Pete-K

That's the reason I will not live where the water freezes. Don't put my boat up but use it year round. Pickwick may not be the best, but I would not trade it for anything if I had to move.

That is the reason I have a Lund. Could not find a boat that did not beat me to death. And being I'm disabled between my back and heart. A rough ride in a boat and I'm done for weeks. The Lund I can still run almost wide open in waters the bass boats slow down or get beat to death. But its not a dry ride. Pete

Best looking fish in the water. Pete

So far I love it and the fact that I can go out most days with normal clothes on. Stay warm all day and when it warms up still keep it on. 20 degrees and winds I still wear the jacket half zipped most times. You can overheat in it if your moving a lot, but drift fishing that is not an issue. I can move easy with it on, being it does not weight as much as a lot of the stuff out there. Will be ordering a replacement set toward spring time. To just put back and hold on to. That way if and when something happens to this set. I have a backup. Coldest day so far 9 degrees with 10-MPH Winds when the sun came up. Was warm even thought we made a 7 mile run in that temp. Buddy was laying in the floor of the boat cold, but I was warm.

Can someone tell me what section there putting us up in a the cabins? Wife and I may run down and check them out during Christmas. If I stay in one rather then mess with the camper, I'm sure I will be looking for someone to split a cabin with and have a boat seat open for most of the week. Also can bring the smoker and do some Boston Butts or Briskets or Chicken or all the above for one of the dinners.Not going to say its going to be the best you will ever eat. But have fed Hundreds at a time and never had anyone that did not come back for seconds. Pete

We had an old boy pre-fish there years ago for a club Tournament. Problem was we were fishing Joe Wheeler LOL My boat had big fish and total weight within a mile of the ramp at Joe Wheeler. Planning on making this one, But I will be fishing North of Chattanooga Tn (Harrison Bay State park) the week and weekend before. Coming right by there on the way home with the camper. So may find a spot to drop it the Sunday before. Come home and get my boat and go back on Wed. Pete

Way to go,the tough part is over. But it will take a long time to get where you don't reach for it. Been 11 years for me without a dip or smoke. 12 years this coming Feb 22. But I did have a good reason. 99% blockage and doc told me if I wanted to be around to enjoy life I had better stop. Pete

Water looks like its going to be perfect Saturday 80,000+. If the Ice does not keep me off the water below the dam. Got to get the boat Trailer runner finished tomorrow. Also have some hand poured 4" drop shot worms I want to try out with a split shot rig. Thinking they will be killer for fishing below the dam. Poured up a few dozen last week. Pete

Do you ever fish the standing timber that is under water? Or the old Train track that is still in the lake? Have not fished it but one time, and that was around 1989. Always fished Wheeler lake or Pickwick.

Caught a 8.4 large-mouth on a Wed. Then in a Tournament on Saturday caught the same fish same spot. Had a big black spot on the side of its head. And sad part is did not get big fish, Guy came in with a smallmouth that beat my fish out by 2 ozs. Pete

This side of Baby Back ribs I have around $14.00 and that is doing them my self. Meat is high and going higher. Picked up 4 sides of Baby Backs today to feed the family this weekend. $30. just for the ribs, then the dry rub I make my self but still a few bucks in the stuff to make it. Sauce I make up my self and Its around $20 per gallon or better. $1500. Smoker (1500 Smokin Tex Smoker) I have been using for years Priceless. 3 Boston Butts total weight 26 lbs on one rack. 20 lbs of chicken on the other racks. I can do 120 lbs of Butts and 80 lbs of chicken QTrs on this one. Picked up a Brisket and that is Between $40 to $50 bucks these days. Again meat is prices are going higher each day. Pete

Fished last Friday, 10/25/2013 took a guy that had never fished this way. We had 4 smallmouths nothing big, one largemouth and a spot, lots of drum and catfish. Most fish came off the old rock piles from when the channel was first cut years ago. Did get one smallmouth in close, but by the time we were going to make the next drift more boats had moved in there. So went back up and made a long drift. Now for the bad part, Left about 50 or so minnows in the livewell with the air pump running. Found out yesterday that the pump had died so now I have a bad smelling boat. Plus hope a buddy makes it over this weekend. AS a bunk on the trailer came apart so boat is riding on metal on that spot. Did not do any damage other then a cratch, but guessing we will have to take both tractors and loaders set the boat off the trailer and fix it. That or haul it back to the river and unload it and fix the trailer in the parking lot.

