Oh

[lupanfreitag]

As good as it gets. 100lbs in 20 minutes.

[jackson]

That's awesome! Are you still using shad or are you catching skippies?

[Travis C.]

Nice fishies.

Those did not look to reachable from the bank by the pics. Any bank anglers doing any good there?

[TNtransplant08]

Jealous! Wish I had a boat. Awesome catch! I've never caught a rockfish.

[lupanfreitag]

I caught these on lures. Huge lures. I saw other catching them on live bait. I saw 8 about the same size take out of there yesterday.

[Dakota]

That's awesome I need to get over there quickly As good as it gets. 100lbs in 20 minutes.

[TNtransplant08]

Do they go into the boils when the generators are on? Thinking about heaving a big jerkbait or big fluke into it from the bank and see if.that works.

[lupanfreitag]

I have seen monsters caught in the boils form the bank. Most on bait. You want a heavy bait, just bumping the bottom. Doesn't hurt to tip with a shad.

[txnative]

TNt'plant,

Use a 3-way rig. This rig let's you customize your presentation since you can change weight and lures quickly to best match conditions. To one eye of the swivel, attach a 12" length of line equal to half of your main line's breaking strength (but no less than 10 lbs, you risk busting off the weight you'll attach to this line). To the other eye of the swivel, attach an 18-24" length of line equal to about 3/4 of your main line's rating (this will be the line used for the lure). I use 20 lb braid as my main line, so my lure line is 15 lb test and the weight line is 10 lb test. For lures, use flukes, bass assassins, slug-go's, etc. I use weights ranging from 1 oz for 1 generator, 1.5 oz for two, and 2 oz for 3 generators. If you use mono for your main line, you may want to increase weight sizes. Or, better yet, switch to braid. You'll increase casting distance, have more line on your reel when a 20 lb striper burns off a power run, have increased sensitivity (larger stripers can hit surprisingly soft), and you can use heavier-rated line without sacrificing all the above benefits.

Cast the rig quartering upstream and adjust with your reel to keep the rig just ticking bottom. With braid, you can feel every rock your rig bounces off of, and hits are easy to discern from rocks after a few hits. Plus, increased feel helps prevent snags...but nothing can eliminate all of 'em. Take plenty of weights, lures, hooks, & wivels. Rig your lure with the hook exposed. If you have any questions, let me know.


Chris

[TNtransplant08]

Thanks txnative and lup. I will put your tips to use sometime soon. I did go there this morning. Caught some nice bass and white bass near the boils. Chart. seemed to be the color of choice. There certainly was a nice mix of boats out there, including a jet ski and a kayak. I thought the guy in the kayak was nuts for fishing so close to the open gates.

[lupanfreitag]

The guy on the jet ski gets very territorial. Once he claims a spot he gets angry if you enter his space. He is there almost everyday... at least every time I am there he is there too staking his claim.

[Dakota]

I ve seen this guy too. He's very annoying and disrespectful. That jet ski couldnt be anymore louder. I hope he is reading this forumn and respects the true fisherman. Yeah, I saw him yell at a few people. It's a shame really that some people have to act like that. Especially since he was drifting. I saw him yell at someone when that person moved into his starting spot after he had drifted away. To me if you leave a spot its fair game.

[robhal11]

Hey Dakota, drag him off that jet ski and woop his butt. Just kidding. Did you go today. How did you do.

[tkwalker]

As good as it gets. 100lbs in 20 minutes.

Great pic's ... did you take pic's of the other fish that made up the 100 pounds??? <'TK>< :confused:

[Travis C.]

Do they go into the boils when the generators are on? Thinking about heaving a big jerkbait or big fluke into it from the bank and see if.that works.

You might need to be careful doing that. I was trying the same thing one time below the Dam. I carried two rods to fish with and after setting one down to cast the other mistakenly hung it using one of those big crankbaits. That day I donated an all-star rod with a shimano curado reel to the Cumby.

[TNtransplant08]

LOL....yeah, that actually happened to me once last year there. I snagged my St. Croix Bass Mojo rod and tossed it into the river. Luckily, it didn't go far and I was able to snag it before it sunk into the abyss.

