Center Hill Lake

[Schleprock]

New here and here (Tennessee) been trying my luck at Center Hill and can only seem to catch Spots , tried everything except live bait caught 3 spots the Saturday before last nothing bigger than this pic, really want to catch some smallmouths , guess I have to be patient

Would also like to try out some of the other fish such as Walleye, Crappie or anything else in there


Any hints tips or suggestions are appreciated

[skillet]

That's a chunky spot. They are so aggressive and fun to catch. I fish a lake down Alabama that resembles center hill. They are both deep and clear. As of this year, I'm a firm believer in having to use a fluorocarbon leader in clear water. You wouldn't believe what a difference that has made just on old hickory alone!!! Next thing is you have to use more natural looking colors like a watermelon, or pumpkin seed, and another color a lot of people overlook in clear water is black. I do know of a couple guys that fish center hill religiously and all he throws are big hammer swimbaits in a 3-4" size and kills smallmouth. I don't know where abouts or the color. Just seen pictures and heard the stories.

If it's possible for you, try the Cumberland River, it's full of big smallmouth and largemouth. Never know what you'll catch in the river!! Lol. Good luck to you, and keep us posted on how you do.


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[Schleprock]

Originally Posted by skillet

That's a chunky spot. They are so aggressive and fun to catch. I fish a lake down Alabama that resembles center hill. They are both deep and clear. As of this year, I'm a firm believer in having to use a fluorocarbon leader in clear water. You wouldn't believe what a difference that has made just on old hickory alone!!! Next thing is you have to use more natural looking colors like a watermelon, or pumpkin seed, and another color a lot of people overlook in clear water is black. I do know of a couple guys that fish center hill religiously and all he throws are big hammer swimbaits in a 3-4" size and kills smallmouth. I don't know where abouts or the color. Just seen pictures and heard the stories.

If it's possible for you, try the Cumberland River, it's full of big smallmouth and largemouth. Never know what you'll catch in the river!! Lol. Good luck to you, and keep us posted on how you do.



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Thank You for the input, where is a good spot on the Cumberland to put in? Is the Cumberland part of Cordell Hull? I think I live close to Granville marina, never checked it out but need to take a drive down there

And I just pulled off some flourocarbon line, tried the spider wire flouro and it didn't work out too well, kept unraveling on my spinning reels, I do have some Vanish flouro that is a little better, really hard to go spend $30 on some new line after I just peeled off $30 worth lol

[skillet]

I tried spider wire to flouro, didn't like the spider wire. Now power pro to flouro is a lot better in my opinion. The flourocarbon that I use is Daiwa, off eBay. It's cheap but I haven't had any issues. I do have some of the seaguar yellow label that I've been using also. I personally don't see a difference between the two other than the daiwa I get from China cost $11 and seaguar is $20+.

I'm not familiar at all with that part of the Cumberland River. I'm sure there around the dam and on down a little bit should be some good smallie fishing. Maybe someone will chime in that is more familiar with that area


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[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by skillet

I tried spider wire to flouro, didn't like the spider wire. Now power pro to flouro is a lot better in my opinion. The flourocarbon that I use is Daiwa, off eBay. It's cheap but I haven't had any issues. I do have some of the seaguar yellow label that I've been using also. I personally don't see a difference between the two other than the daiwa I get from China cost $11 and seaguar is $20+.

I'm not familiar at all with that part of the Cumberland River. I'm sure there around the dam and on down a little bit should be some good smallie fishing. Maybe someone will chime in that is more familiar with that area


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There is a difference in fluorocarbon leader. What you and I don't get to see is the "refractive" index that the leader is rated at. The lower the refractive index the more expensive the leader....it costs more to make. Seaguar Grand Max is 20 bucks a roll for a reason. When I trout fish Seaguar Grand Max is all I use. This was proven to me on the Little Red River. I was using leader X and the guy I was with was using Seaguar Grand Max. I switched and started catching a fish every cast just like him. I often use fluro leader at Center Hill and Dale Hollow fishing for crappie and Smallies.


