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.