Tough bite on Priest Saturday

[agelesssone]

Here's when you know the fishing is tough on Priest.
Six boats with seasoned veteran fishermen of many, many years on Priest, in a tournament for six hours for hybrids/stripers.
Three boats blanked, no fish to weigh in.
Two boats with one fish, one boat with 2 fish.
These guys have been fishing Priest for at least 20 years each.
So, if you didn't catch anything Saturday, don't feel too bad, even the pros had a tough time of it.
And most of the boats were out prefishing on Friday because I was out on a guiding trip and saw them hitting all the likely spots. I had to adjust my fishing because a lot of them were on spots that I wanted to fish.
Some days it's catching, some days it's fishing.

[SalmonDaze]

Thanks Merv,

Water holding at 66* ?

[tennarl]

Here's when you know the fishing is tough on Priest.
Six boats with seasoned veteran fishermen of many, many years on Priest, in a tournament for six hours for hybrids/stripers.
Three boats blanked, no fish to weigh in.
Two boats with one fish, one boat with 2 fish.
These guys have been fishing Priest for at least 20 years each.
So, if you didn't catch anything Saturday, don't feel too bad, even the pros had a tough time of it.
And most of the boats were out prefishing on Friday because I was out on a guiding trip and saw them hitting all the likely spots. I had to adjust my fishing because a lot of them were on spots that I wanted to fish.
Some days it's catching, some days it's fishing.

I wish I would have saw this post. I went today -- water was 67/68 mid-lake. I spent 5 hours beating the bank and caught nothing but a 7-inch smallie. I saw zero shad outside of a few balls out in the channel. Heading back to the ramp, I made one last stop, a deeper area that produces during the summer. Tied on a 5XD and boom, a 5-2 largemouth. Spoke to a friend who fishes Guntersville who said it still basically late summer pattern. My best days on Priest have come late October. Based on today, we still two weeks away??? Frustrating but still a very peaceful day with only a handful of boats.

[wormdunker]

Wow. I guess I'm glad I didn't go out. I would have thought the bite to be good before that strong front. Oh well, the fish don't think like us humans. Surely good days are ahead soon. Thanks for the report, Merv.

[SalmonDaze]

Got 68.4* yesterday from Fireworks Cove to OH ramp and around the islands, just one 2 lb SM on a fluke. LOTS of marks.

[jaybird]

66 degree water yesterday fishing out of Long Hunter. I covered a lot of water and got blanked Sunday

[littlebartlett]

Finally got back out after about 2 months of no fishing.Had 13 keeper crappie around 4 corners. Fishing brush 12-16’ deep. White chartreuse curly tail. Had 3 that went 13”. Fished Bryant’s grove area also, but all shorts. Probably caught around 30 total. Fished 9-3.

[Heiny57]

Thanks for the report Merv. It makes me feel much better because I caught nothing for the 3 hours I was out.