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

This was the best of 16 Smallmouth that I caught today on Tim’s. The 2 fish that I’m holding both happened at the same time….let me explain. I have been throwing a slip float some this winter with out much success. There will be a time yet that it will work fantastic and is a big help when the wind get’s up. Any way I had  thrown the float a few times with no takers so I decided to just let it trail behind the boat .  I got a hit on the free line, put him in the boat looked around and the float was gone -2 at the same time.  Love those brown fish!!!!!!6lb Sufix Mono www.sufix.com VMC Bait Keeper Hooks www.vmchooks.com and AllPro APX Rods www.allprorods.com  . All for this week……..Merry Christ to everyone. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com  BE SURE TO CLICK ON PG 2  AT THE BOTTOM FOR MORE WINTER TRIP REPORTS

This has been the first time my youngest son Daniel and I have been out together for a long time.  Daniel has been in tech  school and just graduated last week. Proud of him and his desire to get started on his career. 49 degree water,  32 degree air temp and thankfully moderate winds. We fished for almost 5 hours in 5 locations and the ones above was our best. We also lost a big fish that just came undone.  All on minnows 6lb test Sufix mono…www.sufix.com  VMC Bait keeper Hooks www.vmchooks.com and AllPro 7’6″ M/L rods As you know Sufix discontinued the Clear blue Promix sometime ago.  I have always been a fan of the “Clear Blue Sufix Pro Mix” because if you were a “Line Watcher” like me or fished at night with a black light it was fantastic.  I am just about out of the 6lb Clear Blue here at the house so I have been trying the  Sufix Elite Hi-Vis Yellow and here is my findings so far. #1) It is super strong #2) It has great knot strength #3) it cast extremely well due to the G2 Winding Process that we use and #4)  The Smallmouth don’t seem to mind-this line all but disappears in the water but still gives you the ability to see that small tick in your line that happens live bait fishing at times.  If you liked the Clear Blue you will like the Hi Vis Yellow as well….That’s it for this week…………short week next but I anticipate being able to get out for a day maybe two. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I will be booking a few late December-January and February-March  light tackle “LIVE BAIT GUIDE TRIPS” on Tim’s Ford for Smallmouth and on Normandy for Smallmouth-Largemouth and Spots.  These trips will be Monday through Friday only. For details contact me at rickm@dtccom.net or on my cell phone 615-308-9936.

I don’t know how many people over the past year and  half  has asked me “Where Is David Honey”!  David has battled various physical problem and I was so happy to get back on the water with my Ol’ Fishing Buddy today.  David started out quickly this morning putting the first one in the boat in the first 15 minutes and the smile on his face tells the whole story. David and I were both rigged the same  with 6lb Sufix Mono www.sufix.com VMC Bait Keeper Hooks www.vmchooks.com and AllPro APX Rods www.allprorods.com  I may have 2 more updates this week…….stay tuned   Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

To my knowledge we only had 6 Smallmouth bites and the 4 above was our best.  I had out the father son team of Tommy and Lee and they were great to spend the day with even in these tough situation that we had today.  “Tommy” caught the big’n  Nice fish!!! And Lee probably heard about it all the way home! The water dropped at least 8 inches while we were there and the 5-7mph wind early this morning turned out to be 15mph plus at time….hard enough to white cap and Freeze your hands. Sufix 6lb Mono www.sufix.com  VMC #2 Bait Keeper Hooks www.vmchooks.com and  a 7’6″ All Pro Rods m/l rod www.allprorods.com  Thank You For Visiting My Site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

How many different ways can you say “It Was Stuff Today”?  Not sure but Jim and I struggled all day catching and releasing may 10 total with the 3 above being our best.  WE did loose 1 big fish but that was it. We talked to a couple other guys that was out today throwing a variety of hard and soft baits and they experienced the same results….So the saying misery love company played out right before our eyes. We stayed with live bait all day and even with the meager results we had more total fish than those that we talked to which wasn’t anything to brag about.   Sufix  6lb test www.sufix.com VMC Bait Keeper Hooks www.vmchooks.com and ALl Pro Atlantis Series 7’6″ m/l rods……www.allprorods.com …More next week Lord willing.  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com