I will apologize up front I left my camera at home in my office. But here’s the scoop. I had 9 Spots , 2 Short Smallmouth 1 3lb Largemouth and 1 Giant Crappie.  All on the Rapala Fat Rap Fire Tiger www.rapala.com  6lb Test Sufix Mono. That’s it!  Rick McFerrin www.tenesseebassguides.com

I meet Teresa and her 10 year old grandson Liam at the Turkey Creek Ramp at 9:30am this morning in the middle of a steady rain. They suited up and off we went looking for what ever might be interested in what we were offering. After a couple bluegill and a lengthy down time we happened up on the 2 Largemouth and 1 Spot (1 broken line) that “LIAM” caught on 4lb Test Suffix (YES 4lb) mono www.sufix.com AllPro  APX  Light Spinning rod www.allprorods.com a a TriggerX Glow Boot Tail Minnow www.triggerx.com  Liam is a very-very good fisherman already he listened and put into practice everything that I showed him to do with this light tackle, he handled these fish like he’s been doing it for years. It was a cool, windy and rainy but GREAT DAY with 2 very fine folks. We are going to do it again when the weather is a little more accommodating.  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Felt good being back on the water, between cleaning up the damage that the ice storm created here on out property and having the flu I have been side lined for a while.  Ronnie Wooten and I had a great numbers day on Normandy today putting 28 in the boat with 4 others that we had on and lost. We had 2 Smallmouth, 3 Largemouth and the rest were spots. Every fish I caught was on a old bait that honestly I don’t throw as much as I use to,  (will again now) and the is the Rapala Fire Tiger Fat Rap www.rapala.com They would absolutely load up on this bait when you got it near them. I love throwing these on a All Pro APX 7′ M/L spinning rod www.allprorods.com and 6lb test Sufix Mono www.sufix.com.  Naturally the key was finding that 55 to 56 degree water and the right structure.  Every fish came off 3 small areas. More to come Lord willing. Thank you  for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Yesterday was the Cabin Fever Fix at Murfreesboro Out Doors and it was a huge success.  Just from a visual observation  the crowd was larger than any that we have had there in the past and the lines at the register was busy all day.  There just aren’t many independently owned stores like this in operation any more and we are fortunate to have MOD here in middle Tennessee.  At the Rapala booth the “NEW SHADOW RAP” was the center of attention. 9 out of 10 guy’s that we talked to came in looking for the Shadow Rap and we blew through all the stock we had early on in the day.  Sales of other Rapala sku’s was solid especially in the DT’s-X Rap’s and Shad Raps and the “BUY 3 Rapala Baits at regular price and get a FREE spool of Sufix Mono” was as popular this year as ever.  When you combine the free line PLUS a 20% discount at the register PLUS Randy feeding everyone that came in Jambalaya-BBQ-Hot Dogs-Chips-Cake-Cookies and drinks how could you loose? I need to thank Mark from Jones and Company for all his help and planning prior to this event. On my part it was good to talk with every one and catch up on all the big ones that have been caught this past year and even some that got away! Speaking for myself and Rapala we appreciate your support and have a safe-fun and productive year on the water.    Rick

David Honey and I put in below the dam at 7:00am and fish until noon. We marked several fish but there was no bait to be seen anywhere….but we still managed to put 20 White Bass in the boat and several of them were chunks. David and I both was using the ultra sensitive 7′ Med Allpro APX spinning rods www.allprorods.com and 6lb test Sufix mono www.sufix.com I know I’m a broken record but if you haven’t used Sufix you are missing one of the strongest, best casting line on the market bar none. Due to the process called G2 winding there is very  little memory and  comes off the spool like silk. I caught fish today on 3 different lures. 1st is the 4inch 3/16th Storm Shiner Wildeye Curl Tail Minnow. This bait has the needle sharp VMC Hooks already rigged in the bait and swims through the water like the real deal www.stormlures.com  2nd was a swim bait rigged on a 1/4 ounce VMC Flat Shad Jig Head These hooks are 1X stronger, has a hollowed out back so your swim bait will fit snug against the head and all 6 sizes have 3D Eyes. It has a little different swim to it that at times will make a big difference. www.vmchook.com 3rd was a Luhr-Jensen 1/4oz Live Image Holo Krocodile Spoon www.luhrjensen.com.  Good day catching some good fish on light tackle….Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

This was a very frustrating week for me on the water. Monday Ken and I went to Center Hill-he caught a good Smallmouth right away and then we never had another bite the rest of the day. Tuesday I fished Normandy and had 7 on a Rapala DT6 Red Craw www.rapala.com in the first hour then nothing after that. Today I Fished Tim’s from day light until 3pm had 7 bites and caught 4 Smallmouth and 2 Largemouth. Sufix 6lb Test Mono www.sufix.com on either a 7’6′ M/L and 6 7′ med AllPro APX Rod www.allprorods.com . Done for the week. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

When Ronnie and I put in yesterday (Thursday) it was 26 degrees ait temp with a water temp of 40 or 41 degrees in the area that we concentrated on.  It sleeted on us for 1/2 hour or more but that didn’t keep 10 Largemouth and 2 Spots from whacking either a Rapala DT 6 Demon or Red Craw www.rapala.com. This reminded me of a couple years ago when they stayed on a crank bait all the way down to 38 degrees and was right up on the bank.  Sufix 6lb test Mono www.sufix.com and a AllPro Apx Med Spinning www.allprorods.com.  Hope to give you a Center Hill  and Tim’s report next week. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

What you see is what we got and it all happened early and quick and that was that!!!!! Nice Smallies but everything shut down for us. 6lb Sufix Mono www.sufix.com VMC Bait Keeper Hooks www.vmchooks.com and AllPro APX Rods www.allprorods.com  . All for this week…Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

It was 25 degrees when Ronnie and I put in this morning at 8:00am and 30 when we left around 1:oopm. The 5 above was out best of 7 and we also lost a couple others.  All but one came on a Rapal DT6 Red Craw www.rapala.com and the other on a Texas Red LuhrJensen Speed Trap www.luhrjensen.com  All Pro Med Spinning www.allprorods.com and Sufix 6lb Mono www.sufix.com ..Hopefully more tomorrow and then it looks like that will be all for the week with the artic air coming in on Wednesday. Thank You for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennessebassguides.com

All I have to say is Rapala DT6 Demon  www.rapala.com . All 20  my fish came out of 6 feet of water or less-45-47 degree stained water.  It was so cold and windy on my hands this morning that I didn’t try to take a lot of pictures—but my best 5 went 14lbs 5oz by the old digital scale.  I had 1 very nice Smallmouth the rest was largemouth and Spots. 6 lb Test Sufix www.sufix.com on a 7′ All Pro APX med spinning rod. www.allprorods.com  Most likely I won’t fish any more this week-Rena is off and we just plan to do nothing together.  Happy New Years to everyone and thank you for visiting my site.  Rick www.tennesseebassguides.com