Best 3 of 7 today on Tim’s. Water temp 41 to 43 degrees and the wind pick up with gusts of 20mph. 6 hit a tuffy and the Largemouth one of the new Rapala Silver BX Brat www.rapala.com . Sufix 6lb mono www.sufix.com and a #6 VMC Octopus Live Bait Hook. 6lb on the Brat as well. I didn’t do a lot of running just dropped the tolling motor and stayed with it. Over all a very pleasant but tough day. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguide.com
Best 2 this morning on Tim’s-biggest Smallmouth weighed 4lbs 14ounces. We had 7 bites in the 4 hours that Ronnie and I fished. Water temp was 42 degrees and the lake is well below winter pool. All of our fish came on dropping shoting tuffy minnows. I used the VMC #2 Spin Shot hook. This hook system eliminates the line twist that you get with a fixed hook. I also used a 3/16th VMC Tungsten Drop Shot Cylinder Weight. These are 35% smaller than the 3/16th lead weights and much more sensitive. You can feel ever pebble and light bite. www.vmchooks.com Line wise I was spooled with Sufix 6lb Mono. When you put these 3 great products together you have a dynamite drop shot rig. Check them out at www.rapala.com and at you favorite tackle store. Just been laying back taking it easy with all the bad weather. More hopefully next week from Priest-Center Hill and Tims. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com
Braxton sent me these pictures of some nice spots that he caught with his Grandfather Billy on Center Hill this past week. I think they caught a total of 10 or 12. Billy said they caught their fish on a combination of soft plastics and a RapalaDT6 Red Craw www.rapala.com crankbaits. Way to go Braxton!!!!!!
The picture of Ronnie (upper left) is a Tim’s smallmouth 4lbs we caught Tuesday-We also had 6 or 7 short fish as well. The other 4 pictures was from the Hill today. Both of the smallmouth in the bottom pictures weighed 4lb 1oz and 4lb 2.3oz I also caught 10 or 12 short fish like the other pictured. Big fish came on live bait I also caught several on a Rapala DT6 Red Craw www.rapala.com. Sufix 6lb Pro Mix on everything today www.suffix.com Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com
Ken and I put in at 7am this morning left at 1pm, We had 5 bites with the 2 above being out best-both caught on a Float N Fly. I lost 2 other good fish one on the FNF that just came undone and one on soft plastic that got hung up in something-it would take line and then I would get some back. This went on for 4 or 5 minutes until the line wore out. We spent the majority of our time on the FNF. Everyone has their own way but I use Sufix 832 20lb braid with 8lb Sufix Fluorocarbon leader. The 832 is silky smooth and you can get a long cast no problem. www.sufix.com. We saw several guys paralleling the banks-which might have been a better choice-but we decided to stay with the FNF -it’s a lot of fun. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com
Ronnie and I put in at 8am with 28 degree air temps and a 5-10mph wind. BURRR We fished until 11;45AM 34 degrees-we caught and released 9 Largemouth and 1 spot all on the Rapala DT6 Red Craw (pictured above) www.rapala.com Water temps was 45 to 46 degrees every where we were today—–It’s about to get right down there. Ronnie and I both throw Sufix 6lb mono-I use the Pro Mix Clear Blue and Ronnie ops for the Hi-Vis Yellow. www.sufix.com Everything on pea gravel. If you haven’t used the Red Craw in the winter you are missing it big time—–Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com
Ken and I put in at Hurricane Bridge this morning at 7:00am left at 2:30pm and caught 11 total mix of Smallmouth-Spots and 1 Largemouth. Everything was caught on soft plastics-I was using one of the new3/32 VMC Finesse Weedless Jig www.vmchook.com that has a 1/0 light wire super sharp hook, wire keeper and a hollow back that allow you to snug your bait right up against the head which makes a big difference on a more natural presentation. These come in 4 weights in both black and green pumpkin. It took a little while for us to figure out that we would have to use a very light weight jig because they would only hit these on the fall. Thus the 3/32 head-I was using Sufix 6lb Clear Blue Pro Mix www.sufix.com which really helps when watching your line closely like we had to today. You can view these jigs at www.rapala.com and then click on VMC. Good day with a good friend. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com
I fished Normandy with Ronnie this morning and had a decent 4 1/2 hrs . Water temp was finally 56.8 degrees. I want to show those that are new to fishing in the winter my top 3 choices of crankbaits and the line that I use 100% of the time. The 3 best for me are the (top) Rapala DT6 Demon-(Center)-DT6 River Shad (Bottom) DT6 Read Craw which we used today. I also throw the same colors in the DT10 as well, but 80% of the time it’s the DT6. These colors have proven themselves over and over again year after year. For those that are new to the DT series-DT means “Dives To” So a DT6 using 10lb test Sufix Mono and a good cast will get the bait down to 6 feet deep (DT10 10 feet deep) BUT I have always been a light line guy so I use Sufix 6lb Test Pro Mix which allow me to get the DT6 down to 8 to 10 feet easily. I always use a #0 VMC Duolock Snap which has 30lb strength instead of tying directly to the O ring of the DT6-this gives the bait more action and when it’s cold it’s good on the hands when it comes to changing baits instead of re-tying. Sufix Mono and Braids are the finest lines in my opinion on the market today. Smooth coming off your reel-strong and small diameter you just can’t beat Sufix. You can go to Rapala.com and get a better view of these items. And if you have and questions feel free to contact me at rickm@dtccom.net and I will be happy to help. We catch crankbait fish all winter long even when the temps get in the 40’s so go to your favorite tackle store pick these up for your next trip to the lake. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick www.tennesseebassguides.com
Like peanut butter and jelly, Storm® 360GT Searchbait® jigs and bodies work best together, but are also available on their own. Storm is now offering its 360GT jigs and boot-tail soft-bodies separately, in two- and six-packs, respectively.
