Fort Loudon Fishing Report 5/25/10

I took two of my friends out for fun on 5/25/10 from 6:30 pm to 9:15 pm. We put in at Carl Cowan park. The water was stained, 79-82 degrees. It started out raining and heavy wind, but passed through by 7:00 pm.
We fished main lake points and rocky areas and caught fish scattered. We landed about 10 fish, with 3 being keepers. Two over 15 inches and one 17 1/2 inches were caught all in the same spot.  Fish were anywhere from the bank to 12 feet deep.
Lures used were Carolina rigged plastics, Texas rigged plastics, poppers and shaky heads.  We also tried crankbaits and I caught one keeper crappie, but no bass.

Fort Loudon Fishing Report 5/5/10

I took a friend out today from 9:00am to 1:30pm.  We fished the Ish Creek and Saltpeter Bluff areas.  The weather was bright and sunny, no clouds and no wind.  Water temperature was 73 F.  Clarity was stained to heavily stained. 
We started out with crankbaits and immediately caught 2 short fish.  As we fished the main channel banks, we switched to flukes, worms and jigs and caught a few more.  We ended the day with 6 on crankbaits and 5 on plastics with only one keeper.  Lately I've had trouble finding the quality fish.
After the rough conditions on Kentucky Lake this past weekend, it was nice to fish in some calm water!
For those of you running wide open down the lake, BEWARE OF LOGS!  They are everywhere from the rains and flooding.

Fort Loudon Fishing Report - 4/22/10

Brandon and I fished in a tournament on Thursday night 4/22/10 from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.  The water is still warming up with 70+ degrees being normal in the coves.  The main lake is hovering around 68 degrees for the most part.  Tonight started off very windy, but calmed down after dark.  It was also partly cloudy for most of the tournament.
We started by fishing spinnerbaits and crankbaits on windblown main lake flats for about an hour with no luck.  We made a move into a pocket off the main lake out of the wind and fished the entire edge with plastics.  The first half of the pocket resulted in zero bites, but the second half gave up 5 fish and several misses, with one being a keeper weighing 2.44 lbs.  We continued on to another spot we have had success on in the past and immediately landed another keeper on plastics that weighed 2.26 lbs.  After that fish our night went downhill.  I had a nice fish jump and break my line and Brandon had a really nice fish come unbuttoned.  Had we landed those two, I think we would have had enough weight to win the tournament.  Once it got dark, we had a few nibbles but nothing we could set the hook on. 
All the fish we caught were several feet off the bank.  The lake is not full yet and alot of the cover is still out of the water.
On a side note, the FLW is here this week and they have been hammering the fish all week and weighing in some very nice bags.  It's becoming evident that with all the tournaments that have been taking place, the numbers of fish being caught has decreased substantially.

Fort Loudon Fishing Report 4/12/10

On Monday, 4/12/10, I was on the lake from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm in a tournament.  The water is getting warmer with main channel temperatures in the 65-69 F range.  The water continues to rise and there is more debris floating along with it.  I saw several large logs floating, so my advice is keep your eyes open and slow down or risk losing your lower unit.  The sky was clear and the air temperature was in the low 70s when we arrived and probably in the mid 50s when we left.  There was a light breeze and a good amount of current.
The fish keep going shallower.  We had good luck on jigs around shoreline cover although our weigh in would suggest otherwise.  We had one keeper at 2.04 lbs and I had one jump and throw the hook that was the same size.  I also had two 3+ lbers come off due to bad hooksets and frayed line.  You would think I'd never done this before!  I also tried crankbaits and jerkbaits for a few minutes with no luck.
If I had to go out today for quality fish, I would definitely fish shoreline cover from the front to the back of any coves and main lake pockets.  Don't forget to spray your jig with some sort of attractant because it seems to make them hold on longer at the moment.  Most importantly, have fun!

