abkeenan

This is turning into a gang fight I see.

Green pumpkin hat. Check. Green pumpkin shirt. Check. Green pumpkin shorts. Check. Green pumpkin craw. Check. Green back. Check. Green dock......UNCHECK... yourself! Nice report Mike. Glad you and the lady friend got into some.

I throw my big swimbaits on 15lb Big Game on this rod: Dobyns Fury Casting Rod 7'9" Med Hvy Swimbait Show Information Taper Line Wt. Lure Wt. Guides Handle Type Handle Length Stock Price Qty Fast 15-30lb 1-5oz 9+Tip Fury Swimbait 20-1/2" In Stock: 3+ $119.99 Also works well with A-Rigs and Whopper Ploppers. Long handle is really nice when flingin' heavy baits.

Nice report Quill. Always fun to play "guess the bait" with Quill and his report pics. Seems he always has a new jig trailer, crank or other bait every outing. This one took me awhile. You sneaky devil, you.

That last island there in front of Big Cedar Hollow before you get to the 86 bridge is terrible. Have't heard of it referred to as "One Tree Island" but that's exactly what it is. The fact that a light pole, several shallow water buoys on all sides or some sort of beacon hasn't been installed there is a crime. Depending on the water level that island is nearly impossible to see. Even the most rational and cautious person operating a boat or watercraft really wouldn't suspect that to be out in the middle of the channel. That accident a few years ago was just terrible and truly senseless. Some sort of safety precaution should have been installed THE NEXT DAY. I've driven by that island hundreds of times and STILL keep mental note when on plane around it. Someone unfamiliar with the lake would have no way of knowing it's there until it's too late. Add in low light conditions or at night???? It actually surprising that more people haven't been killed or injured running into that death trap in the middle of the lake.

I also have a cheapy Revros. Nothing wrong with it. I am also in the boat of going cheap on spinning reels and buck up a little more for baitcasters.

Found fish scattered for the most part. Didn't fish beyond 35 feet because I didn't feel like going the spoon or drop shot route. Brother and I picked up one here, one there, when beating the bank. If fish were bunched up they were right on breaks and roll offs that have that sudden 10-15 foot drop. Usually big flats or pockets adjacent to those drop offs is where we found them. Mainlake transition points type locations produced most. There is a definitive thermocline set up from 22-25ish feet in spots in the dam area. Big fish of the trip was the 4 pounder (1st pic) early in the AM that came off said roll off in that thermoclish depth on a 10" straight tail worm on stand-up head. Weather was a real BEAR this weekend. Mostly due to the nonstop winds that persisted on into the night on Saturday. Had a hot spot going in a location like I mentioned above but could not stay on it with the wind like it was. Had to leave them biting as fighting the troller at night became too much. Tried a crank, popper and jerkbait at certain times throughout the trip and didn't get a sniff on any. All fish came on bottom baits. Mainly a 1/2oz NuTech Elite jig with a full brush hog or paca chunk or big shakeyhead worms. Had quite a few short strikes on the full brush hog but at the same time did get more bites than the smaller profile of the paca chunk for whatever reason. In certain spots it was hard to keep the blue gill off your junk. About the least amount of fishing pressure I've seen around the dam area in quite some time. Had any mainlake point I wanted this weekend which was refreshing. Not sure if the weather kept people (both fishermen and pleasure boaters) at bay or what but I will NOT complain. Too short of a trip, but it always is. Good luck out there, stay safe and tight lines.

Funny you mention the largemouths. This trip was the highest largemouth to smallie /kentucky (usually all I catch around the dam) ratio that I can remember in a LONG TIME around the dam area. Not sure if that has to do with the water being high and in the bushes for the majority of the summer or due to the thermocline setting up and pulling some fish out of their deep haunts. Don't know but either way it was a welcome surprise. Not to say I don't prefer smallmouth but it's nice to get the size on the LM's.

Found fish scattered for the most part. Didn't fish beyond 35 feet because I didn't feel like going the spoon or drop shot route. Brother and I picked up one here, one there, when beating the bank. If fish were bunched up they were right on breaks and roll offs that have that sudden 10-15 foot drop. Usually big flats or pockets adjacent to those drop offs is where we found them. Mainlake transition points type locations produced most. There is a definitive thermocline set up from 22-25ish feet in spots in the dam area. Big fish of the trip was the 4 pounder (1st pic) early in the AM that came off said roll off in that thermoclish depth on a 10" straight tail worm on stand-up head. Weather was a real BEAR this weekend. Mostly due to the nonstop winds that persisted on into the night on Saturday. Had a hot spot going in a location like I mentioned above but could not stay on it with the wind like it was. Had to leave them biting as fighting the troller at night became too much. Tried a crank, popper and jerkbait at certain times throughout the trip and didn't get a sniff on any. All fish came on bottom baits. Mainly a 1/2oz NuTech Elite jig with a full brush hog or paca chunk or big shakeyhead worms. Had quite a few short strikes on the full brush hog but at the same time did get more bites than the smaller profile of the paca chunk for whatever reason. In certain spots it was hard to keep the blue gill off your junk. About the least amount of fishing pressure I've seen around the dam area in quite some time. Had any mainlake point I wanted this weekend which was refreshing. Not sure if the weather kept people (both fishermen and pleasure boaters) at bay or what but I will NOT complain. Too short of a trip, but it always is. Good luck out there, stay safe and tight lines. This post has been promoted to an article

Coming down tomorrow for a short weekend trip. Will be out there on Saturday night in the dam area. Your NuTech Elites will be getting a work out.

I'll take on the burden of being his therapist. Hunter, the first step is getting them out of your possession. Out of sight, out of mind. I PM'd you my address along with a prepaid USPS label for those boxes. Please send them at your earliest convenience. Kind Regards, Your Bait Hoarding Sponsor - Brett

This comment screams internal bait monkey turmoil.

Impressive. Very nice haul of Walters, especially on TR. Well done sir and thanks for the pics/report.

I still stink. Even went conservative this round for the first time in the last 4 or 5 events and STILL BOMBED. I'm snake bit! Probably because Beardsley is loaded with them and extremely dangerous to fish. Seriously, don't go in that creek unless you want to get bit by a Kingcobramoccasinrattlesnake.