Percy Priest 9-27-2013

Percy Priest 9-27-2012

This is a hard report to write. Everything started OK. Jack and I made our usual stop at Hardee's for some energy food in biscuit form. We headed for Stewarts Creek ramp after leaving at 5:30 am. The weather was quite cool but expected to warm up in the 80s. It was light enough when we launched that we didn't need running lights. We headed for the flat off the Stones river that has been giving up some bass on buzz baits. About half way there we ran into a dense fog bank. We certainly couldn't run here for fear someone would be running (stupidly). We stopped and put our lights on but we could barely see a few yards. As we crept along looking for a place to fish, I got lost. And yeah I have a GPS. Don't ask me how I got turned around but I did. We hit a bank that I thought I knew but it still didn't look right. Did catch a nice 2 pounder on a buzzbait as we kept following the bank. What a shock I got when the fog finally lifted and I realized where we were. This was not last time I was lost on PP. 

We cranked up and headed for the buzz bait flat. Unfortunately the sun was now well up and the water was down about 6-8 inches since last week. Didn't get a sniff of a bite. Decided to explore Spring Creek at a big bend in the creek and a long point we caught a couple of fish up this way. On the way back we fished a drop off by an island. Caught another here. By the way Jack caught a Zebco, or at least the cone of the reel. Stopped at the end of a bluff on the main river where Jack caught a quick bass. We crossed over the river where I caught a bass that looked as if it were a cross between a largemouth and a white bass or a Striper. Onto the "big flat" looking for a red eye shad or Squarebill bite but nothing happening here. I think we did get one here. 

Still heading down lake. Started to pull out about noon but I decided to explore a few spots that we had not tried before. Wish I hadn't. After exploring 5-7 miles down lake we decided to head back to Stewarts Creek. Percy Priest can be a very confusing lake with all the islands, creeks and pockets. While cruising looking for channel buoys, I had a stupid attack. The river made a big bend but I didn't. Headed down a bay that I thought was the river. It wasn't. So, I turned around and found the Curse of Percy Priest, a rock pile. We felt one hard hit and several cringing bumps of the prop on the rocks. After hyperventilating and partially recovering from a severe panic attack we finally got back into deeper water. We checked the prop to be sure we hadn't thrown an ear then we cranked and idled a long way toward the now identifiable river channel. There was some moderate vibration hopefully from the dinged up prop and not from a bent prop shaft (to be determined). We had about 5-6 miles to go so I gingerly got up on plane but not too fast. Made it back to the ramp, loaded up. The prop was bent on 3 of the 4 blades. Also a good portion of the skeg was gone. With a sick feeling we started for home wishing we had pulled out at noon. We had a total of 7 bass, best was about 2 lbs. 

Told you I didn't want to write this. Monday I plan to take the boat to a prop shop across town where they also repair skegs. Wish me luck.

Percy Priest 9-14-2013

Percy Priest 9-14-2013 Cumberland Bassmasters Tourney

I am a non-boater today. A great opportunity to fish with good friend, Noah. Jack and I rode together after a quick stop at...well you know...Hardee's at 4:30 am. Arrived at Stewarts Creek at dark and looked for hookups, Jack with Ron, me with Noah.  We were ready to launch at 6 am. We were last to start but not for long. Noah's boat is a 21 ft Phoenix with a 250 hp Mercury Optimax. Trust me, it is fast. Better sit on your hat 'cause it ain't gonna stay on. Not sure what the speed was but it was well in the high 60s if not higher. I just grinned and hung on.

We went to the spot where we had been catching bass on buzz baits, a place I call twin flats just off the Stones river. Noah struck first with a blowup on his first couple of casts for a small keeper. He proceeded to catch several more on buzz baits while I looked on helplessly.  I finally picked up a small keeper on a new wake bait, an Amp jr. By now Noah had 4 keepers toward his limit of 5. Finally I had a spectacular blowup as the bass turned a somersault after he hooked up. After a few surges, he came to the net, a nice 17 3/4 (3.14 lbs). While we were in this slough we heard shooting (a shotgun) from the back of this area. We still aren't sure what they were shooting but fortunately no pellets fell around us.

After that we began to explore several spots up the East fork. Noah continued to pick up a few more bass on a Bitsy bug, an electric purple Creature bait and a truly ugly tube worm, black with a yellow tail. Amazing a self respecting bass would bite that. Must be the skill of the fisherman. I did catch one more bass but not a keeper. I think Noah had 7 keepers (as well as several more). He won our tournament with 9+ pounds.  I edged out Gary by a sliver for big fish, 3.1 lbs.
While we were settling up, I climbed into Noah's boat and then fell out on the ground. I wasn't hurt except for my bruised pride. It was a wonderful day on the lake, quite cool in the morning but warming up nicely. Man, I really love to fish.

Percy Priest September 5, 2013

Percy Priest September 5, 2013

It's getting light later now so we got an extra 30 minutes of sleep before embarking for Percy Priest. Jack and I made our usual stop at Hardee's for a bit of breakfast. This is to give us strength to handle the big fish we expected to catch...hope to catch...maybe will catch. It was a gorgeous, cool morning perfect for throwing a buzzbait so we headed for  the area we call double flat. It is filled with stickups and underwater brush about 2.5 to 1.5 feet deep.  After a half dozen casts I hooked a nice 2+ bass on a vicious strike. He made a couple of aerial acrobatics then threw the buzzbait back at us.  A few minutes later I connected on a nice 2.75 lb bass with bulldog in his DNA. Jack scored with a 2.25  buzzbait bass. This sounds like fast fishing. It wasn't. But it sure is fun when they bust a buzzer. Naturally we both missed a few blowups without hookups. 

We then moved over to the saddle between an island and a point. Nothing on the saddle but we almost had a double on the point. I caught a 2 lb'er on a plastic bait rigged mojo style. Jack had one at the same time but his came unbuttoned. Jack picked up another on a Squarebill near the same point but in open water. Back to the double flat where I caught a couple of bass on a Baby 1- . It isn't quite a wake bait but it runs about 6" underwater. Next stop was what we call the big flat. Jack caught a nice 2+ lb channel cat on a Squarebill. We made a brief run down lake a couple miles, fished a pocket then motored into Spencer Creek. Seldom miss here but...we missed. Back to the ramp. I think our take for the day was 9 bass and 1 catfish. We had 3 over 2 lbs and 3-4 club keepers. Not a great day but not so bad either. Man, I love bass fishing.