Fort Loudon Fishing Report - Week of 4/4/10

This week on Ft. Loudon, large numbers of bass are being caught, both smallmouth and largemouth.  The water temperature rose drastically over the last week.  Water temperature recorded at 59 degrees in a control spot last week is now reading 65.  Over last weekend the lake rose about a foot, pushing the fish closer to the banks.  The bite has changed from light pickups to an aggressive strike.  Many fishermen are reporting catches of 20-30 fish in 4 or 5 hours. 
Currently, the baits being used most frequently are jerkbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Texas rigged plastics or jigs.  The fish are on points and warm banks where they can be caught with any of the above lures.  It's not uncommon to catch several fish in the same spot.
Anglers, including myself, are also catching some large striped bass (aka stripers or rockfish) on these lures with 10-15 pounders being common.

Natural Shiner

Ok, you might be getting tired of seeing my painted crankbaits, but I've not made it to the lake yet for any fishing reports. Besides, I really liked the look of this one. It's my version of a natural shiner painted on a Lucky Craft CBD20.

Olive Craws

Here's some Olive Craws I just painted for a customer. He requested the eyes be put on the back of the lure instead of the front. Comments welcome.

First Sturgeon

I was able to go fishing for the first time this year on 3/6/10 below Ft. Loudon Dam. I fished on the side where the lock is and the water is calm. I tried several different lures with no luck, but I had a rod rigged with a 1/2 oz slip weight and a circle hook with nightcrawlers for catfish or anything else that might bite. By the end of the day, I had caught 1 perch and 2 sturgeon and my friend, Brandon, caught 1 striper, 1 white bass, and 1 sturgeon.
The sturgeon were the first either of us had ever captured and is a very neat looking fish. The first one I caught even tried to jump! They were small, measuring 21, 21.5, and 24 inches. These were stocked fish that are part of TWRA's sturgeon restoration program. They used to be common in these waters, but disappeared until the stocking program began.
I contacted TWRA and the sturgeon we caught were supposedly stocked in the French Broad and Holston Rivers. So, these fish swam all the way to Lenoir City to the dam and went through the lock, ending up in what is technically Watts Bar Reservoir. That means they passed by the University of Tennessee, paralleled Alcoa Highway, swam past Lousiville, Concord, Farragut and Friendsville and finally arrived in Lenoir City. Now that's a fish that covers alot of water!
Spring is here so get ready for the bass!

Check out this blog

Here is a blog that belongs to one of my followers.  It's in Spanish, which I'm very limited at.  I can read some, but can't speak it.  Anyway, it is a very nice blog full of interesting tackle and pictures.  Check out some of the swimbaits on here! They're really nice!
http://rogecuervo.blogspot.com/

My Latest Creations

Here's some crankbaits I finished this week. Hope you enjoy! The top two are "Blue Mottled Craw" and "Mottled Spring Craw" and the bottom one is "Pesky Gill".

Winter Pastime

I haven't been able to get on the water since Thanksgiving.  It's just too cold and the days are too short for me!  So, to pass the time I've been painting some crankbaits.  I really enjoy making jigs and painting crankbaits, especially in the winter.  It gives me something to do when I can't fish, lets my creative side play for awhile, and gets me really excited about getting back on the lake. 
Winter is also a great time to spend quality time with my wife and son.  She has understood my love of fishing since we met, so she doesn't nag at me during the warm months when I want to fish tournaments.  I appreciate and love her more than words can explain.  My son is growing fast and I've been taking time to soak it in.  He's starting to talk well and is incredibly fun to play cars with!  We like to crash them!  Soon, he'll be old enough to go fishing with his old man on the boat.  I know his mother is ready for it, because she misses going fishing too!
I thought I would post a few pictures here of my latest work.  Keep in mind, I'm not a professional painter!  I've been practicing with the airbrush and feel like I'm getting better every time I paint, though.  The main thing is I enjoy it. 
Have a great day and give thanks to Him!

