The frustrating part about fishing Middle TN

[JDH8504]

I frequent bassresource and and what has occurred to me is that we (I think most of us are Middle TN'ers) don't have a very high percentage of fisherman who are also forum users compared to other states. I can jump on there and learn about a lot of lakes and very specific information about the details of the fishery (what type of cover and structure, key depth information, successful baits for each season, etc.).

But when I search for the lakes around me, I might get a thread or two with a few replies and a few years old.

How do you guys go about digging up pertinent information about current conditions and start your search for the fish on that day? I know how to get the obvious stuff -- like weather, generation schedule, water temps. Where would I find info like: what techniques are typically the most productive at this time of year on a specific body of water? Which section(s) of the lake should I be focusing on? etc.

Is this simply a matter of asking people at the bait shop? I don't usually go to any bait shops other than BPS. Do I ask them?

I might be rambling crazy. Lack of time on the water will do that to an addicted man.

[Alphahawk]

Well...you can't be anymore addicted to fishing than me...LOL. I will log 50,000 miles a year fishing....mostly 5 days a week....365 a year unless the weather is extreme in one way or the other. I don't target large mouth bass....but the process is the same. I catch thousands of huge crappie...Gills....Smallies every year. I have had some input from a few on forums but it has mostly been leg work. For instance....if I am fishing below dam at Pickwick for crappie I will always use a Midnight Blue CM or TM. If I am fishing for crappie at Nickajack I always use a Bison colored Trout Magnet. If at Center Hill the Smallies love a Midnight Blue Trout Magnet...it never fails me. I found all this out on my own. Most of the time that is how it is going to get done. I not only give out what lure....what retrieve....but many times I even will give the where they are at. Not many are going to do that. I have recently moved and now my home lake will most likely be Center Hill. I have fished it from bank and kayak for years...but now have a boat...so my learning process is really starting over. To me it all comes down to experience. Now I probably haven't helped you much but I would continue to do what you do...fish.....also hiring a good guide for a particular body of water can be the best money you can spend to find the info you are looking for.


Regards

[JDH8504]

Great reply, Alpha.

I guess it comes down to how much I can get out there. With my job, I can pretty much go launch the boat any time I want. But I try to force myself to be on land and go make money as much as possible.

The guide idea is a good one. I went with one last year and had a great time, but didn't retain much because at the time I didn't have a boat and didn't have immediate plans to get one. DOH!

[tennarl]

Probably because of the growth of tournament fishing -- people simply don't want to discuss details, especially on average lakes like priest and old hickory where most of the year fishing is tough. The only guys whacking 'em are good anglers and unlike Guntersville and Chick which are massive, have current, and grass, and even an amateur can catch a limit, you're up against at places like Priest hence the limited number of "good spots" are kept secret. I've come across posts on Guntersville with freakin' GPS coord. on positive areas. You won't find anything like that on Priest. And, I think a lot of the more serious guys from the Nashville area -- the ones that can offer the best advice -- drive the extra hour to get to to KY, Pickwick, Gunt, etc. A vast majority of bass fishermen on Priest are like myself, weekend warriors, who pound the bank in the spring and fall and spend the rest of our time trying not to get hit by a jet ski.

[TroutFiend]

Below is a link to a well established guide, that gives information on techniques year around. I know what you mean as far as learning new lakes though. I am focusing on Center Hill and its a little tricky.. You may know this already but in the corner of this web page is a search engine for this site. Type in area or strain of fish and click the www.fishing.tn box and search, I have used it many times.

Andy



http://tennesseebassguides.com/

[JDH8504]

I appreciate them

[snowman]

Check out Brian Carper also...

[hunterchub]

Good idea on Brian Carper website. I think for $5 per month he will give tips and locations for fishing including GPS locations of brush piles. My boss gets this service.

[notorious]

I actually think Mid Tn is one of the better areas. No-one starts out a pro on any lake without spending loads of money on guides at various times during the year.
The only way is to fish, and fish to diagnose, compositions, transitions and techniques you pick up from conversations, research, experience, and be willing to not catch anything in the sake of learning. If your running around your not fishing, your running around searching for someone to show you how to fish. If you want a challenge go to Dale Hollow and catch a fish...any type of fish and you will understand that it is you whom must adapt to what the fish want. Take a look at your tackle selections...do you have stained water lures, do you have clear water lures, do you have muddy water lures and does your selection cover all depths, does it cover each season, do you have grubs, spoons, worms, creatures, do you have spinner baits and buzz-baits and the colors to match each condition.... this you must learn if you can not answer at least half of those questions then you must drop your trolling motor and run it till you have no more juice and cover as much water as necessary to answer the questions when someone says...the fish are on wood/rock transitions taking natural craw jigs while pitching on the downside of channel drops.
Fish with anybody you can. I have hired two guides in my lifetime a well known SM guide and another guy who I refused to pay because he did nothing but take me to obvious spots...something we discussed prior to the guide in my own boat with my own lures. I learned valuable information from the SM guide...I learned how to listen and duplicate techniques. I fished with a guy from Florida who considered deep water 5-10ft and would not cast to the deep side of the boat so I fished shallow... 1 foot or less on flats and we caught fish all day and I lost a monster in probably 6". Would I have attempted that skinny water technique...perhaps not up til that point but will not ever overlook 6" of water again for potential trophy's.
OH is a river, a lake, a spillway, and a warm water discharge...the water is nearly always the same color, it has produced numerous trophy fish over the years and comes around on pro trails regularly and results show no single technique is champion.

[TNBronzeback]

I feel your pain man! When i first started fishing these lakes around here several years ago it was 95% trial and error. And i will tell ya, there was ALOT of water that didnt produce depending on what i was targeting. But i found this forum and started asking generic questions, nothing specific being the new guy i didnt want to be labeled as anything negative. When i would go fishing and have sucess, i would share that info on here cause lets face it, for a lake like JPP, a new guy wouldnt know much over a seasoned local, so its not like your giving away your honey hole. Then build on-line relationships from there, include real time photos, tips and the such. Those are your ice breakers!
I LOVE Melton Hill Stripers and frequent it often in the spring, i have no shame in my game, do you know how i found out my hows and wheres down there???? I was youtubing like a mad man for weeks and found several videos, those videos showed very detailed background information, to which i looked up on Google Maps.
NOW, im in no way saying that is nice or ethical but, have a little respect, dont be a D-bag (hypothetically speaking as im sure you are a good guy, but you know what i mean) about how you fish your new found area and all will be well. Ive used my melton hill knoewledge locally and have done.good since.
The long and short of it is to do some research, use what you already know and tweak it....before you know it, you will have your own spots, techniques, ect.
I donated a ton of tackle when i moved down to TN cause most of what i used up there was useless down here. Its a rough go trying to put the puzzle pieces together on brand new waters, at some point, everybody on here has been in the same position you are in.
I will be glad to point ya in the right direction depending on what your chasing, i fish bass very little down here but what i do know i will be glad to share with ya.

[Shoe man]

I've lived in Middle Tennessee most of my life and have fished most of the lakes in this area. I fish for multiple species but love to target bass. Nothing can replace time on the water as most of the others have said but I learned a ton by fishing a local bass club for 19 yrs. The club was set up so you didn't fish with the same person 2 times in the same year and you didn't have to have a boat. I don't know if there are any set up like that anymore but it worked great as a learning tool for me.

[gordonc615]

that's the exact reason I joined this forum. I agree completely.