Old Hickory pattern?

[Dakota]

I heard the winner of the shriners tourney last weekend had 13 lbs, not alot. that tells me not much of a solid pattern. I went out last Sunday caught some shallow and deeper. Most effective was my drop shot rig with a strike king pearl fluke. Best fish was 2 lb smallie. If you haven't tried this fluke take one out of the package at the store and feel how soft there are= great action. What's working for you?
Dakota

[Travis C.]

I don't know about daytime but tonight I will be throwing bluegills swimjigs, a black frog and some craw imitations.

Since its free fishing day today, an old high school buddy who hasn't fished in years wants to go so we will see.

[butts0907]

Skipped out on work for a while yesterday afternoon and went fishing. Fished deep, shallow, and everywhere in between but couldn't find any fish. Jigs, soft plastics, crankbaits, spinnerbaits...you name it, and I probably tried it. I thought I could find some on deeper banks, especially if they had some cover, but so much for that theory. Tried some docks (both shallow and deep), but no. Shallow grass...no. Grass next to deep water...no. Dynamite...forgot my matches.

Is anyone having any luck on OHL? I talked to a guy at the ramp after loading up and he said he found some in the back of East Station Camp. He was thinking they were chasing shad, but thought it would be another few weeks before that really picked up. Does sound about right?

Thanks!
Paul

[spottedbass]

Hey, I'm the one that talked to you last night at the ramp. You were in the red Tracker? I was in the Monark.

[butts0907]

Yeah...that was me!! The funny thing is I almost asked if you were a member of this forum, but I guess I was too amazed at how shallow you caught them and that threw off my train of thought!!

[Buccaneer]

I've been catching them ultra shallow also, from 4:30 AM to about 8:30 then it just turns off. The only pattern I can see is cover, any kind of cover whether it be wood or grass is holding them in the shallow water.

[Mr.Duk]

We have had luck - tight to cover super spook jr. & smallie beaver pitched against rock bluffs.

[BigDfromTennessee]

I have been catching them shallower than expected as well. Crankbaits in about 5 ft of water and spinnerbaits less than 3 ft. Some type of cover has been the key, wood or vegetation.

D

[Brian37075]

I found 6 this morning up from 109. In 1.5" to 3 ft with green pumpkin worm. All were next to wood. Normal spots I fish were empty. I went to shallow water I hadn't fished in awhile and just kept throwing stumps and fallin trees. Three came of one tree. 85-deg water.

[butts0907]

I went out Saturday morning, but didn't get out on the water until about 6:30. They were definitely in the grass and we caught a couple right off the bat....within the first 15 casts or so. But then, like a light switch and like Buccaneer said, they just turned off. So we went searching for other areas with grass, but never really found them. Regardlesss of where we went though we would see LOTS of SMALL bait fish.

And is the fact that they're not pulling any water right now a game changer? Will it cause the fish to turn off completely or just cause things to not be as "easy"?


Also saw several boats out on the flats so we tried some structure out there but no luck. Was anyone on here fishing the flats this weekend? Any luck?


-Paul

[Buccaneer]

Sunday morning, 0430 - 0900, started on the flats out front of Bluegrass and across the river channel from there. Caught some dinks on crank baits running 10'-12' divers in 6'-8' of water bumping anything they hit and digging up bottom. Once the sun got up I hit the river channel edge with 10" worms, drop shot and flutter spoons. Tons of fish on graphs, tight to the ledge and suspended, but could not get anything to fire up in the deeper water from 8' down to 30'. Went home muttering to myself......