Unlimited Tailwaters

[Onslow]

I've been trying to get a handle the best temperate bass destinations near my house. I've been to a few. 

This one is about 45 minutes away in the Catawba watershed. No official access here, just guerilla canoe launching. Non jet boats would have a hard time motoring up.

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The lake below the dam has the highest #s of stocked hybrids, and that was what I was hoping for. There were 5 dudes on the bank wading at the edge of the discharge sluice throwing both live bait and plastics.  I did not see them catch a fish.  It wasn't too long before I caught my first but it was a bama.

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Not long after, this.

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A big bass was swimming around the crappie as I was pulling it in.  It took a 2/0 Sparkle Yummy.

After getting tired of fishing the discharge area, I paddled around the dam looking for carp.  I proceeded to catch a 24 inch flathead on a clouser and a channel cat on a SY. I changed up the offerings and caught this one on a heavy #2 WB

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I had hope the water would be shut down by 9, but it wasn't until I loaded up that it was.

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One of the locals told me the stripers and hybrids bite year round, but in spurts. At least I did not leave empty handed. 3 bama bass were caught.

[Sedition and Pockets]

A reasonable sized flattie on the fly is way cooler than a fucking Bama spot

[Onslow]

I tried the lip grab bass pose with the flathead but I couldn't one hand it when it started the Shakira moves.

[Sedition and Pockets]

    

Real

[Onslow]

Went back to the same place

Water was running 1900 cfs instead of 3800.

Caught this near the top of a rapid.  Ended up fighting while going through it.

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Hadn't planned on fishing below it, but since I was already there, I kept at it until the horn blew at the dam. 

I hurried back anticipating a spike in flow but it did not materialize.

Fished the discharge and picked up this.You cannot view this attachment.

4/0 Murdich was the only thing getting fish to munch.  Had a follow by a good bama flash yum

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[Sedition and Pockets]

Had an opportunity to spend a day on a raft last week.  The local got pimp slapped by the rain that had pushed through the area, so we took a calculated gamble and headed for an E TN tailwater to see if maybe the small jaws were blessed with a big orange bug buffet. 

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(spoiler alert: they were)

The gamble paid off.  There may be some recency bias to this, but I think it might have been the best day of topwater (dare I say dry fly?) smallie action I've ever had.  Big numbers.  Quality fish.  And they wanted it righteous (dead drifted and drag free).  Fucking splendid.

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(Who hurt you bro?)

The only downer is the usual trash fish suspects were not in evidence, and definitely not on the bugs.  Did stumble into a prodigal pod of wayward wild Rainbows of Unusual Size.  I suspect Helene Fuckery is afoot.

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(*confused bass fisher noises*)

Cheers!
Dylar

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[Woolly Bugger]

dayum! 

[trout-r-us]

Splendid indeed.

[Fishbug]

Smallies and cicadas    

[Onslow]

Hit the road at 4:50 AM Friday to explore some new territory.  Blewitt Falls dam.

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Morning discharges which are needed for stripers have been scant due to the lack of water. Blewitt does not have much storage so it runs all the time.

2500 cfs isn't enough for specific tailwater action. I could paddle down and up without much difficulty at this level.

Water visibility was only 18".  Apparently the lake become blown out due to Rocky and Little River runnoff a couple weeks earlier.

No fish were caught.  I did see some mega wake action presumably from monster cats in tight banke cover.  Wish I would've caught a shad.

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As I was heading back, Erik called and it wasn't a good one.  I had to abort the rest of the day's activities. I did take a scenic tour on the way home to scout out the last bridge on the Little, Grassy Island access, Rocky River @ Norwood access, and Tillery dam.  Tillery looks  better.

A dude caught a couple stripers there. I had planned of fishing there after lunch and should've started there instead of Blewett.