Dale Hollow (pic heavy)

[catman529]

Finally got the pics uploaded. The trip was May 12-17. we left a day early due to the poor fishing. After day 2 on the lake, cold front came and the rest of the week was cold and windy with occasional thunderstorms.

Nobody caught any walleye as hoped but there were a handful of smallmouth and I also caught 2 good catfish on limb lines and a couple of big carp from the campsite.

Started the trip the "right" way.... 8 miles outside of Lebanon on I-40. Didn't have my tire iron, only the lug wrench for my truck, which was a size too big. I removed 3 but the 4th was stuck. Had to leave my boat on the interstate, go back into Lebanon, buy a new wheel and a tire iron. My spare tire is a size smaller and needs some air, so I got a new wheel. Got back on the road quickly after that....

Then on the lake, I got half way to camp and my motor quit. Spent the next day trying to start it with no luck. Then I found two wires that were cut off at the end. Might be the kill switch... separated the frayed ends, and the motor started up and ran fine the rest of the week.

Here are some pics from the lake

22 lbs 11 oz caught from camp on canned sweet corn:

Fought a 30+ pound carp for an hour, including on a boat, before it broke me off. It hit my line right before a storm blew in:

Day or two later, caught a small one (13 pounds)

mmm..... Smallmouth...

Packing up and leaving...

 

[Ironsmith-Jared]

Looks like a fun trip!

 

[Tennessee Lead]

No place like it. Glad you had fun.

 

[RUGER]

Looks like a great time.

 

[easy45]

Good deal

 

[catman529]

No place like it. Glad you had fun.

yea no place like it. If I can, I will make a 2 day trip there this summer with a buddy to fish mainly for carp. When we aren't carp fishing we will be smallmouth fishing or trolling.

 

[Jcalder]

Where did you camp at. I grew up on the upper end and was there Saturday night after most of the crazies left. And fishing wasn't very good lol

 

[catman529]

Where did you camp at. I grew up on the upper end and was there Saturday night after most of the crazies left. And fishing wasn't very good lol

near the ky border and sulphur creek

 

[a retrohillbilly]

Catman, I was up there ten too, the smallmouth were slow! We caught a bunch of nice shellcracker and the cat were on the banks too.six pound cat are fun on ultra-light

 

[Jcalder]

Where did you camp at. I grew up on the upper end and was there Saturday night after most of the crazies left. And fishing wasn't very good lol

near the ky border and sulphur creek

That's a ways from me. We put in at sunset and went toward tennesse leads grandparents place. I enjoy it out there but can't stand the idiots

 

[Tennessee Lead]

No place like it. Glad you had fun.

yea no place like it. If I can, I will make a 2 day trip there this summer with a buddy to fish mainly for carp. When we aren't carp fishing we will be smallmouth fishing or trolling.

You can see the lake very good from my grandpas house. When I was a teen me and him would troll shiners in the winter time and would catch a lot of smallmouth with a spinning rod and 6 pound test. That is the most fun I ever had fishing.

 

[Jcalder]

No place like it. Glad you had fun.

yea no place like it. If I can, I will make a 2 day trip there this summer with a buddy to fish mainly for carp. When we aren't carp fishing we will be smallmouth fishing or trolling.

You can see the lake very good from my grandpas house. When I was a teen me and him would troll shiners in the winter time and would catch a lot of smallmouth with a spinning rod and 6 pound test. That is the most fun I ever had fishing.

We were just past Duncan's bottom. I kept looking at the ridge tips wondering where his house is lol. Too dark at that point

 

[mike243]

thanks for sharing, wished the weather & problems hadn't been a issue,the next time you hunt up this way let me know,I might be able to help you out

 

[rsimms]

:grin:

 

[Dbllunger]

 

[Kimberman]

I was up there the same week, we stayed on the lower end Mon-Thurs, then fished the mid lake to upper end Fri- Sun. It was best week in May numbers wise that I have had up there in about the last 6 years. Size was down, but we put 92 smallmouth in the boat and probably 25 largemouth in that week.

 

[catman529]

I was up there the same week, we stayed on the lower end Mon-Thurs, then fished the mid lake to upper end Fri- Sun. It was best week in May numbers wise that I have had up there in about the last 6 years. Size was down, but we put 92 smallmouth in the boat and probably 25 largemouth in that week.

good fishing, how many did yall catch daytime vs night time?

 

[Kimberman]

Did not night fish at all that week.

 

[TNCharlie]

What tactics/bait do you use for those carp? I found a place that has some and think I would enjoy catching a few.

 

[catman529]

What tactics/bait do you use for those carp? I found a place that has some and think I would enjoy catching a few.

buy a can or two of whole kernel sweet corn. Throw a few handfuls in area where carp like to feed. Rig your lines with a couple of split shot or just enough weight to keep it down (usually there isn't much current) and a #6 baitholder. Put 2 to 4 kernels on the hook and throw into chummed area. Use rod holders and set the drag loose so they can run. Bells on the rod tips are a big plus. When a fish takes it and runs, it will strip a lot of drag. Grab the rod with the line under your hand so it stops running out while you set the hook. Once you feel the hook set, you can tighten the drag. Don't tighten it too much because they run hard and can break you off easily.

As for how good they bite, you never can tell. Early morning, evening and night seem to be the best times usually. When a carp is just sitting or cruising around, it will not bite. A carp digging into the ground is feeding and is usually catchable, even with a small jig or fly fishing if you can twitch the lure in front of a feeding carp. That's tough though, and bait fishing with corn is a lot of fun and more relaxing.

Keep in mind they are smart fish and will sometimes pick up your bait and then put it down when they feel the hook. When hooked they often swim for wood and try to get you hung in it. But man they do fight good. Especially those dale hollow fish, those are the biggest I have seen.