Dale Hollow Lake is best known for its smallmouth bass fishery; however, it also holds some outstanding trophy spotted bass and walleye fisheries.
Dale Hollow offers low water levels and clean waters, perfect for Winter fishing adventures. From dawn top-water explosions to arm-breaking strikes at night – Dale Hollow has it all.
Smallmouth Bass
Dale Hollow Reservoir is world-renowned as a trophy smallmouth bass fishery. Anglers travel across the South, Midwest, and Northeast for this world-class smallmouth fishing opportunity; some living just across county lines or even further away often visit Dale Hollow, a favorite smallmouth hotspot! Not only that, but its largemouth bass, crappie, and walleye fisheries also excel.
Smallmouth bass are perennial favorites of anglers, yet especially so during the summer, due to the shallow water depths and temperatures at Reservoir 466’s reservoir, as well as its rocky bottoms and warm temperatures – conditions which make survival for bass challenging when conditions are less than ideal. For optimal success during this difficult period, anglers must target areas near rock points or steep drop-offs of 15-25 feet within major creek arms for victory with smallmouths.
At day, smallmouth bass can often be found chasing shade throughout the main lake. Anglers can use various techniques – including finesse presentations – to tempt them out of cover. At night, however, bass move deeper into creek arms and stay close to their bottom resting spot.
If that happens, a vertical approach may be necessary to locate bass in thick cover and lure them out. A shaky-head jig or swimbait working across the bottom is often effective, but other techniques may also prove successful.
Nuckols prefers nighttime fishing with coon-tail grass. He finds sparse grass more beneficial as it helps concentrate the bass and makes them easier to target with spinnerbaits and jigs. He monitors lake water levels and targets humps when their depth reaches 15 feet.
Reagan enjoys using a wide selection of lures when fishing Dale Hollow. Top-water and stick baits are his go-to options; however, he’s fond of walking-the-dog baits too – similar to whopper poppers but more affordable; each walk-the-dog costs between $16-20. Whether baits are chosen for fishing on Dale Hollow, safety must always come first: ensure your kill switch is activated; wear a life vest; pay attention to other boaters!
Largemouth Bass
Dale Hollow Lake is one of the premier fisheries in North America, famed for producing world-record-setting smallmouth bass and world-class largemouth, trout, and crappie fishing opportunities. Situated within Clay, Pickett, and Overton Counties of Tennessee and Cumberland and Clinton Counties in Kentucky – these locations make up this famed fishery.
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency oversees this reservoir, known for producing trophy-size fish such as David Hayes’ record 11-pound 15-ounce smallmouth catch in 1955.
Even though temperatures have dropped, largemouth fishing remains strong. Topwater baits work particularly well early morning around grass and shallow wood, while during afternoon hours, you should target rocky banks and points in 8-15 feet of water with small swimbaits cast over ledges for success.
Smallmouth bass post-spawn can be fickle. They still feed on jigs and ned rigs around grass areas, laydowns in creek channels, main lake points in 0-15 feet of water, and grassy shorelines and humps – producing quality post-spawn fish!
Deeper waters in more profound water feature weed-beds on offshore humps and points which attract fish. However, as summer progresses, these beds will deteriorate; to maximize success, anglers should focus their efforts on deeper rock piles, brush piles, or gravel flats instead.
Dale Hollow Lake offers anglers an exciting fishing opportunity with its abundant rainbow and lake trout populations, which can often be caught within four miles of the dam. Anglers can use deep-diving crankbaits on steep shoreline drop-offs with planer boards in hand to avoid scaring away fish from biting.
Crappie fishing on the Tennessee side of Lake Mead is also excellent, with most keepers within 12-18 inches in depth. Look for channel banks, humps, and ledges within 20-24 feet of water for best results. Anglers also may catch them by fishing the back of creek arms using front-facing sonar to locate suspended fish while dragging minnows with jigheads to discover suspended ones.
Dale Hollow Lake provides ample room to roam, covering over 27 square miles. Managed as a destination fishery, Dale Hollow is an excellent place for fishing, hiking, and camping trips – be sure to bring a valid fishing license when setting out onto its waters!
Walleye
Dale Hollow Lake holds the world record for smallmouth bass catch from 1955 and continues to produce trophy fish today. Anglers looking for that ultimate fishing experience often come back for more at this reservoir, be it top-water explosions in the morning or an arm-breaking strike at night – these fish leave anglers weak-kneed and eager for more action!
While most anglers focus on largemouth bass fishing at lakes, it can be easy to overlook that these waters also make an excellent location for walleye. These fish prefer deeper waters, such as offshore humps and points.
Pike fish enjoy lounging around rocky areas of lakes with rocky bluffs, particularly around creek arms and mouths. For optimal results, use a spinner bait trolled at an even speed – don’t be afraid to explore deeper weed beds, too!
Since 2017, KDFWR has implemented slot limits to address seasonal fluctuations in the forage base and improve fish growth rates. This move has had an immediate and positive effect on smallmouth bass growth rates, leading to more 16-21-inch fish being caught.
KDFWR recently implemented an 18-inch minimum length limit in Lake Barkley to offer anglers more trophy opportunities while decreasing harvest levels and maintaining quality bass populations for future generations.
As temperatures heat up in summer, smaller smallmouth bass migrate toward shallow waters for food and calmer waters, making them more easily accessible for anglers – though they must practice catch-and-release tactics to preserve the species.
Lake Wakamow has an elevation of 648′ and currently produces an average daily flow of 300 cubic feet per second through its dam. Water clarity varies across the lake, with the most transparent waters on the main body and murkier waters near Wolf and Obey River arms; the water temperature also fluctuates with the most excellent temperature found near the dam and warmest in the creek arm backs.
Crappie
Dale Hollow boasts an excellent crappie population; many nice fish have been caught recently. Small jigs fished under a bobber are very effective this season, as are minnows on the hook. Look out for brush piles or woody structures along the shoreline or rip-rap for ideal spots, and be mindful of any state creel limits and size restrictions before fishing for this species.
As the water level decreases, fish have moved deeper for cooler temperatures. Bass use swimbaits, jerk baits, and crankbaits on channel banks and gravel points at around 15 feet to catch bass, while crappie is caught using jigs fished under bobbers or with drop-shot rigs in grass areas.
Small lead-head jigs from 1/80 to 1/16 ounce are particularly popular during crappie fishing season. A small bobber helps keep the jig in its strike zone, and changing its depth via changing up or down its float allows anglers to fish it at various depths. Some anglers even use an unweighted rig and attach their jig above the bottom for added simplicity.
Crappies are color selective, so it is wise to bring along an assortment of lure colors: pink, yellow, chartreuse and white are popular choices. Some anglers also like using split rings to add scent or colors with lures like small colored worms or grubs for increased attention from crappie.
Crappies can sometimes seem to vanish from lakes as summer progresses. This is often due to them being suspended over open water. When this happens, it is wise to slow down your presentation and work on the area more thoroughly.
The average water temperature at Wolf and Obey River Arms is 47 degrees with 10-15 foot water clarity on the main lake and 3-6 foot visibility in creek/river arms. Please be wary when visiting either.
