Originally Posted by know1
I fished Cumberland at night when I first got my boat in 2003 and the winter of 2003. Found Dale Hollow winter of 2004 and will never intentionally wet a line for Smallies in Cumberland again. Quality and Quantity is way much better on Dale. The times I did fish for Smallies with the fly in the winter was killing time while we were Striper fishing up in the creeks pulling boards and live bait. Once you learn Dale, you will happily drive those extra miles. We will see each other at the get together and I can mark you some spots near the Wolfe River if you want to put in at Wisdom Dock to save some miles and try. I mainly fish within 5 mile radius of Holly Creek, but will venture up into the Wolfe if my areas are not producing or if there is a major water temp or clarity difference. Way too much structure, grass, humps and ledges on Dale to fish versus Cumberland. I know there is some good quality fish in Cumberland but as long as there are Striper and it is king of Cumberland, then the Smallmouth population will never be of the quality as it is in Dale Hollow. Freshwater swimming sharks is what I call Stripers, swim and eat is pretty mush what they do. The Largemouth population thrives in Dale just because the Smallies get so much attention like people like me. Never spent one day targeting Largemouth at Dale, except when I am night fishing deep grass beds and ledges, then I am just as likely to catch a Greenfish versus Brown. Smallie is still king of Dale Hollow and I hope it always is. They even stopped stocking Muskie in Dale Hollow, which I think helps the Bass population. Plus the stocking of Rainbow Trout in the lake helps the Bass Population. A Bass can eat a fish like a Trout up to half its length. This means a 20" Smallie, trophy anywhere, can eat a 10" Rainbow, which are plentiful in Dale Hollow. If Stripers were stocked in Dale Hollow, the Trout population would go away as would the quality of the rest of the fish. I read somewhere that Lake Trout went extinct in Cumberland and it was due to the Striper Stocking (could be wrong on this but this is what I think I read somewhere). Dale Hollow for me for she still hold 3 of the top 5 biggest fish caught of all time including the one that I chase everyday on the water, 11-15 Hayes fish. They say the next record will come from one of the California lakes but I still think it will be at Dale Hollow. Be some guy trolling for Muskie with a 12" Rainbow Trout imitating lure on a 7' Heavy Action rod with 17lb test. This is the only setup that will hold a 12 pounder. My little FNF rod would have its work to land the record, BUT I SURE WOULD LIKE A SHOT AT HER
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