All posts by Rick McFerrin

Normandy 2-21-2024

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I had a very enjoyable 5 hours on Normandy today with my oldest son Rick Jr,  On the very first stop I connected with a good fish on a Rapala Clown X Rap that got hung up in some brush and got off.  Counting that fish we had 7 total bites the ones above being our best. I laid out the baits that we caught fish on today. A Rapala Clown X Rap-a White X Rap and a “NEW” PXR Mavril 110 (white) Snow Storm www.rapala.com A Terminator 3/8 Spinner bait www.terminator.com with a  Crush City Sight Flash Freeloaded and last but not least a Crush City Ned BLT Coppertreuse rigged on a VMC 3/16 ounce Finesse Weedless Jog. www.vmchooks.com Ofcourse line of choice always is Sufix hands down.  Water temp 47 to 50 while we were there. Good to have by son out with me today. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

“New” RapStack Tackle Trays 2024

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Let me start by saying that I have struggled with the photo’s this morning-After you read this post you can go to www.rapala.com and get a much better idea of what the fantastic RapStack Tackle Trays  look like.  I run a early 2000 model Blazer that I love, but it  is a little light on tackle space , so I built the box that you see above that holds 9 boxes of Rapala Crankbaits and Jerk Baits only.  I have always been a fairly organized person “However” the older I get the more important organization has become to me. I like things to be where they need to be so that I don’t have to hunt.  I was excited when I saw  the RapStacks for the first time.  These “ARE NOT” your run of the mill boxes that have flimsy latches and dividers.  The Rapstack is built heavy duty tough and with a smart design.  The RapStack is designed for hard and soft baits-the RED LATCH is a REAL LATCH not something that is going to fall off after you open the box a few times.  The dividers are made to be cold and heat resistant and are just as tough.  The RapStacks  are available in the following series.  A 3600–3700-3700 deep and a 3700 deep open design.  And a 3600 Open Foam Trays pictured above that I have hair jigs in. 2 Sets of Rewriteable labels are included in the RapStack pictured above on my crankbaits. Like anything else you can buy tackle storage that is ok that you will have to replace often or RapStack Tackle Tray that will give you years of service.  Light Sufix line and Rapala crankbaits doesn’t get much better than that. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Center Hill 2-9-2024

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I fished with Loooong time friend Billy Campbell yesterday on CH.  Water color varies all over the lake. You can find everything from very stained to semi clear with varying temps. (47-45)We covered a lot of territory  to manage the 3 that you see above. Billy is trying to hide his identity holding up a obvious very short fish. (You can’t hide) By the way  I caught the short fish and Billy caught the 2 good ones.   Best crankbait was the Rapala DT6 Red Craw which we both used. Looking back I should have thrown the Ots Deep Tiny in the same red craw (pictured above) **that will be a note for next time*** www.rapala.com I was using Sufix Clear Blue 6lb Pro Mix which has been my favorite for many years www.sufix.com  One thing that I have always liked about Pro Mix is the abrasion factor. We were beating and banging off of  rocks all day with very little little (if any) abrasion.  We did talk with 2 other friends that had 10 and a couple good fish. Like us they covered a lot of water and hit on one short stretch where they caught 5 of their 10  and I thing at least 1 of their big fish 4 3/4lb Smallmouth.   I had a great day with a great friend. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Tim’s Ford w/o 12-4-2023

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I fished Tim’s 2 times this week. The first day I had 8 total Largemouth Smallmouth mix and the 2nd day with Ken we had 12 total mix . Monday I had 4 on the “NEW”  Red Craw OG Deep Tiny 7 pictured above with the Tiny 4. The 7 is a silent/non rattling flat sided floating bait that has a very tight wobble and is rigged with VMC 1X Strong Hybrid Trebles.  They would “Pop” these with a vengeance.   For those of you that know me, you know that I have always been partial to “Crankbaits & Light line” I throw all my crankbaits up to 12ft deep on my favorite mono 6lb test Sufix Promix Clear Blue Mono.  Monday I was bumping the bottom at 8/9 feet deep easily with the Tiny Deep 7. I’m excited about both the Tiny 4 and Tiny 7.  Both come in 19 color patterns that will meet all fishing conditions and both need to be in you tackle selection.  On Monday I also had 4 on the “New  Pumpkin Magic Crush City Ned BLT” Rigged on my favorite  3/16th VMC Weedless Finesse Jig (Pictured above)  The BLT will stand straight up on a 1/4 ounce jig head . The Ned BLT are flake-salt and scent injected and comes in 16 colors and all are 3 inches long. They are made out of a durable floating plastic TPE material. These will work great in all finesse situation including drop shot.  Friday with Ken it was strictly a Ned Rig day. We couldn’t get bit on any moving bait.  20 total for the week-55-56 water temp.  Tim’s should be getting better after next weeks cold snap.  You can check out EVERY bait that I just talked about by going to www.Rapala.com  We have videos on most plus tackle tips. thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

