Just moved to Gallatin

[C42480]

I just moved down here from northern NewYork, and am used to fishing weedy lakes that are so thick that they need paths cut through them with a weed cutter. I found this site in hopes to figure out how to fish the waters around here. I have not had much luck yet but i wont give up. I like fishing for bass and norther pike, I know northers are out of the picture around here. Im just getting back into fishing after a few years off so im a bit rusty. I hope to get a few hints of what to to look for on Old Hickory so i might be able to find some fish.
Thanks Chuck

[Travis C.]

Welcome.

First off you will enjoy the year round fishing here for bass. We used to have northern's here in a few places not in middle tn but instead over in the eastern side of the state. They decided Muskie were more efficient stockers. There is also a native strain of Muskie as well.

To your question on bass at Old Hickory. I have been tied up but I would guess they are in a summer pattern at the very least transitioning towards it. Look for them early and late shallow flats, boat houses, grass beds but all close to deeper water. After the sun gets up look around the drops, humps and ledges near the channels both creek/main river.

IF you can find some thick mats they may hang there all day under it but right now if your not fishing at night then I'd fish the 15ft and deeper water in daytime especially after the early morning bite dies.

[C42480]

Thank you for the information I will use it when i go out tonight.

[Buccaneer]

Docks will always be productive. Also early pre-dawn and night time you can get some action around the cane grass patches that grow on the points and hard bottom areas, depths from the shore line out to 4 feet. Buzz baits, frogs, floating worms, weedless spoons and fish them in the grass. You're in a good central location to set up a milk run from Cedar Creek to Station Camp and Spencer Creeks. Also keep a top water bait rigged for immediate action if you find a pod of shad getting hammered on the edge of a drop, creek channel or main river. The shad spawn seems to have happened the past couple weeks so pretty soon we will be covered up in clouds of shad minnows.

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

The shad spawn seems to have happened the past couple weeks so pretty soon we will be covered up in clouds of shad minnows.

I haven't been in a while but if that's the case....sweet. That is some of my favorite fishing.

Get you a tandem white willow leaf spinnerbait and/or a white swimjig with a white twin tail trailer and fish the docks. Don't let it sink much and retreive ti just under the edges of the dock inside/out. Bass will crush it. Also, you can pitch those same baits in and around bushes or trees on the steeper banks getting the same effect as it begins to clear the cover on the retreive.