“While this bait and jig head were initially released in one package, paired to be the perfect lure to catch everything that swims, it’s great that they’re available now on their own,” says Davy Hite, a Bassmaster Classic champion and seven-time Bassmaster tournament winner. “Often times, you’ll run out of one sooner than the other, and this just makes it easier to always have the right amount of what you need.”
“Anglers pair 360GT jigs and bodies for a “go-to” bait,” says Storm Product Development Director Mark Fisher, explaining the inspiration behind the “360GT” name. “It’s that simple — ‘GT’ is shorthand for ‘go-to.’”
The 360GT jig features a life-like design, 3D holographic eyes, a single-ball rattle, an exclusive VMC® Coastal Black® hook and an extended, 60-degree line-tie “leg.” They come two per pack in three weights and five color patterns: Chartreuse Ice, Gaga, Smokin’ Ghost, Smelt and Tru Blue.
The 1/8 ounce jig is designed to pair with a 3-1/2 inch 360GT body and comes armed with a 2/0 hook. The 1/4 ounce jig fits a 4-1/2 inch body and has a 4/0 hook. The 3/8 ounce jig accommodates a 5-1/2 inch body and sports a 7/0 hook.
Creating the ultimate illusion of natural baitfish movement, the 360GT body is a realistic-looking, phthalate-free, soft plastic featuring a toe-in boot-tail that elicits incredible fish-attracting action at any retrieve speed.
“The boot tail does a couple things,” Hite explains. “It gives the bait vibration, which the fish can feel in the water. And the slim tail going to the boot gives the bait another action — it moves side to side, just like a fish trying to propel through the water.”
Easy to rig, 360GT bodies feature a handy hook channel and well-marked exit hole. They are available in 3-1/2, 4-1/2 and 5-1/2 inch models. They come six per pack in a re-sealable bag containing an insert tray that protects each individual paddle tail. They’re available in 11 color patterns: Chartreuse Ice, Gaga, Herring, Houdini, Hot Olive, Marilyn, Pearl Ice, Smokin’ Ghost, Smelt, Tru Blue and Volunteer.
Multi-species anglers can expect to catch bass, walleye and pike with 360GT Searchbaits. Ease of use will ensure that they become the go-to choices of anglers of all skill levels. A simple, steady retrieve gives them a fish-attracting swimming motion.
“The 360GT is in a league all its own,” says Jacob Wheeler, a Forrest Wood Cup Champion and two-time Bassmaster tournament winner. “It’s a bait that’s going to work in many different applications — in many different situations,” he says. “It flat-out catches ‘em, no matter what you’re doing.”
Start by fan-casting a 360GT in all directions until the fish reveal where they’re holding. “Basically, throw it in any direction, 360 degrees around where you’re standing,” says Fisher, explaining more of the inspiration for the bait’s name. Go to www.rapala.com click on Storm and then 360GT for more info and videos. These are going to be great swim baits, Check them out. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com
Ken Jenkins and I fished out of Horse Creek on Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday and 1/2 a day Thursday. We experienced a major weather change each day which made things challenging to say the lest. Water temps (believe it or not) is still 65 degrees over every part of the lake we fished from the dam to Holly Creek and as always Dale Hollow clear. We did a lot of running to catch what you see and we only had 1 place that we caught more than 1 fish, there we caught 3. Our best bait was a swim bait like the Storm 360Gt Search Baits www.stormlures.com which comes in 11 Color patterns and 3 weight sizes with the 1/4 ounce being the best size this week. Presentation was slow-just keeping it up off the bottom and out of the grass. We also caught fish on a jig and a VMC Weedless Neko Rig www.vmchooks.com. Sufix 6lb test was my line of choice www.sufix.com. I hope we aren’t headed for a warm water temp winter like last year-time will tell. Check out the wild goat in the picture above-evidently there are many of these that roam the islands here. Rick McFerrin www.tennessbassguides.com