Fort Loudon Catfishing

Ok, it's been awhile since I've posted, so here's a recap of what's been happening for me the last month and a half.
First, tournament season for me is over, so I've shifted my focus to bank fishing for trophy channel, blue, and flathead catfish. Over the last two weeks, I have caught several fish over 25 inches from both Sinking Creek and Turkey Creek.  The biggest so far was yesterday in Turkey Creek, which was a 32 inch flathead.
I've been using threadfin shad that I net from the area I'm fishing. As for tackle, I'm using a Ugly Stick Catfish series rod, a Shakespeare saltwater reel, Berkley Big Game 17 lb test line, and Team Catfish sinker sliders and 3/0 circle hooks.
Second, I've been trying to find more time to make and modify lures. I'm still dabbling with airbrushing and lead pouring and really want to get into plastic pouring.  However, I am running out of room in my garage.  So, I'm thinking of getting one of the two story type storage buildings like you see at Home Depot.  Then, I'll be able to move all my hobbies out of the garage and also have some extra storage.
Lastly, the time has changed and I haven't been getting out the boat very often.  It's just not worth the effort by the time I get off work, come home and load up just to fish for a couple of hours. Then, come home and unload everything. 
So, until next spring, there will not be many fishing reports posted on this site.  I will shift to product reviews and other fishing talk.  There may be some tackle making tricks or results posted, too.  I wish all of you a happy Thanksgiving!

Crankbait Modification - Part 2 - Painting

People paint crankbaits using many different methods, tricks, and paints.  I might not paint them the proper way according to some people, but it works for me.  And, besides, I'm still learning!  One day I decided to give it a try because I already have an airbrush, I have too many crankbaits not in use because I don't like th colors, and I am out of jig making materials right now.  (The company I order jig supplies from is relocating and out of commission until October 12.)  So, I will try to walk you through the steps I take when painting my crankbaits.
First, it is important to make sure the lure is smooth.  If it's not, sand it until it is.  Many wooden lures get chunks out of them through frequent use and these chunks can be filled in with wood putty.  The most common flaw I find in plastic lures is grooves where the front hooks rub into the body during use. This can be fixed with any epoxy, but I prefer Devcon 2-ton.  Also, be sure to tape off the lip and any other parts you don't want to get paint on.  It's fine to paint over the hook hangers.
Second, you want to lay down a base coat to work from.  For all practical purposes, this should be done with white.  It allows you to see what you're spraying better and it also makes the colors brighter.  The airbrush I use is a Badger Professional 150.  Before you spray be sure to read the directions of both the paint and the airbrush.  Different paint requires different reducers to spray properly.  If this isn't done correctly, you will get splatters or an uneven design.  Some paint can be reduced with distilled water, while others require paint thinner.  I even have one that reduces best with Windex!  I learned that from a seasoned painter at Hobby Town.
Once the basecoat is painted and had plenty of time to dry, you can start with your pattern.  This is when you can use templates to make scale patterns, gills, or anything else you can think of.  I normally use a scale pattern and if gills are required, I will freehand them.  I made this simple tool out of some scrap wood and drywall mesh tape.  It works great for scales. 

Just hold it up to the lure and spray evenly as far down as you want the scales to show.  Be sure not to move the template or the paint will smear.  If that happens, it is best to start over with a new base coat.  I always go back over a portion of the back (or top) of the lure with the same color I used for the scales, but without the template.  This blends the colors and scales and it looks much better.
After you have all the colors you want on the bait, you can start painting the eyes and any other details.  I use a nail to paint the black dots on the side of the lure and two different size nails for the eyes. I use the bigger nail for the main color of the eye such as red or yellow and I use a smaller nail to put a black dot in the middle.