Regards

[thehick176]

Check out the Rome ramp. Its on hwy 70 not for outside of Carthage. I've caught some good Smallies there in late fall and winter.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Schleprock

New here and here (Tennessee) been trying my luck at Center Hill and can only seem to catch Spots , tried everything except live bait caught 3 spots the Saturday before last nothing bigger than this pic, really want to catch some smallmouths , guess I have to be patient

Would also like to try out some of the other fish such as Walleye, Crappie or anything else in there


Any hints tips or suggestions are appreciated

Center Hill is loaded with Smallies and big black nose crappie.....not to mention the shell cracker and Gills. They are there. For the crappie find the wood.....or big chunk rock. Black crappie will relate to big rock just as much as they relate to wood. Here is just a couple of pics of many of both specie I have caught from there. They are there...go get em.

Regards


Regards

[Schleprock]

Originally Posted by thehick176

Check out the Rome ramp. Its on hwy 70 not for outside of Carthage. I've caught some good Smallies there in late fall and winter.

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

There is a difference in fluorocarbon leader. What you and I don't get to see is the "refractive" index that the leader is rated at. The lower the refractive index the more expensive the leader....it costs more to make. Seaguar Grand Max is 20 bucks a roll for a reason. When I trout fish Seaguar Grand Max is all I use. This was proven to me on the Little Red River. I was using leader X and the guy I was with was using Seaguar Grand Max. I switched and started catching a fish every cast just like him. I often use fluro leader at Center Hill and Dale Hollow fishing for crappie and Smallies.


Regards

So is it ok to use reg line and use flouro for leader or should you use flouro and then the more expensive less refractive for leader?

Also what lb line do you prefer? I have 8lb on right now and have 6lb on my trout poles

[Schleprock]

Originally Posted by thehick176

Check out the Rome ramp. Its on hwy 70 not for outside of Carthage. I've caught some good Smallies there in late fall and winter.

Thank you, may take a drive there this week and check it out

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Schleprock

So is it ok to use reg line and use flouro for leader or should you use flouro and then the more expensive less refractive for leader?

Also what lb line do you prefer? I have 8lb on right now and have 6lb on my trout poles

I fish almost exclusively with 2# test SOS Trout Magnet line. I use less expensive fluro when not trout fishing. Many will argue it doesn't matter but it is a habit I have gotten into and I think it helps the bite. I would switch from 6# test to 2# test for trout for sure.


Regards

[Schleprock]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

I fish almost exclusively with 2# test SOS Trout Magnet line. I use less expensive fluro when not trout fishing. Many will argue it doesn't matter but it is a habit I have gotten into and I think it helps the bite. I would switch from 6# test to 2# test for trout for sure.


Regards

Thank you, going to take your advice

[TroutFiend]

Great Lake to fish, can be sobering at times. The color Purple always seems to bring fish to the boat for me regardless of lure selection. At night black football jigs with chunk trailers can be deadly for smallies. But the spots are probably the fish I catch the most of up there, but I don't mind that! LOL

Andy


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[notorious]

Originally Posted by skillet

That's a chunky spot. They are so aggressive and fun to catch. I fish a lake down Alabama that resembles center hill.

Louis Smith Lake is full of Spots and jumbo Crappie...that's a fact.

[XxthejuicexX]

Originally Posted by Schleprock

So is it ok to use reg line and use flouro for leader or should you use flouro and then the more expensive less refractive for leader?

Also what lb line do you prefer? I have 8lb on right now and have 6lb on my trout poles

Man. I go 20 or 30 pound braid to a flouro leader. I use either seaguar red label or seaguar invizX. I'm going to have to try some Grand Max if Alpha says it's good. The beauty of using the leader is a spool last forever so don't worry about spending a little money on it.

[skillet]

Line depends on what I'm fishing for. Crappie, I use straight mono, 4-6#. Bass fishing I use straight flouro, 12lb daiwa line I was talking about earlier. Worm/jig is 30lb power pro braid and a 20lb seaguar leader. Same braid on top water, but I use a mono leader because it doesn't sink.

Alphahawk, I'd like to find a chart on the refractive index if one exists. I do know that ever since I started using flourocarbon line, my bite ratio has went up and catch ratio. I started earlier this year using 30# braid and a 12# leader. When I set the hook, I'd pull the knot every time. I got discouraged and started using straight braid and I didn't catch a decent fish for a long time. And I noticed I just wasn't getting the bites that I should've. And I attribute that to fish seeing the line. Changed to 20lb leader and my confidence is back and I'm catching the fish that I knew I could. Now, please don't chastise me for using such heavy line for these little green back fish I catch. 😂😂


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