TnRiver46

Hahaha! My buddy (who has only used braid once or twice) was throwing one of my rods with braid the other day in the back of my boat. I kept hearing "what in the $#@& is going on here" coming from the back of the boat. All I could say was "it just does that sometimes"

I feel that my body sweats for a few reasons, one of which to cool me off. I don't want it wicked away

I think I can offer some insight. The answer to @Paul Roberts question is yes. The answer to @Choporoz question is fishing pressure. Where do more people fish than anywhere else? FLA. All year long. I work at a resort as a fly fishing guide where we stock trout in a tiny creek. Big ones. These fish go from dumb as a hammer to genius level in a matter of 2-3 weeks. They become almost impossible to catch very quickly, impressive for a pea sized brain. It's predator avoidance, plain and simple. Sure they still have to eat and can still be caught but fishing pressure makes them very hard to catch. And it happens really fast to sterile stocked rainbows, imagine how smart they could get when passing genes down to the next generation......like FLA bass

I honestly think me and my friends have broken the world record for skipjack herring a few times but have never bothered to turn it in. I think it's just over 4 lbs haha. The striper guys I know would take a 4.5 lb skipjack and put a circle hook and balloon on it in the blink of an eye . I bet in the early 1900s people didn't even know the records for most fish, maybe even a largemouth. It was most likely just more meat for anyone except pioneer sport fishermen

Ah yes! I forgot you were in middle TN. I fished center hill last year in August and got a couple decent bass. One was a smallmouth fishing the bluffs and the other was a largemouth dragging a shakey head deep in the middle of a creek arm. I have never fished old hickory or priest , I’ve heard priest is a big smallmouth factory. I’ve also read a couple different places that the Cumberland is a conveyer belt of trees this year edit: I just reread your post about center hill being over 100 feet deep for 85% of it. I’m sure you already know this but it’s half empty right now too for dam problems!!!!

I tend to lean the other way. I would imagine fishing was pretty good 100 years ago. Relatively low fishing pressure and not nearly as much pollution. Someone may have caught a 26 pound bass and just eaten it back then

My friends that live in Chattanooga are thrilled that guntersville was ahead of chickamauga on the list this time........ for smokescreen purposes........

Sounds like someone might have treated the vegetation with herbicide, although I would think that’s probably frowned upon in Maine. Nice largemouth, there must have been something tasty to him 20 feet down there

Hahahaha. I switched from the Boston to the swingline because it didn't bind up as much......

Those are 3 really good colors!!!

Those are just badges of honor representing fish slayed

The waters you described sound like a lot of the lakes/rivers near me. If some vegetation does manage to grow someone kills it! The only place I can find grass is the industrial part of downtown where there are no HOAs to pool their money and spray the grass. The deep rocky waters with no grass I like to use a 1/8 oz jig head with either a finesse worm or tube jig on them. Cast is up against rock bluffs and watch the line as it tumbles down. If it stops sinking in 100 ft of water, it’s because you got a bite ! Also the fish chase shad fry this time of year on the surface over deep clear water

My yard is growing like crazy but it storms a couple times everyday and has been staying wet. Might have to hire a goat........

Just one about 90+ percent of the time. A plastic worm

Hahahahaha I saw that too. What in the world ........

Bluegill pattern cranks and topwaters

Cool facts @Sam! @roadwarrior, and Texas wants to call themselves "the real UT" ..... Thats the thanks we get....... Haha! In all seriousness it's great to live where we support Uncle Sam enough to send him our young men and women century after century

So far I’m 0 for 1 with a whopper plopper so my hookup ratio is 0%......... I’m hoping this improves before I die but the outlook is bleek

It's been a great year for 20"+ fish for me. I usually have to wait til December to land the big ones

I’m sure the bass find you fascinating as well........ hahah. Many times I’ve had the same luck, here today gone tomorrow. Fish have to rest too i suppose

I love that commercial!!! It’s so funny when he bails over that fence!

We had a pontoon growing up that would never start and it sank twice ! Hahah

They check a lot here. $34(or so?) for the license and $20 something for trout stamp. They want you to have the trout stamp even if you are bass fishing Waters with stocked trout but I bet that wouldn't hold up in court. I just buy it all

I'm guessing your boat has never sank

Right below watts bar dam or or right below chickamauga dam on nickajack. People catch them all over the lake but not in great numbers. The best chance at a bunch is in the tail waters