Kentucky Lake 9/22/2011

Left Franklin at 4:30 am Thursday morning for New Johnsonville. Stopped at McDonalds in Hurricane Mills for a short breakfast. Fog was thick most of the way the driveway to Waverly. Oddly, the river wasn't foggy. On the water a little before 6:30. Ran out the canal to the edge of the river. Stopped for a few casts on the point. The third cast with a popper (Yellow Magic) yielded a 12" excited bass. I thought "this is going to be on". Shortly headed downriver to a cove we call the Factory. Cast the popper at least 50 feet off shore in 8-10 feet of water and a 1.5 smallie blew up on it and headed for the sky. After about 5 jumps he came into the boat. Again I thought "this is going to be on". I soon decided that it was not to be. Fished Little Dry creek hoping to find it full of shad with fish blowing up. I finally caught 2 shorts (one real short) and broke off one pretty good fish. Moved down to Big Dry Creek fishing the winding creek that enters the bay. No hits. Disappointed in fishing the ledge but that's fishing.

Headed to the back side of the river following the marker buoys. Stopped and fished a couple of points but no hits. Finally came to a small cut (unidentified) where I saw individual fish blowing up. Casting a Red Eye shad I caught 6 in about 20 minutes and missed several hard strikes. All were 1.25- 1.75. Then it stopped. Lots of shad in this small spot. After trying a few more spots I left the back side. Tried the factory again, stopped at the water discharge close to the bridge but again no hits.

Fished another ledge close to the Birdsong Creek entrance. None. Headed back to a slough we call Persimmon slough that has produced before in the fall. Caught 1 nice 2 lb bass on a Fluke but not more hits here although there was lots of shad moving in. Finally headed back toward the bridge and fished the island close to the canal but alas I was through for the day. A total of 11 fish in the boat all but 2 were club fish, all released safely. Loaded out at 3 pm. Not a great day but better than some. Spoke to a local who took out at the same time. He had only caught 1 fish but it was a 17.5. I didn't feel so bad. The cooler weather coming in should make for a good catch next Saturday, Oct 1.

Stones River 9-14-2011

I give up. I am just not a river rat. I keep thinking I can hit a home run by fishing way up river, discovering vast schools of bass instead of hitting a few singles or walks in mid-lake Priest. So instead a hit a few fouls, lots of strikeouts and a hit once in a while. Baseball analogies not withstanding, I think I am through with fishing way up river unless I am with a river rat (not demeaning at all) or I have a sworn statement that the bass are attacking any lure up the East Fork (or the West Fork).

I hit the ramp at Jefferson Springs at 6:15 am on Wednesday morning with great anticipation. Hit my first stop, the pumping station just downriver which has been good for me the fall (I guess much later in the fall). Not a bite. So headed up toward the fork of East and West. Saw an angler at the Jeff bridge catching a small bass so I was encouraged. It was not to be. Fished around the island at the fork, then journeyed up the East Fork river. Finally caught a small (sardine sized) bass on a finesse worm in a small cut off the river. Confidence high again. I knew I could catch some bass around the bridge pillars at I840. Did not. BTW, I had seen no shad flipping all morning until about 10:30. Finally saw some around the bridge but no schooling, an occasional single fish chasing. Back to the fork and up the West Fork. Fished some lay downs near the West Fork ramp. Fished on up river a couple of miles but no cigar.

I am now seeing many more shad groups in the river so I decided to head back to the pumping station where shad often move into the cut. Nope, no fish. Decided to go to a large flat way down river toward Fate Sanders. Third cast I caught a nice 1.5 lb bass on a Red Eye Shad. Finally found the key, NOT! No more hits but seeing lots of small shad. Head back to the pumping station and caught a 1 lber on the REShad and I had had enough. Pulled out at 1:30 determined to fish the lake next time. In fact, next week I will go to New Johnsonville.

No homeruns, touchdowns, 3 pt baskets or decent bass.

Signing off.

Percy Priest 9-10-2011

Tournament time. Beautiful morning. Four boats waiting at the buoys. David led us in prayer. And the last tournament of the year (not counting the upcoming Classic) began in the twilight of safe light. Mike and I headed toward a point near Smith Springs that I felt would give us a good start. Wrong. Mike finally picked up an 11"er on a buzz bait and a couple of more blowups. My Spook nor my Yellow Magic Pop'R drew no interest at all. Soon left and pulled up to favorite pocket of mine. Finally picked up a 14.5" small on a fluke. This spot yielded no more so on to anther spot. Stopped at the island just south of the bridge. Again picked up a 14.75" on a fluke again but that was all.

Time to try another place, the back of Savage Creek. My strategy here was to fan cast a Red Eye Shad in the shallow water. Picked up 2 quick non-keepers but was encouraged. As I moved around into a couple of pockets I picked up another keeper on the rattle bait. Then in the next 5-6 minutes I hooked and lost 3 keepers that shook the Shad loose somehow and returned to me, 3 in 5 minutes! Fished an island with no luck then headed to Bryant Grove. Caught my fourth (and last) keeper on the Red Eye. Mike lost a really nice fish 3-4 pounds on a crank bait, breaking him off. Moved to the back of Bryant and lost another keeper on the rattler. Felt like there were more to catch here but we had 10 minutes to get back for the weigh-in.

Rob had a limit and the most weight for the win. Noah had a 4 pounder for big fish and second place. I was third with 5+ lbs. I think I may have finished 2nd in points for the year but not certain.

Looking forward to our classic on Oct 1 at New Johnsonville.