We've been fortunate to see the monsters that Clayton, Alex, Toxic, and Dwight have shown us so far this year, so I wanted to pass on some info from a local lake.   J.Percy Priest is a Corp of Engineers reservoir in close proximity to Nashville, which makes it extremely heavily pressured. It is an impoundment of the Stones River in middle Tn.  I avoid Percy Priest because of the pressure, and the rude boaters. With that said, a local tournament was won yesterday by over thirty pounds. Two biggest fish came from the winning boat with a 7 and a 9. These fish were caught in 25 FOW fishing with Livescope.  This is encouraging because it tells me the big girls are still deep and time is getting shorter to when I might get a bite. March is right around the corner and hopefully our northern brethren will see some softer water soon.

     I went to Nickajack yesterday. Nickajack is the smallest of the TVA chain but is loaded with fish. I hooked a monster but did not land it. Had it on for at least 20 seconds. Went to hunting my net, I was so sure. Glad I wasn't being filmed but if I were, Alex would be so proud!!!!    Please stay hooked!      Please don't come off!       Let's GO!!     Lets GO!!!!!!     Dangit!!!!!    😕

20 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Dangit!!!!! 

 

Dang it, for sure! I wanted you to land that beast, Bob. FWIW, I've lost lots of big bass, so you're not alone.

Losing a big fish is one thing that seems to never get easier to deal with, really hate to hear that, Bob!  

 

I have no doubt that a big girl is coming real soon for though, you're a fantastic angler and you live around some fantastic fisheries.    Not to mention my dad always says...."good things happen to good people".   

 

I actually lost the last big fish I hooked on a jig of all things.    That one burned especially because I've been trying to dedicate time to the jig.     

 

In 2024, I lost 16% of all the fish I hooked over 5lbs.    After the first two months this year I'm right around that same percentage.    

 

 

21 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

    Nickajack is the smallest of the TVA chain  

Shoot. I gotta get you out to East TN sometime. Nickajack is an ocean compared to some of our TVA lakes 

This is encouraging! Weather last week was below zero...this week we are looking at a third straight day sunny and above 50...yet the lakes are still completely frozen over. Ugh.

Ouch.  It's hard to know what hurts more - losing a big fish you never got to see, or losing one you did get to see.  Largemouth over 5# are rare here, and over 6# are possibly once every five years if you're lucky.  My son lost a 6+ pound (OK, at least 5) that wallowed and spit his frog last summer.  Two years ago my buddy lost one that was digging and giving big headshakes, then after a good 30 seconds of battle his rod just unloaded and it was gone before we got eyes on it.  My buddy still talks about his.  But mercifully, my sons memory is pretty short.  lol

 

On 2/25/2025 at 11:06 AM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

In 2024, I lost 16% of all the fish I hooked over 5lbs.    After the first two months this year I'm right around that same percentage.

 

I did even worse in 2024.  I never got bit by 100% of the over 5lbers I fished near. 😩😆

 

On 2/25/2025 at 11:06 AM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

In 2024, I lost 16% of all the fish I hooked over 5lbs.   

 

What an interesting stat to keep, Pat. I'm guessing I lose about the same percentage of bass over four pounds. I used four pounds instead of five pounds because four is my big bass cutoff. I'm guessing that five pounds is yours. 

 

I'm guessing I lose about the same percentage of bass under four pounds too.