Dale Hollow?

[Fishin is life]

Has anybody caught any overs this year? 2-3 years ago we would average 1-2 overs per trip, but i havent saw one in the past 2 years and none of the guys i talk to have either. The numbers are still nowhere near what we saw 2-3 years ago but seem a little better than last year and quality is a little better. Im hoping the lake is just going through a down cycle and theres not a bigger problem. I know there was a small fish kill but from what ive read it was on more of the juvenile fish, so where have the big girls gone?

[mhall]

I fished Dale earlier this Spring with some guys that are old hat down there including one guy that I would call darn good on that lake. From what they told me and from what they had heard from their buddies and guides that they know down there was the opposite of what you just said. The fish kill knocked the numbers down on mature fish more than the Juveniles. Now this is all water cooler talk but I look at smalljaw.com pretty often and those guys on there are Da Bomb on that lake and I am not seeing NEAR the pics of fatties that I was seeing prior to the fish kill. I do believe as you stated that lakes go in cycles and Dale is in one right now. Yes there are still plenty of fish and some hawgs also but it isn't where it was several years ago. Now the Largehead's have exploded down there, maybe the grass I guess.

Not trying to be argumentative just heard something different. I only get to fish that lake a couple of times maybe a year myself but know quite a few guys that hit it pretty hard. I do think it's in the process of bouncing back though and who knows maybe next year will really start to getting things back to normal.

And to answer your question there were four of us on that trip for 2 and half days and we did not have any over's. We did however have some nice Largemouth...

[mhall]

Kentucky Afield had a biologist call in show awhile back as well and one of the questions written in was what is the life expectancy of a Smallmouth bass? While I don't remember all the exact specifics I do remember that they were using 22 inches as a bench mark with an age average. I was surprisd to learn that they don't live nearly as long as I thought and after they reach the 22 inch plus mark and around 8 to 9 years of age the odds are stacked against them as mortality is quickly closing in.

Maybe one of these computer guru's on here can find us a link about it?

[know1]

I've still not caught an over 21" smallmouth out of Dale Hollow all the years I've been making at least one trip there. Had our best trip last year in terms of numbers, but smallest average size for sure.

I also am on SmallJaw quite a bit and I just don't as many positive reports coming out of that lake as it seems like there used to be.

[Fishin is life]

Mark you may be right, just what i thought i heard when the fish kill happened. I have a bad case of CRS and probably got it backward. I heard two pretty good reports from there today though. One friend had 11 by himself on artificial and another couple friends had 20 on live and artificial. Both had several good largemouth and one had a 7.4 largie.

[CATCHEMALL]

I have fished the lake for 3 days each of the last 2 weekends. I fished the Billy and the Smalljaw tourneys. There was 73 boats in the Billy and 1 over caught in 2 days. There was 20 boats in the Smalljaw and once again only 1 over caught in two days. I normally catch several 20-21" fish in the 6 days I fish for the tourneys. I personally only caught 1 fish over 20"s. Now that being said if you just want to go and catch some hard pulling 18-20" fish that place is on fire. So I do think the fish kill hurt a lot of the big fish but I look for the fishing to get a lot better over the next year or two.

[GeoFisher]

I have fished the lake for 3 days each of the last 2 weekends. I fished the Billy and the Smalljaw tourneys. There was 73 boats in the Billy and 1 over caught in 2 days. There was 20 boats in the Smalljaw and once again only 1 over caught in two days. I normally catch several 20-21" fish in the 6 days I fish for the tourneys. I personally only caught 1 fish over 20"s. Now that being said if you just want to go and catch some hard pulling 18-20" fish that place is on fire. So I do think the fish kill hurt a lot of the big fish but I look for the fishing to get a lot better over the next year or two.

I too think the kill hurt. BUT I've caught a lot of quality fish the past 3 weekends.

A few short years ago, every trip included 1 or 2 overs. I remember a trip just 3 short years ago when a buddy and mine caught 5 overs in one day. I have only caught 1 over this year, and Only 1 or 2 over last year.

Time will tell.

Later,

Geo

[Embrey]

itll be ok...im catchin good size fish. and they will only get bigger.

[GeoFisher]

itll be ok...im catchin good size fish. and they will only get bigger.

Yep.........no doubt. Every fish Eddie and Tim and I caught a few weeks ago was SOLID. A couple close to 21 and 1 over, with a lot of solid 3.5 - 4lb slot footballs.

They will be overs next year, maybe the next. If the meat fisherman don't eat them first


Later,

Geo

[elnutsmalljaws]

Sorry fellas but since I am not physically able to get down to Dale Hollow this winter, I have instructed all my 21" and better pets to wait for my FNF rod next December.

John, where and when have you seen 21" Smallies caught at Dale? I would like to see a few of those myself

[elnutsmalljaws]

I too think the kill hurt. BUT I've caught a lot of quality fish the past 3 weekends.

A few short years ago, every trip included 1 or 2 overs. I remember a trip just 3 short years ago when a buddy and mine caught 5 overs in one day. I have only caught 1 over this year, and Only 1 or 2 over last year.

Time will tell.

Later,

Geo

Are you referring to what Vaun and I caught on Jan 4, 2010?

[GeoFisher]

Are you referring to what Vaun and I caught on Jan 4, 2010?

Nope..........and I stretched.......4 overs and a greenfish over.... I also remember a day when John and I only caught 5 fish and they were all close. All on the jig.

I have or or two trips to dale left, then I will take a break for a while, then start hitting KY second week in march.

Later,

Geo