fish eat all the time & at times better or like bass if you throw it close they going too try too eat it.YMO:cool:[/QUOTE]

My theory is that they suspend individually under schools of bait. That's what makes them so hard to locate successfully even with today's advanced electronics. Then when a major feed takes place due to a frontal passage or whatever, they congregate more and work together for breif periods to clobber the bait. Just my theory. Probably wrong, but it's all I can come up with.

Rick:

Was that you in Dale Hollow Creek in the am on Sat? We were in a red boat fishing the jig.