More Rockness monsters from GSP
 

Here are some more pics of stripers that I have caught recently at gallatin Steam Plant.

Nice. Those will make some nice eating.

Nice fish! I grew up in Gallatin and fished at the Steam Plant a lot in late 60's early 70's. Have not been back there since maybe 1983 or so. Someone told me it is no longer open to bank access.....is that so?

Regards

Yeah that is true only boats!

You can blame 9/11 for that Alpha. :(

We used to go there with ultralight spinning rods, split shot and a single gold hook. For bait we'd pull the green slimey moss off of the rocks, put it on the hook and cast it out to the current catching skippes all day long.

9/11 was just an excuse. They were looking for a reason to shut down bank access for a long time.

There were too many people doing drugs and breaking into cars in the parking lot, and there were too many fishermen absolutely trashing the place.

Guys would gather at the boils to fish for stripers and catfish and they would net a bucket full of shad. Then, when they were done, instead of throwing the unused bait back in the water, they'd discard it on the bank. I have no idea why.

I fished up there a few times a week back then, and I remember the big piles of gizzard shad all over the path very well. It drew tons of buzzards, along with the occasional raccoon and stray cat. The buzzards pooped everywhere. TVA put up signs one year saying "Fishermen Do Not Throw Fish On Bank," but a few months later someone tore down the signs. They put them up a second time and those didn't last either.

I think people who ran the Plant were running very short on patience anyway, and when they had a reason to shut down public access without people getting mad, they jumped at the chance.

As usual, a few slob individuals pretty much ruined it for everybody else. :(

bd

We had our hitch receiver stolen up there and a hubcap off grandad's truck. :confused:

My girlfriend had a purse stolen out of my car. The security guys up there always seemed more intent on catching teenagers "parking" and so they could maybe catch a glimpse of boobies instead of focusing on actual crime prevention.

bd

Hello Tn Jugger, I'm new to the site, joined mostly to get local information as I'm a new transplant to the area (retired from Dept of Army) and settled in Old Hickory. I see, like on a lot of other sites, there are some real fireworks at times! In the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?" heh,heh.

Those are some dandy rockfish and I sure want to catch one. For whatever reason, not holding my mouth right or whatever...I've caught every fish in Ky/Tn waters but a rockfish. And just moving here, I think the GSP is my next quest to get one.

I do release fish, especially bass, and all my trout (don't like bones) but I love to eat fish and see anything wrong in keeping one or two for a fresh meal if the urge hits me once in awhile. That said, If I ever do catch a rockfish, I'd naturally be curious to try one as table fare. So why wouldn't a big one be good to eat? And how big is too big? I like whites and hybrids, and after trimming out the red and soaking over night in some lemon water, I think they're great. Something different about a rockfish? :cool:

It does not matter what size the fish is really, they are some of the best tasting fish in our waters. Just like you said cut out the red meat and then I soak mine in salt water for 24 hrs to pull the rest of the blood from the meat. That rockfish that I caught in the vid was my first and it was a cold November night so he did OK and was released! He was actually caught while jug fishing, when I said that he was too big to eat because that is what I had always heard. But when I caught my next one he went home and was consumed several times..... Just do not over do it catch a good one to take home and then release the bigger of the two fish limit that you catch. You will make allot of folks in here happy for that!

I think most people here feel that way. "Moderation" is the name of the game.

I personally think the best eating fish are the schoolies from about 20 inches up to 15 pounds. The real huge ones can be a little tough, especially since I usually bake or grill striped bass similar to the way you'd prepare salmon.

You do have to trim the red meat and the fat off the filet, and I usually soak in orange juice for a couple hours instead of lemon water overnight.

bd

I always keep a camera in the boat, so if I catch a hog, a couple good photos and back he goes. Yeah, guess I'm not thinking big enough on these stripers...lol. You guys are talking about 30 pounders +! I should be so lucky. As far as eating, I was thinking more like a 10 pounder, which is my favorite catfish size. Think I'll hit the steam plant this week, say hello if you see me, easy boat to recognize, it's a Ranger flat boat with a poling platform, not a lot of those on the lake
PS I'll be the one screaming insanely if I land my first Rock. :D

Two suggestions if you're new to the Steam Plant.

1. Treat the area around the canal as if it were a no wake zone. Running on plane in such a small, crowded area is unsafe, and besides, boats zooming in and out will shut down the fishing pretty fast.

2. As you arrive in the area of the discharge canal, watch out for the rock pile on the edge of the channel. There used to be an island there but it has eroded away. There is a small metal pole marking the rocks but it is hard to see, and it has been claiming some props this year.

bd

As bd stated watch the rocks on the left side as you are approaching the canal, raise your motor as you go in and you will do fine. The weather needs to be freezing for good striper fishing, there will still be some in there but more abundant with colder temps! I would go about 3/4's of the way up and anchor, catch some skips(if they are in there) get some planer boards and run you line about 10 to 12 ft out from the planer and let the skips free swim out of the back of the boat. Put your rods in the rod holders and sit back and relax. Make sure that you have heavy duty tackle, line ect. I use abu Garcia ambassador 7000's with 50 pound braid, 6/0 octopus hooks. all loaded up on 7 ft med hvy Ugly stik tigers! Good luck! One more thing do not put any weight on your line, just a swivel and hook and let them free swim. Just place the skip and planer board down in the water and let the current take it out for you.

Do you recommend marinating whooping crane prior to grilling?

I release probably 90 to 95 percent of the stripers I catch. But I don't think the "absolute 100 percent catch and release" viewpoint is any better than the "kill every single one you see" viewpoint.

