Williamsport and Marrowbone

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by OAS_5150

I've never been to Marrowbone lake I was talking about Williamsport there are definitely some big boys in Shellcracker. I know there are in Blue Cat as well but the only bass I've caught out of there were tiny and were an accident caught while crappie fishing with minnows. These lakes havn't been around all that long I don't think and I'm not sure if they're all Florida strain or not, but there are several over 10 lbs. I'm positive on that. I don't fish for bass all that often but when I do its Shellcracker best place i know of within 35 minutes of me. I caught at least a dozen or more most were 3-5 lbs in april it was fun

Those lakes have been around for decades. For many years they were only open to certain individuals who had worked for the chemical company that owned the place....and certain others who had permission. I don't know the year that it was given to the state but it had plenty of trophy fish in it way before the state got it. The lakes used to be stocked with hybrid bluegill and was full of Gills close to two pounds......rumor has it the day it was given to the state those that had permission to fish it cried....LOL. I am sure many years ago it just had regular strain of large mouth in it.....and still does.





Regards

[OAS_5150]

Thanks for the education I really had no idea. I was told the state made them and thats why I thought they were so young. I have also heard that at one time there was a small town under what is now blue cat is that true?

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Those lakes have been around for decades. For many years they were only open to certain individuals who had worked for the chemical company that owned the place....and certain others who had permission. I don't know the year that it was given to the state but it had plenty of trophy fish in it way before the state got it. The lakes used to be stocked with hybrid bluegill and was full of Gills close to two pounds......rumor has it the day it was given to the state those that had permission to fish it cried....LOL. I am sure many years ago it just had regular strain of large mouth in it.....and still does.





Regards

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by OAS_5150

Thanks for the education I really had no idea. I was told the state made them and thats why I thought they were so young. I have also heard that at one time there was a small town under what is now blue cat is that true?

I don't think that is true. The water from the lakes was used to wash phosphate rock. I would love to get into the lakes that are closed off. There is no telling the size of the fish in those.


Regards

[OAS_5150]

I know right that would be awesome. I would pay $10 to fish in those or pay $10 to fish at night in any of lakes lol

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

I don't think that is true. The water from the lakes was used to wash phosphate rock. I would love to get into the lakes that are closed off. There is no telling the size of the fish in those.


Regards

[JDH8504]

I was there again yesterday and fished Shellcracker. Caught a couple of dinks on a 5" Senko in green pumpkin/black flake. I came across a couple of guys beating the banks with jigs and they were doing really well. I watched one of them boat what looked to be a 3-4 pounder and they said they had been doing that all day.

So, naturally, I tied on a jig and craw and tried to go after some bigger ones . What I learned is that I need a new baitcaster. Pitching and flipping is no fun on a $30.00 baitcaster.

On a side note, I take my GF with me and she cannot keep the crappie off of her tube jigs. She's casting out toward the deep water and keeping the jig close to the bottom on a fairly steady retrieve. Also saw what looked to be about a 25lb carp belly-up in the middle of the lake.

[Reel Tune]

JDH, the more time you put on them the better you will learn them, and you will end up cracking them. It just takes time on the water, and thinking like a fish.

What are these ponds that are closed off? Are they the Tailings Ponds? If so can anyone give me some history on them?

Jeremy

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by MidTNKayakAngler

JDH, the more time you put on them the better you will learn them, and you will end up cracking them. It just takes time on the water, and thinking like a fish.

What are these ponds that are closed off? Are they the Tailings Ponds? If so can anyone give me some history on them?

Jeremy

All of those lakes were known as "muck ponds"...or as you say tailings. When TWRA was given the 10,000 or so acres....that was in a press release but the size according to TWRA is around 2,000 acres.....they decided that some of the ponds were not safe for fishing....meaning they thought the mud was too soft around those ponds and deemed them non-fishable....and supposedly the one larger lake is closed just for wild life habitat. There is not an environmental problem with any of those lakes. They were all open to fishing to those few who could fish it before the state took it over. When Occidental owned them....the original owner was Hooker Chemical....and there was no more mining going on the fishing was beyond incredible there. The ponds are over 40 or 50 years old from my information. I was not in country when TWRA first opened them to fishing so I don't know the impact fishing pressure had on what was already in place. One...or more...of the lakes was kept stocked with hybrid Gills. It was not unusual to have those reach the 2 pound mark....with fish over a pound caught in great numbers. The bass fishing was also incredible.....not much angling pressure and lots of big fish. I do not know the exact number of folks that had fishing privileges there but those that I know who fished it then will tell you it was catching....not fishing....it was just that awesome.


Regards