Grain Fed

 Wheeler Lake - Decatur

Time: 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Air Temperature: 36 - 62 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: 46 degrees
Lake Level: 552.59 - Strong Current.

Weather Conditions: Clear and Sunny. Winds variable 5-9 MPH

I decided to get in a catfish trip before crappie season started.  I headed over to the grain barges in Decatur.  They were loading/unloading grain pretty rapidly and moving barges, so I back up a bit and anchored.  Current was very strong and it was all I could do to sit still, but I managed.

I used some frozen skipjack and casted behind the barges and fished bottom.  I've recently installed some new rod holders and acquired some new Abu Garcia reels and Ugly Stik Catfish Special rods.  This was a good time to try both of them out.

Almost immediately, I hooked a decent cat, but things got slow after that.  I managed to pull in two more, but wrapped up the day early before lunch.  Nothing spectacular to report, but never a bad day on the water.

Catching Up

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry and Indian Creek

Time: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Air Temperature: 32 - 60 degrees during trip
Water Temperature:
Lake Level: 552.36 

Weather Conditions: Partly Cloudy. Winds East South East- 12 MPH.

I was thinking about my friend Cameron a few weeks back and gave him a shout to see if he wanted to fish.  It's probably been 2-3 years since we've had a chance to get together.  He was all in and drove down from TN to fish.

We started the day trying to catch stripped bass at the nuclear plant, but temperatures were warming quick and strong current + strong winds in the same direction made in impossible to stay in position.  We gave it all we could up until lunch, but had to give in due to the tough wind and water.  We caught one bass and a couple cats.  I did manage to catch one nice flathead.  

After lunch, we decided to completely change it up and try out some new water.  We trailered to boat to Triana and launched at Indian Creek.  I had never been there before, but had heard it might be a good spot for crappie.

Crappie fishing was slow with mixed luck between minnows and jigs.  We caught 4 keepers but had a great time doing it and it was excellent to catch up.  We will definitely need to do it again sooner next time.  

Lookin' Good In Stripes

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Air Temperature: 28 - 47 degrees during trip
Water Temperature:
Lake Level: 552.57 

Weather Conditions: Sunny. Winds North West- 3-10 MPH.

I made a last minute decision to head out solo this morning.  I also wanted to see if I could take what Kevin had taught me about fishing for stripped bass and apply it on my own.  

I headed out and did exactly what we've done the past couple times.  I definitely wish I had a spot lock trolling motor.  I'm able to fish, but it is a much bigger struggle to hold position without the spot lock.

I had a great morning.  I caught 5 strippers and 2 cats.  Two of the bass were very nice and fought insanely hard.  I was glad to see I could apply what I'd been learning.  

Strippers - Round 2

Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Air Temperature: 20 - 29 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: Cold, barely above freezing
Lake Level: 552.72 

Weather Conditions: Mostly Sunny. Winds North- 5-13 MPH.

After having such a great time last weekend, Kevin and I headed back out for a repeat of our last trip.

Overall, today was almost a carbon copy of last weekend.  Today, the current was a bit tougher, and the wind kicked up at times making it very difficult to stay in position.

We caught a few bass and a couple cats, but it was definitely slower than last weekend.  The highlight of the trip by far was Kevin's flathead catfish.  It weighed 41 lbs and was tagged in the dorsal fin!  First time in my life seeing a tagged fish in the wild.  Very cool.  

We had a blast and definitely will get out again soon.

FINALLY Learning How to Fish for Hybrids and Strippers

 Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Air Temperature: 21 - 43 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: Cold, barely above freezing
Lake Level: 552.03
Weather Conditions: Sunny. Winds North- North East 2-10 MPH.

For many, many years, I've wanted to learn how to catch Hybrid and Stripped Bass, but just never knew how to get started and never had anyone to show me.  I've had never taken the time to learn on my own via trial and error as I always just targeted something familiar.  Well, one day recently I asked my friend Kevin if he'd show me how and he was all in.  

We launched around 7:30 from Cowford and rode down to the nuclear plant.  It was COLD!  Kevin had stopped at the bait shop in Tanner and picked out some very large shiners/bass minnows.  It was so cold, that the minnow bucket was frozen nearly solid already.  My wet feet were freezing to the deck.  

Kevin showed me how to rig.  I was very surprised to see that it was really just a deviation of a Carolina rig with a 3 oz egg sinker rigged to slip against a swivel.  We tied a two-foot leader with a regular shank hook on and that is all it took.  Kevin explained that we'd let it drop to bottom and reel up a couple feet and fish as vertical as the current would allow and adjust as we found the fish.  

We fished the current break along the drop off around the pipeline near the green buoy and all the way down to the four steel posts around the boils.  We used the fish finder to find local groups of fish and then used the spot lock on the trolling motor to set up over the targets.  Now that we were all ready, we dropped line.  

And BOOM! Fish on!

Kevin got a massive hit almost immediately.  I was amazed and the strength of this fish.  It took off like a torpedo and peeled like off quick!  It put up one heck of a fight and after a couple minutes, we put the first fish in the boat.  

I washed Kevin repeat and put a couple more in the boat.  He reeled in a 24 lbs monster and had another one over 20 lbs pretty soon thereafter.

