It’s been 7 weeks since my by pass surgery and everything is going well. I had my first Surgeon appointment this past Monday-they took a chest  x ray – which showed that my chest was  healing normally  and that my lung capacity is much better than prior to the operation. I’m able to drive for the first time in 7 weeks-which is a blessing-some of the weight restrictions was changed from 8lbs total to 10lbs per arm. There was a little adjustment on my blood pressure meds and I am waiting to be enrolled in the Cardiac Rehab program at St Thomas in Murfreesboro as soon as possible. I’m still focused on being back on the water early fall.  All in all going great Praise The Lord!   I appreciate all the calls-and prayers. Rick

A couple times this past winter by the time that I go to the top of the ramp to load out  I had a “Tightness” in my chest. When I got to the truck I would take a couple aspirins and the tightness would go away.  The same thing happened walking up our stairway from down stairs.   I talked to my doctor about what was happening he set me up with a cardiologist from Vanderbilt and sure enough  “A Heart issue” On Saturday June 2nd I had a Open Heart 3 By-Pass surgery at Vandy. Back home on Wednesday the 5th and Praising The Lord that I am able to sit here at my desk and write this to you. Don’t guess I am 10 feet talk and bullet proof after all.

When the tightness happened I didn’t have any other “HEART PROBLEM SIGNS” that most of us look for–Take it from me don’t risk it.   Lord willing I’ll be back on the water this fall-Time will tell.  I’m so appreciative of all the Prayers that have been prayed-the calls that has been made and the concern from so many.  Rick

I made my annual trip to Hartwell to fish with old friend Tim White. We fished 1/2 day Monday Full days Tuesday and Wednesday and 1/2  day Thursday. We caught and released 76 Spots and 3 Largemouth. The pictures you see  will give you a good idea of the over all size that we caught.  The biggest spots were 2lb 9ounce and 2lb 2 ounces. We had alot of 1 1/2–1 3/4 size fish.  It rain and stormed on Monday and Tuesday–wind blew 15-20 on Wednesday and it was blue bird sky on Thursday. Everyday was different.   We both used a variety of Sufix Braid-mono and fluorocarbon www.sufix.com  VMC Weedless and Non Weedless Finesse jigs. www.vmchooks.com   My best soft plastics was the New Crush City BLT in Ghost Morning Dawn—Albino Pearl and Green Pumpkin Magic www.rapala.com  A few was caught on a variety of crankbaits and zero on top water of any kind.  Another fun trip with an old friend.  Thank you for visiting my site.  More to come Lord willing in the days and weeks to come.  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Just want to bring your attention to some great $$$$ savings on all the Rapala items pictured above  from May 1 through May 15th. 20% off regular retail price. This is your opportunity to try some of the best new items that have hit the market this year. Crush City-OG Crankbaits-DT series baits The new PXR Mavrik -New Jigging Magnum Rap–Shad Raps-The New Red Line VMC Hooks-Sufix line and more. Check it out,,,Check out your nearest Bass Pro or Cabela’s. You can also research all of these items on the Rapala Web site. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Ken and I fished Center Hill yesterday morning from 8 until noon. WE didn’t have a lot of time so we stayed in Holmes Creek and moved around here and there. The 2 above was the best of 6.  VMC Weedless Finesse Jig and soft plastics www.vmchooks.com and Sufix Yellow Performance Braid with a Sufix fluorocarbon leader. Hope to have more next week.  Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Fished Tim’s from 7:00 am until 12:15 pm caught 12 with the 5 above being my best.  I had 1 on a swim bait and the rest on a NED. www.rapala.com  Green Pumpkin Magic and “Pink”.  I have used pink floating worms-jerk baits-pink on a spinner bait-pink on several crankbaits and more but I had never thrown a pink ned until today.  I can honestly say that the “Bite” was far more aggressive on the pink than other colors. I’m not entirely sure why, but it was.  I rigged these on the VMC  Weedless Finesse Jig that I always use www.vmchooks.com  Sufix 10lb Yellow Braid with a 8lb Sufix Fluorocarbon leader.  Hopefully I’ll be on Center Hill this Thursday and will let you know how it went. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I got to the ramp this morning at 7:30 and almost couldn’t find a place to park. There is a High School Tournament tomorrow and this appeared to be a practice day—I knew that the creeks would be covered up and I didn’t want to fight the crowd so I concentrated on the larger cuts off the main river channel that could get me out of some of the wind.  The wind got up to 30 plus  (what did we do before spot lock?) I used several different baits but the the Crush City Pumpkin Magic BLT www.rapala.com  rigged on a VMC Weedless Finesse Jig did the job. www.vmchooks.com  I was using 10lb Yellow Sufix Braid with a 8lb Sufix fluorocarbon leader . Water temp in the areas where I was at was still in the high 50;s.  I had 9 total with the ones above being my best. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

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

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