2023 04 08 Nickajack (TN River)

[coldfront]

back out today.  Rainy day (light but steady all day).  49°F at 9AM when I put the boat in.  52°F at 2PM when I loaded up to head home.

with rains of past day, there was a bit of stain to the water, but since it came down relatively slow, steady, not a flush of heavy color.  love this lake and often target areas with current, but it's getting close to spawn and the girls are trying to push for quiet, calm waters and 'love'.  TVA was running about 20K on main river.  I was in the backwater areas.  water temps were 60°F main channel and anywhere from 61°F - 62°F in back areas.


tried a few things today, but just couldn't get past slow soaking a lizard.  some folks chase a topwater bite... I love that intense focus and 'tap' or, as was the case today... they just mouth it and swim off with it.  takes a lot of concentration in addition a sensitive line, rod and tungsten weights.

first today on a 'new' color:  Huckleberry


last fish (and best) of the day.  nice thick, heavy fish.  based on length, mouth size, I figured 'about 3'.  but since I was damned cold, wet and thinking about heading in anyway... broke out the Berkley scales.  3-14.  cool.  might think that today, with a little stain, shoulda tossed a 'darker' lizard.  tried.  but it's really really hard to beat a watermelonseed lizard.  and even better when you add a bit of red flake 'right about now'.



lots of folks love to talk about this hook, or that hook.  this type, that type.  I just keep sawing wood with EWGs (this one is a VMC heavy 2/0 EWG).  punched right through the cheek.  that hook was not coming out.  probably brought about 15 into the boat today ranging from one intrepid 4" little guy up to the one above.  would guess all but that little guy were in the 2lb class or slightly better.  just a fun day of slowly working a bottom bait.  putting all focus on it... and taking a few photos.

[Donald Garner]

CF, congrats on a successful outing.  Tks for sharing the trip and those pictures with us also 

[alvaro1]

Sounds like a nice day out on the water despite the rain! Good to hear you caught some decent fish. Did huckleberry perform better than other colors you tried?

[coldfront]

nope.  think the red flake in it helped some... but there was a clear preference for the watermelonseed/red flake over the boysenberry...  and over the cali 420 as well.
sorry to rain on the 'it's either black or white' crew!   


and my PREFERRED days are overcast with rain...  always.