I'm with Jeff on the single split shot. When I would run out and try 2 always breaking off. But keep all different sizes and use just enough to feel it tick bottom. That is when it works best and less issues of hangs. Last friday they were running around 77,000 and we caught fish good until the current was cut around noon or 1 pm. Pete

Plans are to be back on the water in the am around 7am. Fishing with a guy I have never met before. He has never fished the river this way , so hes in for a shock. LOL Plan on throwing grubs and hair jigs after a few drifts with live bait. Pete

Got the bait from the other place hard to hold on to slimy it was. But hard to beat the price. $10.50 for 3 dozen big minnows. Used 50 and still have enough to fish Thursday. Heard a while back Gant's place was for sale. Wish my back would allow me, I would love to own the place Gant has. But will not even think about buying it and having someone run it. Plan on putting up my bait tank here at the house within the next few weeks. Then buy my sauger and Big Minnows 10 lbs at a time. Working on a stock pond here at the farm, it will be bait only. Have some in the pond on my place about 400 yds from the Pipeline there below dam. Some of those minnows are 10" long, we got some of them out a few years back for Stripers and man they would eat them up. Plan is to camp at the TVA campground next week 4 or 5 days. And fish each day Have a budd coming down to fish for a day or so and may have a spot open one day if not 2. Thinking next Thursday until Monday. Can't fish that saturday, as way to much to do and we have to go to a deal at Selmer High schoo. My wife is getting incducted into the hall of fame there. She scored 3000+ points while playing basketball there. Pete

Nice review and great boat. I almost went with one of those. But love my Tiller boat Lund 1825 Pro Guide Tiller. pete

Got on the water this am about 6, still dark and slow rain. Cool weather man I love it, Made 5 drifts from the Botel down to the Power lines. First smallmouth jumped and threw the hook looked to be around 2 lbs. Second one did the same thing. Thinking to my self need to stop this. Next one was around 1.5 lbs and got it in the boat. Next fish a drum, Next fish a catfish around 5 lbs. Then a nice 18" Smallmouth pretty fish but did not even get a pic. Being I was fishing by my self, would not try to get one with my phone. Next fish making a run up river and coming to the top like it was going to jump. Did this 3 times and I'm thinking man a nice Brown fish this time for sure. At this time I have to get on the trolling motor and head up stream after the fish. For some reason it wanted to head to the dam. after chasing it down. get it to the boat almost. Then back to the bottom again, still thinking man this is going to be a 5 lb smallmouth for sure. Then comes to the top and its a channel catfish around 10 lbs. but was still a great fight. Next fish was a monster for sure. Yes the bottom of the river, started hanging and breaking off I think 7 or 8 times. Ran out of split shot in the size I needed. So came home. Now to re spool both reels, and rig back up. Plan on going again Thursday or Friday. Would love to go tomorrow, but one of my best friends passed away Monday and tomorrow is taken up for that. But man it was a nice morning on the water, One smallmouth is nice 2 is good and the rest Priceless. Water temp was anywhere from 65 at the dam to 69 down stream. Current was running like crazy 62,000 + this am. Pete

If you want something that will keep you warm? Float you if you were to fall in? Does not weight as much for bibs and a coat as most jackets weight? Cost less than the Bibs of Guide wear? All this and fish in jeans and a shirt that you can come out of a place where you were eating a meal and put this on. And not burn up eating breakfast but stay warm all day. Artic Armor Had it for a few years now and its the best I have ever seen or tried out. Fish on days where its in the Teens and rod eyes freeze up. Stay warm and without bulk. http://www.idigear.com/arcticarmor1.php Also for the southern states where we don't see as cold of weather. Thinking there Bow hunting wear will work for us. I started to with it, but now that I have the Good stuff. Would never leave home without it. Feels good to know bibs and jacket will float me and a buddy with ease if it needs to. Plus I have fished lots of days with only the bibs and a long sleeve shirt. While other boats near me had on so much they could not move or set the hook. Can't remember the name of the spot I got mine from. But it was a Ice fishing site. And thinking with shipping it was less then $300. for bibs, jacket and gloves.

Using enough weight to allow me to keep in touch with the bottom when Control drifting. Does not take as much as you think even in heavy current. unless your using big baits.

You can also do a controlled drift. Say the current is running 2.8 mph, use the trolling motor to slow the boat down to around .07 mph and this will allow your bait to get on bottom. But behind the boat not under it, my bait will be 30 yds or more behind the boat. I lift up on the drop shot rig and let it back to bottom. Your walking your bait or baits down stream in front of your boat. Been fishing this way for 40 years and its killer. Takes a while to get everything working together,but when you to its going to open up a new world of fishing for you. Pete

I clicked on the form to get it printed out and mailed in. But the link did not work? Going to be rough, as were in East Tn 6 days then drag in home. Sunday or Monday and just set up there. No reason to bring the camper home when I'm passing by there on the way home. Will have my boat guessing an extra seat. Be camping below the dam in the campground. Pete

That is just the tip of the iceberg on what is to come. Pete

Then heres one more. This one I'm running a creek channel at 4 MPH and seeing lots of fish all along this little lake creek bed with log piles along it. These are from my 987c SI first model made and still works great. Heres going on up this creek channel.

Love this shot shows fish rounding up the bait.

Happy Birthday may all your fish fight hard weight a lot and always allow you to get a hand on them before returning to the water. Pete