Comparing stocked striped bass to endangered whooping cranes is kind of silly.

bd

Tastyness ?? <'TK><
 

:)My sentiments exactly ....(Of coarse Striped Bass doesn't fall in the catagory of a minority bird species that is recovering from distinction ) But if you are trying to make a reference to it's Tastyness ... Stripers is down at the bottom of the list ... If you have to disguise or alter the natural flavor to make it palatable, why eat it, when there are dozens of more fish to choose from as table fare ... There is a difference between disguise and enhance ... For instance ..Hickory wood smoke on pork .. Pork is palatable either way ... And good either way ... Walleye and Sauger, and Gills ... That's sweet ... LOL !!.. My two cents worth ... My Opnion ... I have been to Japan on business for lengthy stints many times .... But I never could get in to Sushi either. But there are Millions of people who love it world wide .... <'TK><

I do release 100% of the stripers and hybrids I catch, but it's because I'd rather simply catch them than eat them. They aren't in the same league as walleye, sauger, and crappie as tablefare. I do enjoy white bass on occasion, though. I think keeping some of the smaller stripers is fine, if you enjoy the taste, but I feel the larger fish are better enjoyed as sport than dinner.


Chris

Unless the water is to warm for it to survive release. Then it should be taken. I have seen some big f
loaters. Hi guys. Nice fish.

Gsp
 

OK, now that we've covered all the keeps, catch and releases, ethics, etc. how IS the fishing at GSP lately.

It was very slow in there last week, mid week. And since the weather has been warm, I assume it is still slow.

And as far as people posting "bragging" photos, if that is what you want/need to do, have at it. I didn't take any photos of the smallmouths I caught on Dale Hollow yesterday and my partners thought it was wierd. To each his own, I say.

How "great" is it to do something that thousands of others have done?? If it's not spectacular, I'm not impressed. If you catch a 5-8 lb smallie, that's something that doesn't happen daily. 2-4 lb'ers, a lot more common.

SOOO, how's the fishing out there guys?

It's a lot slower than last year. You hit the nail on the head - it's just been too warm for it to really be great.

Right now the main lake temps away from the plant haven't been cold enough to really crowd the threadfin into the plant. I have a theory that the heavy current disburses the plume of water somewhat and makes it a little less effective at drawing in the bait too.

There have been some schoolie stripers moving in and out of the plant area sporadically. You'll see them busting the surface after dark. One day they'll be thick and the next there won't be any sign of them.

For the folks who fly fish, the skipjack have been a little slow, but the ones that are there have been running pretty large - lots of 2 and 3 pounders in the mix.

There do seem to be a lot of largemouth stacked up around the canal. I don't bass fish much, but I've "accidentally" caught a 7 pounder on a redfin and a 5.5 pounder on a flyrod, plus some smaller ones, since the beginning of the year. I assume if someone was actually targeting bass they could clean up pretty good.

My boat is out of commission at the moment, so it'll probably be a couple weeks before I'm back there on it again, but that's the best information I can give you.

bd

:eek: You would say that with my bass boat being put up at the moment? :D

I'd love to get into the 2-3lber's on a 5wt.

7 pounder and no pic? hhmmm!

I my self enjoy seeing photos of what others are catching, it lets me know what I can find in the waters that we fish in, Bragging? Well why not? It is a natural thing for men to be competitive with each other! To me, pictures speak 1000 words. Anyone can say I caught a 7 pound smallie or a 10 pound bass, and they may have very well done so. But like those who are from Mo. "Show me" If I catch a 5 pound striper I will post the picture just as fast as if it was a 40 pounder! I mean this is a fishing forum right? Just think that if no one posted reports and pictures in here how boring that would be! Just saying!

I usually can't be bothered to take a picture if I'm fishing by myself. A self-shot picture of a fish laying in the bottom of the boat or something, especially at night, just isn't worth the hassle. The picture rarely turns out well, it's rough on the fish, and I'm not out to prove anything to anybody anyway.

If I'm fishing with somebody else, I'll gladly have them take a picture. I'm lucky enough that a few of the people I fish with are extremely gifted photographers, which helps. I'm certainly not.

Sometimes if there's someone nearby and I catch a fish that's exceptional, I'll wave them over and ask them to take a picture (assuming I have a camera), though more often than not the results from a stranger wind up sucking.

Still, I would have liked to had a picture of the big largemouth but it was about 9:30 at night and there wasn't a soul around but me.

bd

Don't get the wrong idea. I was as surprised as anybody. It's not typical - I don't fish for largemouth very much and those two just happened to hit while I was striper fishing.

bd

You mean like this...:p

I am more interested in getting the hang of catching them more than catching the big ones..... yet.

For years my number one target has been bass and feel I have been successful but ever since I picked up a fly rod trout have been my obsession. They are so hard sometimes to get to being over a hour away I want to kind of re-walk some of my bass foot steps with a fly rod during the time I can't get to trout.

I think it could be fun.

Travis,

If the right conditions occur, I can put you on some hybrids and stripers in a wadeable tailwaters nearby that are VERY catchable on a fly rod. The fish have been averaging from 5-10 lbs for the hybrids, and up to 15 lbs for the stripers. I have a spare 9 wt or 8 wt you can use and have designed a fly that absolutely kills 'em. Get with me on this and you'll have a new addiction.


Chris

Man the skipjack have not been in the SP area at all this year. Has anyone else had luck with the skippies. Want them for striper fishing. My sabiki rig has been lonely this year.m