Dale Hollow is doing good.

[rickhise]

Fished today with lots of small - small mouth, i did boat one 4.5 L mouth, this is the only
lake such a fish is considered a disappointment.

Water temp main lake by Willow Grove 59, we are about to get some 28 degree nights.

I fished main lake all day, (I got on these small fish an wouldnt leave them hoping for a big one) following the channel along where it comes up to the flats trying to keep the live bait in 35 ft range.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...e/100_0524.jpg
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...e/100_0523.jpg

[Fishin is life]

Rick have any fish started pulling up shallow....I haven't been out to get any minnows yet but hope to make the first trip of the year down there in a few weeks

[rickhise]

Rick have any fish started pulling up shallow....I haven't been out to get any minnows yet but hope to make the first trip of the year down there in a few weeks

wish I could help about shallow, i never knowingly get out of the deeper stuff, except in the spring,

now when i got near 22 ft or less im looking to get back out

[shutupnfish]

Those are some r

Fished today with lots of small - small mouth, i did boat one 4.5 L mouth, this is the only
lake such a fish is considered a disappointment.

Water temp main lake by Willow Grove 59, we are about to get some 28 degree nights.

I fished main lake all day, (I got on these small fish an wouldnt leave them hoping for a big one) following the channel along where it comes up to the flats trying to keep the live bait in 35 ft range.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...e/100_0524.jpg
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...e/100_0523.jpg

[shutupnfish]

Those were some real nice pics. Bigger smallies to come as water temp goes down.. I love cold water smallies...

[Bill Day]

Same every year even with artificials. We throw jigs and catch 20-30 fish with maybe one up to 4 pounds at the first, then as the water cools, we catch fewer and fewer fish but they get bigger. By the time January hits, we may only catch 10-12 fish but five of them will be from 3.5 pounds up to 5 pounds. I'm sure feeding them shiners would be more productive but it sure is fun watching the line jump when they pounce on a jig!

[rickhise]

thanks shutup/fish,
Day:
I know the excitment you talk about when that big one hits the jig,crank,swimbait,fly,
I get the same rush when I see that line peeling off live/bait.

[Tim_T]

Thanks for the report Rick, gets me excited. I am going to be down there Wednesdat fishing with Gentry. Hope we can stick a good one for some photos.

[raincheck]

This may be a dum question but where would those big fish be at other times of the year?I know fish eat all the time & at times better or like bass if you throw it close they going too try too eat it.YMO

[rickhise]

someone else will have to answer that, thats where i brake down, I have spots that hold good fish, when i run into the smaller fish there ill stay too long. Without improving the results.
By fishing close to deep water I feel my chances are much better for a big fish, (big as in heavy 4's or better), then i again I can see lots of room for improvement on my tech.
Ill be back at the same spot this morning lol.

[Bill Day]

This may be a dum question but where would those big fish be at other times of the year?I know fish eat all the time & at times better or like bass if you throw it close they going too try too eat it.YMO

My theory is that they suspend individually under schools of bait. That's what makes them so hard to locate successfully even with today's advanced electronics. Then when a major feed takes place due to a frontal passage or whatever, they congregate more and work together for breif periods to clobber the bait. Just my theory. Probably wrong, but it's all I can come up with.

[dwhanc00]

Rick:

Was that you in Dale Hollow Creek in the am on Sat? We were in a red boat fishing the jig.