Old hickory this week

[Smithcotrapper]

I've caught a few small keepers on a white spinnerbait this week. Has anybody figured the fish out? You guys think they've pulled out to the creek channels? I'm going this weekend hopefully so maybe I can bring back a better report

[skillet]

From what I have seen, there's been some better fish move shallow. Last Sunday we tried fishing deep and shallow, ended up with the better fish shallow on rocky banks with laydowns on them. For me the fishing this year has been tougher than the last 5. I don't know what my problem is, but some people have them figured out and their lips are sealed! Lol good luck to ya


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[Texas_Rig]

I fished Tuesday and had about 20 keepers fishing bluffs in the main lake. Mid lake to upper lake. I had one bluff in particular where I pulled up and had 3 over 2.5lbs on 3 casts. I left that spot knowing it was gonna fish a tournament last night. I started there in the tournament and there was a boat that had already fished through there and they were sitting on the "juice". They never moved from there. I went to different bluffs and never caught a fish. The water was down from the day before so I started fishing cover out in front of grass beds and had 3 that went 9.16lbs. With a 5.45 kicker. The trny is only 3.5 hours and only had about an hour left to fish when I gave up on the bluff pattern. My thinking was any fish in the grass would move out to the first available piece of cover since the water had dropped so much. It paid off just ran out of time.

[luckystratos]

My son and friend went Thursday and had 12 with 2 keepers. Lost 5 one of witch his friend lost was a toad. Fishing jigs and shakey head around docks mid lake. They are both 19 and honest as they come.

[Travis C.]

I fish OH about 5 out 7 days a week and where I fish they are in the grass and relating to grass edges. No big fish in the last couple weeks but catching 14-16" fish is consistent. They have been hitting spinnerbaits and lipless both burned along edges.

[skillet]

I fished Tuesday and had about 20 keepers fishing bluffs in the main lake. Mid lake to upper lake. I had one bluff in particular where I pulled up and had 3 over 2.5lbs on 3 casts. I left that spot knowing it was gonna fish a tournament last night. I started there in the tournament and there was a boat that had already fished through there and they were sitting on the "juice". They never moved from there. I went to different bluffs and never caught a fish. The water was down from the day before so I started fishing cover out in front of grass beds and had 3 that went 9.16lbs. With a 5.45 kicker. The trny is only 3.5 hours and only had about an hour left to fish when I gave up on the bluff pattern. My thinking was any fish in the grass would move out to the first available piece of cover since the water had dropped so much. It paid off just ran out of time.



When you say "bluffs" is that underwater or the actual bluff walls?? I'm not looking for coordinates or any of that. Just a little info to point in the right direction. Lol

[Texas_Rig]

Main lake bluff walls. I was catching them where there was a lot of current. Also the points where a bluff might start was a key spot. The bluff needed to have kind of a stair stepped feature down to about 10-15 foot deep at least. If not then the best targets were little cut ins or anywhere a bass could sit just out of the current

[Heiny57]

I have never been on Old Hickory and my son and I are going to give it a whirl next Friday. I plan on putting in at Drakes Creek cause it is closest to Franklin and Bass fish our way out,,,, I guess. LOL any suggestions would be appreciated. It sounds like,,, work the grass or weeds if any? Priest has no grass and I miss that from living in Florida and South Mississippi.

[Smithcotrapper]

Man sounds like junk fishing for sure lol. If you guys don't mind me asking what type of lures are yall throwing at the bluffs?

[Texas_Rig]

I prefer a 4 inch twin tailed grub with a 3/8 to 1/2 oz tungsten weight

[thehick176]

For me it's either a 1/4 ounce jig or I like to get up tight to the bluff and wake a spinnerbait just under the surface. The Spots and Smallmouth lose their minds!!

[Smithcotrapper]

Now I've always been curious as to where to catch smallmouth on old hickory. Is it way upstream or down stream? I'm gonna try and go Wednesday for a few hours anyways

[thehick176]

I catch more Smallies down lake. Say from Cedar Creek to the dam.

[Travis C.]

For me it's either a 1/4 ounce jig or I like to get up tight to the bluff and wake a spinnerbait just under the surface. The Spots and Smallmouth lose their minds!!

x2 on the spinnerbait part.

