Kats with Kevin

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 6:15 AM - 11:00 AM
Air Temperature: 65 - 85F during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 555.96

Weather Conditions: Nice, clear. Winds East 8 MPH.

Kevin and I went out to the Nuclear Plant for a morning session.  Caught a few cats on cut bait and had a great time!

New Personal Best Catfish and Boat Record!!

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Air Temperature: 26 - 35 during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 551.64

Weather Conditions: Cold, clear. Winds North 12 MPH.

I love cold weather fishing and after an unseasonably warm couple of weeks, we had a cold snap.  I bought a couple dozen jumbo shiners and decided to head to the nuclear plant to see what I could catch.  I never got into the stripers this winter, so I was hoping for them or large cats on live bait.

I didn't get into the stripers, but I found the big cats!! My first fish hit hard and I immediately realized I had a whopper when it began spooling drag as fast as it could.  Current was pulling strong and between the size of the fish and the current, it was quite a battle.  As soon as it breached, I realized it was HUGE.

I grabbed my new Trophy Haul net and went to the back of the boat and went in for the scoop.  I broke my new Trophy Haul net... but I managed to land this fish!

This fish by far dwarfs my prior personal best.  My previous PB was a 62 lb flathead I caught when I was a kid that measured 48" long.  This fish measured 53-1/2" long.  My scale was not cooperating, but according to the length/weight charts, this fish likely weighed about 72 lbs.  I can attest that seems spot on.  

My day did not end there... the next fish was probably in the 30 lbs range and the next fish after that was a flathead weight near 15 lbs. 

I think I only ended up with 4 fish total, but it was an amazing day full of big cats.  I'll never forget this one.

Sometimes they don't cooperate...

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Air Temperature: 52 - 59 during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 551.74

Weather Conditions: Overcast, cool. Winds SSW 3-8 MPH.

Nick Bates and I set out today to see if we could catch some stripped bass or catfish on live bait.  We put in at Cowford and set out for the Nuclear Plant.  We set up with spotlock and targeted some fish with large shiners suspended off the bottom.  Little to no luck.  Fish had lockjaw.  Managed a couple drum and this decent flathead.

We headed down toward the bluffs across from the Elk River mouth to try to mix it up.  Nothing.  Moved to a creek mouth and found some suspended structure and switched over to crappie.  A couple bites, but no fish in the boat.  

Sometimes they don't cooperate.  

Highlight of the day was coming across a wrecked boat.  They had a bad day...

Back after a month break...

Wheeler Lake - Mooresville / Arrowhead Landing

Time: 7:45 AM - 2:30 PM
Air Temperature: 40 - 52 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: 51 degrees
Lake Level: 551.86
Weather Conditions: Partly cloudy. Winds from E-SE 7 MPH.

Between traveling for work, Christmas holiday, and family vacation, I had not been on the water for a month so I was excited to get back out today.  I went out searching for crappie.

It was a little slow today.  I picked up couple out of various places, but struggled until around lunch to find any schooled up in any sort of concentration.  I caught a couple on a minnow under a bobber, but for the most part, my best luck was with a white and chartreuse tube jig tipped with a minnow.  I couldn't catch much actually in the blown down tree tops, but found them on fully suspended structure in 8-12 FOW.

I caught a streak around 12-1 o'clock but it was short lived.  A little slow, but I managed to catch 15 and 4-5 bluegill too.  Still had a great day on the water.

Winter Blues

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Air Temperature: 43 - 46 during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 555.04

Weather Conditions: Raining, cool. Winds E 7 MPH.

I went out today to try to repeat my catfish catch from two days prior and did just that, except fish were a slightly smaller. Weather was crumby, but fishing was great.  

I fished the same place with the same tactics (livescope, spotlock, live jumbo shiners suspended) and got the same result.  Another excellent day.  Biggest fish were 20 and 21 lbs.  I caught about 7 nice cats and a couple drum.  I was using leftover shiners from last trip and ended up running out around lunch.  Just for giggles, I tied on a white 6" saltwater swimbait to see what would happen... And caught a nice cat 😂!

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!!

Big Wind, Big Waves, a Little Nauseous.

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Air Temperature: 32 - 37 during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 552.23

Weather Conditions: Cold, windy, extremely cloudy. Winds N-NE- 15 MPH. Very tough conditions.

I set out today to see if the striped bass had moved in.  They have not... I was fishing jumbo shiners along the pipeline and using the spotlock to hold me.  Incredibly windy.  Caught 4-5 cats and 4-5 drum.  Very rough wind and waves to the point I was actually getting seasick.  But the spotlock trolling motor held me spot on.  

Gators Galore! And a Couple Crappie...

Wheeler Lake - Mooresville / Arrowhead Landing

Time: 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Air Temperature: 53 - 80 degrees during trip
Water Temperature:
Lake Level: 553.09
Weather Conditions: Sunny. Winds from South 5-10 MPH.

I set out today to see if the crappie had moved in yet with the falling water level and cooler nights.  I mostly failed on the crappie.  Only caught 4 crappie and 3 shell cracker, but still had fun.

I saw 2 or 3 gators that were probably - 5-6 ft long.  I've always heard they were in there, but this is my first time actually seeing.  Very cool!

Family Fun - A Little Jug Fishing

Wheeler Lake

Time: 6:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Air Temperature: Low 63 - High 83
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 555.22

Weather Conditions: Mostly sunny and clear. Winds ESE- 6-10 MPH.

My wife and son joined me today for some family fun while jug fishing for catfish.  We wanted to give Thomas some introduction to fishing and jug fishing is a simple way to get out and catch some fish easily without any major skills needed.  Todd Whatley had give me some stand-up noodles jugs he built and today was the first day giving them a try.  They worked great and we had an awesome day!

Testing new trim unit and catching catfish

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 6:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Air Temperature: 66 - 84 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: 87 Degrees
Lake Level: 555.77

Weather Conditions: Mostly sunny and clear. Winds SSW- 7-9 MPH.

I'd like to start out by giving a shout out to Five Star Marine in Port Richey, FL.  I've been having progressing issues with my power trim unit for the past couple years.  After researching it, I found a new unit to be about $1,200.  I was watching a YouTube video on how to remove the trim on my boat and the video mentioned sending their unit off to Five Star for repair.  After doing some research, it was a no brainer.  I shipped my unit off and 10 days later received it back in the mail.  They charge a flat rate, depending on the model, for refurbishing plus whatever parts incurred during the refurb.  In the end.  I was $635 in including shipping and have a unit that is as good as new with a 2 year warranty.  They are excellent if you are in the market for a trim repair.

I headed over to the nuclear plant today for some catfish.  I launched right at daylight and noticed some threadfin popping the water at the the boat ramp (Cowford).  I decided to throw a net a few times and see what I could catch.  l was able to catch a few small shad around the ramp and a few more plus a couple small bluegill under the powerlines.  I brought frozen skipjack and some chicken gizzards too, but fresh bait is always good to have.

Once I got set up, I noticed someone has placed several marker buoys around the pipeline marking the drop off.  I have mixed feelings about this, but it definitely makes sighting the pipeline area easier.

As normal, I dropped down below the pipeline and immediately begin getting hits.  I noticed chicken gizzards we're performing very well.  I tried the live threadfin, but they too weren't doing fantastic.  Nothing today seemed to beat the cut skipjack.  

I putted around the area until about 11:00 and managed 18 blues.  Most were around 6 lbs on the average, but I caught a couple bigger.  It was an excellent morning and my trim performed perfect.