Going camping this weekend. Have always been a buggs island fisherman but we mostly have always caught the smaller ones. Mainly fish from clarksville bridge all the way to rudds creek using stink bait. Any advice on catching the bigger ones (15+lbs). I know you are probably going to say go towards the rivers but if i do that will it cut the number of fish i catch dramamtically?

less fish but bigger fish towards the rivers,just read these threads and theses guys will tell you all you need to know

AFB, Danny said a lot with a few words. Slide me an email address...jfo

To catch the big blues or flatheads you should use live bait, or cut bait. I dont think blues and flats are going to hit stinkbait. Thats mainly going to catch channels and bullhead cats which are going to average 1-3lb. Shad or brim is the way to go.

Air force blue,
My daughter-in-law just got her wings a CAFB. Next stop Seymour Johnson and F15E

How far up can you go before you start to get alot of stuff in the water. Never been up real far and i'm a little worried, i know it gets shallower at times right?

As far as the channels and blues go they can be caught all over the lake both big and small. Hot weather flats will come from the upper reaches of the lake and rivers. The peak spawning period is the current situation.

As Keith said I don't think much of stink bait except it is good for chanels and smaller ones, I tried it.
Try a nice live crappie or bream or as posted cut bait. Get them down to 20 ft to the bottom. This time of year the blues are feeding on fresh water clams/musseles so fish over them.