Now that I'd seen a round or two, I was ready for my turn and soon got a good hit.  I've never fought a fish in freshwater that fights quite like these bass.  Amazingly strong and fast with little to no quit in them.

We had a great day and put somewhere around 7-9 bass in the boat along with a couple stray drum and catfish.  What an amazing day learning a new species.

Big shout out to Kevin for teaching me the ropes and I can't wait to try it again!

Eve of Christmas Eve

Wheeler Lake - Mooresville / Arrowhead Landing

Time: 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Air Temperature: 28 - 61 degrees during trip
Water Temperature:
Lake Level: 551.57
Weather Conditions: Sunny. Winds North- North East 2-12 MPH.

Returned to Arrowhead today on a solo Christmas vacation trip.  Glad I did!

Early in, the fish wouldn't touch a jig.  Had early success fishing minnows under a bobber and caught consistently.  As it warmed up, I was determined to get them to hit jigs on the Livescope.  I tried all my trusty colors, but couldn't get them to commit.  I could seem them come inspect my jig, then move on.  Finally I put on a white tube body with chartreuse skirt and tipped it with a minnow.  Bingo.  

I fished this way from lunch onwards as the wind picked up with great success.  I ended up getting into some skipjack, too, so I put 9 in the live well for future catfish bait.  

Caught 60 total crappie today with 15 keepers.  Caught another 9 or so bluegill, bass, etc.  Ended the day with right around 90 total fish caught.  Excellent day.  

Learning to Cast + Crawfish

 

Show and Tell

Wheeler Lake - Mooresville / Arrowhead Landing

Time: 7:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Air Temperature: 28 - 47 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 551.49
Weather Conditions: Mostly Cloudy. Winds North 6 MPH.

Kevin and I took to the water today.  I wanted to demo the livescope with him as he's been thinking about getting one.  I think he's sold 😆.We fished a 1/2 day.  Struggled with jigs early, but minnows under a cork did fairly well.  Never did find a great color combination on jigs.  We fished tree tops, stumps, and bushes.  We didn't keep count today.  I think we probably caught 50-60 crappie total, but they were very short.  We struggled to keep anything with size and only had 3 keepers at lunch.  Still was a great day.  Didn't take any pictures today...

Back on the Crappie

Wheeler Lake - Mooresville / Arrowhead Landing

Time: 7:15 AM - 1:45 PM
Air Temperature: 32 - 57 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 551.84
Weather Conditions: Sunny. Winds variable 3-13 mph.  Rough.

It was nice to get back on the water today.  I targeted tree tops on the drop offs this morning.  I didn't have a ton of luck on jigs or Livescope today, but the Livescope help me target the correct depth to fish with minnows and a bobber.  I had the best luck fishing suspended about 5 feet deep under a the cork.  

The fish were biting excellent, but were short.  That's not a bad thing - it means we will have some good fishing in the upcoming next couple years.  I ended up catching 45 by myself with 17 being big enough to keep.  Lots of bluegill species, warmouths, etc today as well.  I also got into a school of skipjack and caught 10 of them big enough to keep.  I keep everyone I can and freeze them for future catfish bait. 

When I got home, my wife reminded me that she is the greatest in the world.  She surprised me with a cordless Bubba Blade for filleting.  I gave it a test run and it was awesome!

It was a good day and nice to be back on the winter crappie.

Testing New Gear

 Wheeler Lake - Browns Ferry

Time: 6:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Air Temperature: 35 - 59 degrees during trip
Water Temperature: 
Lake Level: 552.23
Weather Conditions: Sunny, Cool. Light and variable, 0-5 MPH

For the first time in many, many years, I finally invested in some new rods for catfishing.  I bought a set of the new Ugly Stik Catfish USCACATSPEC802MH rods.  These are two piece 8 ft rods in a medium heavy action.  They are rated for 3 oz of weight and 30 lbs test (I'm running 80 lbs braid, but the diameter is similar to 30 lbs mono).  These have the long trigger handle and are my exactly what I've been looking for in a rugged, versatile rod for vertical fishing.  I have them paired with left handed Abu Garcia 5501C3 and 6501C3 reels.

First impression is they are very nice.  They feel good, are well balanced, and handle the reel, weight, and line all very well.  I took them out this morning for a try and begin catching fish quickly.

I was using frozen skip jack and picked up 8 cats along the pipeline drop off.  The rods felt good and handled the fish well.  Could have caught many more, but was trying to get off the water by lunch.  Had a great day and pleased with the new gear.  

Mapping Old Waters

 Wheeler Lake -2nd Creek

I went out today on what was mainly a re-scouting trip.  Back when I was fishing from a kayak and in the early days of having a boat in Alabama, I fished the 2nd Creek area a lot.  I didn't have very good electronics, but marked things the best I could with what I had.  

When I upgraded to the Garmin + Livescope, I transferred in all my old waypoints.  The purpose of today was to cover old water and look more closely with my electronics and Livescope to learn more about the cover I've always fished.

I was amazed at retracing old markers that they were very accurately placed and transferred well.  All the old cover seems to be holding up fairly well.  It was nice to see what was actually down there where I have always fished.  Most areas were holding fish well, but I was struggling to get them to bite.  The wind was also getting up and making it tough.  I was only planning on about 1/2 day on the water but I got most of the area north of the bridge covered.  It was a good learning day.  Managed to pick off a couple crappie along the way off old structure.