Lake Center Hill Event

Well when asked about Center Hill during my practice last week I was not real sure what to reply. When I arrived I was expecting a body of water along the lines of Clarks Hill or Smith Lake. Those are big water deep, clear, and rocky. Well This lake is deep, clear and rocky but nothing like any other lake I had fished before. The lake level being down about 30 feet didnt help matters much but I can see where this lake could produce some great fish. I was starting out my pre-fish like any other tournament pre-fish I do about a month prior to the event pulling up pictures, maps and reports. Well there is some pictures of the lake and one good map but I had trouble finding any up to date or past reports. This made things alot harder to get a plan together.This is one reason I wanted to write this report. I hope it helps anyone that is headed to the lake.

I arrived on Wednesday at day break to start my first day of on water pre fishing. I decided to put in at the tournament ramp, Ragland Bottom. Make sure you have some dollars for the launch fee which is $4.00. The parking is not the best put very secure. Once in the water I noticed the lake is alot more deep and clear than I expected. I then noticed that south is not down river. If you want to go down torward the dam on this lake you have to go north. Ofcourse I went south before knowing this. If the water was up this lake would have some awesome structure to fish and lots of places for fish to hide. With it being down the only thing I noticed that would hold fish is a change in the type of bottom. I started looking for this change on the banks. Once I located places where there were two types of rock or a section of red clay on the bank I would stop and graph it to see if the lake bottom had the same type as the banks. In most every case I found it did. I also noticed the water temps were ranging from 65-72 degrees. During day one I did alot more riding and looking than fishing but found some things that I would fish later in practice. This is something I always do when on new water. Getting to know areas of the lake and the type of structure around it will help later on putting a solid pattern together.

On day two of practice I got the boat in the water and started to fish. I first went down river and stopped at a section of the lake that the river channel turned in close to the bank. I held the boat in 45 feet of water and started with a C-Rig and Watermelon Top Dog Lizard. Once finding the banks on this lake drop from dry to the core of the earth(just kidding) with no "stair step" type of break while working the rig. I then knew I was in trouble. I did find a fish on the point I found and that was what I needed. I then looked on my Navionics chip and found another point like that one and headed that way. Once there made 3 cast to the bank and boated another solid keeper fish. I then moved again and duplicated the smae pattern for 5 more fish in the same type areas. Things were coming together as planned but I still knew it was going to be a hard event. After picking up my buddy Robert that was fishing the co-angler side, I went looking for spawning fish and a secondary pattern. I found one fish on bed upriver in about 10 feet of water and duplicated the pattern I found down river that morning.

On day three we went looking for some more areas and a better pattern. Well the same thing I found worked everywhere I stopped shaking off bites on most stops. I did go to back to check on the one "bedding fish" I found and she was gone already. Just my luck my "kicker" fish was off bed or being weighed in at the tournament that was going on that day. We put the boat on the trailer and went to get ready for the partner pairing. Once there we found out the event was not going to happen on Saturday due to some really bad weather headed our way. To be honest I really wanted to fish but the tournament director made the right decision for the safety of the anglers. I have to take my hat off to him for that and he is one of the best in the business.

Saturday we spent the day hanging out and doing a few business calls and stopped at the local tackle stores trying to spread the word about some of my sponsors in the industry. Also had to have my boat fixed at the host dealer. Just a note but if you have a chance drop by a dealer and grab a spare switch for your trim. If it goes out while at an event it will cost you alot more than the price of the switch.

Sunday We checked out and launched the boat. I made the decision to stay close to the ramp areas I had found in practice and hope to stay out of the wind as much as I could. On the first stop the winds were stable and ok. I boated one fish quick on a spinnerbait(white 1/4 oz) waking it just under the surface. The fish was short but was hope of more fish to come. I worked the pocket in 30 feet of water with the blade without another bite and started back at the mouth of the pocket with the C-Rig and dropshot. As the winds got worse the C-Rig was all I could feel or get to the bottom. We both boated a couple of short fish and my co-angler lost one that we think would have measured. I then put one in the boat that was small but a start. We worked the area for another hour without another bite before moving.

I then made the choice to move around to the other areas I found. Most every area was getting slammed with high winds but we fished it as best as we could. Boat position was extreamly hard to control. I fished several areas with only a couple more missed bites and short fish before moving further down river. Once I moved to a section that the wind was only blowing around 20 I broke out the 6.8 Jackall Flick Shake and Wacky Jig Head. Many of you know that is my go to bait when I have to boat some fish. Only problem was I am used to fishing the bait near some type of structure and there was none. Well I just tossed the bait out and let it fall down the rock until it hit the bottom. I missed the first bite I got then boated another keeper. I fished the area about another hour without a bite so decided to move again closer to the ramp.

On the run back we saw a boater with motor problems. We tried to give him a jump without any luck. We then put his co-angler in the boat with us as well as a great smallbouth he had and took him to the ramp. After dropping him off we hit an area I found in practice while looking for an emergency plan. Both my co angler and I fished it hard but boated nothing before time ran out. After weigh-in I ended up in 34th place with my 2 fish and some points to make my goal of making regionals at Lay Lake.

I want to give a huge thanks to John Glenn of American Bass Anglers for helping me out while at the event and the guys and gals at Time Out Sports Grill for asking us to hang out with them. We had an awesome appearance there with a great crowd. The next event in this Division is going to be on Old Hickory Lake in June. Looking forward to seeing some more new water and a better finish.