Fishing Report Archives

Hey Y’all from the Excel Storm Cat 230. The blue and silver tank has been spotted lately south of my normal haunts.

I’ve received so many requests this year from folks who are renting vacation lodging near the Tennessee state line, I’ve been forced to get out of my comfort zone near Sportsman’s Resort on Jonathan Creek and make some treks to Blood River and to Lynnhurst Family Resort.

Vicki and I went down to meet the fine folks at Lynnhurst and talk to them about the possibility of guiding from there when I need to fish that area. We were met with open arms! These are some of the nicest folks you will ever meet.

The food in their restaurant is fantastic. They aim to please! While Sportsman’s will be my home base for, I hope, a long time, I must go occasionally to where a larger segment of my guide requests are coming from.

Gas prices are sure to hurt the tourism business if we can’t get some relief. A 4000-pound boat pushed by a Suzuki 250SS outboard has made me reconsider those 15-mile one-way runs to fish.

Gas costs plus the threat of rough water conditions have me looking to trailer the boat more. I’ve always trailered for my Lake Barkley trips.

I spend probably half or more of my time on guide trips watching my Humminbird Helix screens. I’m really liking what I’ve been seeing lately. There are large schools of small crappie and bigger schools of baitfish showing up daily.

Both of these are the future of our fishery and the future looks bright. Much has been written and spoken of the demise of our lakes. I beg to differ - strongly! The fruit of a good spawn two to three years ago will soon be past the 10-inch legal mark and will be showing up in livewells.

My first guide trip on Blood River was met with threatening weather and we finally raced back to the marina with a white sheet of rain right on our tails. We also came back with a box full of crappie and big catfish that hammered our Pico crankbaits. The two Dads and two sons left Lynnhurst very pleased with the multiple bags of fillets.

The fish are scattered all over as I would expect post-spawn. It is taking covering immense areas of water to stay on the fish and even then, it is one here, one there. Those single fish add up at the end of the day.

Covering all that water also puts our baits in front of sauger, white bass, yellow bass, largemouths, smallmouths and even gar and drums. While many of those don’t end up in the box, they do make for a fun trip. I’ve been finding my fish in water from 12-25 feet deep, most near contour breaks and cover.

As is my normal way of doing things, if I don’t get reports on other species from reliable sources, I don’t report on them. That said, I have personally seen some nice catches of catfish that have been taken in spawning areas near rocky cover and along sandy or gravel bottom areas of shallow water near to deep water.

All of my recent clients have taken notice of how few boats are on the lake during the week. Most of those we do see are tri-toons or pleasure boats. Get off the lawnmower or off the couch and get out on the lake. Fish are there for the taking.

Vicki and I will be on Grenada Lake in Mississippi part of next week then I will be down there for a crankbait only tournament with a guide friend of mine from Grenada on Sat, June 25.

Please be careful out there. Wear those PFDs. Watch out for those who don’t watch out for you. Help those who need help.

Welcome to our slice of Heaven!