FNF

[elnutsmalljaws]

I'm glad to see other people say this. I'm not the expert you all are, but I've fished it quite a bit the last two winters, and both years I did much worse after mid-January. My best trips the last two years have been in December and right around the first of the year.

I don't really know how to use a jig, so I just throw the FNF all day. I will say that even though the bite seems better the first two hours of daylight (although I can hardly get my relatives out of bed to get there that early), I have caught my biggest fish later in the day.

That's just been my experience.

A little tip on how to get the relatives out of bed. LEAVE THEM. I took my Brother in Law down to Dale and he is a pretty good fisherman and would be a pro if all the tourneys launched at NOON. We were staying in John Davis's cabin just outside Holly Creek. I got up first and showered, woke him up and cooked breakfast (yes I do this with every fishing partner I take for I am a pretty good cook and would make a good fishing wife), I woke him up again and again. I finished my breakfast, started getting on my 18 layers of clothes and told him that if he was not in my truck at a certain time, I was leaving him. I went outside, unhooked the boat from the charger, put the snacks, waters, rods, and tackle in the boat. Got in the truck with about 2 minutes to spare from the time I told him. I waited the last 2 minutes and started pulling out and here he came a running. He jumps in and said "You were going to leave me". I told him that I did not drive all this way and spend all this money and miss the best bite. We launched and had 9 fish in the boat in the first 3 hours, including 4 over 4lbs each that I landed and he caught his first 5 pounder. The next morning he heard me get up and get in the shower and he was sitting on the couch for his turn in the shower when I walked out of the bathroom. Never had a problem with him since. I have since fished with a few other people and they all know if I am launching out of Holly Creek and the sun is starting to come up, I AM LATE. I make cast with the fly when I can't even see my bobber. I will cast and slowly reel in the bobber just to keep tension on the rod and have caught 3 fish this way. Best bite on the fly is defineately from SUNUP to 11am.

[Fishin is life]

Elnut I fish with know1 on cumberland during the winter and was just wondering whether you sit out and throw towards the bank or sit in the depth of water you want and throw down the bank to keep your bait in that ideal water depth longer....thanks for any info

[GeoFisher]

GREAT story woody........I almost left a guy once......he was honked off ALL morning.......

He has not been back on a trip with me...........

Later,

Geo

[elnutsmalljaws]

Elnut I fish with know1 on cumberland during the winter and was just wondering whether you sit out and throw towards the bank or sit in the depth of water you want and throw down the bank to keep your bait in that ideal water depth longer....thanks for any info

The most efficient way to fish would be if you knew the target depth then parallel the bank and cast straight the front of the boat but hard to cast the fly that way and not snagging the motor and everything else. I fish the same way whether there is anyone with me or not. I will put my boat in whatever depth needed so my cast ends up in water a bit shallower than my target depth. I have casted so shallow that my jig is on bottom and I have to drag it out to where the bobber will stand up. I cast at a 45 degree angle out the front of my boat, keep the line tight CONSTANTLY by ever so slowly CONSTANTLY reeling my bait and I keep my trolling motor going ever so slowly so that the jig is right in front of me the last 1/3 of the cast as I am working it. When I fish 3 people in my boat, I will cast out front of the boat, the guy in the middle cast out in front of me and the guy in teh back cast out in front of the middle guy. Since I keep the trolling motor running, we are all making cast into new virgin water every time. For the next cast by the guy in the back will now be in front of me and the middle guy and me will obviously casting into new water. I will say that if my bites come early in the cast, I will move closer and make sure I work the bait even shallower or if my bites come later in the cast, I will move out and work it a bit deeper. I don't go shallow and throw deep for most of my bites come in 10-20 feet deep water, with 10-12 foot leader. Since I like fishing depth breaks, it would be hard for me it to get shallow enough and still hit my target area. The fly is a simple way of fishing but has a LOT of small details to it. My Dad calls it Bobber Fishing and it is true, but a lot more to it than just a bobber, hook and nightcrawler. One thing I have learned is to fish the SWEET spot of the bank first, make a few cast and if no fish then MOVE ON to the next spot. I see people fishing all the way down the 200 yard bank cast after cast. If you are catching fish this is fine but I fish the SWEET spot of the bank, if I catch fish, then will back out and fish before and after that spot just to make sure the bank is not loaded with fish. I will circle and fish the same area, 5-6 times catching fish on each pass. One morning I stayed in one little pocket the size of the average 1/3 acre yard and caught 13 fish with a 6-2, 3 over 5, and 3 over 4. Kept going around and around catching a fish here and there pass after pass. I have only fished the fly at Cumberland a couple of times and never had any good luck with it. One, I can't get away from Dale Hollow and all the good success that I have there, and two, Cumberland is a very difficult lake to fish the fly (I would think). I like fishing the grass beds, Black Shale, stumps, ledges and humps that Dale Hollow has that Cumberland does not. Never put the time in Cumberland and as long as Dale Hollow is wet, don't see me doing it either. Only 30 miles or so more to drive and I can be at Dale versus Cumberland and it is well worth that for me versus what I know about Dale versus Cumberland. Are you the fella coming with Know1 to the get together?

