Tailwater Bassin'
Jim Pope
Dateline 2/22/99
A really good fisherman with this writer's experience below Pickwick, Wilson, and Wheeler Dams in northern Alabama and Southern Middle Tennessee would be considered an expert. Although many lessons have been learned, this fisherman would never consider himself an expert. Below is a list of tips that have been "learned by experience".
* Smallmouth, largemouth, & Kentucky bass are more active when there is a good current. * Oftentimes, the bite is directly proportional to the strength of the current (to a point). * The stronger the current, the bigger the eddies. * The bigger the eddies, the more room the bass have to relax and forage. * The fish find sanctuary (and food) in eddy water (below points, behind rocks or trees, etc.). * With a heavy current, these waters are often difficult to fish, for one must drift with the current. Even a 60-lb. trolling motor cannot hold the boat in the current. * Small eddies must be fished as you pass at 10 mph or so. Preferred lures are crankbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater baits, or swimming jigs (bucktails). * Big eddies (points, lower ends of islands, tied up barges, etc.) allow one to position the boat in the eddy. This allows for fishing discriminating lures (jigs, Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, etc.). Even finesse baits can be used in the big eddies. * Smallmouth seem to prefer crankbaits (the 300 & 400 series Poe's or a Wiggle Wart has proven to be the most productive for this fisherman). Given the right current conditions, bucktails can also be deadly. * Largemouth and Kentuckies will often jump on crankbaits and bucktails, but they will also take a rubber jig or a spinnerbait. * The key to fishing tailwaters with a heavy current is to keep a bait in the water. If a fish is caught in a small eddy, crank up and make multiple passes by that spot. Oftentimes several fish will hold up in one small eddy. * Fish big eddies with great care. Look for small spots where the water is swirling. Any weak or disabled baitfish will be controlled by little whirlpools, and a feeding fish will be nearby lying in wait.
All of this sounds easy, but as with most fishing trips on any type of water, catching fish is tough. Fishing tailwaters is nothing like fishing a lake. The fish that are caught in the tailwaters are generally feeding and aggressive. Even wintertime fish will slam a lure.
If someone has told you that the fish will be more active when there is no current, I have an idea that this person simply does not enjoy the hard work involved with fighting the current all day long. Fishing heavy current situations is tough. The man on the trolling motor has his hands (or feet) full. The man in the back must be ready to jump down, crank up, and back out of situations that can become dangerous (not so much to life or limb, but to equipment).
This fisherman has never had much success in 'no current' situations.
Fishtale One Year Ago: 02/23/98 -Gigging Gar - Terry Willman from IN tells how he and some friends spend a summer night having fun and removing some unwanted fish.
