# Reelfoot lake Tennessee



## skellz

Planning a trip down there this spring around April to beginning of may. Any suggestions. I may hire a guide the first day and go off on our own the next couple days that we are staying. Looking for some advice on where to get started or if anyone can point me in the right direction. Any advice/input would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## Saugeye Tom

Where are you staying


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## skellz

either blue bank or lakeshore. Been looking up guides and I've noticed Al Hamilton's name come up pretty often. Might use his as a guide first day or two.


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## rutty

Stay at Blue Bank Resort and take Billy Blakley as a guide if you want a guide. Blue Bank is always a great place to stay and great people, every morning your boat will be wiped down and motor started for you, if you have any problems on the water you can call them and they will come get you. If you blow a lower unit, they will just give you a different boat. Great, great place, very nice people. And if you don't want to do your cooking the food their is excellent.

Now for the fishing part, if the fish are spawning you can get them real close to the resort in the cypress trees off to the left. I have only hit the right time for that 1 time. If you go directly out of Blue Bank to the first point you see, there is a duck blind and then lilly pads to the right of it, always a great place for spawning crappie. If they are not shallow yet just out past the point to the left there is a deep hole with lots of cypress tree stumps, probably the best place I have been on that lake. It is about 14 foot deep in that hole. Bring your own trolling motor to mount to their boats, it is a must in my opinion. I usually sit about 5 poles off the front and sides of the boats and just slowly move in and out of those trees.


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## Saugeye Tom

I always fish the area in front of Samberg...first pocket.eagle nets timber. Agree with the above guide..stay away from Hamilton. He's been there too long....


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## skellz

Thanks guys. I really appreciate it! Will post back with results when the time comes!


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## Saugeye Tom

skellz said:


> Thanks guys. I really appreciate it! Will post back with results when the time comes!


Yea. Let us know....plenty of pics!


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## skellz

Any certain presentation I should look into? I know they're big on spider rigging but don't have the needed equipment such as all them rod holders.


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## Saugeye Tom

skellz said:


> Any certain presentation I should look into? I know they're big on spider rigging but don't have the needed equipment such as all them rod holders.


Telescope poles. Rod holders reelfoot rigs...they sell those down there. Pm comming


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## rutty

skellz said:


> Any certain presentation I should look into? I know they're big on spider rigging but don't have the needed equipment such as all them rod holders.


Use the reelfoot rigs they sell at the store at bluebank for fairly cheap. They have the war eagle boats, get the one with the flat front on it. Mount your trolling motor on the side and just lay your rods on the boat and you will be fine. That is what I do at least, works pretty good.


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## miked913

I agree 100% with blue bank, nice place good food. Fishing .....Well I wouldn't have such high hopes. The best I saw any of the guides do the week we were there was Billy and his best ...Wait, did I say best day.. was 13 crappie. ... We were there the 1st week in April when we went. My wife wanted to go on a crappie trip and she never caught a single one! Good luck I hope you do well.


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## Shortdrift

Be sure to take and wear a PFD, or at least have it handy at all times. That lake can get blown up quite quickly. I was there with Misfit about 10 years ago and we had fair fishing as the lake was still in the process of recovering from being over fished commercially. We werehaed pressed to catch 9" crappie and occasionally a 10", few and far between. Friends did a lot better at Kentucky Lake.


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## Saugeye Tom

it can be tough. Just gotta be there at the right time


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## rutty

Couldn't agree with you more Saugeye Tom, that lake can be tough but if you hit it right and be in the right spots you will do great. The last time I was there we caught over 120 fish each day. It was great. Very nice size fish also. You can't be afraid to take a little boat ride and plan on hitting a lot of stumps! Took us over 20 minutes to get off one of the stumps, we just kept going in circles. If you don't venture out on that lake you don't catch the fish in my opinion.


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## Saugeye Tom

rutty said:


> Couldn't agree with you more Saugeye Tom, that lake can be tough but if you hit it right and be in the right spots you will do great. The last time I was there we caught over 120 fish each day. It was great. Very nice size fish also. You can't be afraid to take a little boat ride and plan on hitting a lot of stumps! Took us over 20 minutes to get off one of the stumps, we just kept going in circles. If you don't venture out on that lake you don't catch the fish in my opinion.


Definitely get away from the easy..spots. I e set to go way back in eagles nest timber and Palestinian woods....fishing around the multiflorial roses growing out of old stumps lord what a blast


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## 1more

I don't like the taste of the crappies from there, they don't have the right taste like moss... Like Shortdrift said I'd rather Fish Ky Lake especially the Blood River area!


