Below Old Hickory dam

[agelesssone]

Caught 6 saugers, 8 cats, 1 drum and one yellow bass.
Threw all the cats back (channel cats).
Caught the saugers on three different baits, one on a red and white 1 oz bucktail jig, one on a blue headed yellow bucktail jig, and the biggest on a chartreuse and white bullet 1/2 oz bladebait. Both jigs were tipped with minnows. Also caught the five inch yellow bass on the blade bait.
Water temp was 39-40 degrees, according to which graph I wanted to believe. Never saw 41 degrees. Water clarity wasn't bad in the lock area. I put an underwater camera down for awhile, saw a number of cats, some whites, and drum. No saugers though. I wonder if the light on the camera head spooked them?

[wormdunker]

Thanks for the report. If you don't mind my asking, were the gates open? Were you able to fish close to the dam or did you have to stay in the lock area? Thanks, glad you got to fish today.

[Travis C.]

It was a nice day to be out on the water. Not really war but a whole lot warmer than the last couple days.

Sounds like a good trip.

[creekcrappie]

Nice fish merv! Never fished for sauger before.

[Alphahawk]

Good report Merv. It was a good day to be fishing....I should have gone today.




Regards

[agelesssone]

Thanks for the report. If you don't mind my asking, were the gates open? Were you able to fish close to the dam or did you have to stay in the lock area? Thanks, glad you got to fish today.

wormdunker, the gates were open so I wasn't in the mood to fight the current, stayed inside the lock walls in the calm water.
When there is a 40,000+ flow, I generally won't venture too close to the gates.....except in June when the rockfish are there. Then I'll go all the way up to the gates, damn the spray!

[Jim]

Cool report. I have never fished the dam in winter and have wondered what the fishing is like. I guess I get too stuck on the steam plant area. I will agree that the spray is awesome to keep cool in the summer, but that doesn't sound to good right now :)

[SAMBOLIE]

Merv, glad you had a good day.

[goreds.king]

Curious...anyone ever fish the lock side of OHD in a kayak? I’ve seen videos of people fishing lock side at other dams. I’m very cautious where I fish out of my kayak and would hesitate to venture to the opposite side of the lock wall.

I’m looking at all my options to try and land some sauger from a kayak. I’ve tried at the mouth of a few creeks on the Cumberland but when they are pushing a lot of water it’s tough to fish in a kayak.

[txnative]

Goreds,

The lock side (inside the lock wall) should be fine, just be careful if barges come thru. I would not go outside the wall now, especially if its your first time there.


Chris Bryant

[Still_learning]

I drove by the dam on my lunch break today. Tons of water coming through. Also a ton of birds flying around. A few people were fishing from the bank on the lock side.