OH Dam

[Jim]

Hi all,

I have been stopping by Old Hickory dam to do a little shore fishing during lunch for a few times of the last week or so. I have fished it many times from a boat, but sold my boat this summer and now am learning to fish it from the shore.

Fishing has been relatively slow, but the water level has dropped back down and is in beautiful condition. I have been fishing large gizzard shad only and have had one bite in the last three trips. The fish was a big one, but it got into the current and and pulled the hook after about 10 minutes of standstill fight. I also accidentally hooked a paddlefish and had a good pull from it, but it broke off.

Today, some folks were catching small striper (15 to 18 inches) on small shad. My big shad was not touched. Granted I am fishing for a hour at noon so I don't expect to get lots of bites, but as I figure out the right set up hopefully I will start catching more.

I will try the light tackle down there soon, but for now I will stick to shad and see if I can get a pattern going.

Anyone else fishing below the dam?

Jim

[CreekWalker]

I fished the river downtown for a few hours yesterday. I caught one largemouth on a fluke and my buddy one smallmouth on a spinnerbait. Very slow!

[Adrian]

Like I said in my post, the stripers are still wanting that specific size. Bout 6" tip to tail and 3 finger width. Almost impossible to find right now. I wish I had a couple of dozen of them! I couldn't get them to eat the Big Gizzards, Cut Bait, Shiners, or Threadfins. Fickle!

[Jim]

Adrian,

All sizes at the dam right now. You can pick whatever size you want. Maybe I need to try some medium size shad. The big ones swim around so nice on my heavy tackle. It is fun freelining them around the boils as they swim all over the place.

I am experimenting with different rigs to see the best way to present a bait from the shore, but don't have it perfect yet. When the skippies show up, I may try bridling one on a slidebait rig Hawaiian style.

Hopefully, the cooling water doesn't kill the dam bite too soon,
Jim

[Jdkxtreme]

I caught skippies there the other day on 4# line and a beetle spin. About 6"-10" ones...I was on the Hendersonville side

[Adrian]

I need to go down there one day and check it out. Been completely covered up so the boat has cobwebs!

[agelesssone]

Adrian, we're the rocks going for the smaller gizzard and NOT the threadies?

[Travis C.]

Hey Jim,

If you know how to get a hold of txnative (Chris) then he's your guy to ask about stripers from the bank below OH. If you want I can point him to your question.

[Adrian]

Adrian, we're the rocks going for the smaller gizzard and NOT the threadies?

Exclusively!

[agelesssone]

Found a bunch of rockfish in a cove today, caught one small one on a minnow. Gonna try in a day or two with some shiners.

[Fishaholic]

Jim, I'm sure you'll dial them in soon its gonna rain tomorrow so generation should be higher

[Adrian]

Found a bunch of rockfish in a cove today, caught one small one on a minnow. Gonna try in a day or two with some shiners.

Get you some small gizzards and rip 'em a new one!

[agelesssone]

I was going to go this morning but with the rain having moved in.....nah. I'm too wussified! I'm not alpha hawk or aero.
Those two old guys are TOUGH!.

[txnative]

Jim,

Smaller baits always produce better for me below OHD in the fall. 3-5" shad or (my preference) Zoom split-tail trailers in white or chartreuse on 3-way rigs. 1 oz bank sinker for 1 gen, 1.5 oz for 2 gens, or 2 oz for 3 gens. Cast just inside the outer "lip" of a boil and let the rig get down. Most fish will hit before the rig drifts even with where you're standing.

I also like a super fluke jr on a 3/4 oz head fished from the lock release gate to the end of the lock wall. Keep the bait moving after letting it drop after the initial cast.

These same techniques also produce keeper walleye, especially after dark. Magic hour is from dusk till 8 pm, but you should find fish during daylight hours. I have caught a lot of 20+ lb stripers during fall below OHD, and white bass should start showing up in numbers.

Side note: A 6-8" skippie on a 3-way rig drifted from the bank is a good way to get your drag tested, and 8-10" free lined can be deadly if you keep the herons off it.

Chris Bryant

[spottedbass]

agelesssone, do you know if Walker's Tackle have shiners? I haven't tried shiners before. I usually just chunk a swimbait. I don't really have a set up to drift shiners around but I might try just holding a pole if I can locate a good school of fish.

[agelesssone]

Yes, Walkers has a good supply of nice sized shiners

[Jim]

Jim,

Smaller baits always produce better for me below OHD in the fall. 3-5" shad or (my preference) Zoom split-tail trailers in white or chartreuse on 3-way rigs. 1 oz bank sinker for 1 gen, 1.5 oz for 2 gens, or 2 oz for 3 gens. Cast just inside the outer "lip" of a boil and let the rig get down. Most fish will hit before the rig drifts even with where you're standing.

I also like a super fluke jr on a 3/4 oz head fished from the lock release gate to the end of the lock wall. Keep the bait moving after letting it drop after the initial cast.

These same techniques also produce keeper walleye, especially after dark. Magic hour is from dusk till 8 pm, but you should find fish during daylight hours. I have caught a lot of 20+ lb stripers during fall below OHD, and white bass should start showing up in numbers.

Side note: A 6-8" skippie on a 3-way rig drifted from the bank is a good way to get your drag tested, and 8-10" free lined can be deadly if you keep the herons off it.

Chris Bryant


Thanks for the info Chris.

Most fishermen have been throwing the three-way rig with the threadfin shad the way you described. I have been doing the freeline with a big shad mostly. The current has been very strong as 2 or more generators have been going so it has been hard to keep the bait down.

What rod, reel and line set up do you use for bank fishing? Mine are mostly for boat fishing so I may get a new one to use at the dam. It looks like most people are using long spinning setups.

Also, do you just fish near the dam or do you try random spots off the rocks? I am on the Hendersonville side.

Thanks again,
Jim

[txnative]

I fish near the dam on the h'ville side. My two set-ups are a 7.5' med-hvy inshore spinning rod with a fast action, 40 sz spinning reel with 20 lb braid, and 20 lb mono leader for jigs. 3-way rigs call for a 7-7.5' med hvy spinning rod with a med-fast action (keeps from slinging the shad off the hook), same reel with 30 lb braid.


Chris Bryant