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## BMustang

Sorry, I can't help myself..................

My advise - DON"T GO!!!!

It will be cold, you will get blown off of the lake with great regularity, and catch more Drum than Crappie. With all of the wonderful places there are on this earth to fish, I can't imagine why anyone would want to do their fishing at Reelfoot Lake.


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## Saugeye Tom

BMustang said:


> Sorry, I can't help myself..................
> 
> My advise - DON"T GO!!!!
> 
> It will be cold, you will get blown off of the lake with great regularity, and catch more Drum than Crappie. With all of the wonderful places there are on this earth to fish, I can't imagine why anyone would want to do their fishing at Reelfoot Lake.


Lol. I've been waiting.....


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## 1more

Why would I go back if I can catch slabs at Lake Erie where I spend my weekends on the west end..


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## Saugeye Tom

1more said:


> Why would I go back if I can catch slabs at Lake Erie where I spend my weekends on the west end..


14 to 17 inch slabs at erie???


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## 1more

Not uncommon at all, the marinas hold some very nice fish as well as the portage river..


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## Saugeye Tom

1more said:


> Not uncommon at all, the marinas hold some very nice fish as well as the portage river..


Ive fished the canals and docks got a few


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## 1more

Do a search on crappie fishing Lake Erie on this site and you will be very surprised on how good the fishing is! Good luck.


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## miked913

1more said:


> Do a search on crappie fishing Lake Erie on this site and you will be very surprised on how good the fishing is! Good luck.


There are definitely a lot of lake Erie crappie reports but not sure they out number the crappy reelfoot crappie reports!


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## chaunc

I'll never go back there for crappies again but the bluegill fishing in May was pretty good. Catfish too. We were there way too late for the crappie bite and I can't recall catching any at all. I was informed that January and February were the better months for crappies. And the southern basin is where to get them. I prefer to fish Ky Lake.


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## 1more

Chaunc, is it as good as the red ear bite at Ky Lake??


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## Shortdrift

I believe Eriie is not as dependent on specific times of the year. Spring through Fall produces fine catches of 10" to 12" slabs with a fair amount of 14/15" fish also. Most marina piers as well as the public piers extending into the lake provide a place to fish independent of weather. I also agree regarding the flavor of the Reelfoot crappie. Misfit and I both gave away all the fillets we brought home. 
Would be interesting to hear a follow up to this Post from members that make the trip later this year.


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## Saugeye Tom

well guys i went there for 14 years and crappie are hit and miss. right time right place....bluegills are awesome and the crappie can be too. RIGHT TIME RIGHT PLACE I have tons of pics from there. The taste of crappie is good some years bad others just like east wood lake. Its a beautiful lake with tons of wildlife.....otters eagles many different birds. 600 fish a week is somewhat common if you know where and when to fish it. i've had bad years...a couple most were good though. since the silver head and aisin have gotten in the lake i'm sure things will change some


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## Saugeye Tom

yes that is a 12 oz beer


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## miked913

All I know is I have fished in 23 different states now and for many different species and I guess everyone has their best & worst trips in their fishing careers and well without a doubt that place left the worst taste in my mouth without eating any of the fish!


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## Saugeye Tom

miked913 said:


> All I know is I have fished in 23 different states now and for many different species and I guess everyone has their best & worst trips in their fishing careers and well without a doubt that place left the worst taste in my mouth without eating any of the fish!


Wrong place wrong time?


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## chaunc

1more said:


> Chaunc, is it as good as the red ear bite at Ky Lake??


It wasn't for me at that time but there are some huge gills in this lake. No lake beats Ky Lake to me.


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## Saugeye Tom

2 hrs morning trip the 16 biggest..all over 13 except 1


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## Saugeye Tom

Pic of a pic.....didn't have a good cell camera back then


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## Saugeye Tom

grandsons best...replica...let her go....a tad shy of 18


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## 1more

They have some big gills down there at Ky Lake, that's for sure!


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## polebender

Saugeye Tom said:


> Pic of a pic.....didn't have a good cell camera back then


Reelfoot drastically changed when they sprayed and killed most the weeds there. It seems it has consistently gone downhill since.


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## Saugeye Tom

polebender said:


> Reelfoot drastically changed when they sprayed and killed most the weeds there. It seems it has consistently gone downhill since.


That and grass carp. silver carp, bighead carp amongst others. 2 years ago i was there during a crappie tourny big bags of fish but they worked hard to get them


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## Saugeye Tom

I have fallen in love with st clair again though


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