Rainbow Bass

Todd Moore and I went fishing on Watts Bar above Long Island tonight from about 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.– I got good sized shad minnows (mostly gizzards ~2.5-3.5’) in the Center Farm Cove. The surface water temperature is about as high as I ever remember seeing it, 89F. We first tried the spot near the TWRA access on the northwest side of the island for stripers and didn’t get any bites.  We then moved to the uppermost end of the island near the osprey nest.  I caught a 2.5 lb smallmouth and the next cast lost a bigger one (~3.5 lb), then I caught the 5 lb largemouth shown in the picture above. Notice the rainbow - Todd took this picture with his cell phone and getting the rainbow was just an accident.
Todd then caught a ~2.5 lb largemouth.  All these bass were with the boat sitting in about 17’ of water on the drop off upstream of the Long Island flat casting into ~5’ of water near the osprey nest.  We then moved  up on the flat at about 8:30 because the white bass started surfacing.  We caught ~15-20 white bass on white rooster tails and Spro buck hair jigs (shad color).  It was a very successful trip, and it was a real blessing getting to spend some time with Todd.