Fish
Whisperer by Beth Underwood
Dale Hollow
Dave
Photo by Plas Darren Oliver I www.plasdarrenoliver.com
S
ome say if you like what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. By that measure, Dave Clark hasn’t worked a day in years. Dale Hollow Dave, as he’s known around the lake, has loved to fish as long as he can remember. It makes sense that at some point he’d end up at Dale Hollow Lake, where rainbow trout first caught his attention in the late 80s. From that point on, he was hooked on Dale Hollow Lake. In 1992, he put his first houseboat on the lake. Eight years ago, he sold the landscaping business he owned and established himself as a full-time fishing guide, never looking back. These days, he’s on the water about 300 days a year, where he shares his love and expertise with folks who live just down the road and across the country. While some may think hiring a fishing guide is only for the less experienced fisherman, 34
Dale Hollow Dave begs to differ. His clientele run the gamut, from novice to pro. “I get everybody—from tournament fishermen to families to people who like to fish but don’t want to go out on their own—a little of everything,” Dave said. “I also get a lot of businessmen who bring clients down for a day on the lake.” Fishing trips with Dale Hollow Dave come aboard his 24-foot Sea Ark, “Big Easy”. “It’s a nice comfortable boat with plenty of room,” he said. He isn’t partial to the kinds of fish he’s catching—smallmouth bass, muskies, trout, for example—but walleye are his favorite to catch. And if you want to go during the day, he’s your man. “Dale Hollow Lake has some of the biggest walleyes on the planet,” Dave said. “And I’m the only guide who’ll take you out during the daytime to catch them.”
For those who’ve hired Dale Hollow Dave to guide them, it’s an experience like no other. Just ask Bill Dailey. Bill and his son Will recently spent the day on the lake with Dave. “Dave told us some great stories—and you know they were true!” Bill said “All the while, he was explaining the fishing technique, what baits we were using, water temperatures, moon phases—he covered it all, while producing nice fish.” The outing with his son Will culminated in Will’s first walleye, a few largemouth bass, and the biggest smallmouth bass Bill had ever seen. “I’ve fished all my life, and even done a few charters in my time,” said Bill, who lives just outside of Indianapolis. “Fishing with Dave was truly a unique experience.” Although there are certain times of the year that Dave will cast for fish, most of his trips are all about trolling. The differ-
