For someone who has never fished this lake, would it be worth the 3 hour drive? I am a KY resident so I will stay in KY waters and was curious if there are enough good spots to make a day catching smallies and/or crappie?
For someone who has never fished this lake, would it be worth the 3 hour drive? I am a KY resident so I will stay in KY waters and was curious if there are enough good spots to make a day catching smallies and/or crappie?
Depends on how much you want to fish. Is it just a day trip? I've only fished it once but if had the opportunity I would fish it more. You could catch a big smallmouth or catch nothing. Either way you will still be fishing.
I am from Indiana and fish Dale every spring and have fished in the fall as well. I would say YES! It is worth the drive. If you put in at the Kentucky State Park ramp below Burkesville, you will have more than enough water to fish for a day. You can fish all of Ilwill, Wolf, and Sulfur with Ky license. I don't know much about Crappie fishing but you should be able to catch SM, LM, and Spots in those waters. I am not saying it will be automatic. Like any body of water, there is a learning curve. Go for it!
Last edited by hoos202; 11-27-2021 at 06:07 PM.
Well you can’t quite fish all of Sulpher but you can most of it, just like Pulsey and Hendricks
I think it’s worth it. Just me but I would buy a TN License so you can fish wherever you like. Not sure how long you plan on staying when you come but it would be worth the extra money. Dale Hollow is beautiful and has some awesome fish in it!!
I used to driver 2.5 hours one way almost every weekend from Halloween to late January. That lake can be very humbling. It can also be very awesome. My guess is your first time won't be awesome fishing but hopefully a good experience and you'll want to keep going back. There's few places you can catch 10 fish in a day and all 10 be 4+lb smallmouth. Good luck. The north side points of Sulphur Creek can be very good with the right wind!!!
I just fished dale this past Monday-Wednesday. Bite was slow, the guys I went with did decent but I couldn’t feel any of the jig bites. There’s no thump, no tick, nothing. When they bite it just gets mushy. I’ve never experienced a bite like that in my life. Is that normal for dale?
Murray State Alum
2007 Champion 210 with all the toys
That’s been normal jig bite to me dale and Cumberland past few years - don’t get thumps like back 10 years or so ago. I figure it’s due to incessant pressure
Originally Posted by Rude520
TN license doesn’t allow you fish the entire lake.
Basscat!
He implied that he had a KY liscense in his original post
They aint got hands, set the hook
ah thanks for the clarification!
Basscat!
Anybody been the past few days? May make the drive this weekend. Cabin fever has set all the way in.
Dale has its good days, but the tough days far outnumber the good days. Due to the slot limit, you will more likely catch a SM over 16 than under 16. I've been watching Ultimate Match Fishing which was filmed there last spring, and 2 small keepers has been winning.
How is the Largemouth fishing?
Anybody fish Tuesday?
How deep are the smallmouth caught on an average in the wintertime??
I’m going this am - have t been since spring. I’d say from 10 -30 fow- definitely rely on electronics this time of year. Gonna be windy
I catch em on Dale usually from 20 to 40 feet in winter.
Ranger Forever
That's about normal depth I have experienced, for winter jig bite.
Still fishing Dale Spring and Fall
Spring- soft swim baits
Fall till water gets back above 45 deg. 3/4 oz jig.
Dale can be real humbling even for the most experienced.
Still fishing @ 73 but not as much, have fished Dale for the past 20 yrs.
45 min drive for me.
2011-721ProXp/250SHO
Hey Ed!!! Glad to hear you are still fishing sir! I drive through Summer Shade from time to time and always threaten to pull off to see you! Take Care!!
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