Jeremy,

I have seen your post on this site for a while now and know you like the Brown fish pretty good. I started fishing Cumberland in Summer of 2003 and SOLELY fished this lake until winter of 2004. My first trip to Dale was the first week of December 2004 and that week I caught my first Brownie over 5 and many more over 3. I have landed 2 over 6, around 6 over 5 and no telling how many over 3 at Dale since and I have NEVER been back to Cumberland solely to fish for Smallies and will NEVER go back to Cumberland just for Smallies until they drain Dale Hollow. I hope this answers your question. As far as learning a new lake, it will take some time to get used to but I assure you, Dale is better, MUCH BETTER, than Cumberland for Smallmouth.