Skippy trip

let me know where yall are going maybe i can meet up with ya

 

If you are talking about going to tva cumberland city, the colder the better has been my experience.

 

I just don't see how Pickwick in late April, early May could be beat. When they're running the turbines to create current, averaging a fish a cast is the norm, rather than the exception. Last spring, we filled a 7 cubic foot freezer, then filled 3 coolers with salted skipjack fillets (to make oil).

 

I went to Pickwick Tue the 19th and cought 17 in two hrs.tossing white grubs.smokey

 

Pickwick is located on the Tennessee River a couple of miles from Counce, Tennessee. You'll want to get Google directions, or Yahoo, or whatever, but you're best bet is probably going to be to come down and hit I40, S on I55, I240, Bill Morris Parkway, E on US 72 to Corinth, N on US45, then E on 57 to Counce. Go on through Counce. When you get to the 4-way stop, go straight to get to the dam. You can get down to the water on the Counce side of the river, but I've never been there. We always cross on over the dam then drive down below it to get to the powerhouse. That's where the best bank fishing for the skipjack is likely to be. One place we like is about halfway just below the wheelchair ramp about halfway between the dam and the U-bend where the ramp turns from going away from the dam to back towards the dam. Another is way down the parking lots almost to the big tower. You'll see a couple of concrete bases (? where another tower was?) at the edge of the lot, right at the top of the riprap. They are just about the right height to sit on. Go straight down to the water from them. You have further to go across the riprap there, but it won't be as crowded.

The TVA campground where we always have the gatherings is located downstream from the dam. It starts just about opposite the boat ramp, and goes on down past the second set of restrooms/showers. No alcohol is allowed in the park and it's well patrolled, so put your beer in a cozy, don't act crazy, etc.

I guess that 17 skippies in 2 hours is pretty good right now, but I would expect to catch 5 or 6 times that many in 2 hours in the spring. And here in the Little Rock area, 17 in 2 hours would be great at any time.

As far as catching them goes, you can use sabiki rigs, crappie jigs, small spoons, etc. In the spring at least, there's no need to use an expensive lure like a spoon or tiny plug. Skipjack are terrific fighters, and there's always a chance of them breaking off; you can expect it if you use 10# line or less. Sabiki rigs will work great, and I'm not knocking them, but my personal feeling is that cheaper crappie jigs rigged in tandem work just as well, and are much easier to store. You can't go wrong going either way.

If it's at all possible, I highly recommend taking your freezer with you on a small trailer, or in the back of a pickup. Also take several coolers and a 2-wheel dolly. Try the spot below the wheelchair ramp first. Put the skipjack on ice as soon as you catch them, and when you have 2 or 3 coolers full, load them on the dolly, wheel them to your vehicle at the top of the ramp, take them to your campsite, package them, and put them in the freezer. I also highly recommend checking the scheduled times for turbines operating, because when they stop, there's no current, and when there's no current, the skipjack turn off, big time. Here's a link to more info on water release:
http://lakeinfo.tva.gov/htbin/lakeinfo?DataType=All&site=PKH&submit=View+info

 

There's a good boat ramp downstream from the powerhouse, right across from the beginning of the TVA campground.