Parksville Lake or Lake Ocoee?

[Fishhardroger]

After fishing Chicamagua on Saturday, Plan to head over to Parksville(Ocoee) Lake on Sunday. Unless Chickamauga just blows me away! Any pointer for here??? First time bass fishing up there. I know it's a different world from Florida!

[coldfront]

you will find parksville a lot different.  plus be aware boat ramps are $3/day for fee.

parksville is a high mountain lake.  steep sides for much of it.  backs of main arms get a little flatter.  lot of clay bottom.  some weeds/grass (pondweed, milfoil).  water clarity can be amazing.

known for spots.  some Coosa strain genetics in there as well.  some big ones in there (state record size = up to 7 pounds or so).  lots of little ones.

blueback herring are one of main forage species.

some magnum LMB in there, but they don't come easy/often.

post up how you do.  have a smaller spook tied on for surface busters.  I do best with dropshot (morning dawn roboworms, some times green pumpkin) and smaller 3.25 swimbaits (keitech/rage swimmers) on 1/8 ballhead.

[Fishhardroger]

Great advice! Would you work toward the dam or back up toward the river? Any recommendation on depths to start searching right now? I know the evenings have cooled some but my son says it's still pretty hot mid day.

[coldfront]

Look at the weather.  later this week we cool down.  I think I saw high 50's for an overnight low on Thursday?  first one since well, probably early April.   

the ocoee river flows in on the east side.  shallower water, but cooler a bit too.  I haven't gone there in over 2 months now so my advice would suck more than usual.

most guys say figure out the depth, then fish parallel around the lake.  moving baits.  shaky heads in natural colors.   you should be able to rustle up spots on the extended underwater points.

they'll be pretty when you find them!



here's a view from up a mountain.  the cone in the background I think is sugar loaf.  only 4000acres but what a pretty lake!

[Fishhardroger]

Definitely a beautiful lake...In may I camped at the state park across 64 from the lake in May...Motorcycle riding with the wife so no fishing...One of my first trips up to visit my son in Cleveland we went there and hiked out to Benton falls! Never caught a spotted bass before so if nothing else just to fish in my own boat in the mountains will be a complete new experience compared to Florida!