Dale Hollow Question...?

[Muskrat_]

I'm planning my first trip to Dale Hollow Lake and I feel a little lost about where would be some of the better places to fish ? I'll be fishing the Tennessee waters. Is the smallie fishing maybe a little better around some of the well known creeks or would any section be a good place to try ? I know the fishing is only "fair" this time of year and I'm not sure just yet what marina I might be using ? If anyone has any knowledge about the lake any info would be greatly appreciated - thanks.

 

J.

[jessejames556]

I fish out of Sunset Marina. I suggest going out at night from Dusk to 3am. At least that is what I do now. I used to go out at 6 am and fish til 11am in the summer months but it's not worth the sweat for all the more fish I was catching. It's a tough lake if you aren't accustomed to those clear deep lakes. I've been targeting the points all through the Obey river area and do pretty well. I typically use a Carolina rig.

I'm planning a four day trip this December there. I've only ever been down there in the summer months, so I am looking forward to mixing it up. They say that December is one of the best months to fish DHL.

 

[Muskrat_]

Thanks for the info friend. I'm leaving Chickamauga Lake which has been on "fire" this year with some great fishing but I'm looking forward to trying my luck on DHL. I've never fished a highland reservoir lake and I know I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst. I know if I don't try I sure can't catch anything. I hope to learn a little about the lake this trip and maybe make a return trip in late November when the fishing is better.

[Amarley]

I'm planning on making a trip over to Dale Hollow this Sunday and thought about hiring a guide for my first trip. Any recommendations?

[tytay89]

there a website called small jaw.com click on the fishing forums and discussion about catching smallmouth..... the website started with a bunch of local and grew to what it is now, people are real nice and will point you in the right direction...

the lake is going threw some rough times, never was a numbers game there but numbers are down. the problem with the holler is every creek has a bluffs, points, pockets, flats ext. the lake is tough id hire a guide since its your first trip and your learning curve will be chopped in fractions. if i was going down id look into the night bite, ive done the best during the hot summer months at night from 11pm til sunrise. football jigs on  chuck rock or a swim jig on the weed edges next the the channel has done well. but a spinner with a colorado blade had been lights out... your best chance is make a account on small jaw tell em its your first trip n youll be humbled by the southern hospitality 

 

this is directly to the fishing forum, but you guys should really make a account that way you can talk to the local guides...

 

http://www.smalljaw.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=2

 

p.s. starpoint marina is my favorite place to stay...

[DavidWH]

I would agree, night time is probably the best option.  I would look up Greg Bresendine (Dusk to Dawn Guide Service) - his number and information is on smalljaw.com.  He is probably the best night time fishing guide on the lake.  He fishes out of Horse Creek.  I would also recommend HC as a possible destination, the people there are amazing!

 

Numbers are definitely down this year.  I have fished several nights, catching mainly unders and some middle slot fish.  Best night probably boated 10-12 fish.  Primarily use hair jigs at night, mix in a little spinnerbait action as well.

[stratosjoe]

Greg is the man !   call him save some of your valuable free time and gas money Dale is tuff but still fish to be caught.

[katmandew]

I've Fished this lake for 20 years. The past 18 months have been the toughest I have ever seen out here. Biologists shock boats go out every spring to check numbers and size. This spring numbers of smallmouth bass were 40% of what they normally are due to the fish kill last summer. They think it was the combination of severe drought, no generation, and a bad algae bloom.

I would keep that in mind when setting expectations, however, it's still a beautiful lake. if you plan on visiting Dale this fall, I'd suggest hiring a guide. Around 2nd/3rd week of October most switch from night to day fishing. Guide mentioned above (Greg) is known as one of the best night guides. Keith Palmeiro, also on smalljaw is one of the best daytime guides. I think their rates are $300 a day or $200 half day. Under normal conditions I'd say you could get by without a guide, but this year I would definitely recommend hiring one.

[MacP]

Hey! You live where I do!

[KevO]

I'm going for the first time since the spring this weekend.  I know it's early still but I will try day and night bite.  It's been a pretty bad year up there, but the TWRA final report says it wasn't as bad as some say.  Hopefully the weekend won't be a total waste.

[katmandew]

I'm going for the first time since the spring this weekend.  I know it's early still but I will try day and night bite.  It's been a pretty bad year up there, but the TWRA final report says it wasn't as bad as some say.  Hopefully the weekend won't be a total waste.

Never a total waste. It's still the most beautiful lake anywhere around here. Fishing has been tough tho. Here's the official TWRA response in case anyone is interested.

http://tn.gov/twra/region3/dhollowfishkill.pdf

[KevO]

It's always a good time and beautiful scenery even if I'm not catching much.  The lake will rebound and we will forget about how bad this year has and half has been.  Good news is years with high water during the spawn like 2010 and 2011 and this year, usually means a better survival rate for the fry.  I've also heard some reports about some bigger slot fish showing up towards the end of the summer.  No where near what it was, but its a positive sign!

[Amarley]

I'm going with a guide named Bobby Gentry tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

[katmandew]

It's always a good time and beautiful scenery even if I'm not catching much. The lake will rebound and we will forget about how bad this year has and half has been. Good news is years with high water during the spawn like 2010 and 2011 and this year, usually means a better survival rate for the fry. I've also heard some reports about some bigger slot fish showing up towards the end of the summer. No where near what it was, but its a positive sign!

I hope ur right. I quit in mid august and started fishing top water on center hill early mornings, but we didn't have much as far as size or numbers this summer at night on Dale. More largemouth than anything and that's unusual for the holler.

[katmandew]

I'm going with a guide named Bobby Gentry tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

Bobby is also a good guide. Let us know how you do.

[Amarley]

Had a good day on the water with Bobby. Caught one 4 lb smallie that was worth the trip. Tough bite but learned a lot about the lake and saw a lot of water. I definitely recommend Bobby Gentry if you want a great a Dale Hollow guide.

[katmandew]

Had a good day on the water with Bobby. Caught one 4 lb smallie that was worth the trip. Tough bite but learned a lot about the lake and saw a lot of water. I definitely recommend Bobby Gentry if you want a great a Dale Hollow guide.

Glad you had a good trip. That one 4 pounder always makes a trip worth it...but me growing up on this lake where 4 lb was the average fish has me spoiled.

I do think Dale will return to that being the norm, but it's gonna take 3-4 more years. The regs are in place for it, but we gotta give the unders in the lake (and there are a lot of them), time to reach that upper end slot range.

[KevO]

Good to hear you caught a nice one during the day.  You're right there are A LOT of unders and 16-17" smallies.  Catching an over is a real accomplishment right now.  There are overs to be caught though, you just gotta find em!  Happy hunting!

[Amarley]

Mine was right at 18" and Bobby said that was one of the few real quality Smallies he's caught on Dale this year. I'd like to go back when the water temp drops a little more towards 60. It's a beautiful lake, I went for the smallies and I'm happy I got a good one. I hated to hear about the die-off last year and I hope Dale comes back strong. I definitely plan on going again. I'd like to pull my boat over and spend a few days learning the lake. It was a completely different type of fishing than I was used to looking for smallies. We fished over a lot of deep grass and ledges with jigs, swim baits, cranks and drop shots. I've always been schooled on fishing more visible cover, and structure fishing is a whole new ball game! But, I'm hooked on it now and am ready to get back out there!

[katmandew]

Dale is a different animal.  I used to fish visible cover only before I learned to read structure.  Now I know why I only used to catch fish around the spawn.

[KevO]

Well, the day time bite still sucks.  Don't waste your time for at least another month.  Did manage a couple spots but no smallies.  Night bite wasn't very good either.