 |
||
Dale Hollow, TN-KY - April 4, 2025 |
 |
|
  |
||
   |
||
Legendary. In the pantheon of premier fishing destinations, the legendary Dale Hollow holds a special place in the hearts of smallmouth bass fishermen. The population, size and aggressiveness of these feisty beasts draw anglers from across the country to the now submerged town of Willow Grove. This lake, created in 1943 by the US Army Corps of Engineers currently holds the world record for smallies. Our preferred fishing target.The trip to fish Dale Hollow was special because this location was literally the reason Fish Fifty exists. We would speak of it often in the course of our early fishing trips together. It represented the Valhalla of smallmouth bass fishing, a world class fishing destination that the fishing magazines and TV shows were always covering. Additionally, we both had recently retired from our mutual employer after many decades of service and we had been found to be surplus to requirements, as they say. This was our piscatorial coming out party! With this in mind, a plan was hatched that would take us to Dale Hollow. We met at the Nashville Airport the day before and drove a couple of hours to the lodge located at one of the entrances to the launch. When we arrived, we set about doing our recon and as we descended down the twisting back roads to the lake it felt like a long-sought goal had been attained. On the day of the charter we met Mr. J.B. King at the launch promptly at 6:30AM and rocketed across the lake to his preferred starting point. After a couple of passes along the shore, it became evident that the top water bite just wasn't there. It seems that the cooler water and the passing storm systems made the smallies a bit particular. It was at this point that J.B. pulled out a contraption called The Alabama Rig. A medieval device which tested the shoulder strength of the anger by presenting 5 baits a cast making it worthwhile for the fish to investigate. (Example shown below.) John switched to this method and was rewarded by some satisfying hits which landed some nice fish. Mike switched over and finally landed his first. It was at this point that John executed the rare (but not unheard of) accomplishment of two fish on one cast. And these were not dinks. One was 4 pounds and the other was over 3. The photos really do not do them justice. It should be noted that while we do keep track of the number of fish each of us catch, we are usually not competitive. However, John found ways to remind Mike of his accomplishment for the remained of the day. As well as the days that followed. Though it seemed anticlimactic at this point, we continued to fish the shore and weed beds across the lake with some success. The weather improved as the fishing waned into the afternoon, and we loved every minute. We made the short trip into Kentucky to cross that off our list. Totally out of context, Mike landed a walleye. It was a great trip with a great guide in a great location. We could not have asked for more out of this trip, it was the perfect way to conclude a professional career and launch the next stage of our adventure on this rock. Time to ramp up the plans for our next trip. If you fancy a trip to Dale Hollow (and we cannot think of any reason you wouldn't), we heartily suggest you get in touch with Mr. J.B. King. J.B. is a 25 year veteran of the lake and professional fishing leagues and is something of a local celebrity having appeared in several TV fishing shows. His experience on the lake and endless stories made the trip even more enjoyable. He has a website, but your best is to give him a call. | ||
  | ||
|
| ||