The final step is to seal the lure and make it durable.  I use Devcon 2-ton epoxy for this.  It's very simple to use, dries quickly, and offers great protection.  Mix it up and use a cheap brush to paint it on.  I've also used a popsicle stick to put it on, but the brush is much easier.  Glitter can be added to the epoxy while you mix it if desired.  Once the epoxy is covering the entire lure body, hang it to dry.  This is where the Devcon pays off, because it dries quickly enough that it doesn't run or leave globs on the lure.  Slower drying epoxies require a drying machine to ensure it doesn't run.  Some people use old rottisseries for drying the lures.  As it spins, the epoxy doesn't have time to run.

Here are the recent lures I painted.  Clockwise from left, Norman DD22 in Citrus Shad, Bomber Fat Free Fingerling in Sexy Shad, and Bandit 100 in Citrus Shad.

Well, that's the way I paint crankbaits.  I'm sure many of you can do a much better job, but I hope this can help some other beginners to not make as many mistakes as I have.  If you have any tips or tricks, please feel free to leave them in the comment sections for everyone to see.  Good luck out there and be safe!

Fort Loudon Fishing Report - 9/14/09, Monday Night Mayhem

Brandon was able to make it out to fish with me on Monday night and it paid off. He had our two biggest fish in the Monday Night Mayhem tournament out of the Concord ramp on Fort Loudon, with one winning lunker. It weighed 3.66 lb. We had a total of 4 fish that weighed 8.74 lb, which was good enough for the win.
We caught several fish on topwater poppers, but none were keepers. Three of our keepers came on a 10" Berkley Power Worm and one came on a white Strike King Caffeine Shad. We fished from 6" - 17 ft deep on 5 spots I have had some success with the past few weeks. I've had problems hooking the fish on these spots but I knew they were there. Monday, we didn't have such a problem although we did miss a few. I guess that leaves a few there for next time!
Baitfish are everywhere and you can see them schooled on top. Occasionally, a feeding frenzy will occur and you can catch several fish in a very short time, but they seem to be small ones. The water temperature was around 78 F. The water was calm, with very little wind. The skies were partly to mostly cloudy.
This is a fun tournament to fish. I really enjoy competing against these guys and we have a great time before and after the tournament shooting the bull. The director is Bill Freeman and he has done a great job!
The results were as follows:
Jon Dice/Brandon Dinsmore - 4 fish - 8.74 lb and first lunker - 3.66 lb
Bill Freeman/John Smith - 4 fish - 6.76 lb and second lunker - 2.31 lb (I think)
Jerry and Robby Beck - 4 fish - 6.37 lb (great to see father and son fishing together)
Lynn and Bob King - 4 fish - 5.99 lb
others did not weigh in fish.

Anyone interested should come out and fish! It's not an expensive tournament, $35 (but I think is being lowered to $25 to draw more competitors). We are fishing through the end of October and now is getting to be the best time to catch good numbers of fish on Fort Loudon. It would be a great place for some beginning tournament anglers to have a good time.
Until next time, be safe and catch them big uns!

USA Bassin' Regional, Douglas Lake Report 9/13/09

Brandon and I fishied the Regional on Sunday 9/13 and didn't do so well. We only had 2 fish that weiged 2.5 lbs and I think finished in 31st place. The good news is that was good enough to qualify for the USA Bassin' Classic which will be on Kentucky Lake in May 2010. The top 3 will win a new boat! The winner on Sunday had 17+ lbs, 2nd was 10+, 3rd was 9, and 4th was 8.9. There were 48 boats.
It was a tough day. The topwater bite was slow in the area we fished in the morning and we only managed a few small fish on Pop Rs and Zara Spooks. Our keepers came off of shady steep rock banks on finesse shaky worms. We caught around 10 fish, but only had the 2 keepers. From 11:00 am to 1:00 pm we didn't get a bite.
If I had it to do over, I would go much farther up the river and find dirtier water. It was just too clear where we were. The water temperature at 7:30 am was 74 F and we found 80 F later in the day in one area. The skies were clear and a strong eastern wind was blowing in.
The tournament director, Joe Cummings, did a great job! It was very organized and efficient. Congratulations to the winners and everyone who qualified for the Classic!