Pickwick? 2024

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Anybody been done there lately? Havn't heard much buzz lately. Going to need to start going down there more because I have a tournament down there in Feb.

FIAB reply :

Sauger are starting to bite......caught 7 keepers on Dec. 23rd. Talked to some guys fishing the river with live bait for smallies but the didn't do any good.......they shut down generating at about 10:00am. Water temp was 44 then....I would bet its at least 41 or 42 by now.

The next few days they are going to be pumping some good water....over 100,000 average per day. If the shad kill hasn't started I may have to try and take of Wed or Thur and go.

lynyrdsky1 reply :

When should the conditions change for me to go up there for LM to practice.

FIAB reply :

I would go now with the lake level at 410 and dropping. Scan the banks and mark spots that will likely be under water by the time you have your tournament. Be carefull there can be some treats for a lower unit and prop this time of year.

If you have never been on Pickwick with the water low you would really be surprised at the small under water points (gravel bars) and stumps that are usually 5-10 ft under water during the "fishing season"........

Good Luck

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Thanks for the help. I've only been there during late spring and just in a few areas. Need to learn to fish open water spots and points. I'm too used to fishing shallow brush piles and banks.

roadwarrior reply :

Three weeks ago we were killin' 'em on jerkbaits, but I haven't

been back since.

8-)

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Trying to get there sometime this month. Hard to find a boater since dad can't go cause of work and won't go cause he is in duck hunting mode.

FIAB reply :

Pickwick as of today....no shad kill yet (this may happen after this cold snap this weekend).

Spilling until further notice....projected average outflow for Sat. 91,483.

Great current, mid to low 40s water temps.....May be the last good weekend before the shad kill......Let's all meet below the dam and scare the hell out those sauger fishermen. (of course if the sauger are biting I will have a sauger jig tied on). Beech will have to wait until another weekend.

See ya on the river.

bryand82487 reply :

Quote
Trying to get there sometime this month. Hard to find a boater since dad can't go cause of work and won't go cause he is in duck hunting mode.

When fishing a tournament on pickwick do you know if you have to lock through the dam to fish the river or can you put in on the river side?

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Quote

Quote
Trying to get there sometime this month. Hard to find a boater since dad can't go cause of work and won't go cause he is in duck hunting mode.

When fishing a tournament on pickwick do you know if you have to lock through the dam to fish the river or can you put in on the river side?

Idk With what I'm doing, we just put in at different ramps depending the tournament. First tournament is JP Coleman which is Indain Creek. I guess I've never really fished the river if I've only have fished Indian and Yellow

FIAB reply :

Bryand82487,

Most tournaments that I know of you have to lock thru to get to the other side.....(no taking out and putting back in), but I'm sure it all depends on the tournament and tournament rules. I know plenty of folks that have put in at JP Coleman and locked thru to the river.

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Quote
Bryand82487,
Most tournaments that I know of you have to lock thru to get to the other side.....(no taking out and putting back in), but I'm sure it all depends on the tournament and tournament rules. I know plenty of folks that have put in at JP Coleman and locked thru to the river.

Then you got the gutsy people who gun it all the way to Bay Springs and win tournaments. If you guys know what I'm talking about

Mr. Swabby(aka westtennessee1) reply :

Hey fellow Pickwick Anglers! I'm thinking of taking a couple days off work soon to hit the water. Any thoughts on tactics? Heard the shad kill has occurred... I'll probably hunt for smallies below the Pickwick Dam. Any thoughts that you might have would be appreciated!

roadwarrior reply :

I'll see what I can find out about the shad situation,

but I tried it last year during the kill and couldn't buy

a bite! I'll talk with some friends and report back later

today.

-Kent

roadwarrior reply :

Couldn't find anyone who has been down the last two weeks.

:-[

TN basstracker reply :

Talked to a buddy yesterday who went to Pickwick on Saturday and put in at the dam. He went mostly to graph some offshore structure and mark some things during the low water period for later on when the lake is at summer pool. Said he did manage to catch a couple of fish deep on a jigging spoon in the mouths of creeks near the dam. Didn't mention anything about a shad kill though. I'll get back with him and find out.

roadwarrior reply :

Planning to hit the river and maybe the lake

tomorrow. Anybody have a recent report?

MFBAB reply :

I got one and it ain't good. RW and I fished the lake yesterday and there is a major shad kill on, we caught one bass in 5-6 hours of fishing and based on conversations w/ other fisherman (from above and below the dam) we were ahead of the game, lol. BTW, his stomach looked like it had a baseball in it from eating Shad.

