Thread: Tail race drifting

Are there any secrets to drift fishing in the tail races behind dams. Are you just supposed to stay hung up and break a lot of hooks off in the rocks? I'm talking about larger places like on the Tennessee river.

I know its late.
But I run the outboard and slow the drift. That or you have to have a good Trolling motor.
Now in East Tn at Nickajack you can drift with the current and do well. Just move the speed the current is moving you.
But if your at Say Pickwick or some like it. For the most part your lucky to move 20 years with out hanging up.

You can fish the way I do for Stripers. 3 way swivel with a 6" line to a 3 oz sinker then a 3ft leader off the other side of the 3 way. Then I use one of these and a bobber stop. Keeps the bait up off bottom and works great for Catfish or stripers. Wild Wolf Products

I use the 5" Fat kat bobbers for this. Also I have some 8" ones made up that will suspend a 1 lb bait and 3 oz sinker even in the swift water.
Pete

When I fish below wilson dam, we use circle hooks 3-0 or 4-0 with either whole yellowtails/threadfin shad or cutbait from skipjack or gizzard shad and we always take rooster liver just in case. and this is the important part NO weight, we just let out line until it tic's bottom or maybe use a small splitshot.
we just drift with the current and use the trolling motor to keep the boat straight. don't usually catch huge ones but can usually catch a mess of 1-5 lb fish