Dale Hollow Last Weekend

[buzzking]

Dale hollow has gotten unbelievably better in the last 3-4 years, that place is just stacked with small mouth. The slot limit is the best thing they could have ever done for that lake. As far as last weekend, most likely you weren't fishing deep enough. If I had to go after smallies in the day right now, I wouldn't want to be fishing shallower that 25', most likely somewhere in that 25-35 range. The other thing you will realize real quick about DH smallmouth is how weather fickle they are. You get clouds and wind you will murder them, high and bright, and they will murder you. Keep after it, you will figure them out.

[SmallmouthChaserGLX]

Buzzking is right. That slot is awesome. The last two years have been great. I really wish they would have done the same to Laurel but it didn't pass that way to the public opinion and tourney fishers. Not to say that this spring and Laurel havent been good on smallies... but i think it would be better for the average weekend angler if they would make it the dale slot limit.

One quick question for buzzking however... why would they be 25 or deeper during the day now if there is grass at 18 and no thermocline to speak of yet? Dont fish too much in the day down there but do fish at night quite a bit and lets just say that they are definitely not 25 at night or even evening.

[mhall]

Dale hollow has gotten unbelievably better in the last 3-4 years, that place is just stacked with small mouth. The slot limit is the best thing they could have ever done for that lake. As far as last weekend, most likely you weren't fishing deep enough. If I had to go after smallies in the day right now, I wouldn't want to be fishing shallower that 25', most likely somewhere in that 25-35 range. The other thing you will realize real quick about DH smallmouth is how weather fickle they are. You get clouds and wind you will murder them, high and bright, and they will murder you. Keep after it, you will figure them out.

This post is dead on. The slot is the greatest thing since the invention of sliced bread.

[elnutsmalljaws]

This post is dead on. The slot is the greatest thing since the invention of sliced bread.

I talked to Steve Headrick the other day and he said there was 2 more 7+ Smallies weighed in during the local night tourneys last week and that makes 9 fish over 7 lbs that he has heard of and seen caught this spring plus a 9-3 that a guy caught about a month ago. The 9-3 was a beaut for Steve saw the pictures and he said it was caught by a guy fishing live bait and it is no longer swimming for he took it home with him. He went on to say there has been more 7+ fish caught this year than he has heard of in MANY years. Slot has done wonders for the size of fish at Dale and will continue to do so and I hope it is never taken away, at least not in my lifetime. Fish are in the 10-15 foot range and with the full moon coming soon, they should be migrating to the black shale and chunk rock for the crawfish spawn. Wish I was going..