Anyone up for Kayak Fishing with a n00b Saturday?

I'm looking to get out on the water in the morning, was thinking about going down to Elm Hill Marina and putting around there for a while. I'm a n00b to lake fishing, and a n00b to yak fishing (only been out twice on it). So I should be entertaining at the least!

Was thinking about going out to Elm Hill, but if you got a better spot I'm game!

[Reel Tune]

If I would have known earlier I would have taken you up, but I promised the wife I would take her to the shooting range so we can burn thru a couple hundred dollars in 9mm, and 40 S&W ammo, then go out to eat smelling like gun powder.

No problem, any pointers? What bait to toss into the water even?

[MNfisher]

Originally Posted by MidTNKayakAngler

If I would have known earlier I would have taken you up, but I promised the wife I would take her to the shooting range so we can burn thru a couple hundred dollars in 9mm, and 40 S&W ammo, then go out to eat smelling like gun powder.

That is one of the coolest plans I have ever heard of!! Way better than "Home Depot and maybe Bed, Bath, and Beyond...Don't know, if we will have time, just don't know." Haha!

[Reel Tune]

How did you do RiverShoes?

I don't fish Priest much, I would like to fish it more, but it's so big I just don't know where to start. I've fished it a handfull of times and caught some dink largemouth. I try to concentrate on smaller waters, but I;m always up for something different.

The range was great. Unloaded about 500-600 rounds of various handgun ammunition. My wife ended up getting her a more comfortable carry than the 9mm XD. Then PF Changs for a late lunch, then to the furniture stores. Afterward hit the to the cigar shop, then to the beer, then Spirts store, and last of all stopped in for a couple cigars.

Oh, rushed home so we could get some fishing in, and it was slow.

[Greasy Ham]

If y'all wanna set something up to meet on the yaks some weekend I can do it. I am all booked labor day weekend though. I will be floating the Duck river with family.

Also if you want to just get used to your kayak a good lake for that is Marrowbone. You don't have to worry about speedboats and such there. But DO wear a LIFEJACKET!! It's a very deep lake.

I ended up only catching 1 small mouth, about 10". I just didn't even know where to start like you were saying. I threw the whole box at'em.

Tried Chartruse & White Spinner bait , 3 different lip-less crank baits, two different depths of sexy shad color crank, two different color jigs, and a couple different colors of plastic worms on shaky head. The only fish was caught on a white spinner bait. Got a few hits on a bluegill pattern lip-less crank. Hit it HARD, but couldn't set the hook... A Rattle-trap sure set hook on a lip-less crank.... I don't get that at all.

Over all I had a GREAT time though. The weather was awesome all morning, then the wind started blowing pretty hard about noon so I left. Water was super clear, and pretty warm.

Tried several depths, and locations. Couldn't get anything to pan out.

All the guys in the bass boats looked at me like I had three heads. Guess they aren't used to seeing fishing yak's out there.

Was a good place to put in, easy and secure parking.


I love to meet up with you guys and fish from the Yaks! I'm also busy next weekend, but after that maybe we could hook up. I've definately got to get better at lake fishing, I'm lost out there. I usually fish the rivers, whole other ball game.

Here's some pictures from the trip:






This is out on the main lake, just outside the Elm Hill Marina:


Saw this dead cat floating when I stopped to change baits, pretty good size. Had some fungus looking crap on growing on his belly, didn't look like it had died from being cut or anything.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by RiverShoes

I'm looking to get out on the water in the morning, was thinking about going down to Elm Hill Marina and putting around there for a while. I'm a n00b to lake fishing, and a n00b to yak fishing (only been out twice on it). So I should be entertaining at the least!

Was thinking about going out to Elm Hill, but if you got a better spot I'm game!

Try going out to Long Hunter State Park and putting in at the boat ramp there. All out through there directly across from the ramp..around to the left has always been a good place for some Small Mouth and I often catch Black Perch there. I am an avid Ultra Light guy and very rarely use anything other than 2# test line so I don't need a huge fish to give me a fight...but having said that I have caught numerous Smallies in the 18 inch range there.

Regards

[Travis C.]

Looks like a good time River Shoes.

How did you fish those rocks walls in your pictures? Should be able to get right next to it and cast straight down those walls. You can catch some nice smallies off the bluffs infront of Elm Hill. My cousins fiancee had one mounted just over 6.5lbs last from there last summer on a spinnerbait.He fishes it more that I do. When we go we use spinnerbaits (chartuse or white during day black night) with a crank stop fall crank, craw colored crankbaits have to dig in the bottom or bounce off rocks or its a wasted cast, hair jigs (1/16,1/8,1/4 black/blue, orange/brown) with small chunk and 3" chigger craws on shaky heads.

I have never had much luck on minnow patterns unless right a daylight or sunset one Percy. Most of the time I have ever fished it was using a crayfish pattern of something.

Yeah, I tried the spinner bait down the rock and even tried it with different depths. I caught the one on a white spinner bait, but he was setting next to a log that was laying in the water. Tried a craw colored jig, no dice. Might have just been an off day. I noticed about 3 different boats in and out of the same area pretty quick so I guess they weren't doing any good either.

[Reel Tune]

Glad you were able to get out. It's tough fishing for sure, locating the fish is difficult.

A couple things are getting ready to get started in the area for kayak fishermen. I've herd from several people in the know and that have been in the business for years, and they are saying that Tennessee has everything for a kayak angler. All kinds of species of fish, many different bodies of water, great fishing year around, and centrally located.

Some of the most sought after fish
Striper
Trout
Smallmouth
Largemouth
Muskie