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Saturday March 12
Finally got a chance to get out on Hickory for only the second time this year. I launched at Saunders Ferry expecting the water temps to be in the low 50’s, but to my surprise the water temp was 59 when I put in at safe light (actually found water as warm as 64 around noon). My dad and I fished from 6:30 until 12:30 and caught close to 30 bass and finished the day with our best 5 weighing just over 18 lbs.
I had planned on fishing some spots on the main lake, but due to the higher water temps I decided to fish some secondary points, rip rap, and shallow wood instead. Apparently this was the right decision. We hit several pockets and banks in Drakes Creek and a couple sections of rip rap down towards the dam. Most of the fish we caught were shallow (< 3 ft) on rattle traps or square bills. I did get a couple of a deeper point (sitting in 17 ft casting into 6 ft) on a 3xd crankbait and a 1/2oz football jig. I scanned a couple of deep spots on the main river where I have caught a lot of fish in past winters, but there was nobody home.
All in all it was a fantastic day on the water. It really seemed like most fish are either already in the spawning pockets or are staging nearby. I hope this bite keeps up and I can back on the water soon!
*** I tried to post some pictures, but it said that every picture was too large to attach. Not exactly sure how to fix that issue***
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4 Replies
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quote Whit3240:Finally got a chance to get out on Hickory for only the second time this year. I launched at Saunders Ferry expecting the water temps to be in the low 50’s, but to my surprise the water temp was 59 when I put in at safe light (actually found water as warm as 64 around noon). My dad and I fished from 6:30 until 12:30 and caught close to 30 bass and finished the day with our best 5 weighing just over 18 lbs.I had planned on fishing some spots on the main lake, but due to the higher water temps I decided to fish some secondary points, rip rap, and shallow wood instead. Apparently this was the right decision. We hit several pockets and banks in Drakes Creek and a couple sections of rip rap down towards the dam. Most of the fish we caught were shallow (< 3 ft) on rattle traps or square bills. I did get a couple of a deeper point (sitting in 17 ft casting into 6 ft) on a 3xd crankbait and a 1/2oz football jig. I scanned a couple of deep spots on the main river where I have caught a lot of fish in past winters, but there was nobody home. All in all it was a fantastic day on the water. It really seemed like most fish are either already in the spawning pockets or are staging nearby. I hope this bite keeps up and I can back on the water soon! *** I tried to post some pictures, but it said that every picture was too large to attach. Not exactly sure how to fix that issue***
Well… I feel stupid now.
My buddy and I put in at Shutes Branch and fished that area and pockets off the river around that area. We caught 12 fish from 7-9 with 4 keepers. However, these 4 keepers were puny. Maybe 6.5lbs altogether? We caught all on traps, jerks, and cranks. Anything slow–worms or jigs–didn’t get a sniff. We pulled out at 930 and went to Cedar Creek. Water temp was 56-57 around Shutes. It was 65 in Cedar Creek! 65! However, it was very strange. In the middle of Cedar Creek it was fun clear for Old Hickory 3ft visibility probably. Around Lone Branch or the back Marina? Muddy! You couldn’t see 4″.
I talked to lots of people fishing around us throughout the day. Everybody thought our day was good and we thought it was terrible. Nobody was catching anything around us. There was a tournament out of lone branch. We ran into 4 boats in that tournament. All of them had 2 keepers or less. I know another team in that tournament who came back early because they zero’d and they’re good fishermen.
My buddy and I fished Cedar Creek from 10-1230. We didn’t get a bite.
You had a monster day sounds like. (I heard 12lbs won that tournament but nobody else really had much).
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I was practicing for a tournament next weekend. Man I wish it was on Percy Priest instead. We’re always on the wrong lake at the wrong time.
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No need to feel stupid. Old Hickory is a tough lake and it sounds like I got lucky that day!
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quote Whit3240:No need to feel stupid. Old Hickory is a tough lake and it sounds like I got lucky that day!
Haha I hear ya. Old Hickory is so hard to pattern some times. Hopefully the cold front coming Friday won’t hurt it too much
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