Reel Tune
09-18-2012, 11:21 AM
I had a fishing trip planned for months in the Crossville area. My goal was to familiarize myself with the waters in the area (Emory River, Obed River, Daddys Creek, and Clear Creek. I took off work Friday to scout the areas before my wife came up. I arrived on location Friday around 10am as planned and started stopping at bridges scoping out the waters for non-posted property and areas I could access the water. The first stop I made I met a guy named Harvey he’s 81 years old and has lived in the area and fished the area since he was a boy. We talked for well over an hour probably close to two. I’m glad he stopped I think it made both of our days.
I drive to 6 more areas and everywhere the water was very low. I knew to fish this place it was going to take a lot of work. At one point in the Catoosa WMA the GPS had me on a road but it was not much wider than my truck and dirt with rock ledges to climb, and mud holes that came ¾ the way over my tires and almost to the door jam, and I was pulling a trailer with the kayaks where once the tires of the trailer were completely submerged in mud. This road was about 4-5 miles long and top speed of 8-10 mph usually more like 5mph.
I located all the places I had mapped and only found one good place with water. As I got back to the resort just after dark Sarah was just arriving and I needed to get cleaned up to hit the Catfish Cabin for some great grub. All you can eat catfish, Yuengling, and Chocolate Pie.
Saturday morning we hit the 1st place for about 3 hours with 5 or so smallies a piece all small. We encountered more dragging of the kayaks than we wanted and as we turned to go back upstream we watched 3 hogs cross the creek about 100 yards down all around 200lb not anymore.
The next place we floated, portaged, rode some rapids, floated, more rapids and kept doing this. We would fish the deeper sections, below the rapids, and pools above the rapids. Most fish came from the slower/deeper pools on hard and soft jerkbaits. The water was all unbelievably clear visibility was 15-20 feet in some of the pools. I did see a few big smallmouth and spotted bass, but couldn’t entice them to eat.
We called it a day around 5pm and headed back to get cleaned up and eat. After eating we stopped to play our usual ping pong and basketball. I was on my game in ping pong, but Sarah did put up a good fight, and then switched to basketball. We shot around for about 20 minutes before we started to play and I went up for a pull up 3 on the left side of the arch and came down on my ankle rolling it. Instead of fishing Sunday and Monday I had to come back Sunday morning because I couldn’t put any pressure on my right foot. X-Rays say no break, and Thursday I go to the Orthopedist for an MRI because it’s Tuesday and still not much better.
Of all the things we do, and I have to hurt myself playing basketball. I don’t know how long I will be down, hopefully not long. It sucks having the resort for a few more days and having to check out early and missing out on some of these beautiful waters.
I drive to 6 more areas and everywhere the water was very low. I knew to fish this place it was going to take a lot of work. At one point in the Catoosa WMA the GPS had me on a road but it was not much wider than my truck and dirt with rock ledges to climb, and mud holes that came ¾ the way over my tires and almost to the door jam, and I was pulling a trailer with the kayaks where once the tires of the trailer were completely submerged in mud. This road was about 4-5 miles long and top speed of 8-10 mph usually more like 5mph.
I located all the places I had mapped and only found one good place with water. As I got back to the resort just after dark Sarah was just arriving and I needed to get cleaned up to hit the Catfish Cabin for some great grub. All you can eat catfish, Yuengling, and Chocolate Pie.
Saturday morning we hit the 1st place for about 3 hours with 5 or so smallies a piece all small. We encountered more dragging of the kayaks than we wanted and as we turned to go back upstream we watched 3 hogs cross the creek about 100 yards down all around 200lb not anymore.
The next place we floated, portaged, rode some rapids, floated, more rapids and kept doing this. We would fish the deeper sections, below the rapids, and pools above the rapids. Most fish came from the slower/deeper pools on hard and soft jerkbaits. The water was all unbelievably clear visibility was 15-20 feet in some of the pools. I did see a few big smallmouth and spotted bass, but couldn’t entice them to eat.
We called it a day around 5pm and headed back to get cleaned up and eat. After eating we stopped to play our usual ping pong and basketball. I was on my game in ping pong, but Sarah did put up a good fight, and then switched to basketball. We shot around for about 20 minutes before we started to play and I went up for a pull up 3 on the left side of the arch and came down on my ankle rolling it. Instead of fishing Sunday and Monday I had to come back Sunday morning because I couldn’t put any pressure on my right foot. X-Rays say no break, and Thursday I go to the Orthopedist for an MRI because it’s Tuesday and still not much better.
Of all the things we do, and I have to hurt myself playing basketball. I don’t know how long I will be down, hopefully not long. It sucks having the resort for a few more days and having to check out early and missing out on some of these beautiful waters.