General Lake Information
There are several links that have a lot of information about Old Hickory Lake. One link that map info. is lake maps.
Old Hickory may get new marinas
There is reports from the Corp of Engineers there may be new marinas built on Old Hickory
Boat slips, parking lots and oil and gas service would be required, with restaurants one of the options in a notice the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued, saying the sites are available for lease. READ HERE
Lake Cumberland News and updates
There is some good news about Lake Cumberland. The news reports seem to be saying at least the situation is stabilized for now. The Corp of Engineers website has a lot of information on this.
Winter Patterns
There are a several bass fishing tips and patterns you can use on Old Hickory during the winter patterns. Sometimes December and January may not produce a lot of bites but they are usually quality fish. In February and March, there a lot of big fish caught. Some areas to key in on are the main channel, drops, points of creeks, secondary points and areas that are shallow but close to deep water where the current doesn't move a lot (the sun in these shallow areas will warm the water up and active fish may move into these areas for a while to feed). Two other areas are discharge area from the Gallatin water plant just south of the Bull's Creek boat ramp and the Hwy 109 bridge. After you go under the bridge going south on the right there is a discharge line, you cannot see it from above water, the way you tell to stop or not is if the water is bubbling up, that means they are discharging water and the bait fish move in and the big fish move right around them.Two things to remember here; first - the current can be real strong here so either you have to stay out several yards from the current especially if you are in a small boat. You really need a strong trolling motor here at certain times. I strongly recommend keeping along distance back if you are in a small boat and this hurts you productivity here. Second - Only expect one or two bites but they can be huge fish. I have seen people win tournaments from here, just remember the bites will be slow, you must be patient to fish this spot. The other area that can be productive is the Gallatin steam plant discharge. This to the north from Bulls' Creek ramp on the left. The steam plant disharges warm water back into the here even in the winter the water temp. can be 60 degrees. Be careful when going into this area, it looks like its several feet deep but there are stumps and a lot of rock etc. Only run the trolling motor in this area unless you know it well. This area gets a lot of pressure, so I recommend backing off to right where the discharge drops off into the main river channel whe the fish do not get as much pressure.
Fall Patterns
In the fall there are several patterns that may work on Old Hickory Lake. Remember this is a river system, so don't always confuse it with a reservoir system. This lake does not fully turn over like some nearby lakes do. This is because there is more current then most lakes so the water is moving everyday.
- 1st pattern - spinner baits along main channel and in tributaries. I prefer 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 oz. depending on depth, cover etc. I prefer chartreuse, green, sometimes black/grey. If you are fishing with two people in the boat, the person in font will probably get more bites. But the person in back should throw a smaller bait or you use a more subtle presentation like worm or lizard. Some partners can both fish from the front of the boat but this takes a little practice and patience however can be effective when using proper technique. I like Stan Sloan Zorro with twin willow leaf blades with chartreuse or red trailer. Also,I highly recommend a trailer hook. Also I recommend Hilebrandt, Strike King,Stanley and Terminator. Watch for rocky banks esp. in windy conditions. This seems make the fish move up to feed on bait fish and become very aggressive.
- 2nd pattern - Crank baits on points/ along drops. Watch for points where creek channels meet main channels and secondary points in creeks. I prefer chrome or chrome blue rattletraps in these areas. Again pay attention to when wind is up, this seems to be when fish are more active. Be prepared to move between a couple of similar type spots that are close to each other. There are times when a spot may not be active and move for a short time and come back to the same spot and it that spot will be active. It is important to know conditions on the lake like generation schedule, water temp., etc. To find out some that information there are some sites like the Corp of Engineers. Also there is TWRA
Spring Patterns
Due to Old Hickory being a river system and other factors, there are many patterns that may be working at any time on this great bass fishing lake. Some of the factors can be time of day, location on the lake, water temperature, generation schedule etc. There are approximately 10 different patterns that may work at almost any time.
- 1st pattern - Top water frog/lizard on lily pads,moss- This pattern works in sloughs or areas of slow moving water. I prefer the frogs (chartreuse, green). You should position the boat at approx. 45 degree angle to shore line and almost drift if possible making as little motion as possible. You should use medium or preferably heavy equipment. At least a 6'6" rod with bait cast reel and 17 pound line. The preferred equipment is a 7' heavy action rod with at least 20lb. line and bait cast reel. Do not attempt this with spinning equipment unless you don't mind taking a chance of losing a large fish. I prefer shorelines that have access to deep water and the closer the better. You must pitch, flip or under hand cast the frog as close to shore as possible. Sometimes even let it rest on a lily pad for a second or two. Slowly twitch or short 1" - 3" jerks on rod tip. You should experiment with presentation. Most of the time, the strike comes right after the frog breaks free from a lily pad, piece of grass etc.Sometimes, even letting the frog swim down even 10" or 12" depending on area weather front etc. The key is when the fish strikes the frog, it is usually very aggressive and most anglers will set the hook too quickly and jerk the bait right out of their mouth. Slightly lower the rod tip, wait about 2 to 3 seconds when you can actually "feel" the rod load up, then set the hook.
- 2nd pattern - Top water floating worm- This pattern can be used in many different areas of the lake and can be successful and a lot of fun. The preferred equipment is a spinning rod/reel with at least 6lb line preferably 8 or 10 lb line. Some of the monofilaments work great because of line visibility. You should tie on a 2/0 or 3/0 hook without a weight (i have used a 1/8 ounce bullet weight on windy days) and hook the worm so that hangs almost straight (sometimes a slight twist in the worm gives it a little more action). I prefer solid white or sometimes a chartreuse or bubble gum. You should look for grassy areas along secondary points in the larger creeks or close to main channel. I like the real green grass that grows above the water a few feet in the spring.You position the boat so that you are 20 to 30 feet from the edge of the grass. Cast as far into the back of the grass as possible. Let the worm set a couple seconds and twitch 1-3 " at a time. Most bites will be between while still in the grass or just a couple feet from the outside of the grass. Experiment with presentation and color.You should try swimming the worm at the surface and also letting it sink almost to bottom. This is an awesome early morning pattern and can produce several fish in short period of time. Remember to set the hook as the fish is taking the bait under not at the first of the hit to insure the fish has taken the bait. This is a fun pattern for kids/young people because they can see their bait and it is fairly easy. The bites are very strong so be prepared with good footing/net.
- 3rd pattern - Flipping jig/worm-
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