Below CHD 2/8

[jad2t]

Took the yak below Center Hill to fish the boils on Saturday. When I was living in Cookeville and attending TTU I'd often fish from the steps in the boils (pre kayak days) and I got really good with jigging/drifting a Kastmaster spoon. I realized Saturday that is much more difficult from a kayak lol. I caught one really nice Brook like that and missed a bunch of hits due to awkward hookset attempts because of the positions I was in.

I went back over to the other side and fished trout magnets along the rocks. Caught 18 to hand, missed several more. No size to speak of but it was a lot of fun indeed. Took some home to make a nice lunch for me and the wife. They taste great baked in olive oil, butter, capers, and lemon juice! I fished until just before dark in an effort to try and catch a big brown or a walleye but no luck. The entire area was just saturated with dying shad from the generation and there was no way I'd fool them with a lure at that point.

Bison trout magnets were the color of preference. Tried others with no luck.

[TNBronzeback]

sounds like a good day. ive read post after post about fishing down there and people catching double digit numbers in a few hours or half a day of fishing. I need to get in on that action. Stocker size or not, just breaking up the usual fish and locations is fun in itself. and have something to throw on the smoker!
i might need to swing in there on my next trip to Crossville.

[Alphahawk]

Good report Jimmy. I went fishing yesterday and hit two locations...Nickajack and Normandy. I caught one fish at Normandy and that was it. The shad kill is going on everywhere. Makes for tough fishing...especially below the dams. Glad you had a good day.



Regards

[creekcrappie]

Nice job Jimmy.

[Travis C.]

Sounds like a fun time Jimmy. Was hoping I could make it there before license renewal but looks like not at this point.

[Transplanted Sportsman]

Good day of fishing Jimmy!!, you had me fooled with "CHD" I thought you went to Cordel Hull to try for some Sauger, I keep on hearing about trout being prepared this way is good to eat, I will have to try it sometime, my last experience eating trout was not very pleasing to my buds!!, had the oily taste and burps for days!!!

[browntrout]

Originally Posted by jad2t

Took the yak below Center Hill to fish the boils on Saturday. When I was living in Cookeville and attending TTU I'd often fish from the steps in the boils (pre kayak days) and I got really good with jigging/drifting a Kastmaster spoon. I realized Saturday that is much more difficult from a kayak lol. I caught one really nice Brook like that and missed a bunch of hits due to awkward hookset attempts because of the positions I was in.

I went back over to the other side and fished trout magnets along the rocks. Caught 18 to hand, missed several more. No size to speak of but it was a lot of fun indeed. Took some home to make a nice lunch for me and the wife. They taste great baked in olive oil, butter, capers, and lemon juice! I fished until just before dark in an effort to try and catch a big brown or a walleye but no luck. The entire area was just saturated with dying shad from the generation and there was no way I'd fool them with a lure at that point.

Bison trout magnets were the color of preference. Tried others with no luck.

Jimmy,
Were the dead shad the big ones or the smaller minnow size?

Thanks,
Roy

[jad2t]

What I've found with the shad kills is that if you get there when the generators have been running for a while then yea the fish are just hanging out sucking down dying shad and you won't fool them. I specifically waited until 4pm to head back over there because that's when the 2nd generator came on and I figured it would push a new wave of shad through and thus start the frenzy again. It worked. Like I said I got a bunch of hits on the spoon but couldn't set the hook. Doing that in a kayak is something I need to get used to!

The shad were small, all 1-3 inches I'd say.

Travis, I might try it again this Saturday. Either stay in the pond area of if we get a generation break do a float. You're welcome to join if you get a chance!

[Travis C.]

Thanks for the offer Jimmy but right now my fishing card for the remainder of the month is being played on Mikes charity event day. I will be out there the whole time fishing.