I replace the first part with a 10.5" zoom worm and 3/8 oz weight texas rigged. Also on the spinnerbait, once the shad have spawned and the minnows are relating to about any cover I will flip a spinnerbait along creek channel banks with overhanging brush or brush that extends into the water. Treat it like a jig (no trailer keep it compact and shad colored prefer double willow) and put it back into pockets then crank it out about 2 ft past the brush then repeat. Fish will crush it right about the edge of the brush.

[Smithcotrapper]

Thanks guys! I'm just trying to learn the lakes around here as nobody in my family bass fishes so it's very much so a trial and error. I may be going Wednesday before all this rain gets here so I'm gonna try a few new tactics

[notorious]

I have never been on Old Hickory and my son and I are going to give it a whirl next Friday. I plan on putting in at Drakes Creek cause it is closest to Franklin and Bass fish our way out,,,, I guess. LOL any suggestions would be appreciated. It sounds like,,, work the grass or weeds if any? Priest has no grass and I miss that from living in Florida and South Mississippi.

Try "Avondale Recreation Area" will actually be a better ramp with bluffs on the H'Ville Side and all sorts of humps, channels and grass beds across the lake. Pretty easy to access from Viet-Nam Pkwy. Drop me a PM if you want to discuss this further.

[Smithcotrapper]

I'm gonna see if I can find some cranking fish Friday. Anything I should know about trying to find some post spawn crankbait fish?

[TNBronzeback]

I'm gonna see if I can find some cranking fish Friday. Anything I should know about trying to find some post spawn crankbait fish?

I dont bass fish but a few select times of year, and post spawn is my favorite time. Im no expert, but ive had my best success working backwards from the spawning grounds. Try your first major depth change (ledge) and your first major point away from the spawning grounds. Depth is a relative term here...if you caught spawners in 2', try fishing the 4-5' range. Find a good spawn bank and fish the next deepest point or ledge and just run that crank from all angles. Then as the water temps warm, use that same idea and just go a little deeper and so on. I caught my biggest bass last year schooled up on a rock pile in 24'...the rock hump was about 4' tall with scattered brush. I was rip jigging 3/4oz blade baits off the bottom and i could see the bass chase my bait up On the the bow mount fish finder. Now granted, that was in july with almost 80 degree surface temps, but that spot is just off a main point coming off a channel edge, which was very close to a spawning flat. Same principal applies.
Then ofcourse always try to keep in mind where the bait is. If you find bait in a shallow cove but no feeding fish, they will be very close by.
Give that a shot, it should work out good for you!

[Travis C.]

I'm gonna see if I can find some cranking fish Friday. Anything I should know about trying to find some post spawn crankbait fish?

Piggy backing off of what TNBrozeback said, think of the main river channel as an interstate, creek channel as a main road the secondary creek channels and ditches as side streets to neighborhoods. Fish will move from the interstates to the neighborhoods to spawn then travel the same routes back out like you would. Most don't jump from neighborhood onto the interstate. Rocks, points, brush are all resting/ambush points along the route. You just have to find out where they are in travel.

This is not iron clad. OH has fish shallow all year even in cold weather. But typically fish winter in deep water usually main river channel areas and spawn shallow. They have to be somewhere in between.

[oldhick]

I'm pretty sure SIRI gave bad directions recently and the bass on OHL are lost. At least they are not to be found on any of the streets on the map I use. I expect fishing to be much better right now than it is and I'm not the only one. I honestly believe the bass fishing has been in decline for a few years.

Can someone please plant some grass? (not the shore grass stuff) We all know from history it will grow out there.

[Halli]

Ok I am going to give out hot info on Old Hickory all I ask is be respectful to folks around you and give them Space on grass beds
and any hole they are on. " fish will return to areas within 30 mins"

Sunday I caught over 20 Bass average 1-2 lbs with a couple in the 4 lbs range. "left lake about 10:30 am"

All in Grass running a slow blade spinner " Silver to clear looking" on the fringe of the grass line, I do use a stinger.

Remember Spinners are more weedless than worms if they don't stop.

Parallel with grass is also important.

[Halli]

What the water looked like before I moved into cove.


http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a78/Knhalli/029_zpsnz0u5l2v.jpg (http://s9.photobucket.com/user/Knhalli/media/029_zpsnz0u5l2v.jpg.html)

[Smithcotrapper]

Boys I'll be headed to the lake tomorrow to give it a try for a few hours. Be around the Davis corner area in a big yellow boat. Wish me luck

[luckystratos]

Good luck sir. I think I will try also I will be in station camp area or drakes creek in old maroon/silver stratos. Just depends on weather. Hope to see you out there. I haven't been in 2 weeks.