[know1]

A little tip on how to get the relatives out of bed. LEAVE THEM. I took my Brother in Law down to Dale and he is a pretty good fisherman and would be a pro if all the tourneys launched at NOON. We were staying in John Davis's cabin just outside Holly Creek. I got up first and showered, woke him up and cooked breakfast (yes I do this with every fishing partner I take for I am a pretty good cook and would make a good fishing wife), I woke him up again and again. I finished my breakfast, started getting on my 18 layers of clothes and told him that if he was not in my truck at a certain time, I was leaving him. I went outside, unhooked the boat from the charger, put the snacks, waters, rods, and tackle in the boat. Got in the truck with about 2 minutes to spare from the time I told him. I waited the last 2 minutes and started pulling out and here he came a running. He jumps in and said "You were going to leave me". I told him that I did not drive all this way and spend all this money and miss the best bite. We launched and had 9 fish in the boat in the first 3 hours, including 4 over 4lbs each that I landed and he caught his first 5 pounder. The next morning he heard me get up and get in the shower and he was sitting on the couch for his turn in the shower when I walked out of the bathroom. Never had a problem with him since. I have since fished with a few other people and they all know if I am launching out of Holly Creek and the sun is starting to come up, I AM LATE. I make cast with the fly when I can't even see my bobber. I will cast and slowly reel in the bobber just to keep tension on the rod and have caught 3 fish this way. Best bite on the fly is defineately from SUNUP to 11am.

Good story!

When I go with fishin is life, it's not a problem.

But I do like to fish with my Dad and my brother....and I don't have a boat so we use the brother's. He's not so bad, but the times I go with Dad he never wants to leave early enough to get there and be fishing by sunrise.

[know1]

. I have only fished the fly at Cumberland a couple of times and never had any good luck with it. One, I can't get away from Dale Hollow and all the good success that I have there, and two, Cumberland is a very difficult lake to fish the fly (I would think). I like fishing the grass beds, Black Shale, stumps, ledges and humps that Dale Hollow has that Cumberland does not. Never put the time in Cumberland and as long as Dale Hollow is wet, don't see me doing it either. Only 30 miles or so more to drive and I can be at Dale versus Cumberland and it is well worth that for me versus what I know about Dale versus Cumberland. Are you the fella coming with Know1 to the get together?

Granted, I've fished Cumberland more, but I'd hardly say I'm an expert having only fished it 15 or so days in the last 2 years...if that much.

But I do have to say that I've fished 3 full days on Dale Hollow with the FNF - at the get-together 2 years ago with Boone and 2 full days with my brother later that same year - and I've only caught 1 single 15" Smallmouth. It's difficult for me to drive those extra 30 miles when I've had such poor luck.

I'm hoping my luck and opinion changes at the get-together this year!

[elnutsmalljaws]

Granted, I've fished Cumberland more, but I'd hardly say I'm an expert having only fished it 15 or so days in the last 2 years...if that much.

But I do have to say that I've fished 3 full days on Dale Hollow with the FNF - at the get-together 2 years ago with Boone and 2 full days with my brother later that same year - and I've only caught 1 single 15" Smallmouth. It's difficult for me to drive those extra 30 miles when I've had such poor luck.

