# Reelfoot Suggestions



## mokabe

Thinking of heading to Reelfoot Lake in early May. Any suggestions on where to stay? Boat quality, accommodations, etc. Many to choose from, hoping someone can share their experience. Looks like fishing will be good! Thanks


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## Shortdrift

I would go to Kentucky Lake before I would return To Reelfoot. Cypress Point had the best package deal, terrific accommodations, great boat and dock service plius friendly people. Have had better crappie fishing here in Ohio. Crappies tasted like they were soaked in Cypress.


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## Saugeye Tom

Don't know what cypress taste like but the bluegill , bass and crappie fishing are exellent. Blue bank Eagles nest and Bunches are all good places to stay. Acorn point has the best boats but are priced a little high. I have been going down for 12 years and will be taking my Grandson the last week or april on the full moon for the blue gill spawn. We always take our own boat but you need to be careful. The lake is full of stumps. Just trim the moter up and go slow. Bill Dance films alot of his shows there. Tom


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## mokabe

Thanks for the info, I was thinking of taking my own boat to Kentucky Lake. I thought it would be easier to just rent at Reelfoot than haul the boat 9 or so hours. Thanks again!


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## fished-out

Go to Kentucky Lake for crappie. Reelfoot has some nice bluegills. Lots of snakes in Reelfoot that'll be active in May....basically a big swamp.

Also, watch the thieves around Reelfoot. Never leave anything unattended, not even fish. Made the mistake of leaving a basket of fish tied to a dock at the resort I was staying overnight, intending to clean them the next day--found the 50+ bluegills replaced with 3 small dead catfish the next morning. Couldn't believe someone would steal gills, but decided to test it later in the week when I had all I could use and didn't care anymore. Put out about 20 in a basket, different area, sorta hidden. Next morning--you guessed it, gone, with 3 dead cats in the basket! They had to be hunting for them to find them, must be a regular thing. Lesson learned!!


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## BMustang

Don't go!!!!

There are hundreds of better fishing/accomodations conditions that exist outside of Reelfoot. Shallow, WINDY, stumpy, and those crappie you see at the sports show have been netted.

There are many great resorts/lakes to fish. Some are better than others, but Reelfoot is at the bottom of the list. Make sure you do your homework.


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## rcjohnson

If you like fishing in the wind you will love Reelfoot. Last 3 times I was there we had to fish in the trees because the wind was so strong. Caught very few fish. The place is full of stumps so watch out. I would suggest Kentucky Lake.


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## cincinnati

Been many years, but we caught a nice mix of bass, whites & crappie. Some of the crappie were huge!

And we had issues w/wind, too.


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## Saugeye Tom

Been there 12 times in 12 years and never had a bad trip. Most people only do a 3 or 4 day package. One day of bad weather can mess it up for a few days. I always stay for 7-9 daysand take my own boat. Always bring back 30 to 40 quart bags of FILLETS back. It helps if you know the lake. Tom


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## rutty

Love fishing reelfoot, I always stay at Blue Bank resort, never had any problems. May is a great time to go, you will be able to get into the crappie and the BIG gills should be biting also. Use crickets for the gills and you will have a great time.


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## mokabe

Thanks for all the suggestions. We are gonna take the Lund and go to Kentucky Lake. A lot of positive posts on KY lake.


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## rutty

Good Luck, I did the same thing last October, been going to Reelfoot all these years and decided to change up and go to Kentucky Lake. That was the biggest mistake I have made in a long time. I will never go back to Kentucky Lake ever again. I hope you have better success than we did.





mokabe said:


> Thanks for all the suggestions. We are gonna take the Lund and go to Kentucky Lake. A lot of positive posts on KY lake.


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## Saugeye Tom

rutty said:


> Good Luck, I did the same thing last October, been going to Reelfoot all these years and decided to change up and go to Kentucky Lake. That was the biggest mistake I have made in a long time. I will never go back to Kentucky Lake ever again. I hope you have better success than we did.


Rut, I to tried Ky lake twice. The Crappies are ok, some good ones but nothing does the big gills like the foot. I'll be down there in a week or so for a week. Tom


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## rutty

Good Luck....let us know how you do down there. I like to hit it in Oct. and Mid April






Saugeye Tom said:


> Rut, I to tried Ky lake twice. The Crappies are ok, some good ones but nothing does the big gills like the foot. I'll be down there in a week or so for a week. Tom


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## Saugeye Tom

Rut , never tried the fall. Everyone said you could see the stumps though. How bad are the flying carp . I havn't been for a coupla years


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## rutty

You can see the stumps in the fall, makes them a little easier to navigate, but also gets you stuck a lot on top of them...... If you are staying around Blue Bank, the carp aren't bad yet. If you go straight out almost to the other side, there is a deep hole that they seem to be heavy in. We had one jump in the boat the last time I was there. it didn't make it back out. Jump over the motor and hit me in the head, then hit my fishing partner in the back. They were all over the place up there, but I haven't seen any closer to blue bank yet.
Family was there the week before Easter and didn't see any, but stayed close.