[luckystratos]

Well I went to drakes and stunk it up. Fish some river bluffs. Friend threw spinnerbaits as advised by you guys on here and I am to dang stubborn to do it. Lesson learned. Will be on rest of weekend. Thanks guys for info

[Smithcotrapper]

Only got to fish for two hours but had a 14" keeper on the square bill. Will be out tomorrow at day break

[luckystratos]

I will prolly go tomorrow also but not on lower end with that crowd. Going to be crowded on that lower end of the lake. Probably go from 5-11 on upper end of the lake. You guys be careful this weekend and enjoy your self. Thanks to all the veterans out there.

[thehick176]

I'll be out there tomorrow night. Or I may go below the dam Sunday morning after some smallies. Haven't decided yet.

[luckystratos]

I am wanting to go below dam this summer. Where are the better/safe ramps

[Texas_Rig]

I am wanting to go below dam this summer. Where are the better/safe ramps

When I go to the river; I put in at peeler park. It's right across from the mouth of the stones river. If that gives u an idea where your at. I usually fish from there all the way up to the OH Blvd bridge. Excellent smallmouth fishing there

[thehick176]

I agree with Tex. I normally put in at the dam and drift to the bridge, run back up and fish the other side. If nothing comes together there then I have some spots between the bridge and Stones river to hit.

[Dakota]

I will prolly go tomorrow also but not on lower end with that crowd. Going to be crowded on that lower end of the lake. Probably go from 5-11 on upper end of the lake. You guys be careful this weekend and enjoy your self. Thanks to all the veterans out there.



Any luck on the upper end? I was thinking of fishing that way tomorrow...


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[luckystratos]

Fished from 5-10:30 this morning and had 2 nice keepers on spinnerbaits. Started at mouth of Bledsoe because still dark and foggy. Looked down at depth finder an saw 62 degrees. Pulling some serious water. Both fish came out of Bledsoe but water is muddy or heavy stain. Should have gone on up but stayed around Cairo. 72 in creek. Good luck and watch those alligators floating in river.

[notorious]

Glad you caught some fish, did you get any pix?

[Halli]

Wait... No way you had 62 and they were not generating at all as I kept drifting up stream whilst jigging the bluffs around Langford cove area!!

[Heiny57]

My son and I hit Drakes creek Fri mornings about 6:00 for first time. OH is a lot different than JPP. We caught 14 Bass with 4 keepers. It was a good trip . It slowed around 9:30 so we went out in main channel and looked around. It got busy at 11:00 and we left.

[luckystratos]

Yes it was 62 at 5 am. Think that's why fog was so thick. Tournament guys running up had to throttle way down when they rounded bend at Cairo ramp. No pics I was by myself.

[thehick176]

The water is always cooler up river. There has been decent current all week. I'm heading out there this morning to catch the topwater bite before the sun gets to high.

[90titans89]

Yes it was 62 at 5 am. Think that's why fog was so thick. Tournament guys running up had to throttle way down when they rounded bend at Cairo ramp. No pics I was by myself.

Always fun to watch the kids jump in the water uplake. Amazing how cool it is in the summer time.

[luckystratos]

Seeing 62 yesterday reminded me of several years ago on Memorial Day. my brothers and parents rented a pontoon and my family meet up with them above steam plant in the channel. When my daughter prolly 8-10 seen her grandpa she Grandpa and jumped in and started swimming to them. I cleaned my pockets and jumped in to get her and froze my as-- off. Lol

[thehick176]

Me and Dad fished from Barton's to Bledsoe this morning. Our topwater bite was zero! We didn't catch much at all until 9:30 or so. The ones we did catch were under docks on crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
We caught 7 small bass and dad snagged a monster Carp in the dorsal fin with his crankbait. Pretty sad when the highlight of your trip is a snagged Carp.

[Smithcotrapper]

Had 1 keeper Saturday and he came on a squarebill. Saw a lot of fish that I couldn't get to bite. Going back Tuesday

[thehick176]

If you bow hunt for Carp, they are up shallow and the back of Barton's creek is loaded! Just fyi

[Texas_Rig]

Got on a pretty good flipping bite today around grass and isolated wood

[Pinwheeled]

Got on a pretty good flipping bite today around grass and isolated wood



Same here. Good average size too. Saw a few guys out on ledges Sunday but I haven't found any schools out there yet.


