It's Getting Tough Out There!

[Adrian]

Last 2 trips out have been Dismal. I've been catching consistently all year until this past week. So Much Bait Fish it's Insane!!! Looks like boiling water everywhere. Anybody finding them? What pattern do the seem to be on?

[nomad60]

I went out yesterday for a few hours (on the Cumberland here in Clarksville) and it was tough going. Caught on keeper spot, a few small LM and one nice bluegill on a jig half the size of the fish, which gave me an idea so once the sun came up I switched to an ultralight and a TM and started catching bluegill in 15 - 20 feet of water but they were all smaller ones.

Talked to a few other folks out on the water and no one was having much luck.

[XxthejuicexX]

The last couple of times to priest have been about the same way, very slow 1-2 bass every couple hours. I noticed like you that the baitfish are everywhere! it looks like wind ripples on the water. I thinking about heading out tomorrow to priest but with the cold front coming in I don't know if it will be worth it, any idea on if fishing saturday will be ok?

[TNtransplant08]

Ditto for me. I went out of Jefferson Springs this morning and didn't have much luck. I saw some fish in the jumps, but unfortunately I was in search of catfish, I didn't have my topwater baits. I probably spent two hours throwing my net trying to catch large shad to use as cut bait. I couldn't find them. All I was catching was finger sized shad and they were everywhere. So I gave up and started throwing a shakey worm I happened to have along with me. Caught a few small bass and than headed in.

[Alphahawk]

It is tough all around. Struck out at Pickwick yesterday and didn't have much luck at Williamsport today. When they are off they are just off....but feel they are getting ready to gorge themselves for winter.


Regards

[Fishbus]

I'm taking 3 eighth-graders fishing on the kayaks tomorrow morning out of Poole Knob campground. Hoping to not get rained on, and better fishing than what I'm hearing about...

Billy

[JeffsLowe]

Was out again this morning and was able to find a few, but it took awhile. Had to go deeper and smaller, and also in some new areas. Took home 7 crappie 11-14". Threw back a 26" flathead, 15" largemouth, numerous dink smallmouth, crappie, yellow bass, bluegill etc. Ultralight deep running cranks over brush 17-20 FOW.

Picked up several out front of the fish attractors near Poole campground.....

Good luck tomorrow

[eaglestrike09]

Me and my buddy Steve were out for four hours this morning in the cove to Boxwell Boy Scout camp. Then caught five in a hour around noon!
All on spinner baits shallow near grass on the sunny side of the bank!!

[thehick176]

Things won't be right again until we get some current!

[Pinwheeled]

Same story for me...

Hit the Cumberland around Opryland last Sunday. I probably caught 20 bass total but they were mainly 11-12" spotted bass. Did catch one keeper largemouth and lost a 3 or 4lb smallmouth at the boat.

Hit Priest for only a couple hours after work Wednesday. There was bait everywhere and the fishing was pretty slow. Definitely getting in to their fall patterns. Caught one short fish and one 18" that went about 3.5lbs.


It'll pick up shortly.

[Transplanted Sportsman]

I hear you guys!!, I was trolling cranks (bandits, 200, 300, bomber fat free shads, and # 5 and 7 flicker shads) and I was limiting out on Kentuckies for 4 weekends in a row at Normandy, catching some nice flathead cats and a few keeper Crappies here and there enough to keep me coming back for more, but last weekend on both days I just failed to conect, just a few bites here and there, I took the kayak Wed night and fished from 6 pm to 1 am and only had one small Crappie to show, bait fish everywhere and thought I could do the Jesus thing because there were sooo many fish on the depthfinder at al levels on the water column that I thought I could walk on water or on fish anyway!! yet nothing in my tackle box would entice them, I think the fronts we have had have messed up the pattern they were in, water temp has dropped about 18 degrees in one week at Normandy and I think this is big change it has to change things somehow

[Adrian]

Spinners in the Grass. There's a thought. They were definitely Not on the Grass 10 days ago. Worth a Shot. Just grin and bare it till the Stripers show up