Big Fish Workout

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Air Temperature: 28 - 39 during trip
Water Temperature: 48 Degrees
Lake Level: 555.5

Weather Conditions: Clear, sunny. Cool. Winds N-NW 5-8 MPH.

I set out once again today to see if the striped bass had moved in and they had not... But the beautiful think about striped bass gear and setup is it will also catch cats just the same.  

I fished the nuclear plant along the pipeline using my livescope to find the fish and the spotlock to set up over them.  No striped bass, but the big cats were loving the jumbo shiners as live bait.  I quickly caught one cat weighing about pounds and then afterwards, it was GAME ON!!

My next fish was 30 lbs and the next two weighed 25 lbs each.  With 4 fish in the boat, I was at nearly 90 lbs.  I was the only boat on the water until a catfish guide came and parked about 30 yards away.  They never caught a fish, but was about to get a good show.

The next fish was HUGE.  I had a big fish hit me hard and I immediately knew it was over 40 lbs.  I couldn't gain any line on it and it keep spooling drag so hard the bolts in my reel were getting loose.  I don't know how long the fight was, but probably 10-15 minutes before I got the fish to surface.  I keep a big net, but this fish was going to be a struggle to net.  I managed to get it in the net, but the webbing was snapping like crazy around the net ring as I lifted it in.  BOOM - 57# fish in the boat!  This is my 2nd largest ever caught on rod and reel.

I managed two more decent fish to end the day with 7 total weighing somewhere just over 150 lbs total.  I'd never had a day where I caught this many large fish consistently.  Pulled in about 4 drum today as well. What a day!!