Norris Lake

Discussion in 'The Thunderdome' started by Tenacious D, May 29, 2012.

  1. tripper

    tripper Member

    Best Crappie season in recent memory on Norris. Great fish to eat. I would expect the same for the other surrounding lakes.

    What the hell is butt piss?
     
  2. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    On Kentucky Lake, the number per day is a little lower, but there have been some slabs caught.

    Several over 2 lbs.
     
  3. Tenacious D

    Tenacious D The law is of supreme importance, or no importance

    I'm set up on the lower half. I've covered it all from Pilot Island to Big Ridge, to Hickory Star and beyond - several times, and with my trusty new Garmin sounder - and the most fish I've ever seen at one time in a given place (bait fish excluded) was 4-5.

    There are people all around me (usually) fishing for smallmouth. I have yet to see a single one of them pulled out. Not one.

    The closest grouping I've seen were at 60+ feet deep, and wouldn't hit anything.

    So, if anyone wants to take a ride one day, and teach me a thing or two, hit me up.
     
  4. Tenacious D

    Tenacious D The law is of supreme importance, or no importance

    Saw an older man fishing from the dock the other day - he says it's best place for Crappie and panfish.
     
  5. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    I'd never eat fish caught from around anywhere that people will be regularly dumping their shit buckets.
     
  6. The Dooz

    The Dooz Super Moderator

    You've never had diarrhea? Must be nice.
     
  7. NYY

    NYY Super Moderator

    Had you said mud butt or backdoor trots, I'd been on the same page.
     
  8. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator


    There's some great walleye spots around Hickory Star, too. Holler and I'll show you sometime.
     
  9. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    Tenny D, I spent a lot of time growing up fishing off of the dam at Big Ridge into Big Ridge lake, and watching folks fishing in their boats down below that dam. If you hit down there in the evenings/mornings or at night, you can come into some fish. Middle of the day, forget about it.

    The water can be piss warm there because it is draining from the top of Big Ridge lake which is stupid-hot, and I don't think many fish like that from a comfort standpoint. Pardon the science-speak, but the warmer water spots like that tend to hold less oxygen for them as well, due to the microscopic organisms that do well in those conditions (eutrophication). So fish aren't going to hold up there for long. They'll pass through and look for grub but that is it.

    I swear Norris has some good fishing in it. You'll find those scaly bastards.
     
  10. LawVol13

    LawVol13 Chieftain

    I have never caught shit on Norris. I've listened to people that have, and apparently you just have to know where to go.
     
  11. Volst53

    Volst53 Super Moderator

    I do really well on the union county and Campbell county line area of the lake.
     
  12. IP

    IP Super Moderator


    Cooler waters, better fishing.
     
  13. Volst53

    Volst53 Super Moderator

    Truth it makes for slow fishing when the water gets in the high 80s and low 90s. You better be able to fish a jig or work a deep crankbait on the points.
     
  14. JayVols

    JayVols Walleye Catchin' Moderator

    Trolling 3 oz bottom walkers with a cat's paw spinner w/nightcrawler at 35ft. for wallies, ftw.
     
  15. Volst53

    Volst53 Super Moderator

    I've never done much Walleye fishing. I'd love to get into it, but just haven't yet.

    I've won a lot of money fishing for bass though.
     
  16. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    My dad told me, "It's too damn hot for them to breathe. We'll go eat lunch."
     
  17. Tenacious D

    Tenacious D The law is of supreme importance, or no importance

    Thanks, IP.

    I was actually just fishing right off of Big Ridge Dam on Saturday, but not on low side - because a guy at the dock said that they were tearing it up back there.

    Worms, cricks, crawlers, jigs, small spinners, tubes, bobber, bottom - nothing. Not even a bite.

    I have obviously and woefully underestimated the importance of water temperature, taking it into no account - but can it make that big of a difference when the water is only hovering right above 80 right now?
     
  18. Tenacious D

    Tenacious D The law is of supreme importance, or no importance

    We're seriously about to schedule an 8th fishing trip. Failing that, I'm going to break down and hire a damn guide, as emasculating as it will be.

    I know nearly jack-shit about it (I've spent my entire life fishing farm ponds...and mostly poorly at that), really, and am not afraid to admit it.
     
  19. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    The key to lake fish is really all about temperature, which means depth as well. What makes fish able to thrive in one lake and not in another is water temperature and lake turnover. The lakes turn over in the Spring and Fall. In the summer, fish are going to hang out where there is still oxygen but isn't too hot. Don't think of a lake as one continuous fish habitat. It is actually a desert with only small islands of fish habitat. Same with ocean fishing, really. Just on a larger scale.

    If the water at a depth/area is warm (and 80 is plenty above what you want), there won't be many fish and what fish are there are going to be practically catatonic because there is not much oxygen. They're just hanging out killing brain cells. They aren't going to be hungry, they aren't going to be very big or else they'd need more oxygen, and they aren't going to be aggressive (which is why some fish hang out there at all, to avoid predatory fish).

    Think like a fish.
     
  20. justingroves

    justingroves supermod

    Water temp importance also depends on the species of fish. I know next to nothing when it comes to walleye, other than they hate warm water.

    Small mouth like current and cooler water too.

    Crappie like in the mid 50's to low 60's water temp wise.

    You want to catch crappie, find some structure or a creek channel at around 10 to 15 ft (I'm assuming that would be close to right up there).
     

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