Dock talk from Chickamauga Lake

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Junk fishing. A continuation with much of what transpired at Lake Guntersville and last week at Santee Cooper. When all else fails and the bass are scattered, it’s the go-to tactic. <p> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
Junk fishing. A continuation with much of what transpired at Lake Guntersville and last week at Santee Cooper. When all else fails and the bass are scattered, it’s the go-to tactic.

All captions: Craig Lamb

Fall bass fishing in the South. It’s either boom or bust; mostly the latter. This week, the playing field is the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Chickamauga. The Tennessee River is in transition with the bass between summer and fall patterns. That could only mean one thing.
Fall bass fishing in the South. It’s either boom or bust; mostly the latter. This week, the playing field is the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Chickamauga. The Tennessee River is in transition with the bass between summer and fall patterns. That could only mean one thing.
Will this be another junkfest? That’s the answers myself and Andy Crawford sought to find from the guys in this edition of Dock Talk, from Dayton Boat Dock.
Will this be another junkfest? That’s the answers myself and Andy Crawford sought to find from the guys in this edition of Dock Talk, from Dayton Boat Dock.
<b>Garrett Paquette</b><BR> “This has been the toughest practice of the entire fall trip, which I did not expect. I figured Santee Cooper would be tough, but this is Lake Chickamauga, where you think of big bass.”
Garrett Paquette
“This has been the toughest practice of the entire fall trip, which I did not expect. I figured Santee Cooper would be tough, but this is Lake Chickamauga, where you think of big bass.”
<b>Garrett Paquette</b><BR> “This is like a whole new level of tough. I’m junk fishing. I’ve gotten bites doing three or four different things. I haven’t been able to narrow it done to one pattern. To do well, I think you are going to have to commit to whichever pattern you want to fish and go with it. Even doing that it’ll take a full 8 hours just to get a limit.”
Garrett Paquette
“This is like a whole new level of tough. I’m junk fishing. I’ve gotten bites doing three or four different things. I haven’t been able to narrow it done to one pattern. To do well, I think you are going to have to commit to whichever pattern you want to fish and go with it. Even doing that it’ll take a full 8 hours just to get a limit.”
<b>Drew Cook</b><BR> “It’s probably going to be like Guntersville. There might be more bigger fish caught, because of the quality of the fishery here.”
Drew Cook
“It’s probably going to be like Guntersville. There might be more bigger fish caught, because of the quality of the fishery here.”
<b>Drew Cook</b><BR>“I think the winning weight might be more.”
Drew Cook“I think the winning weight might be more.”
<b>Drew Benton</b><BR> “Go ahead, make my day. Seriously, it’s been that kind of a practice. These are the easiest tournaments to win, and the easiest to bomb in.”
Drew Benton
“Go ahead, make my day. Seriously, it’s been that kind of a practice. These are the easiest tournaments to win, and the easiest to bomb in.”
<b>Drew Benton</b><BR> “I have had some quality bites. I think catching five a day and being consistent with the weight will be key. That will carry you a long way.”
Drew Benton
“I have had some quality bites. I think catching five a day and being consistent with the weight will be key. That will carry you a long way.”
<b>Caleb Sumrall</b><BR> “It’s the Tennessee River in the fall. If I have one takeaway from everyone I’ve talked to, and from guys that have been here in the past, it’s the Tennessee River in the fall is not good.”
Caleb Sumrall
“It’s the Tennessee River in the fall. If I have one takeaway from everyone I’ve talked to, and from guys that have been here in the past, it’s the Tennessee River in the fall is not good.”
<b>Caleb Sumrall</b><BR> “Seriously, it’s been a struggle to just catch five keepers. The big problem is just getting bites.”
Caleb Sumrall
“Seriously, it’s been a struggle to just catch five keepers. The big problem is just getting bites.”
<b>Chad Pipkens</b><BR> “It’s been a rough fall swing the last two tournaments, and I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. This practice has been better than the last two. The fish are in transition.”
Chad Pipkens
“It’s been a rough fall swing the last two tournaments, and I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. This practice has been better than the last two. The fish are in transition.”
<b>Chad Pipkens</b><BR> “I’ve got a couple of places out deep that are working, and a shallow water finesse pattern that probably a lot of people aren’t doing. I speak for the rest of the guys when the goal is catching five good keepers, and anything else is a bonus.”
Chad Pipkens
“I’ve got a couple of places out deep that are working, and a shallow water finesse pattern that probably a lot of people aren’t doing. I speak for the rest of the guys when the goal is catching five good keepers, and anything else is a bonus.”
<b>Jay Yelas</b><BR> “My practice was tough. To me it’ll be like the Guntersville tournament, weight wise, with 16 pounds a day to win, 11 to make the top 40. I don’t mind it being tough, because it puts a premium on those good bites. It’s just the time of the year and all of the pressure this lake has had this year. It’s a popular lake and pressured fish are hard to catch in fall.”
Jay Yelas
“My practice was tough. To me it’ll be like the Guntersville tournament, weight wise, with 16 pounds a day to win, 11 to make the top 40. I don’t mind it being tough, because it puts a premium on those good bites. It’s just the time of the year and all of the pressure this lake has had this year. It’s a popular lake and pressured fish are hard to catch in fall.”
<b>Derek Hudnall</b><BR> “It’s been an absolute grind. The fish are scattered and extremely tough to catch. On top of that it’s getting immense tournament pressure.”
Derek Hudnall
“It’s been an absolute grind. The fish are scattered and extremely tough to catch. On top of that it’s getting immense tournament pressure.”
<b>Derek Hudnall</b><BR> “This is going to be an absolute grinder of a tournament. I don’t know where I am going to get bit. I’m just hoping for five keepers. I’m going to go get ready for grinder number three.”
Derek Hudnall
“This is going to be an absolute grinder of a tournament. I don’t know where I am going to get bit. I’m just hoping for five keepers. I’m going to go get ready for grinder number three.”
<b>Tyler Rivet</b><BR> “I’ve got 20 rods on the deck. I didn’t catch a keeper today and caught three each on the previous two days.”
Tyler Rivet
“I’ve got 20 rods on the deck. I didn’t catch a keeper today and caught three each on the previous two days.”
<b>Tyler Rivet</b><BR> “By the looks of it might take 8 or 9 pounds to make the cut, and 16 a day to win.”
Tyler Rivet
“By the looks of it might take 8 or 9 pounds to make the cut, and 16 a day to win.”
<b>Skylar Hamilton</b><BR> “This was tough. I don’t have a lot of fall experience here, but I have fished here. I’ve got out every rod I own.”
Skylar Hamilton
“This was tough. I don’t have a lot of fall experience here, but I have fished here. I’ve got out every rod I own.”
<b>Skylar Hamilton</b><BR>“The first day of practice was okay, but I didn’t catch a keeper yesterday or today. I’ve even tried everything I know to do and it hasn’t worked.”
Skylar Hamilton“The first day of practice was okay, but I didn’t catch a keeper yesterday or today. I’ve even tried everything I know to do and it hasn’t worked.”
<b>Tyler Carriere</b><BR>
Tyler Carriere
“I got three keepers a day. I haven’t found any concentrated fish, only scattered.”
<b>Tyler Carriere</b><BR>
Tyler Carriere”I’ve been from one end of the lake to the other and it’s not been good at all.”