I'm interested in going on a guided trip on Lake Pickwick in the next month or two. Does anybody have any guide recommendations? I would like to specifically target smallmouth.

Also, I've read that early spring is a good time to catch a trophy smallmouth. What month/water temp has typically been ideal time?

PM sent

 

Jeff

Right now, water temps are falling from mid 40's to low 40's.  I expect a shad kill soon.  That will hurt the fishing for the next 3 weeks to a month depending on how big and long the shad kill is.  Pickwick is so full of bait right now, it is needed.  It will eventually help the fishing, and if you catch the fish after this shad kill and before they spawn, they will be the biggest they will ever be!

 

Jeff

I have a friend who was a FLW divisional Angler Of The Year that guides

out of Florence.  Send me a PM with your cell number and I will ask him to

give you a call.

 

As OO mod noted, the Tennessee River changes from day to day this time

of year. You need to pick a few days and be flexible. My guy will not take

you out if he isn't confident that you guys will have a chance to catch some

bruisers.

Guys we had a shad kill last week. Sea Gulls were eating like crazy. Flood gates are open now and I figure there's less bait fish in the lake now also.

Also being pickwick has 2 different ends you need to make sure if you want to fish the Southern end Florence AL? Or the north end Pickwick Dam Tn end. I'm sure these guys will hook you up with a good guide. I have lived here 50+ years and still learning it myself.

Pete

Would y'all consider the shad kill a good thing? I'm guessing that the bass will feed on the dying shad which will temporarily make the fishing tougher since they have such abundant bait. In turn, the fish will be fat and the shad population will be down, which will make them more likely to strike a lure. Am I correct on this?

You are correct. If it has started, stay home until you hear it has ended. WAY too much competition. Once it has ended, your assumptions are correct!

Jeff

How long doe the effects of a shad kill typically last? Does it happen at a certain water temperature?

Water temperature starts it.  Mid to lower 40's, but it depends on other factors such as inflow into Pickwick on the South end and outflow into the TN river(North end, which is technically Kentucky Lake)  Another factor is the amount of shad present, which at the current time is a ton.  A couple weeks of shad kill and then a couple weeks to get back to "normal" fishing which is still tough in those water temps anyways!

 

Jeff

I went late this previous summer, Brent Crow was my guide, he was a good guy, put us on the fish despite the weather.