Center Hill Question

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Lebanon
Never spent a day in my life on the lake. Going tomorrow evening to see if I can find some Smallies or Largemouth. I'm sick of catchin 12-14' bass on OH and JPP. Maybe I can find some larger fish somewhere else.

I've got a 14' Jon with electronics. I've also got a map of the lake. But I'm like a blind dog in a meat house in not knowing where to get started.

Where should I launch to get started (driving in from Nashville). Not trying find out where your honey holes are -- just an area of the lake to get started.

Thanks for the help!!
 
Spend a few days on Center Hill & you will appreciate OH and JPP. It is one tough lake, especially this time of the year. Go to Kentucky Lake or Guntersville, longer drives but a lot more and better bass.
 
Take the Smithville/McMinnville exit. If you have a GPS.. type in Pates Ford Marina. if not, PM for complete directions.

Put in at Pates Ford, pulling out of the marina, take a right hand turn.. go up into the creek, it's called Sink creek. Wonderful bass fishing up in that area.


Or you could take a left coming out of the marina and stay to the left at the big split(you will notice it) go around 3 curves and you will come 2 a place called Pin Hook.. really good fishing along the banks. Eagle creek runs out into the main channel and it's a limit spot everytime.

I went to this area last week, we picked thru all our fish and found 5 that we wanted 2 keep. Also caught 2 big walleye in the same hole.

This lower end of the lake doesn't get much boat traffic at all.
 
CH is one of the toughest lakes I have ever fished. In the early 80's, I lived at Cove Hollow and fished the almost daily. If my life depended on it, I couldn't begin to tell you where to start.
 
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bowriter said:
CH is one of the toughest lakes I have ever fished. In the early 80's, I lived at Cove Hollow and fished the almost daily. If my life depended on it, I couldn't begin to tell you where to start.
Click to expand...


Hit or miss. big lake with an even bigger failure rate.


I actually went today to get some bluegill to run some noodles, I didn't even catch 10 bluegil. Like I said, hit or miss. :D
 
Been catching some good ones aaround the ramp at Johnsons Chapel, carolina rig lizards and CH worms on the gravel banks. Dry creek and Mine Lick are always fairly good need a map to find Mine Lick tho.the big island hasn't been very nice too me this past week,on the deeper banks fish a jig 1/2oz is what i like or a craw/lizzard/CH worn texas rigged with whatever weight you prefer.If you go on a weekend go up a creek, you wont be able to fish the main channel for the pleasure boaters.if you catch 10 fish during the day you'll be doin good, better at night.... fished edds saturday night and 22 won it... only had 15 :( hard place to fish.
 
Thanks for all the tips and bewares. It'll be nice to have a change of scenery. Would love to hang a walleye. Haven't caught one in years.
 
I do alot of fishin down there, like it better than the upper end just dont wanna run that far in tourneys. Hows the walleye fishin around rock island ?
havent been this year
 
I live about 15 miles from the hill. It is one tough lake to fish. If you can fish a spinnerbait at night you can catch those big lunkers you are looking for points and rounds in 15 to 20 foot of water. You will have to cover a lot of water and just keep throwing. Fished last sat night and only caught 1 and fished for 6 hours. It is hit or miss. Those guys that catch fish consistently fish all the time. The lake is deep and the water temp was 85 today. Still cool for this time of year. Also looks like it has dropped another foot in the last week.
 
If your going in the day time good luck. If at night carolina rig a big worm or use a football head jig with a trailer on gravel banks in deep water. Your best bet would be for these:

BigFish.jpg


Fish.jpg
 
jh said:
I do alot of fishin down there, like it better than the upper end just dont wanna run that far in tourneys. Hows the walleye fishin around rock island ?
havent been this year
Click to expand...

I've heard several people say it's pretty good. It's not like it was in years pasted. The water is too low IMO. Heck, most of the boatramps aren't even in the water.
 
Yeah use to you catch your limit everytime but its got worse every year... Heard that twra was shocking them and takin em out ?? Might be the reason why, not sure.
 
jh said:
Yeah use to you catch your limit everytime but its got worse every year... Heard that twra was shocking them and takin em out ?? Might be the reason why, not sure.
Click to expand...

yep. and they stock rattlesnakes and coyotes too.
 
I know they shock them, seen em do it... just wasnt sure if they are in fact taking them out for eggs or stocking or whatever purpose. Heard from plenty of people around here that they are! prolly are.
 
they do shocking surveys on a lot of lakes without removing any fish. if they are taking them for the eggs, they are returned to the lake. normally they strip the eggs and immediately return the fish to the lake. i don't think they are removing the fish.
 
jh said:
So it could still hurt the population by the not as many females having eggs right ?? i guess thats why.
Click to expand...

actually it probably helps the population as the survival rate is higher in a hatchery and they are returned to the lake.
 
True, i dont know what the problem is then lol... must be me. or so many dang shad in the lake their never hungry... yeah thats it :P
 

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