Dale Hollow at it's best

[Dave Clark]

Although I do not like this heat we've had lately,I do like what it's doing for the daytime smallie bite.With all the water they've been pulling and near 100 degree temps the big smallies have moved deep around large schools of bait.In the last couple of weeks we have had many 30 plus fish days of many different species.Saturday my boat saw the biggest smallie this year,a beautiful 23 incher. http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eral/120-1.jpg here are some others including a nice double also from Saturday. http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eral/123-1.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/124.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/119.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/114.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/112.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eral/016-1.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eral/009-1.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eral/015-1.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/016.jpg here are some for the table and a big ole drum.... http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/006.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/027.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eral/057-1.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/072.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/051.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eral/010-1.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/128.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/117.jpg http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/r...eneral/060.jpg
http://trolldhl.com

[waterdog101]

hey man, thanks for sharing the pictures. those were nice. I just wish I had the skill to do what you do. 30 plus fish a day, that don't just happen. you know your stuff. keep um coming.

[olgreenboat]

Nice fish.
I have never been there myself but would love to go some day.

[lunkerbustin]

Nice. Keep posting pics.

[Jbyrd]

Hey general what is the mortality on smallmouth caught deep in the awful heat we have right now. Are you guys having to needle many of them

[Dave Clark]

Hey general what is the mortality on smallmouth caught deep in the awful heat we have right now. Are you guys having to needle many of them

I have been asked that many times by people who don't fish deep for smallies and right now if I release a trout 100% die but the smallies are totally different.Dale is roughly 90 degrees on the surface and the trout can't handle that.Now smallies on the other hand are not delicate.Generally they bite my thumb and splash water up my arm into my face on their way back to the depths.If they don't take off right away I hold them by the tail til they're ready and they don't like that to much,either way they take off like they were shot out of a cannon back to the deep.I filmed a couple of episodes of the show Fishin' Country and they filmed the release several times.I have never had to "needle"one to date though I do keep one on the boat.I have lost smallies like on saturday we had released 6 smallies back to the depths of which 4 were over 21 inches(keepers) and our seventh was a 19 1/2 and it was gill hooked bad,bleedin like a stuck pig.Needless to say it didn't make it and I wish I could have taken it to the table.So it's not a 100% survival rate but I have never experienced the "bends" with
a deep smallie.I'm filming an episode of Fishing Affliction(Strike King Lures) Tuesday so I'll try to post when it airs so y'all can see what I'm talking about.

[mybentrod]

I have been trolling Dale for some time now and I do pick up a good one from time to time, but 30......you'd have to push me off your boat Dave. What is your go to bait for trolling? Spinner? Crank? In-line spinner?

[LoomisLover]

Nice fish.
I have never been there myself but would love to go some day.

i second this! i want to go SO bad especially after looking at all these pics!

[jmike]

I have been trolling Dale for some time now and I do pick up a good one from time to time, but 30......you'd have to push me off your boat Dave. What is your go to bait for trolling? Spinner? Crank? In-line spinner?

My guess is he's pulling dipsey divers with spoons and (or) cranks.

[Dave Clark]

I use different presentations from hour to hour,day to day.What works one day doesn't always work the next.Dale can be humbling some days....

[GeoFisher]

I have been trolling Dale for some time now and I do pick up a good one from time to time, but 30......you'd have to push me off your boat Dave. What is your go to bait for trolling? Spinner? Crank? In-line spinner?

He's trolling dynamite. Usually just below the thermocline. You should see the bottom of his boat. It doesn't ever take any damage from the blast though cause it's lined with Titanium, just like those A-10 warthogs.

Just don't get too close, cause he cannot be held responsible for the damage caused to those non Titanium lined boats.

Just kidding FFG.........I'm really going to have to get down there sometime and do a guide trip with you. I bet it will a much better experience than trolling Lake Michigan.....if you get my drift.

Later,

Geo

[caryridgeranger]

I have been asked that many times by people who don't fish deep for smallies and right now if I release a trout 100% die but the smallies are totally different.Dale is roughly 90 degrees on the surface and the trout can't handle that.Now smallies on the other hand are not delicate.Generally they bite my thumb and splash water up my arm into my face on their way back to the depths.If they don't take off right away I hold them by the tail til they're ready and they don't like that to much,either way they take off like they were shot out of a cannon back to the deep.I filmed a couple of episodes of the show Fishin' Country and they filmed the release several times.I have never had to "needle"one to date though I do keep one on the boat.I have lost smallies like on saturday we had released 6 smallies back to the depths of which 4 were over 21 inches(keepers) and our seventh was a 19 1/2 and it was gill hooked bad,bleedin like a stuck pig.Needless to say it didn't make it and I wish I could have taken it to the table.So it's not a 100% survival rate but I have never experienced the "bends" with
a deep smallie.I'm filming an episode of Fishing Affliction(Strike King Lures) Tuesday so I'll try to post when it airs so y'all can see what I'm talking about.

the next time one bleeds that open a can of sprite and pour it down its throat it will stop the bleeding almost every time and the fish will survive!!