Here are 6 pictures that I have been holding back because of a tournament that Bill and Braxton fished this pass week end. Bill is holding 4 that we  (he) caught (I was a good net guy) on a Float N Fly and the other 2  pics are of  Braxton on tournament day. Their club has a 3 fish limit which is great and these 3 Smallmouth won them 2nd place and a good payday in their club fish off.  Billy and I also had several smaller Smallmouth on soft plastics. Once again I was using a VMC Weedless Finesse Jig www.vmchooks.com on Sufix Yellow Braid with a Sufix Fluorocarbon leader. Headed to Center Hill to fish with Billy this morning and the actual air temp here at 4:38am is 22 degrees. Burrrrr! Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Good day on the Hill today. Best pictured above-A little unexpected extra on the Walleye that hit a Rapala Albino Shiner www.rapala.com the rest hit a LuhrJensen Live Image Blue Krocodile Spoon www.luhrjensencom–3/16 -Terminator PBJ  Finesse JIg www.terminator.com-3/16 VMC Weedless Finesse Jig and soft plastics-www.vmchooks.com All on Sufix Mono-Braid and Fluorocarbon leader www.sufix.com Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I had a 20 fish day on the Hill with what you see above being the best. I lost 2 good fish again -one in timber and the other just came undone. Everything except 2 on a VMC Finesse Weedless Jig www.vmchooks.com and soft plastics the other on w Rapala River Shad DT6 www.rapala.com. Sufix Braid and Fluorocarbon leader. www.sufix.com . Water temp 56 degrees and good color. Some stuff floating  because of the rain that we have had lately. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

This is a 2 day report. The gentleman that is holding the Smallmouth is Robert Markham-2 years ago he had a heart transplant and now he is doing great. Robert gives all the glory to God for his recovery-and that’s where it all belongs. We caught either 7 or 8 with the 3 being our best. The pictures on the floor was from yesterday on Center Hill. My camera wouldn’t work and I don’t like taking pictures this way but there wasn’t another option. I took a few and skipped the rest. Everything we caught on Tim’s was on soft plastics. I caught 3 yesterday on a Rapala Skitter Walk www.rapala.com  and 6 others on soft plastics rigged on a VMC Weedless Finesse  Jig head. I lost 2 other heavy fish that I never saw.  I also caught a 6 or 8 5 to 6 inch Smallmouth-there is a ton of them in Center Hill-good for years to come. www.vmchooks.com.   Sorry for the pics-In a new camera hunt today. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Billy and I put in at 7:00am looking for a top water bite that gave up two be really never materialized (it’s time for sure). We caught 8 total with the 4 above being the best.  We found a bunch of fish on my electronics and caught 3 right off the bat and missed 6 more on a drop shot that would “peck peck” but never hold on. The wind pick up a bunch and the bite shut off as quickly as it started.  I think we had one on a Rapala X Rap www.rapala.com and one other on soft plastics rigged on a VMC Weedless Finesse Jig www.vmchooks.com . I was using 20pound Sufix Yellow Braid and a 7lb Sufix Fluorocarbon leader www.sufix. I rigged that with a #2 VMC SpinShot Drop Shot Hook and a VMC 1/8 ounce  Tungsten Ball Weight. One very important benefit of the spin shot hooks is that they completely eliminate line twist and keep you plastics aligned for a natural presentation. Pick some up you will like them for sure. Water temp 65 degrees and a few areas looked almost like the beginning of turn over. More next week. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Every year Ronnie and I look forward to the water to cooling  down at Woods to vertical jig for White Bass and to hang one of the monster cats that live there. Yesterday we caught 100 “YES” 100 white bass and I caught this 33lb 6oz Flat head vertical jigging in 17 to 24 feet of water. Everything I caught was on Sufix 6lb Clear Blue Pro Mix Mono www.sufix.com including the big cat.  Anyone that reads my site knows that I’m a light line guy and for years I have written about Sufix mono www.sufix.com and I will repeat myself again-it is the absolute strongest-best-smoothest-low to no memory-high knot strength-smoothest casting-small diameter mono I have ever used. You can’t wench in these big cats on light line but if you take your time and have your drag set correctly they will eventually wind up in your boat. If you will try 1 spool of your favorite weight you will be a Sufix buyer from now on. Now to the white bass.  We found 2 big schools  of White Bass on my electronics threw out a maker and it was game on. I love using either a 1/4 ounce or a 3/16 ounce Krocodile Spoon www.luhrjensen.com  or a 3/16th Rapala Jigging Rap or Jigging Shad Rap www.rapala.com  for these white bass. If your not familiar with the Jigging Rap It stared out as a ice fishing lure BUT-BUT-it’s far more than that. Through the years  I have caught fish on Woods-Tim’s-Normandy-Center Hill-Priest-Nick A Jack ( above and below the dam) and Old Hickory on a Rapala jigging rap. Everything the swims will hit these-it just takes a little practice and confidence. You can see videos on the Rapala site and on other media out lets. I alternate between the Krocodile Spoon and the jigging Rap-just depends on what they want. Now is the time if your looking for fast action and a lot of fun on Woods White Bass-and maybe a monster as well. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Best 3 of 6 today on Normandy. Everything on top water-I had to work the Rapala Skitter Walk www.rapala.com  a little slower than normal but when they hit they meant business. New 10lb Sufix Advanced Mono www.sufix.com strong and casts like a dream. Water temp was 76 degrees and it appears that they haven’t started lowering water levels. Maybe more this week. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Daniel took Friday off and wanted to fish below the NAJ Dam with live bait. We caught some creek minnows the night before and was at the ramp just about daylight. What you see above was caught in the 1st hour and then it was ZERO. We never had another bite in the next 5 hours. We watched the other boats around us and never saw anyone caught a fish.  I talked with Billy, he fished Dale Hollow and had 7 small fish in the first couple hours then zero-and Ronnie never had a bite on Normandy-it must have just been the day for some reason or another.  I’ve been saving gas money and holding out for colder weather which we are finally getting. Water temp Friday was still 76 to 78 degrees and should be down lower this week.  Sufix Braid and Sufix Fluorocarbon leader www.sufix.com  rigged with a 3/0 VMC  Bait Keeper Hook was all we used www.vmchooks.com. We had some great creek minnows left and I intend to use them up this week before the die. I will let you know what happens. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Terry and I got to the ramp at 5:15am and it was raining big time. We hung around the ramp until 6:00am then headed to our first stop. We did a lot of moving to get what you see above. I thought we would have a good top water bite but it just didn’t happen. Everything was caught on Sufix Braid and Mono (terry and I both)www.sufix.com and a VMC Finesse Weedless 3/32ounce jig.www.vmchooks.com  The 3/32 has a great light wire 1/0 hook and is concaved on the back of the head so your plastics fit tight. They also have stainless weed guards and wire keeper. If you haven’t tried these jigs  you need to pick up a pack you will like them. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Billy and I put the boat in at 5:30am this morning ran to our first stop and immediately put 1 in the boat and lost 5. Not a good way to start. We struggled around for most of the morning. I lost at least 2 more that I couldn’t keep hooked up and caught a couple short KY’s and Billy had 2 or 3 other blow up on a top water but no kook ups.  We should have had a 14-15 fish day.  Storms came up and we loaded out.  Rapala Skitter Walk www.rapala.com Sufix Braid and Fluorocarbon www.sufix.com vmc Spin Shot and drop shot weights www.vmchooks.com  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com