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[Smithcotrapper]

Was the flipping bite good early? I went today from like 9-12. What section of the lake were yall in?

[Texas_Rig]

Was the flipping bite good early? I went today from like 9-12. What section of the lake were yall in?

I didn't get out until about 3 and started catching them right away. It was hot and high sun. I went way up river to try and avoid as much of the party crowd as I could. Fished mid lake today with no luck. I've started fishing the wed night trny out of flippers so I've been trying to find fish close to there with no luck. The only places I feel like I can go catch a 15lb bag are way up or way down. Doesn't do me any good when I fish a 3.5 hour tourney out of flippers. Other than just staying in bull creek the whole time I don't have many options.

[Dakota]

I've have a tournament on old hickory Saturday and I'm still wondering what direction from flippers I'm going to head? JetSki's are out early now. Not as familiar up from flippers.


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[JDH8504]

I've have a tournament on old hickory Saturday and I'm still wondering what direction from flippers I'm going to head? JetSki's are out early now. Not as familiar up from flippers.


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To me, the advantage to going up is less boat traffic/quiter water.

Downlake I like the rip rap. I had some success on Sunday rocky points at the mouth of a cut with a creek running out of it. 10-12 ft of water throwing various cranks. They weren't real aggressive bites and I lost more than I landed at the boat. If there weren't 87 runabouts/jetskis/yachts going right by me constantly, I would have anchored a slowed down with a jig or t-rig. Maybe even jerkbait depending on how froggy I was feeling at the time...

[pitbull]

I fished the CF tournament at flippers last Saturday, down river/lake was producing the better quality fish.

[Texas_Rig]

I fished the CF tournament at flippers last Saturday, down river/lake was producing the better quality fish.

90% of the time this is the case. There is just a larger population of bass on the lower end.

[thehick176]

Tex is spot on. If I had a choice, I would fish down lake every time. This time of year I only go down there at night after all the idiots are off the lake.
The upper end can be rewarding at times and 9 times out of 10 you have your choice of spots to fish.

[Texas_Rig]

Fished the Wednesday nighter out of flippers tonight. It's a 3 1/2 hour tournament. If you don't go right to them you are screwed. Had 3 fish for 7.30. I love tournament fishing but it can be very humbling. Took almost 16lbs to win and almost 12 to get a check. Went to where I wanted to spend the entire time and there was a boat already there. Not enough room for two boats really so I go to plan B. Also somebody there and so the scrambling and junk fishing began. Caught a few shorts but just couldn't get enough keeper bites.

[spottedbass]

Sounds like the upper end is fishing much better than the lower end right now. The 3 hour tournament on Tuesday afternoon was won with 11 lbs. and 8 lbs. took fifth place. The Tuesday tournament is out of Saundersferry.

[Travis C.]

I fished a little yesterday evening and this morning. The water where I was looked pretty good and in the place this morning fish were chasing bait pretty hard both bass as well as striper.

Caught one keeper bass yesterday and lost a 3lber this morning in the grass at the banks edge throwing into the fish busting. Caught a couple smaller ones in the mix as well.

I was using a countdown Rapala and 2lb test on a 7ft UL so I could reach the fish.

[MNfisher]

Sounds like the upper end is fishing much better than the lower end right now. The 3 hour tournament on Tuesday afternoon was won with 11 lbs. and 8 lbs. took fifth place. The Tuesday tournament is out of Saundersferry.



3 or 5 fish?


Mike

[skillet]

Fished the Wednesday nighter out of flippers tonight. It's a 3 1/2 hour tournament. If you don't go right to them you are screwed. Had 3 fish for 7.30. I love tournament fishing but it can be very humbling. Took almost 16lbs to win and almost 12 to get a check. Went to where I wanted to spend the entire time and there was a boat already there. Not enough room for two boats really so I go to plan B. Also somebody there and so the scrambling and junk fishing began. Caught a few shorts but just couldn't get enough keeper bites.



Please tell me this Is a five fish limit!?!?!

[Texas_Rig]

It's a 5 fish limit tournament

[spottedbass]

3 or 5 fish?


Mike

It is a 5 fish limit. Big fish was 4.7.

[skillet]

It's a 5 fish limit tournament



Ok. I know a lot of the 3hr tournaments are 3 fish limits.