Fishing

Discussion in 'The Thunderdome' started by justingroves, Aug 17, 2011.

  1. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Hope this works.

    The smaller walleye is 18 1/4". That should give you some perspective on the bigger fish.
     

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  2. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Told you I could get the little bastards. Caught it night fishing under black lights late this last spring on South Holston Lake in Bristol, TN. I was throwing this plug:
     

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  3. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Walleye are light sensitive. Bright lights at night can scare them off. We use black lights with flourescent line to help see where we cast. We fish points and along tree covered banks. The black lights used in conjunction with flourescent line simply helps you keep the light levels down while still allowing you to see where you are casting to a certain degree.

    Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. On that particular trip, I nearly screwed up royally. On my 2nd cast, I launched that plug I posted 15 ft up in a tree. Had to use a plug knocker to get it out, It fell in the lake, but luckily it was a floater. That chartreuse middle, brown back, and day-glo orange belly is an absolute beast. I catch most of my fish on that plug including my Moby [penis] I posted. Check out the teeth marks on the tail of that plug pic I posted. You can't buy them anymore. That one is hand painted, and it was my last one. A couple hours later, I landed that monster. My dip net was too small; half of the fish was hanging out. I would have jumped in to make sure that fish didn't get away.

    As a general rule, you catch fewer but larger fish when you fish at night. I have been most successful during the spring around a full moon. The alewives are what they come to feed on, and those bait fish usually stop spawning in the summer. I am better at trolling since I have been doing that for years. I have only started night fishing the last couple of years. I catch a larger number of fish trolling a cat's paw spinner that I tie with a night-crawler and a homemade wire bottom bouncer with a 3 oz. weight during the day in the summer months.
     
  4. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator


    If you make it down to TN, I'll see to it that you get some quality lake time in. Just keep your guard up if the fishing is slow and on the trip home....

    Yes, I surely do know the deal. That one was a catch of a lifetime for me as well. Most wallies run in the 2-6 lb range. A 2 lb brookie is awesome. I have never used a fly rod to fish. Looks too much like work. I'm still hoping to hook a monster drum out at Hatteras. So far, no luck. I was standing about 3 people down from a guy that landed a 60+ lb drum out on the point. It was awesome. I can't rationalize spending $400-$500 on a rig needed to hang with the big boys out there for a once/year fishing trip, but I can dream of catching that monster. The chance of hooking the big one is what keeps fishermen coming back for more.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2011
  5. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    I have tinkered with a fly rod in the yard. I guess I did ok. We have a nice river, the Nolichucky, about an hour from the house that would be great for fly rod fishing. We don't have many cold run streams though. Most of the trout in the area are in the deeper mountain lakes (South Holston and Watauga) or downstream from dams. I used to fish a nightcrawler in the river below Ft. Patrick Henry dam. One wouldn't think that there would be a lot of trout there because it runs through the middle of Eastman Chemical Company, but there are some really nice rainbows and browns in there. As a teenager, I cut my teeth on South Holston night fishing under the lanterns for rainbows. It's lazy man fishing. Just find the depth of the fish, put the lanterns out, drop your line to the correct depth, then sit and wait for the show. Great time to drink beer and tell lies to your buddy. I quit trout fishing, for the most part, when I tasted my 1st walleye. Been after those sons-a-[itch bay]es ever since.
     
  6. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Just a visual aid to make my point about the size difference between the fish caught trolling vs night fishing with plugs. The guy in the pic is my 1st cousin, once removed. He is the one that taught me wally fishing. The fish is a REALLY nice catch for trolling falling in the 6 1/2-7 lb range probably. It was in the 26" range (my fish measure in the boat is only 24"). We got this one in late July on the same lake, South Holston. Compare that to the 30+", 11+lb monster caught night fishing.
     

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  7. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    That's the one. Sycamore Shoals in Elizabethton, TN is one of the first western frontier outposts of early America. I have been told that 'Nolichucky' is a Native American term that means 'river of death'. Not sure if true. It does have some really nice rapids and is a popular white water rafting destination.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2011
  8. VOLFREAK11

    VOLFREAK11 New Member

    I just got the 7 ft md mod/fast action. I'll slowly get more.
     
  9. Volst53

    Volst53 Super Moderator

    Some damn good looking fish, Jay
     
  10. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Thanks. You can't catch fish like those all the time, but it sure was nice this past spring & summer.
     
  11. VOLFREAK11

    VOLFREAK11 New Member

    I would be the dumb [uck fay] that throws back a potential state record. I caught a pickerel today on a spoon. Wasn't really sure what he was at first, so I sent a pic of him to a guy who knows his stuff and he told me he is pretty damn sure it is a grass pickerel. If it was, I had the state record. They don't have one recorded for TN and KY's state record is 10oz. Mine was every bit of 1-1.5 lbs
     
  12. VOLFREAK11

    VOLFREAK11 New Member

    Thats the first one I've ever caught. My dad caught a really nice Chain Pickerel a few years ago when we were bass fishing. Me and my uncle got out this afternoon and fished in the cove on some rock banks for a couple hours. He caught a chunky smallie and I caught a chunky largemouth. Both an inch short of keeping.
     
  13. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    It's taken me 14 years to build up a nice stash of fishing gear. I imagine my son will have it all broken in a hurry.
     
  14. VOLFREAK11

    VOLFREAK11 New Member

    If I were you he wouldn't touch a loomis rod till he is 14-15.
     
  15. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    Would that fish have lived after being released?

    I don't know what I would have done.
     
  16. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Amen, brother. I am no tree hugger. I enjoy knocking a keeper walleye in the head as much as anyone, but these type of fish are few and far between. If you want a trophy, have a mount made from the pics and measurements.
     
  17. VOLFREAK11

    VOLFREAK11 New Member

    How does the fish weigh 1200lbs or maybe 972?
     
  18. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    With a big scale?


    Sorry. Had to be done.
     
  19. VOLFREAK11

    VOLFREAK11 New Member

    haha the article shows them not even knowing how big it is. 300lbs is a big difference in weight
     
  20. 7thgroupvolfan

    7thgroupvolfan New Member

    Catch a fish [itch bay]
     

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