Read about all of my Fishing Adventures!
Follow my Fish of 2016
Things started with a big 'ole bang in 2017 as Brad and I sacked up nearly 20 pounds of smallmouth on our first trip of the year. You can read about that trip to Pickwick by clicking the link below.
My wife and I found ourselves alone on a Friday evening. Sure, we could go to dinner, maybe catch a late night flick. Instead, we decided to go fishing. Of course, considering that I don't have a truck to pull my boat, that meant finding a tow vehicle. Luckily, my grandfather was happy to let me borrow his truck.
So, at 4AM, we were off to fish but we knew we had to be back fairly early. If we fished Wilson, it would save us about an hour of fishing time. In addition, though our first tournament is about a month away on Smith lake, I was able to convince Brad to also bring his boat and fish Wilson.
While crossing Wheeler dam, it was evident that we may have made a mistake. There was almost no current. The half mile under the dam looked almost completely flat.
As we got the boat in the water and ran up to the dam, we noticed that only one turbine was on and it was number five or six, not one of the ends, which is what it has taken to produce a good dam bite for me.
Brad was already fishing the current so I decided to start right on the dam and fish the wing walls. No takers on the first, but as I pitched a PowerTeam Lure's bullnosed jig, something pounced on it. As it turned its side to me, all I saw was brown and I got really, really excited. Maybe I would finally get that trophy smallie!
Nope. A drum. Alyse and I got a laugh and I went back to pitching the jig against the wing wall, producing even more drum. At least they were fun to catch!
That would ultimately be all the action we would have. Eventually TVA kicked on a second generator, but it was number four, which was no help. Working the drifts and the bluffs, we were unable to get a single bite on a combination of lures. Brad called it quits fairly early and heavy fog kept us from running around very much.
By noon, we were back on the trailer and contemplating putting back in at Wheeler before I decided to just head home and start smoking wings for the NFL games.
Yeah, I know. It's not what yall wanted to hear. While many guides would feed you lines about how great the fishing is, I hope yall know better by now to expect that from me. No, it isn't fun to write about. But, I'd rather someone tell me not to bother versus telling me the fishing is awesome when it isn't. And, right now I am hearing a lot of that from Guntersville. In case you missed it, the first round of tournaments kicked off and it took under 20 to win them all. A local guide won the Goose Pond wildcat with 14 pounds.
Conversely, it took 20 pounds on Pickwick.
Any ways, I'll leave you with this pic my wife took of me in the fog. It isn't nearly as pretty as a nice brown back, but it will have to do!
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