Greers Ferry Fishing Report 11/18/09

[Cody Smith]

Hello all! Greers Ferry is currently at 475 ft above msl and holding steady with recent rains and fore casted precipitation over the next few days. Water surface temperatures are still holding in the low 60's. Fishing has been on again off again throughout the past couple of weeks. We have seen great days of 40 fish or more as well as slower days of low double digit catches. Although fishing has been a little on the difficult side overall, we are catching most all species every trip out with walleyes coming in on all of the recent outings. Overall fishing has been the most consistent at greater depths. However there are bait fish from a foot deep out to depths as great as 90 feet. The shallow bite on most species has been hit or miss with these game fish moving a lot to keep up with the shallow schools of thread fin shad that have spawned this fall.

Our walleye bite has been the most predictable at depths of 24 - 32 feet deep, although we have caught them as shallow as 12 feet and as deep as 46 feet. The drop shot rig with an 1/8 oz. lead and a whole night crawler has accounted for most of the eyes we have been seeing. However, the larger of the fish have come on the Fish Dinner spoon in a 3/4 oz. size, white with the blue back. Over the last week we have landed several fish in the 22 - 25 inch range along with a handful of 14 - 18 inch eating size fish. On one occasion last Sunday we lost a monster size eye right at boat side. This fish was in the 8 - 10 lb. class and did not want anything to do with the net! Needless to say it was exciting for my client and just as exciting or even more for yours truly even though she came unbuttoned before we could get the camera lens on her. Look for the walleyes to be hanging tight to break lines in deeper water and the shallower fish are really relating to the flooded bush's along pea gravel banks and points.

The hybrids and whites are just not doing anything consistent. Here one day and gone the next! Most of the fish we have put in the boat have been located with bait fish in the immediate area. One location to check out is in the Mill Creek and Higdon Bay area. These fish have not been huge but are feeding at select times. Spoons and Spinners have been the only two baits we have contacted any on over the past few trips.

Ol` Mr. Bronze Back (small mouth bass) have kept my guide trips going with action. These fish are reluctant to get going it seems but once you get a fish landed it seems to really get the rest of them in a feeding mood. Myself and clients alike have had to just simply wait the bite out, sitting on one location for up to 45 min. without a bite and then it's like a light switch turns on with several fish loaded to the boat over the next same time period. Several fish in the 2 - 3 lb. range have been boated over the last couple of weeks. Main Lake points, Humps and gravel with wood present have been the best location's. The very sparse grass we have here on Greers has come to an end and the fish that where relating to it have moved on.

We are catching quite a few spotted bass (Kentucky's) throughout the day but location of bait seems to be key. If you do not have the bait these fish are not going to show up to the dance. I have seen them come from 50 foot deep and as shallow as 16, it is all bait dependant. Spoons and the Drop shot have been the deal in my boat. The better fish have been coming on the drop shot with a whole night crawler fished extremely thorough and slow throughout an area. Once you pick up a fish, slow down and stick with that area for as long as you can stand it.

The main thing to consider right now is Location, Location, Location. Once in an area where you have located fish, stick with it, it's all about TIMING. Those fish will turn on and feed and they will turn off the same way. Over a 7 hour day we are only fishing 3 - 6 location's within this time slot. Fishing thorough right now will definitely pay off in a big way. You simply have to be in the right place at the right time to catch numbers of fish. The fact of the matter is it's not always going to work out in your favor but running and gunning is out of the question. If any of you have any question's regarding this report or our reservoir please contact me and I'll get back with you as soon as I can. Good Luck and Good Fishin`