Williamsport 10-16-2013

[Alphahawk]

It is better to catch something than nothing. I spent the morning out at Blue Cat catching about 75 crappie until the rain came. All of them were about 8-9 inches. But they are fat. Even using an UL setup an 8 inch crappie doesn't give one much of a fight but as I said better than nothing. I caught all of them using a Trout Magnet body in Bison color on a 6mm tungsten Smoothie jig head. If these crappie ever grow up it will be awesome. For those fishing the upcoming tournament out there in November...the hybrids...and or large mouth were killing baits on the surface out in center of lake....no schooling fish just singles. But there were big explosions....big fish. All the crappie caught were black nose.


Regards

[tacklemake]

I'm glad you had fun my friend and I hope something finally is starting the fall bite. Merv and I my go out on old hickory Friday for some crappie and just maybe I will try some live shad for bait. So thank you for another great report and pic's................woody

[jad2t]

Alpha, are you fishing the Williamsport tourney?

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by jad2t

Alpha, are you fishing the Williamsport tourney?

No Jimmy I will be out on the White River in Arkansas with browntrout. I am going to show up at one of those one of these days. Will probably just fish around and come to meet everybody. That's a good thing Jeremy has put together. I will hit Williamsport several more times before you have the tournament and will post water conditions if it helps anyone out....water temp...clarity. Today water was stained and did not check temp today but will next time out. The only other person out there today was a squirrel hunter.




Regards

[nomad60]

Nice going, Alpha. 75 crappie is a good day, even if they weren't the big ones.

[jad2t]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

No Jimmy I will be out on the White River in Arkansas with browntrout. I am going to show up at one of those one of these days. Will probably just fish around and come to meet everybody. That's a good thing Jeremy has put together. I will hit Williamsport several more times before you have the tournament and will post water conditions if it helps anyone out....water temp...clarity. Today water was stained and did not check temp today but will next time out. The only other person out there today was a squirrel hunter.




Regards

We'd all appreciate that report! I'll do the same as I'm headed down there next weekend with my wife and dog to rent a john boat and spend the day fishing, picnicking, and hoping we can keep our dog in the boat haha. It won't be as serious of a fishing trip as normal for me since I'll be with the wifey and all but I'll get in some good fishing time and report back what I find.

[Reel Tune]

That's a lot of crappie, and like you I'd like to see them grow. I enjoy some good crappie fishing. That's good news about the hybrids, I'm ready. I've always had the best lock out there from November to early March. We'd like to see you at one one the tournaments Alpha, that's why I made it to where anyone can come out. I want it as friendly and fun for everyone with the competition for those who like that kind of thing.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by MidTNKayakAngler

That's a lot of crappie, and like you I'd like to see them grow. I enjoy some good crappie fishing. That's good news about the hybrids, I'm ready. I've always had the best lock out there from November to early March. We'd like to see you at one one the tournaments Alpha, that's why I made it to where anyone can come out. I want it as friendly and fun for everyone with the competition for those who like that kind of thing.

Yeah it is a lot of crappie...LOL. But if you get into a ball of those out there and are fishing with a small jig nothing else has time to hit it....and there are thousands in both lakes. I have a buddy that is a TWRA Tech down at Laurel Hill. He told me TWRA had taken crappie out of both lakes to take the ear bones out to see how old those 7-8 inch crappie are. If they are the size they should be for their age the current limit on crappie there will stay same. If they find they are stunted they are going to change the minimum length to thin them out. TWRA did not stock the crappie and they have no clue how old all of those fish are that are in there. Being alone on that lake for around 3 or 4 hours and seeing just how many big single fish busted the surface....or many times just hearing them....it must be lots of big hybrids in there. I do plan on fishing some of the tournaments. This one would have been good but had already booked White River trip. I will probably only fish tournaments for fun and to meet the other kayakers. It would be too easy for me to get distracted with the UL to try and get big bass....LOL....or I guess if I left the UL at home and only brought bass gear I would make myself fish for them.




Regards

[Reel Tune]

I would like to know the age of those fish also, with as many as there are I wouldn't mind a few being harvested. I would think short crappie are being harvested already, as I know there are short, and over the limit bass being harvested. I've notified the anglers, and they pled ignorance, and called the front office, but don't know if they have done anything. I'm starting to think I'm wasting my time, but then again I would like to have nicely managed public lakes. Old Hickory Bass fishing sucks, and Priest isn't much better. I don't mind driving 1hr 20min to fish if the fishing is good.

[TNBronzeback]

Old Hickory Bass fishing sucks, and Priest isn't much better. I don't mind driving 1hr 20min to fish if the fishing is good.[/QUOTE]

Yeah i hear ya there. It may sound odd, if thats the right word for it, but i feel bad for the bass on O.H and J.P.P...those fish get pummeled every single weekend heavily and more and more every year. i would say about 50% of the bass i have caught on J.P.P in the past 3-4 years are so jaw jacked and disfigured in the face its kinda heart breaking. nice size, 1-3lb otherwise healthy fish missing half thier lower jaw or messed up eye or scraped off scales and especially dead fish, like NICE dead fish at the boat ramp at Long Hunter-Couchville. Ive never seen so many sad looking fish in all my life.
I dont really know where i was going with all that, other than i guess as a fisherman and hunter who keeps fish to eat and shoots deer to eat, we still dont like seeing our own resources getting mangled the way at least i have seen, maybe you guys havent seen as much of that. Just kind of a bummer.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by MidTNKayakAngler

I would like to know the age of those fish also, with as many as there are I wouldn't mind a few being harvested. I would think short crappie are being harvested already, as I know there are short, and over the limit bass being harvested. I've notified the anglers, and they pled ignorance, and called the front office, but don't know if they have done anything. I'm starting to think I'm wasting my time, but then again I would like to have nicely managed public lakes. Old Hickory Bass fishing sucks, and Priest isn't much better. I don't mind driving 1hr 20min to fish if the fishing is good.

I'm with you. I have seen it out there and told them and tried to get them to put them back. Have also told the office and a TWRA officer. It's good you speak up as there are not enough officers to be at all lakes all the time. I too want the lakes managed properly for the specie they have in them. I would love to see one of those lakes managed as catch and release only....but that ain't going to happen.


Regards

[Reel Tune]

Great idea only, then if there becomes an issue with stunted or over population remove the 14-16" fish, and do it under close eye. These lakes need watched closer and could be a real gem if properly managed.