I was searching through all the fishing threads trying to find a link for that cabin/house on the Clinch that someone posted (here it is) and it got me to thinking it would be fun to see where other folks go and any other recommendations folks might have.
And I'm not trying to suggest you give up your special fishing hole, just some fun places to getaway to for a weekend . . .
I'll start, most of mine are family oriented but that's not necessary for this topic. This place is at Lake Logan in WNC, you can fish at the lake or better yet on the Pigeon which has some awesome freestone portions. Anyone from the public can rent a cabin or the campground.
Here's a pic of my daughter on the W Pigeon on a dreary day a short walk from the cabins
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We love hitting the Shenandoah River when we get a free weekend - lots of cabins or AirBnB options around the river to choose from:
These cabins in particular are awesome and owned by a Hokie family. Just over an hour from Northern VA. Mention my name for a free beer or punch in the face.
www.visittheretreat.com
There are sooo many rental cabins in Page County.
For salt water fishing and a true beach get away check out Bald Head Island, NC. Only accessible by ferry and golf carts only on the island. The creeks behind the island are always a good time. Black, red, flounder, even caught some trout.
The best part about the island for us is when you go to the beach. There isn't another family within a football field on either side. It's truly an unplug.
Watching this thread closely. I still have never done a cabin:lodge fishing adventure trip and I really want to. Black Sands in Colombia is top of my list.
https://blacksandslodge.com/
French, thank you for turning me onto this, but I wish you had never ever posted it. This will ruin my life.
Think that is bad? I had to go whale watching on the flats behind Fraser Island where they catch white marlin on light spinning tackle in 30 feet of water, and couldn't fish.
Yea, that's pretty bad.
Them wimmins, they'll get after ya!
Please wish Susan a happy birthday for me tomorrow, and hope to see you soon.
Fun place to get away: Cherokee Lake in TN. There's never any traffic on the lake. I've been on quite a few holidays that were empty.
I'm intrigued!
Edit: that place looks awesome!
Sitting in a house right now. Can't see a single boat on the lake.
Water temp is a bit high for fishing right now. But, it looks like things are improving. Saw a lot of small fish feeding yesterday.
Are you at the lake?
Yes, was. Went out today and maybe saw six other boats. Back home now.
It's the only place I've ever seen a paddlefish. Also had an awesome morning, once, with gar rolling all around us.
The warm water discharge from the power station at the top of the lake is where I learned to fish for walleye. It also held a bunch of big smallmouth, stripers, hybrids, crappie and paddlefish. Interestingly, they call their stripers "rockfish" like they do around here in the Chesapeake, and call white bass "stripes", for whatever reason. I never got quite down into the larger lake itself, but the area is very pretty, though the local accent is a bit tough to decipher sometimes. The area was around Rogersville, and we used to drive the three hours down from Giles County in the dark, fish until dark, then turn around and do the three hours back home. Long days, but a lot of fun. For us, it was a winter/spring fishery, and there were a bunch of people out there then, with many more in the spring fishing for stripers and lining the banks for the spring crappie run up around the bridge at the top of the lake.
So you're saying there are walleye in Cherokee?
Yep. At least, I would assume so since they were in the discharge at the head of the lake in the cooler months. There were enough that folks were coming in to target them. We got them trolling at first, but then figured out an effective jig and minnow approach that worked better. Not very long after I figured them out there, I found them in Claytor and started fishing the run up the New out of the lake to Foster Falls at I-81 and the Shot Tower. Way shorter trip for me and I never went back to Rogersville.
Also, lots of walleye in South Holston's headwaters if you are looking for a shorter drive from VA.
Thanks guys!
I admit, I failed miserably when I tried. The good walleye guys fish in the river in early spring when the lake is still low off the Creeper Trail near Alvarado. I was always spooked about wading at night. The guys who do well use suspending plugs like a Rattlin Rogue. Last time I tried it, I went just before dawn and tried until a little after sunrise. All I managed to do was snag carp in the back. But, they are there. I don't know anyone who knows how to catch them after they go back into the lake.
Well, I don't know either, but I will just say that I'd target the first deep water after the river turns into the lake and toss a 1/4 oz lead head jig, painted chartreuse, with two longish feathers splayed outwardly. Tip the jig with a large shiner and bounce the bottom until you score. Vertically jig it, making sure to keep the line as straight up and down as possible while following the flow of the water. Trolling motor is a necessity since often wind goes against the current, but you must fish with the current on the bottom. This method in Claytor caught me thousands of walleye in the 20 years or so I fished it. I will add that trolling walleye plugs or even Rebel Craws in the channel up the lake would work. I used the Smithwyk Rattlin' Rogue in the New above Claytor lake and scored well during the spring spawning run. Same bait caught walleye, muskies and citation smallmouth, often on the same float. The green back and the brown back Rogue were the tickets for me.
Lot of good childhood memories on Cherokee!
I do not fish, but up in Northern Minnesota in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is considered a fisher's paradise. Have been there 5 times, 2 for winter dogsled camping trips, 1 for winter lodge-to-lodge dog sledding, and twice for canoeing and hiking. Could check out that area. A few places I have been to on these trips are Timber Trail and Moose Tracks. Both have various fishing packages.
https://moosetrackadventures.com/
https://www.timbertrail.com/index.html
I'm trying to insert some pictures from last summer, but I keep getting that broken image symbol. Any ideas how I can fix that?
When you are uploading it on imgur make sure to hit the drop down menu and get shareable links use the BB/IMG one.
Look around the Santee Cooper, SC if you want something affordable. I was in a group of 4 that rented a lake house back in June for 5 days that was around $500 total.
Summerton, SC
Several friends ( all serious fisherman) have told me Anglers Inn El Salto is incredible. Top of my bucket list
Personally loved going to Keewaydin Island a few years back. You need a boat to get to the rental houses and you have miles upon miles of beautiful beach and amazing fishing to yourself.
All that said Los Buzos Resort in Panama remains high on the bucket list, the idea of going after Roosterfish in a kayak is too much to pass up on.
Los Buzos is definitely on the list. Catching snook off the beach like that in Keewaydin would be fun too
I was fortunate enough to spend a week on Keewaydin and it was heaven for sight fishing from the beach for everything out there.
It's especially cool to do it from the beach.
Didn't expect to spend half my morning researching buying property in a place I'd never heard of before but thanks to your link I have.
You're welcome I hadnt seen the real estate stuff since I was last on the site so I went and checked it all out again, if only I could convince the wife we need it.
Boone and Blowing Rock for the last week was awesome, we got a cabin for the family, didn't do any fishing, but got some hiking in. Cone Manor and the trails were well worth it.