State of the Smithland Pool Fishery

[Heagster]

I have heard statements from some of our members that "Smithland Pool is not what it used to be."

This is implying that the fishery at Smithland is getting worse as the years go on.

We are getting ready to head to Smithland for our annual August trip next weekend.

How do you feel about that statement?

If you agree, then what was it before and what has it become?

[bass1cpr]

     Smithland Pool is still good for numbers of fish with the twelve inch limit. It's the number of big fish that have dropped. Gone are the days of twenty pound plus stringers that Smithland once produced. Seldom seen anymore are the big fish of seven or eight pounds of fifteen years ago. Everything runs in cycles but fishing pressure has hurt Smithland just like many other fisheries. The biggest fish I ever hooked in a tournament was at Smithland, that was in the early 90's I still fish that area. We got two looks at it Terry could have put both his fists in it's mouth, of course that was the problem, I could also see the crankbait even as it popped out of it. 

[Heagster]

Steel City has been fishing Smithland for 17-years now and has never produced a 20 pound stringer or a fish over 7 pounds.

Maybe I'm too wrapped up in the statistics, but I tend to look at the average weight per angler in each event as the indicator of success at a location.

That number has fluctuated a bit from year to year but there is no steady increase or decrease in the numbers.

Our tournament winning weights have also stayed pretty consistent.

There is a huge difference between early season and late season events at Smithland. (May/June vs. August)

There was a period inthe mid-90's where it took a 5-lb + fish to take big bass but those stats have evened-out to what we saw in the early 90's.

I'll agree that the number of fish in the 3 to 4 pound range has decreased, but that has been made-up by the fact that more fish are being weighed overall.

[Heagster]

Keep in mind here that I brought this topic to the forum because I wanted to try to make a point.

As it pertains to this bass club, Smithland Pool hasn't changed much as I look at the numbers.

Personally, I have good tournaments and bad tournaments there. The group has good and bad events as well.

That is just fishing.

[bass1cpr]

     I have good tournaments and bad ones too, most of this year hasn't been that good for me in or outside of the club. It's just been an off year. Were turning in more numbers of fish and also we have more people fishing and I think the caliber of fishermen is also rising as a whole.
     The other club I started fishing Smithland with in the early 90's had fish in the six and seven pound class when I first started going there. A few of those guys turned in sacks of fish in the 19 pound catagory. Those were single day tournaments.
     The circuit tournament weights have declined over the years also and those are the guys that fish it regularly. It's far from being a dead fishery but the quality of fish has dropped. We've made up for that in numbers of fish. I know the fish I lost was over eight pounds.

[Bumpboard]

When you look at the number of boats that are pounding the released fish from the mouth of lusk to the first bridge it's not hard to figure out why the fishery would be declining. The DNR should shut down fishing in that stretch. At least we had the forsight to make the marina off-limits. That practice was on the borderline of shameful and I'm glad it's gone. It's good to see that our numbers of fish are increasing. If we (and everyone else) could just leave those fish alone once they are released then maybe the quality of the fish will improve. It couldn't hurt.

[Bumpboard]

12-inch keepers are like gold to some. Last weekend's classic contenders will agree. Smithland is still the best place to see a lot of people weighing fish. I for one do not produce many keepers on our other lakes with 15 and 16-inch limits. What is better for the club, 99% of the membership weighing fish like at Smithland this June or 10% at Kinkaid with the 16-inch limit? Smithland is still a great place to fish and it benefits everyone.

[bass1cpr]

     Bumpboard I agree with you about making the marina off limits, it was a good move. Not as many tournaments release fish in lusk creek like they use too. Some of the circuits are now using release boats to disperse the fish, another great thing. The other club I use to fish made the mouth of lusk to the first brige off limits. One thing I have seen in our club is that fewer guys start in that section of Lusk Creek, some will still fish the bridge area and finish up from the bridge to the river. The bridge area is still very productive and gets fished heavily but released fish aren't any different than anywhere else in the river or creek you still have to make them bite.
     Yes the 12 inch limit helps alot at Smithland. There's lots of water in Smithland pool if you have a Kentucky license there's good creeks on the Kentucky side also.
     I don't think anyone wants to pull out of Smithland. I don't.

[Bumpboard]

Just a couple years ago the August Smithland tournament was removed from the schedule and I was not a fan of that decision. Fortunately it was replaced mid season and I can't remember why but it was a psotive move. I think it is good for the club to keep it where it is. Hopefully this won't be considered again.

[Heagster]

As we've seen in the past, if it is not limited by the rules then people will probably do it.

I wouldn't anticipate seeing the area from the mouth of Lusk Creek to the bridge made off-limits any time soon.

I agree with you on the released fish issue, however.

There aren't many positives to catching and re-catching tournament fish and this has likely caused a decline in the quality of the fish at Smithland.

I was very encouraged by the results of the June tournament this year.

We set some significant records this year with just 2-weigh-ins and fewer fishermen than 2004 and I hope that trend continues.

[Bumpboard]

There is one big difference between released fish and the rest. They aren't in that location naturally. They were placed there unnaturally as the result of a tournament. There is also a higher concentration of them than anywhere else, with the exception of schooing fish. We should be locating and fishing for bass as they occur naturally.

[cable guy]

fishing granted has declined at smithland but its still a great fishery, galconda marina isnt the only place they let fish go , on every lake there are fish let go somewhere. and somebody will be fishing them,if i remember correctly ther where some big name people fishing that marina after us.i personally didnt fish the marina that weekend , but boy i wish i would have,i guess i am a shameful though. . i have been known to tye up to cables to catch fish. , any way i would hate to lose smithland,its still goooood fishing.

[bass1cpr]

     I saw you in there.    IF I rember you were with The Jeff.
You Looked     

[Heagster]

Yeah, I heard you were in there looking for a cable to tie Jeff to!

[cable guy]

you mean hang him from

[bass1cpr]

     Good luck to everyone I won't be going to Smithland this weekend.

                                                                     Tight Lines and Bent Rods.
                                                                                 Bass1cpr

[Heagster]

The results are in for 2005 at Smithland.

June tournament - 8.35 fish per angler (2-weigh-ins)

August tournament - 2.32 fish per angler

Club average for 2005 - 2.05 fish per angler per event