If you're a Bass or a Seagull, Pickwick is awesome right now, if you're a fisherman or a Shad, not so much....

bryand82487 reply :

I figured. I went to Beach lake yesterday to play with all my toys I've bought over winter and didn't get a single bite. The water temp was 41.

sbrown reply :

My son and I went down to Bay Springs yesterday temps 41-45. We did as much looking around as we did fishing. Didn't see any dead Shad, but didn't see but one bass in 5 hours. It followed my spinnerbait back to the boat.....

roadwarrior reply :

Forget about Pickwick and the Tennessee River until

the shad kill has run its course. The fish are scavenging

the dying threadfin. We (but not me) only had one bite

Saturday.

:-X

p.s. Don't think "they should have tried ___."

We threw everything including the kitchen sink!

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Good info, I'll just have to wait a little longer to bass fish. Gonna try to head to Lake View this weekend to crappie fish since it just opened today. I'll hit up Pickwick next month.

bankerbasser reply :

I was down there on the lake Sunday, major shad die off, every seagull in the southeast seemed to be there ! As many have said, the fishing will be tough until the shad are eaten or flushed out. Should be good for the fishing this spring as they should be fat !

mr.mallard reply :

have fun launching your boat with the best and the brightest of memphis at lakeview....hahaha

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Quote
have fun launching your boat with the best and the brightest of memphis at lakeview....hahaha

Launching isn't the bad part, leaving is where it gets sort of "interesting". Over the years that I've been there I have seen 2 trucks role in the water, very nice Triton being just dropped on the ramp pushed off and dragged by a rope back on, and my favorite some dumb*** gunning it out and swamping a game warden.

MFBAB reply :

Anyone fish Pickwick last w/end?

lynyrdsky1 reply :

I didn't but there may be a good chance me going this weekend, but it's dependent on the weather. If I do go I'll post a report.

MFBAB reply :

I went Sun and loaded up my GPS w/ brushpiles but didn't have time to fish. The WT was 39-41 that day and there were still a lot of floaters and birds hanging around, hopefully we'll get a little warm weather and that will pass soon. I was marking a lot of bait and fish in the 20-30 foot zone off of points at creek mouths all day.

lynyrdsky1 reply :

You staying at the river or you going to the lake sides.

MFBAB reply :

I was above the dam, Yellow, Panther, Dry Cr area. I don't think things are any better below the dam, one of RW's buddies is a guide over there and I'm pretty sure they told us they blanked on Smallies in the tailrace Saturday before last on live bait, that is depressing.

lynyrdsky1 reply :

We probably putting in at JP Coleman or Goat Island but by the way you're putting it, Indian and Yellow maybe a bad idea.

MFBAB reply :

I don't want to discourage you, maybe someone will chime in with a better outlook, but I fished it Sat before last and talked to several other people and the best 2 reports I've heard are 3 fish for 2 guys we met at the ramp, I met 2 guys there last Sat who said they had caught 6 the w/end before w/ no keepers, and had 0 that day, RW and I only had 1 keeper, every other report I heard was a shutout. I plan on fishing close to home the next couple of weeks until the weather warms a little and Pickwick gets back on track. Another thing, if we get this snow and rain the next couple of days there may be a shallow bite up in the back of Yellow or Indian somewhere, you never know Let us know what ya'll do anyway.

jiggin_it reply :

Zeroed this past weekend. Gotta tourney this weekend and with water temps at 37-41 i am out of ideas. any input on what to do would be appreciated.

roadwarrior reply :

If you get past the shad kill...

LC Pointer

Bandit 100, 200 or 300

Slug-Go on a drop shot rig

Swarming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad

8-)

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Dad changed his mind.......sense I'm along for the ride I can't really dispute haha. We are probably going to lower lake of Sardis for crappie but I'll try for bass for bit and let u guys know if I get lucky.

Austin

MFBAB reply :

Some buddies of mine have been pounding them for a couple of weeks spider rigging minners around the channel and on flats right above the dam, good luck.

bankerbasser reply :

I'm headed to Pickwick mid morning tomorrow. Not expecting much, doing as much looking offshore as fishing. Prob throw jerkbait, jigs, biffle hardhead jig, etc. I'll post what I learn tomorrow night.

bankerbasser reply :

Fished PW on Saturday from 10 till 2. Hit main lake points and secondary points from JP Coleman to Yellow Creek, water temps 41 to 44 later in the day. Threw jerkbaits, jigs, shakey head, crankbait to no avail. Shad kill still happening. It was beautiful with snow on shady banks, sunshine and very little wind at times. I'm ready for spring !

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Went to Lower Lake of Sardis and nadda. We only caught 10 crappie between us and no bass. Should of been spider rigging.

MFBAB reply :

We got warmer weather all week, if you go by the formula of averaging the highs and lows for previous 3 days, this Saturday should show WT's in the 50's somewhere. Kent, you busy?

Creeduck reply :

Hello to all -

I am new to this forum and fish Pickwick, well, as much as my job, my kids, and wife allow. I live 16 minutes from the lake.