[Alphahawk]

Great pic's ... did you take pic's of the other fish that made up the 100 pounds??? <'TK>< :confused:


I was wondering that myself. I have a 35 pounder on the wall and you must have caught a couple more to make the 100 pound mark. Those are great fish though. My experience with them has been below Pickwick Dam. You can catch them from the bank down there when they are up in there. You can reach a couple of the boils from the catwalk but there is great fishing all the way down to a point below the dam. I have caught them until my arms would cramp and at other times they will be on fire for 20 minutes and then they are gone. For some reason those fish you catch in the Cumberland River system are much bigger on average. The last figures I read was that the average Striper below Cordell Hull was 20 pounds and below Pickwick was 12 pounds. A 20 pounder below Pickwick Dam is getting into big fish for down there....although they are very plentiful there and plenty for them to eat. Not to say that big ones are never caught there but it is not like fishing OH or Cordell Hull. As for boaters who do not respect someones territory if you ever fish below the dam at Pickwick and get within casting distance of the people on the catwalk get ready for some baseball size rocks coming at you. I don't condone it but that is the way it is down there. I stay away from the catwalk myself.

Regards

[lupanfreitag]

I do have pictures of the others. I will try to post later this weekend. They were not as long as my biggest but they were thick. It took everything I had to hold the last one up. The one I missed seemed even bigger.
The bait I was throwing was over 12 inches long, 4 OZ and had two large hooks.

[Alphahawk]

I do have pictures of the others. I will try to post later this weekend. They were not as long as my biggest but they were thick. It took everything I had to hold the last one up. The one I missed seemed even bigger.
The bait I was throwing was over 12 inches long, 4 OZ and had two large hooks.

I find it amazing how small a bait Stripers will sometimes hit. Many times at Pickwick fishing for Bluegill with a 1/64 ounce bait I have hooked into those and more than once I have been spooled. One day I did manage to get one in that weighed 10 pounds in on 2# test line though. But you are right if you want to catch those big boys consistently everyone uses big baits.

Regards

[Reel Tune]

There certainly was a nice mix of boats out there, including a jet ski and a kayak. I thought the guy in the kayak was nuts for fishing so close to the open gates.

That was me in the kayak, yea I just love to fish, and might be a little nuts. The kayak I was in is the most stable/fastest kayak available. I had no worries getting that close, you just have to know how to handle yourself, and be prepared for the worst like a driveline failure. I wouldn't recommed anyone try it in a kayak, but there are 2 other people in the area I would feel comfortable taking and one of them is txnative if he would be comfortable. I wasn't planning on going up near the gates, but figured I would check it out for a few minutes before I targeted some black bass on downstream. Next time I'll bring some more appropiate gear for the linesides.

Each time I've been down there the guy on the Jet Ski has been down there, he's always very helpful, and I've never had any issues with him.

Jeremy

[TNtransplant08]

That was me in the kayak, yea I just love to fish, and might be a little nuts. The kayak I was in is the most stable/fastest kayak available. I had no worries getting that close, you just have to know how to handle yourself, and be prepared for the worst like a driveline failure. I wouldn't recommed anyone try it in a kayak, but there are 2 other people in the area I would feel comfortable taking and one of them is txnative if he would be comfortable. I wasn't planning on going up near the gates, but figured I would check it out for a few minutes before I targeted some black bass on downstream. Next time I'll bring some more appropiate gear for the linesides.

Each time I've been down there the guy on the Jet Ski has been down there, he's always very helpful, and I've never had any issues with him.

Jeremy

Well shoot, I wish I'd known it was you in that kayak. I'd waved you over and introduced myself to a fellow forum member and check out your kayak. I feel better that it was someone experienced out there in the kayak. I still think you're nuts though. :D Not something I'd attempt.

In regards to.the gentleman in the jet ski, I deleted my post about him because I realized that I was making a comment about someone I did not know or have any direct experience with. With me being deaf, who knows what he could really be shouting about. I was just going by body language as deaf people often use to judge emotion. Plus I'd like help keep this forum in a positive manner for everyone to enjoy and learn from each other. So if I offended anyone, my apologies.

[hogdawg]

That second fish looks like a hybrid.

[txnative]

The second fish may be an Fx hybrid. They are the result of using milt from a hybrid to fertilize a striper's eggs. Only the F1 hybrid (white bass male x striper female) is recignized by the IGFA. Fx hybrids get much larger than F1 hybrids, due to they are 3/4 striper. Pure-strain stripers may also have broken lines, and even a marine biologist would have trouble differentiating between the two from a picture.


Chris