Saugeye Tom said:


> Rut , never tried the fall. Everyone said you could see the stumps though. How bad are the flying carp . I havn't been for a coupla years


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## Saugeye Tom

Thanks. I will be staying up near buck basin. We have always done well in the first pocket and Buzzard slough. The place we used to stay was Hamiltons but this year we are trying Bunches in Samburg. Ate at bulebank alot but never stayed there. I hate seeing the asian carp in there but guess we have to live with it. Thanks for the Info. I will post a report when we get back. Did your family catch any??? Tom


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## BMustang

Reelfoot Lake seems to be different things for different folks. I can't imagine driving the distance, fishing out of a flat-bottomed john boat, negotiating the wind, hitting the stumps, and tolerating intolerable accomodations just to go fishing. However, I fish for fishing, and not for meat. Perhaps those in quest of a freezer full of filets might suffer through the above in order to secure them.

I'll give you one good tip for Reelfoot if you insist on going. Use 4 lb test line. It makes a huge difference between using 8 and 10 pound test. Your fish catching production will increase dramatically. Don't ask me why.

Drum. Nobody has mentioned the drum which outnumber the crappie in this lake. I don't mind catching them, but for the purists, they tend to turn up their noses to the drum.

Bottom line is that if you are looking for a few days of getting away and stressless fishing, go somewhere else. I've fished all over the south, Kentucky, Ohio, and Canada, and of all the trips I've least enjoyed were to Reelfoot. The place seems to be a marketing ploy, that manages to keep their lodges/hotels filled. It is not a fun place.


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## Saugeye Tom

BMustang said:


> Reelfoot Lake seems to be different things for different folks. I can't imagine driving the distance, fishing out of a flat-bottomed john boat, negotiating the wind, hitting the stumps, and tolerating intolerable accomodations just to go fishing. However, I fish for fishing, and not for meat. Perhaps those in quest of a freezer full of filets might suffer through the above in order to secure them.
> 
> I'll give you one good tip for Reelfoot if you insist on going. Use 4 lb test line. It makes a huge difference between using 8 and 10 pound test. Your fish catching production will increase dramatically. Don't ask me why.
> 
> Drum. Nobody has mentioned the drum which outnumber the crappie in this lake. I don't mind catching them, but for the purists, they tend to turn up their noses to the drum.
> 
> Bottom line is that if you are looking for a few days of getting away and stressless fishing, go somewhere else. I've fished all over the south, Kentucky, Ohio, and Canada, and of all the trips I've least enjoyed were to Reelfoot. The place seems to be a marketing ploy, that manages to keep their lodges/hotels filled. It is not a fun place.


Wow, I do fill the freezer and I fish out of a 17 ft deep v Smokercraft with a 115 merc. I too at 51 have fished all over from Fla to rhe French river and for Numbers and size Reelfoot out produces the panfishing better than anywhere else that I have been. You must have went down on a 3 day Package deal


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## Saugeye Tom

Mustang, I am glad my Grandson dosn't read this site to often, we are leaving in a week and that post would have killed him. He has been looking foward to this trip for about 4 years now. no offence taken though . How many times have you fished Reelfoot ? Tom


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## BMustang

Saugeye Tom said:


> Mustang, I am glad my Grandson dosn't read this site to often, we are leaving in a week and that post would have killed him. He has been looking foward to this trip for about 4 years now. no offence taken though . How many times have you fished Reelfoot ? Tom


Sorry to say you and your grandson are probably going to be sadly dissapointed. Call me old, bullheaded, and set in my ways, but I've been there on two seperate occasions and cannot for the life of me, understand (other than to catch a bunch of panfish under difficult conditions) why any rational person would go there, using valuable vacation time to go fishing when there are so many better options. 

Report back. Meanwhile this coming week I'll be at Pickwick having a ball.


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## Saugeye Tom

Well, I have been there 12 times in as many years and have yet to have a bad trip. When we get back I'll post a report and some Photos. Tom


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## BMustang

Have a good trip!

Doing what you enjoy is the important thing. 
You obviously like Reelfoot and do well there.

I'm doing six days at Pickwick starting Sunday. Will report back and post pictures. We can compare notes.


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## Saugeye Tom

Have a good one Mustang! Tom


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## fishmasterflex

You have to know how to fish reelfoot. Best lake i have ever been to. Great vacation went in march and it was amazing and has been the past 3 years i have went. We have stayed at eagles nest resort and never had any problems


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## Shortdrift

You can do as well on crappie in Ohio, both North and South. Just hope the wind doesn't blow when you are at Reelfoot.


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## ChrisReed

My dad and I fished reelfoot last Thursday thru Saturday and caught our limit 2 out of 3 days. Will post a pic once I figure out how 2 do it. We love it down there. We've been there 8 yrs in a row. We always do well.


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## ChrisReed




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## Saugeye Tom

All, Just returned from reel foot. A great trip. The Grandson caught his first 16 inch Crappie with a 9 1/2 inch bluegill Kicker. We averaged 55 fish a day. A little down but the weather was cold. Water temps Ranged from 59 to 67 on any given day. He cant wait to go back next year !!! Tom


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## Saugeye Tom

will post photos


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## ChrisReed

Congrats on the great trip. Looking forward to seeing the pics.

Chris


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## Saugeye Tom

ChrisReed said:


> Congrats on the great trip. Looking forward to seeing the pics.
> 
> Chris


I can't seem to see where people say the Crappie fishing is better in ohio.I have fished most of the public waters here and so far none compare to Reel foot ror size and numbers. We stayed down the street at George Bunch Jr."s place. Maybe 3 blocks from Eagles nest for 550.00 for 7 nights. Tom


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## ChrisReed

Tom, I agree completely. I fish rocky fork for crappie every year. I can catch numbers but not the size of reelfoot. We stay at cypress pt every year. We love it there.


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