Hoping to get back out there on Friday - will report afterwards.

roadwarrior reply :

If we can get an "all clear" report on the shad

kill, I'm up for Saturday. However, I don't want

to just practice casting again!

8-)

triglet reply :

good job on the reports guys. keep em coming. Think we are gonna do a weekend camping trip at pickwick around the 3rd weekend in march hoping it has picked up a little by then!

roadwarrior reply :

Anyone fishing this weekend?

sbrown reply :

I want to fish this weekend, but I've been awaiting to hear a positive report. I have all my stuff ready to go.

Tnbigdaddy1 reply :

I am going Sunday.

mr.mallard reply :

53 on the tenn-tom

48 on okatobiee

roadwarrior reply :

Forget about Pickwick, the birds are still there.

MFBAB reply :

Quote
Forget about Pickwick, the birds are still there.

Makes me feel better about not being able to go this w/end, I bet we'll have a few reports next week though.

Creeduck reply :

Opted to Crappie Fish Indian and Bear Creek today - S - L - O - W. Plenty of fat Seagulls. Water temps varied from 47-49.

Bamajoker reply :

Did not hit pickwick but went to wilson, same story thousands of birds and shad floating everywhere.

Tnbigdaddy1 reply :

Pickwick was tough today. Water temps 45-50, birds everywhere, no dead shad visable, lake is still way down, WIND was aweful in the afternoon.

MFBAB reply :

Man, I bet it was mean, wind was in the 15-20 range here in Memphis today.

Bamajoker reply :

Quote
Pickwick was tough today. Water temps 45-50, birds everywhere, no dead shad visable, lake is still way down, WIND was aweful in the afternoon.

I had seen something i never seen before saturday, which I have never fished a whole lot this early in the year but I pulled up in a pocket for a bit to eat a sandwich and rest for a minute and i kept hearing a "thump"

Like corks poping out of the water. I started investigating and it was shad popping up to the surface and rolling to their backs it must have been hundreds up them, it was almost scary.

I went out on the point and tried to throw a jerk bait but could not even get it to work right because i was catching shad on the trebles, they were so thick and lethargic i could troll through them and they would not move.

bryand82487 reply :

Hopefully this storm system that's about to move through will wash the shad kill out. If we get 3 inches of rain like projected the dam should be spilling a lot of water.

Pete-K reply :

Pickwick has 8 flood gates cracked open just a little there only letting 58,000+ down stream.

Fishing should be good, as even the sauger fishing is hot right now.

Pete

bassguy6 reply :

I heard that this past Sat. (Feb 26th) a tourney was held out of J.P. Coleman state park. 5 places were paid as follows:

1. 29 pounds (with 9.5 oz big fish)

2. 28 pounds (8.2 oz big fish, w/ another 8 even big fish).

3. 26 and some change

4. 26 and some change

5. 25 pounds and some change

Anyone hear the same results?

bankerbasser reply :

Yes, that is correct. Also this past Saturday on Kentucky Lake the Tn River Trail had its first tournament out of Mason's Dock, just north of New Johnsonville. It took 26 lbs to win with top 5 coming in 24, 23, 22, 21. The big fish was 11.39, second bf 10.7, third bf 10.07. There were several fish over 6 lbs weighed in. You can check it out on tnrivertrail.com. Things are looking good on the Tenn River system !

jiggin_it reply :

Did those JP results come out of Bay Springs?

lynyrdsky1 reply :

No New johnsonville area and Yellow Creek I believe

jiggin_it reply :

do you mean the kentucky lake sacks were outta new johnsonville and the jp coleman sacks were outta yellow creek? i dont know much about ky lake but thats a strange area for 20+ lbs to come outta pickwick this time of year........or anytime of year for that matter.

Memphisballer reply :

Quote
No New johnsonville area and Yellow Creek I believe

Those sacks came fom Yellow Creek? Are you sure?

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Quote

Quote
No New johnsonville area and Yellow Creek I believe

Those sacks came fom Yellow Creek? Are you sure?

They came from different places but I could of sworn someone told me they were huge bags coming out of yellow creek as well as everywhere else. I maybe wrong tho

Memphisballer reply :

Okay. I was just curious.

jiggin_it reply :

i know it is possible for a 20+ sack to come outta yellow creek but very rare. i was guessin everyone of those guys made the run to bay springs.

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Quote
i know it is possible for a 20+ sack to come outta yellow creek but very rare. i was guessin everyone of those guys made the run to bay springs.

All I know is that I don't think anyone went to bay springs. My club had a tournament there 2 weeks ago and the largest bag was only 9 lbs but I don't think that really matters much.

