Nickajack 10-12-2012

[Alphahawk]

Arrived at Nickajack at 5:30 AM. Much to my surprise there were two vehicles next to where I fish. It was pouring rain and popping lightning. Glad to see when I went down the bank it was two guys I have come to know down there. We waited for the lightning to stop before getting out from cover to fish. I brought home 13 fish...everyone of them 11 inches...maybe a few millimeters more in length but that was it. I had a box next to me that is exactly 11 inches. If the fish was the length of the box it went in the basket. I could have had a limit if I had wanted to keep 10 inch fish or if I had stayed until dark. My knee was killing me and I had to get. I get the cortisone on Thursday and will hit Nickajack again after that. The drive is a bit too far to keep the knee hinged that long. One would have thought that with the weather today the Crappie would have been easy to come by....they were not. Since it was raining did not take any individual pics. These fish are all very thick fish.......make some nice filets. My son wants to go down with me on Sunday or Monday. I am going to try and talk him into going somewhere closer. The discussion with the locals is now turning to "Is this the year that the big ones don't show"? That is what happened at the Crappie hole at Pickwick last year....only small fish showed up. Will fish Pickwick next week and see what is showing up for Crappie....if I can stay away from my Bluegill hole....LOL.



Regards

[white95v6]

you sir are hardcore i love it. nice fish.

[Travis C.]

Nice job.

Tomorrow night, I will be on the water all night long throwing magnets...

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Travis C.

Nice job.

Tomorrow night, I will be on the water all night long throwing magnets...

Hope you get into them. I got to get out some maps and study Old Hickory.




Regards

[Jim]

Alphahawk,

What structure are you fishing to catch all these fish? I know it is deep near the shore, but what else are you keying on?

I know lots of spots on old hickory, but I don't know what makes a good deep water crappie / bluegill / bass spot to fish with the trout magnet.

Thanks for any info,
Jim

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by Jim

Alphahawk,

What structure are you fishing to catch all these fish? I know it is deep near the shore, but what else are you keying on?

I know lots of spots on old hickory, but I don't know what makes a good deep water crappie / bluegill / bass spot to fish with the trout magnet.

Thanks for any info,
Jim

Jim,
These crappie are coming off of an almost sheer wall adjacent to 23 feet of water. What makes the Trout Magnet so effective in this spot....in my opinion...is it is only 1/64 and even though I have a size B split shot about 12 inches up, the lure is able to fall against the face of the wall as I twitch it back in. While there have been times that the crappie will be all over the area.....suspended if you will....most of the time I have caught them as they hold tight to cover... on the face of the wall. I remember last year when I took jaycee there you could see the fish come off the wall and hit the Magnet. The water that day was very clear and those fish were hitting it only as it got close to the wall. As for the Gills I am fishing a spot at Pickwick that holds Gills in early Spring and through the Summer.....off of a point that falls off to 30 feet of water. But they would be in close to the bank in maybe 4 or 5 feet of water. After reading the article about tungsten jig heads from this months InFisherman magazine did I try out the technique.....which is to catch Gills out of deep water in Fall and Winter. After buying the jigs and putting the Trout Magnet body on I was able to cast those things out to 30 feet of water......and there they were. I could never cast the Trout Magnet head that far and waiting on it to fall 30 feet I could take a nap...LOL. Now I know I am lucky that I have found them. That is the problem if you are fishing from the bank. Boaters who have a sonar would find them and then vertical jig from above them. The Small Mouth that I am catching are just a bonus as I am really there hoping to catch a 11 or 12 inch Gill. I suspect the Smallies are there as it is adjacent to 70 feet of water not far away. The article noted that in shallow water situations that lead is still the way to go. This is my first time to fish with tungsten but I have to tell you I like it. Even with all that line out at 30 feet deep you can feel a solid thump when a fish hits it. I plan on fishing for crappie with the tungsten at Pickwick as where I fish for crappie down there it is anywhere from 25 to 35 feet of water. I will post about this technique as Fall and Winter come and go. I have already gone though 35 bucks worth of tungsten but I have caught a ton of Gills with that. I only have 5 left but am expecting an order of another 51 dollars worth any day now. Hope this has helped you out.


Regards

[Jim]

Thanks very much for the detailed explanation. I think I know an area that I could find those type structure in close proximity. It is near a super smallmouth spawning area and has very deep water close by. I have never fished for crappie there but I see others fishing for them.

Now if I can feel that tiny trout magnet when I cast it into the depths, I might be on to something.

Thanks for the help!

Jim

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by Alphahawk

Hope you get into them. I got to get out some maps and study Old Hickory.


Regards

Thanks.

If you do start on the lower end where the Dam is and study upstream.

My boat can move us around a little faster than yaks if you want to check it out sometime our schedules can work. You and your son can fish I will chauffeur. I'll show you the places I will be tomorrow night.

Originally Posted by Travis C.

Thanks. <br />
<br />
If you do start on the lower end where the Dam is and study upstream. <img src="images/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Wink" smilieid="4" class="inlineimg" /><br />
<br />
My boat can move us around a little faster than yaks if you want to check it out sometime our schedules can work. You and your son can fish I will chauffeur. I'll show you the places I will be tomorrow night.

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