8lb Brownie out of Dale??

[fishbum]

7lb and 8oz was the offical weight. The is a article in the Courier-Journal about it. It is a HOG!!!!!

Talked to Strange Bait and Tackle.. it weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces at the store and was 24 inches long.. When it made the paper it had grown by an inch and 6 ounces.. LOL..
Fishermen and their stories..
Jim Dicken

[mhall]

Talked to Strange Bait and Tackle.. it weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces at the store and was 24 inches long.. When it made the paper it had grown by an inch and 6 ounces.. LOL..
Fishermen and their stories..
Jim Dicken

That's what I meant by how many TRUE seven pound plus bass have been caught over the years. I've been doing this a long time and I truely believe the number of that size fish are not as great as some believe.

[Tim_T]

I can believe that. I know if I ever caught a smallie of that size, I would probably think it was at least 9 pounds because I haven't (yet) caught anything close enough to compare it to. I once caught a hybrid at Barren that I would swear went 12 pounds, but when weighed it actually was slightly over 9 LOL. Then again, it is my story and I am sticking to it!

[tacoma]

Most of the tournaments I see there are just for an example 50 boats X 2 anglers X 8 hrs on the water. The large fish at most of the major tourneys is usually under 6 lbs that I have seen. I'm not talking about the local clubs. So that's 800 hrs total fishing to land a big fish of usually the upper 5 lb range sometimes over 6 (usually a largemouth) I could be wrong but that is what I'm seeing at Dale. The big tourney they had on Cumberland last year no Smallmouth over 6. Big fish is usually 5.5 to 6 lbs. I could be wrong but thats a lot of hours to come up with a fish this size and these guys are proffesionals. If there are some truly huge smallmouths in Dale which ther very well may be as many boaters that are fishing live will eventually catch one. I love Dale but I'm not seeing the super large fish at any of the MAJOR tourneys. Maybe a local club claims7-8 pounders . I know there are some 8+ but I've seen very few.

[elnutsmalljaws]

McClintock caught 2 Smallies over 8lbs each in Dale Hollow in the winter of 2005/2006. Both fish were caught about 40 feet deep over 60 feet deep river channel trolling 12" Trout imitation plugs fishing for Muskie. I have spent time talking with him and he TARGETS trophy Smallies out of Dale on certain guide trips when that is what the client wants. He told me that he fishes river channel bends with tail spinners in about 50 feet of water, vertical jigging when targeting Giant Smallies. He was also suprised at the number of Smallies I have personally caught over 5lbs on FNF including my 2 over 6. He stated that very few of the ABSOLUTE GIANTS ever come shallow enough to be caught on FNF and those that spawn, move up and spawn and back down deep they go in a matter of a day or so. He even said that the ABSOLUTE GIANTS will spawn in water that is deeper than normal. All good points for they did not get that big for any reason. A certain guide that works Dale year around told me that he personnally saw the world record smallie live and within about 15 feet when he was scuba diving the lake a year or so ago. Said it looked like a 4x12 and about 28" long. He said it was the biggest he ever saw by a mile. I certainly will fish Dale until the day I die in hopes of hooking the 12 pounder and will take all the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and 11 pounders that I can land until the 12 shows her big beautiful face. I still say, when and I do mean when, the record is caught it will not be by anyone targeting Smallies. My guess is 7' Heavy Rod with 17-20lb test line, trolling for Muskie with a huge Rainbow Trout plug is the person that catches the record. The biggest line I ever use year around is 10lb test when night fishing for Smallies on my 7' MH Loomis/Curado. I don't think I really have a chance or landing her on this outfit much less my FNF rod with 4-6lb Flouro leader.

[hartmacw]

You'd better get her before 4/15 'cause that's when I'll be there for 10 days and she doesn't have a chance. But I promise if I catch her I'll release her alive at the Star Point marina.

[phoenix]

Elnuts;
I had the creel survey officer on Dale tell me a few years ago, he thought the next record would come from Pickwick, he said there has been more 9 pounders caught there in the last few years than any place in the world. Not sayin that she aint swimmin in the Holler, just repeating him.