06-04-2009, 09:00 AM
Decided to go try our luck up on Watts Bar lake for some night time Striper action. We put in below the dam at first and ran up to the wing wall for some bait...it was there and VERY plentiful. They were all gizzard shad but most were in the 3 to 5 inch range. They are much heartier than threadfins and thrash around more it seems to me. Thats what we used anyway as it was the only baitfish there. Threw the net 3 times on the end of the wingwall....had about 300 gizzard shad but no threadfins. Then we were on our way to the lake. Fished from about 9:30 pm to around midnight. caught ZERO Stripers...but of course I caught a catfish....but man WHAT A FIGHT!! This sucker hit a gizzard shad in 70 FT!!! I thought for sure it was a big striper the way it was peelin drag off that new baitrunner reel!! Finally got her in...a 33 lb FLATHEAD!! Man o man..those things are fun!! I didnt get a measurement on it as I was tryin to hurry and get it back in the water but as you can see it was a short and fat fish!! Taylor also caught a 10 lb blue and that was it!! It was a fun night out with T_ roy amd Taylor. She hung in there like a trooper till we got home around 2 am....not an all nighter but hey we went back for more action below the Chick Sunday!...Ill try to post a report on that later. Water temp was about 75 and the current was Strong!!! Maybe one day somebody on here will feel sorry for me and show me how to catch a dang Striper!! LOL Enjoy the Pics!!