I durn near got skunked today !  LOL . 1 barely keeper on this lake. I saw lots of bait though. In the pics below these shad are suspended and so thick they are casting a shadow.

Yea , you're pretty much right on all accounts Jig Man. I think next time I'm gonna force myself to hunt for specs. I got a hunch they're plenty of them here in good size.   I really need to spend more time letting my bird teach me but most times my rod tip is my depthfinder. 
This lake (Old Hickory) is a different animal than any I've ever been around. You know I've had such a sheltered life. LOL. It's been raining here every couple days with the arrival of weather fronts which sometimes can be kind of heav downpours. Well that's just what we had the other day. I had planned to fish either Monday or Tuesday and we got a good rain Sunday night . Well I got out there Tuesday . I put in at the upper end of a big creek and the water was chocolate milk. I ran toward the lake and halfway there the water cleared. Later I went on out to the main lake (which is actually the Cumberland River ) and it was flowing very muddy with tons of debris coming down. I went across to another creek arm and when I got about halfway back the water cleared again. I'm gonna have a good learnin curve here.     Water temp is still hanging around 47.
 
 

The creeks are kinda like small lakes. The main lake (river) channel is anywhere from 40 to 75' . You can be a long way from shore, 1/4 mile maybe, and if you're not in the river channel you very well may be in 3' of water.  Plenty of stuff coming down the river that won't affect a barge but an itty bitty glitter sled, well you better be using prudent judgement.  The flats off the main channel are vast and  I have learned the red and green marker buoys are there for a reason.    With water temps what they are I haven't spent any time fishing the current . I expect it could be interesting come postspawn. There's a fair amount of grass growing throughout the creeks that I will enjoy later.
 
I think Dale Hollow may a bit too far for me for a day trip but not sure. That clear water scares me , or should I say it reveals me and my shortcomings. I doubt I would fish it alone without a guide at least the first time.
Have you started your trip south yet ?

BTW:  Jig Man , here is a link you may enjoy perusing:  http://www.easttennesseefishing.com/index.php?showtopic=78   


 
 
 

Have you fished the output of the steam plant yet? The water temps will be a little warmer in there this time of year i would think .... however, if it's like our steam plant output, you will need to take a number on the way in. But, if you can catch it when few are out it may be worth researching.... even out at the mouth of it & out a little deeper on deep cover/structure.

No I haven't left and probably won't make it because we bought a house and have been heavily involved in the remodling process.

It was a repo from domestic violence.  We had to clean blood off the walls and some of the doors.  There was lots of damage to walls, water pipes, and ductwork in the attic but it is coming together.  The previous owner is in prison.

Add to that venture the fact that it has been a nontypically warm winter and the fish are still active I'm pretty well happy to keep on keepin' on and not have the 600 mile drive one way.

Oh my ! Does this mean you will be moving sometime afore too long?
You & Carter got my interest up and I may head over that way beforee too long to have a look see.  Do you FNF on the Rock or at Stockton any ?

No we will not be moving.  This is an investment flipper.  We got it for $50,000 under fixed up condition.  Our grandson is wanting to sell his house and buy this one from us.  This is a 4 bedroom with a basement and he thinks it would be a good place to raise a basketball team.  We'll see how it goes.  If he buys it I'm sure I won't make a profit and will prolly lose money.

We got into FnF a few years ago looking for Bull Shoals smallies.  We even make our own FnF jigs.  The problem is the big boys say FnF works best with clouds and cold, wind, rain, etc.  I'm not doing that for any fish.  We did find out that it is killer for specs.