Mark Rose did the run and won there but again.... it's Mark Rose

jiggin_it reply :

im not doubting you its just surprising.

roadwarrior reply :

UPDATE:

13 flood gates open yeasterday, but we still managed

more than a dozen bass 2 1/2 -4 1/2 lbs. The fish

were about half and half, brown and green plus

a drum and full grown whitey.

Water flow 58,000 CFS early, MUCH greater,

later. Water temperature ranged 49* - 52*;

visibility ~3-4'.

We fished a range of lures both hard and soft. Winners

included a grub on jig head, Kut Tail on a MegaStrike

Shak-E2 Pro Series, Rage Tail Baby Craw and

Swarming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad.

No strikes on jerkbaits or any cranks other than

the white bass on a lipless Spro Aruku.

8-)

Casey K. reply :

Quote
UPDATE:
13 flood gates open yeasterday, but we still managed

more than a dozen bass 2 1/2 -4 1/2 lbs. The fish

were about half and half, brown and green plus

a drum and full grown whitey.

Water flow 58,000 CFS early, MUCH greater,

later. Water temperature ranged 49* - 52*;

visibility ~3-4'.

We fished a range of lures both hard and soft. Winners

included a grub on jig head, Kut Tail on a MegaStrike

Shak-E2 Pro Series, Rage Tail Baby Craw and

Swarming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad.

No strikes on jerkbaits or any cranks other than

the white bass on a lipless Spro Aruku.

8-)

Thanks for the info. Going to put in at Stateline tomorrow I believe.

triglet reply :

Anyone been in the past couple days?? Gonna be camping there all weekend. Hoping the catfish and bass will be biting!

Pete-K reply :

Quote
Anyone been in the past couple days?? Gonna be camping there all weekend. Hoping the catfish and bass will be biting!

Where are you camping? And what part of the lake are you planning on fishing? Catfish should be easy. for the most part you should be able to fill a big cooler with them above the dam from the second cove on the Savannah side to the lower docks below the last cove.. Just don't go any lower with 200,000 CFS spilling. Fish should eat up the rooster livers or worms..

I hope to have a bass report Wed. Going for brown fish .

Also sounds like they may have put in at yellow creek to catch those big bags of bass but run out to the main lake to catch them.

roadwarrior reply :

Roger Stegal won the FLW tournament on

Pickwick with 24 lbs 12oz last Saturday:

http://www.flwoutdoors.com/bassfishing/bfl/tournament/2011/6661/pickwick-lake-bo...

I heard the technique was slow rolling 1 oz

spinnerbaits.

8-)

JJS reply :

going tomorrow. Does anyone know if McFarland is open?

soopd reply :

One of the ramps is open. I will be going Thursday.

triglet reply :

planning on putting at jp coleman and camping either on the water there somewhere. gonna put up a tent and do it old style. thinking of doing noodles for the catfish. and then chasing the bass for the rest of the time! hopefully the weather will cooperate and it will be a great weekend!

Pete-K reply :

Meeting a buddy at The State Park Boat ramp at Pickwick at 10 am this morning. Were going to see if we can find a few brown fish today. He fished Monday for 6 hours and did not get a hit. But then again hes not fished a lot, but out on spring break from College so its fishing time.

Been a lot of years without fishing Pickwick for bass. But used to have 100 fish days this time of year on Pickwick 20 years ago. And I have the itch to get back into bass fishing... Not many bass fishing out of a Lund tiller boat on Pickwick LOL But tired of chasing those Big Catfish and Striper's. So going back to brown fish again.

Got my Bandits and secret spinner baits hooked up. Used to make spinner baits and painted my own Cranks may have to get back into this..

Pete

sbrown reply :

Hey if you bet back to making baits again, let us know. Sounds good to me. I'd like to own some of my own "secret weapons"

lynyrdsky1 reply :

Maybe goin to Yellow Creek tomorrow but it's a maybe right now.

bankerbasser reply :

Fished PW Friday & Saturday, pre fishing for club tourney Friday for tourney today. I was really surprised at how tough it was. I really thought we would all catch a lot of fish but it didn't work out that way. First place was 4 fish that weighed 9 lbs. Big fish was 5 lbs 6 oz. Most fish were caught shallow on Redeye Shads or square bill crankbaits. A few jerkbait fish were caught. Water temps started out around 56 and warmed up to 61 by mid afternoon. I caught several 14.75 in fish on flats that were just getting into shallow water. The main river was stained, but most of Yellow Creek, Dry Creek, etc were ok. I guess that's why they call it fishin' and not catchin' !

jiggin_it reply :

saw a 28.66 lb sack toated out today. needless to say he won the tourney by 12 lbs.

sbrown reply :

Someone always seems to find a load of em in the river.

roadwarrior reply :

Already posted pics in "Outings", but the river was on fire

before the sun came out around 10:30 Saturday. We were

fishing gravel banks in 8' water. Square bill crankbaits ruled!

8-)

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