I'm hoping my luck and opinion changes at the get-together this year!

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

[Fishin is life]

I'm not coming to the get together...would love to dont get me wrong but with work im just not sure i could make it....if i did i wouldnt get down there until probably 10 or so friday night.....i have never set foot on dale on my life and would love to give it a try but we have decent success, or know1 has decent success, on cumberland....i'm just kinda the guide...guess i don't hold my mouth right

[Fishin is life]

and i just made my first trip to the punisher lures website...should be all set up to go float and flyin

[elnutsmalljaws]

and i just made my first trip to the punisher lures website...should be all set up to go float and flyin

Fine people at Punisher Lures. Steve Headrick runs a top notch business and is very presonable and honest to boot. We have became pretty good buddies over the past couple of years and I am still amazed when he calls and checks on me personally. A man that deals with Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, Bassmasters, Punisher Lures Internet, His Store, BBQ Shop, Lure Manufacturing and who knows else, will still take the time to call a friend 240 miles away to check on him. Just shows the type of person that he is. We have sat and talked for hours on end, sometimes with his wife, about fishing, business and life in general. Shared a boat together several days and he has taught me more about Dale Hollow than anyone. He will promote Smallies and Dale Hollow Lake until the day he dies. He will tell you when the fishing is good and when it is bad and will always tell you what the fish are doing. I have called him looking to come down on a night trip or something and he has told me when the bite was a bit off or so. He does not want anyone to have a bad experience on Dale Hollow and will help all he can. I had a guy tell me that he did not believe me that he would tell anyone that the fishing was bad due to the business that he potentially is losing from someone not coming to the lake for the weekend. I told him the same thing Steve told me, "Why would I want to tell someone the fishing is great when it is not, them get down here and have a bad experience and not want to come back". Tell them the truth so they know what to expect when they get here and they will appreciate it much better and good trip or not, fishing wise, will want to come back for a better day. Real promoter of Smallmouth and Dale Hollow lake and he flat out LOVES his fish. I don't think he is know as "The Smallmouth Guru" for nothing. Good Luck in your FNF and hopefully Know1 can learn Dale Hollow some this winter and you fellas will make that extra 30 mile trip with confidence in knowing you will have a better shot at catching a TROPHY Smallmouth on the fly versus Cumberland. I drive over the Cumberland Dam each and every trip and not once have I wanted to stop and fish. This is how much confidence I have in Dale Hollow versus Cumberland. I know there are good fish in Cumberland and other people will say that they would rather fish Cumberland versus Dale due to having better luck or knowing the lake better, but all I know is I catch more and bigger fish out of Dale Hollow, have the confidence in that every time I launch there I EXPECT to catch a 5 pounder and that is a hard thing to beat. Sort of like the 3 times I fished Barren River in the Spring with not much luck versus fishing Ky and Barkley in the Spring. 9 days out of 10 in the Spring at the Twins, I will catch fish and lots of them so when I am heading down the BG Parkway towards the WKY, the thought of stopping at Barren never enters my mind, when I know there are good fish in Barren but I just don't have the confidence in the lake that I know it good enough to catch them. For me the decision is easy for I have to make "Trips" to fish. I am not close enough to either to run over and fish a day then come back, economically speaking. I could run down to Cumberland and be on the lake near Somerset in a couple of hours which is what I do when I Striper fish in the winter for a "Day" trip, but when I go to Dale, it is for 3 days minimum. Both my trips in December are for 5 days each. Hopefully, with fishing for 3 days before the Get Together starts, I will have the depth and pattern to pass along to all there to help them catch them the two fishing days of the get together. Like fishing is, we will wait and see but it won''t be without lack of effort making cast from Daylight to Dark all 5 days I am there. Later

[know1]

I'm not coming to the get together...would love to dont get me wrong but with work im just not sure i could make it....if i did i wouldnt get down there until probably 10 or so friday night.....i have never set foot on dale on my life and would love to give it a try but we have decent success, or know1 has decent success, on cumberland....i'm just kinda the guide...guess i don't hold my mouth right

If I do well on Dale at the get together, maybe we can make the longer trip down there after that.

I wouldn't say that you're just kinda the guide. I'm hoping we both catch a lot more this year.