 

November 6-7-8-2023

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Tim White and I fished Tim’s one day and Center Hill for 2 days and honestly struggled on all 3 days.  I’m missing about 4 or 5 other pictures that included a couple decent smallmouth -not sure what happened.  The ones above was our best on Center Hill. We caught several fish about the size that you see but we just couldn’t come up with the quality.  Rapala Skitter Walk was the best top water for me www.rapala.com We both use a variety of Sufix braid and mono www.sufix.com We caught several on a variety of cranbaits including the old reliable Shad  Rapala DT6.  Water temp was in the 62-63 range and dropping. Ramps are all in good shape.  That’s the good bad and ugly. I think we are very close to a good top water and cranbait bite on CH. I’ll update as I go. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Center Hill 9-21-2023

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Ken Jenkins and I fished Center Hill this morning and had steady action for the first 4 hour or so and then it died. We caught 15-20 total Smallmouth-Largemouth and Spots combined with most being very short. The ones above was out best and all  caught on soft plastics. I was using a 1/8ounce VMC Weedless Finesse Jig www.vmchooks.com on 8lb Advantage Sufix Mono www.sufix.com Water temp hasn’t changed since Monday-but it appeared that they pulled the lake down maybe 8-10 inches or so.  That’s it for this week and I appreciate you visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Center Hill 9-18-2023

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I fished Center Hill this morning by myself. I caught several smaller fish (8=10 inch) early on a Rapal DT6 www.rapala.com  I threw several top water baits and a buzz bait with no takers. I switched over to a 1/8 VMC Weedless Finesse Jig with soft plastics www.vmchooks.com and caught the ones you see above plus I lost 5 in timber. No “BIG ONES” but good solid fish. 6lb test Sufix Mono on the crankbait and 8lb on the jig. Water temp was 77 degrees.

Old Hickory 9-14-2023

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Ken Jenkins and I fished Spencer Creek on Old Hickory for 5 hours this morning caught 10 with the 2 pictured being the best.  2 on OG Citrus Tiny www.rapala.com 8lb Sufix Adnance Mono  The rest on soft plastics rigged on Sufix 10lb Nano Braid www.sufix.com  #2 VMC  Worm Hook with a VMC Sinker Stop & a  1/8 ounce VMC Tungsten Worm Weight  www.vmchooks.com Water had the normal Old Hickory color and 78 degrees.  I know we are all faced with the same things as far as gas costs ($3.49-$3.59 today)  are concerned-so Ken and I are going to continue trade trips. Based on where we live we will use his boat on Old Hickory and Priest and mine on Center Hill-Normandy-Tim’s and Woods.  We also have limited how much running we are doing when we get to the lake–Maybe there will be better days ahead. Thanks for visiting my site rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Percy Priest 8-14-2023

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Monday  Marshall and I  met Ken Jenkins and his grandson at Priest to fish with Striper Guide Merv Johnson. I wanted Marshall (5 yrs old) to experience the possibility of catching a big Hybrid or Striper on live bait before he had to start school this year.  We knew that the weather was going to be “if’y” and it was. Marshall got to watch on the sonar Merv’s  cast net settle down on a big school of shad and bring them back up and into the bait tank.  Then it rained & rained & rained Marshall hung in there as we searched spot after spot for Hybrids that were willing.  Then it got “Hot” and Marshall still hung in there—-Merv worked extremely hard for 7 1/2 hours to put us on fish-we ran from one end of Priest to the other. We marked  fish at every stop & watched them hover around our baits and then turn away.  They just had lock jaw—and having been a guide my self I can tell you that it is very frustrating because you want your clients to catch as many as they can.  Sometimes all you can do is all you can do!  Marshall caught 2 big cats , 1 Hybrid  and had a boat load of fun.   Marshall is back to school and his “Paw” “Me”  will be searching Tim’s-Center Hill-Normandy and Woods. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin

Tim’s Ford 7-25-2023

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I’m sure there are some that are tired of Grandson pic’s “BUT”. Just a quick report. I took Marshall this morning to Tims and found that the lake had continued to rise over the walk way at the state park and was still rising while we were there. Debris floating every where-but we decided to try it any way. The 2 that Marshall is holding was his best—plus he got a hook in his leg—Oh Boy!  Hook out back to the marina and Pa  fixed  things by a 30 minute swim at the ramp.  Another fun day….Rick