2022 06 25 TN River Nickajack

[coldfront]

ran back down to the mid-section of the lake, where it's still 'riverine' and hasn't turned into the wider lake format.  Continued working weed lines that are setting up.
TVA Chickamauga release:  13700 cfs
TVA Nickajack release:  0 for first few hours... 22000 cfs just as I was quitting.

with clouds, rain and current firing up, might have just been about to get fun....

here's the view up river in the pre-sunrise morning.  about 5:30am eastern



Day was partly cloudy, with wind speeds in the lower single digits.  Water temperatures are 'summer hot' and running 84.5°F in the pre-sunrise conditions.  Clarity was slightly stained on the river and a little clearer in the back of the sloughs.  maybe up to about 2-3 feet of visibility?

Milfoil is coming in nicely and in shallower waters is about 1-1.5 feet below surface.  but coming on/up quick.

went out for as much fun as I could muster today, so that meant I was 'force-feeding' them the bait I wanted to toss:  the zoom horny toad.  bites were sparse, but FUN!  good day of slinging 'em and winding 'em back. 


rain come on about 10:30am so I packed it in since I had NOT packed 'in' a rainsuit.  silly me.

best of the day.  maybe 2 and a quarter?  doesn't matter:  FUN SIZE  ...and it absolutley MAULED the zoom HT...  and yessir, still rigging the way I always have (5/0 Mustad Ultrapoint EWG with a clear glass bead on the line...)

[Donald Garner]

CF, congrats on the catch there.  Tks for sharing the trip and pictures with us also.

Whets the purpose of the glass bead when using a Horny Toad?

[coldfront]

Don,I think the SMOOTH glass bead serves two functions.
1.  when wet it is slick and helps shed weeds and protects the plastic...keeps it on the hook throat longer.  better.
2.  helps the bait move in the mouth on hook sets.  these fish get that bait in their mouth, with braided line... they get stuck.

it also adds just a touch of weight.  kind of like those folks who like to use swivels on floating worms.

I don't worry about the toad running 'right side up' or 'upside down'.  if you note the photo, the hook is 'set' in the lower jaw...

that old mustad Ultrapoint 5/0 EWG is a really good hook for the zoom HT.   there will be lots of opinions on different hooks, issues...  they all work.  this is what works for me...  now, with the weight of it all, I can only toss it about 40-45 yards...  but I can make that work.

how I rig it.  how I like it.

[Donald Garner]

CF,
Tks for the explanation and pictures.  BTW, that's my Go To Color there also   
I too like fishing with HT's.  I use an EWG #4 hook on my setup. 

I'm going to rig up one with a bead and give it a try also.  Tks for sharing this tip.

[coldfront]

CF,
Tks for the explanation and pictures.  BTW, that's my Go To Color there also   
I too like fishing with HT's.  I use an EWG #4 hook on my setup. 

I'm going to rig up one with a bead and give it a try also.  Tks for sharing this tip.

figured it out on my own.  figured i was 'real smart'...then started talking to you folks on this site... it's been around a long, long time.  one of the guys who used to be around was Barron... 


color changes for me depending upon conditions.  right now 'pearl/green pumpkin' is getting the work.  does a great job of mimicking bluegill.  that 'firetiger' comes on great in fall with lower light conditions and deteriorating weed mats.


and here's something else I've been focused on last few years:  everyone wants to talk shad, shad, shad.  I run across bigger fish when targeting the ones that are chasing bluegill...

[Donald Garner]

I remember Barron....he was always sharing tip etc.

When I fish Belton and Stillhouse lake there's lots of shad & white bass etc. I will try and match the color of the forge.    Depending on the time of the year etc.  I will fish a Firetiger Colored Spinner Bait and target the Bluegills and Sunfish. 

On Nolan lake on Ft. Hood there aren't any shad.  But the lake is full of Bluegills, Bream, Crappies and Crawfish. When fishing that lake its a pretty easy pattern (or used to be)  I'd have (4) rods rigged up with color pattern to match the forge.