Bass Fishing in Eastern TN

[Paladin132]

Hello, I was talking to a friend of mine who found a group of folks in OK who sometimes take strap hangers fishing. In other words, I have fishing gear but no boat and wondered does anyone go fishing with a boat but doesn't have a partner who fishes for bass (and Woody Woodpecker occasionally). I figured I would ask around here as we have similar interests and such.

[DaveS]

I'm kinda curious about the "strap hangers"....other than that I'm lost......

[DaveS]

I fish alot by myself in my bass boat...I used to watch "woody wooden pecker" when I was a kid...other than that....well....

Dave

[Paladin132]

In other words I have been known to cast into trees gentlemen, trees. I am out of practice in other words and asking if anyone wants some company somtime for a trip to the lake. Turns out a club where my friend is at routinely takes folks out with them if they do not have someone else to go with.

[Timestepper]

Hmmm... I don't go to the lake much, but have been known to have an empty seat in the canoe sometimes when I'm floating the Clinch. (Best part is that there aren't many trees to get hung up on in the middle of the river!)

[Paladin132]

I bet I would find at least one haha. I went kayak fishing a couple of months ago and that was fun. Haven't ever been out on a river in a small boat - move with the current pretty much I guess?

[Timestepper]

Yep, unless of course you paddle against the current and actually fish where you want to.

[Paladin132]

That sounds like a good day of it. How do you usually get back to your car though? Have someone pick you up?

[Timestepper]

Either that or just take two vehicles - when I'm fishing/floating with someone, that's invariably the easiest way to do it.

Got some pics in the "Speaking of the Clinch..." thread - the most recent ones were taken yesterday.

[Paladin132]

Ok I have never fished for trout - what kind were they? What do you use to catch them on? (And any other comments you can think of - seeing all that just set my mouth to watering - of course it is near lunchtime).

Edited July 22, 2012 by Paladin132

[Timestepper]

Caught rainbows yesterday. On small (1/8 oz.) inline spinners in various patterns using ultralight gear. There are also some nice browns in the Clinch as well as the occasional smallmouth.

[Paladin132]

Do they taste different? The types of trout I mean?

I have a couple of rods that are lighter for bass... I think they have 8lb line. Is that to heavy to use for trout? They are just a couple of open faced reels. I keep telling myself I am going even if I have to wade to try trout fishing.

[Timestepper]

There's a little difference in the taste, but that doesn't mean that one tastes better than the other - kinda' like sex: No such thing as "good sex" or "bad sex" it's all "best!"

And yeah, my buddy Pat uses a medium action ugly stick with a Shimano spinning reel loaded with 8lb. test line and does alright. He doesn't have the casting distance with lighter lures that I do, but still, he caught 3 nice keeper fish to my 5 yesterday.

If we'd taken things slower and fished harder, rather than just yucking it up and concentrating on having a good time, we no doubt could have limited out, and fairly easily. But for us it's more about having fun and cracking each other up than anything else and the trout are just a bonus. Heck, even when we stopped for lunch and were standing there in cold, knee deep water and using the canoe seats for a lunch table, we were joking about how we knew the fish were out there because we could hear them laughing at us - but the last laugh was ours because we were smart enough to know what lucky s.o.b.'s we were to just be there for a little while... and how lucky the trout were that it was us that was fishing for them instead a couple good fishermen!

[Paladin132]

I first went fishing with my grandfather and my dad when I was very little in a small john boat. Every since then it has been about being together with good people and enjoying nature. I wish I could count the amount of times that I have fished and had a great time (without catching a thing). Sounds like you both have the right idea for fishin!

What is the limit in TN for trout? I have never even kept a fish - well Canadian pike but I was a kid and didn't pay much attention.

[Timestepper]

7 fish. The Clinch, from Norris Dam down to highway 61 (which is where I usually fish) also has a 14 - 20 inch slot limit which basically means that anything between 14 and 20 inches must be released. You are allowed to keep one fish over 20 inches (if you're lucky enough to actually catch one that big).

[Paladin132]

I just realized where this place is - its right down from Bull Run Steam Plant where I worked for awhile last year. I heard lots of good stuff about fishing there but disdain shore fishing.

[Timestepper]

I live about 3 miles from Bull Run Steam Plant, and that is the Clinch River, but where I'm talking about is basically from East Clinton near the jail (think Eagle Bend Fish Hatchery) up to Norris Dam, and it's about a 20 - 30 minute drive from here.