I fished Normandy this morning from 6:00am until noon and the 5 above was my best. Big fish was 4.21 Last week they were all over a shad colored bait but would not touch them today-BUT they would attack the Rapala DT6 Blue Gill pictured above.  Not sure if it was the wobble? Color?  What ever it was it’s what they wanted today. You can see a number 8 on the rod-the whole tag say 8 Pro Mix (Sufix) that’s the way I keep track of what weight line I have on the various rods that I use–Old Age Bad Memory.  That’s it for this week I’ll let you know how it go’s next week. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin

This week I fished 3 days with long time friend Tim White. 1 Day on Tim’s and 2 days on Normandy. The pics above was our best for the week-even includes a Walleye and a Channel Cat.  Wednesday Tim’s Smallmouth was tough but we did manage to scrounge out  a few on  a Rapala Ultralight Purple Descent Shad (1/8 oz  & 1 1/2 inches) Normandy was much better on Spots and Largemouth using a OG Tiny 4 Rivershad.  www.rapala.com There is a shad spawn on both lakes and we concentrated as much as possible on those banks. The shad measured an inch to 2 inches so we stayed with baits the would match. The fish all 3 days that we caught was no deeper than 4 foot at best.  As always I used Sufix 6lb Clear Blue Mono www.sufix.com and a VMC Snap.  I’ve always been a light line guy-some folks are skittish about using 6lb but honestly through all these years I have lost very few fish from being broken off -you just can’t winch them in.  What I like about light line is that you gain depth on your small baits. For instance The Tiny 4 (4ft Deep) will run 5   or better using 6 lb test same thing applies to the Ultralight Shad. You can get added depth but with a small profile bait-and as you can see above it works-as it has for me for years.  Hopefully I get over to Lake Hartwell where Tim lives and fish with him this coming fall.  That’s it for this week. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin

Just a quick post. For several reasons I haven’t been able to fish lately, but yesterday morning I went to Normandy. I had a friend tell me at church Sunday that he had caught several Spots/Largemouth on a #5 Rapala Shad Rap earlier last week. So #5’s on and to the lake I go. I never had a hit of any kind on anything for the first 2 1/2  to 3 hours. I know Normandy well and the areas that I was on “normally” will give up a fish or 2.  So I decided to down size even smaller to the Rapala Blue/Silver Ultralight Crank www.rapala.com  you see pictured above in the left had corner. In the next hour or so I caught and released 5 with the 2 above being my best.  Through the years I have seen this happen on Normandy-Tim’s and Woods. They just at least for me wanted something very small on Sufix 6lb Pro Mix www.sufix.com  Something different (finesse )made a difference.

Just to let you know Rapala has an extensive line of ultralight baits-(1 1/2 to 2 inches) Such as Countdown Elite-Original Floater-Ultralight Shad-Rippin Rap-Minnow-and Crank. Also Shad Rap RS the Mini Fat Rap.  Our 13 Fishing Line has 2 hard baits and 13 soft ultralights.  VMC has Ultralight jigs and pan fish hooks-spinner baits and bobber stops. Blue Fox has a whole line of ultralight spinners  And the list can go on but I won’t. I urge you to go on Rapala.com take your time and check it out. 

Unless something else comes up I hope to be on the water 3 days next week-if so I will let you know how I do. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Needless to say I’m proud of my grandchildren-the 2 above and 3 others not pictured here. The little guy in the white shirt is Parker he will be 3 in june and these are pictures of his FIRST FISH.  He caught 3 or 4 and he wanted to hold them and release them on his own. Good job Parker! The young man in the blue green shirt is Marshall who already has become a good fisherman in his own right. Shell Crackers-Bass-Blue Gill He’s the man. Take time-to take time to take your kids -grandkids-or maybe a kid that doesn’t have anyone to take them fishing. They will remember these times and you will be blessed as well. 

I spent a great day with the young man that you see pictured on Tim’s yesterday.  Jared has been a very close friend of our youngest son Daniel and Rena and I for years.  Jared just started bass fishing about 3 years ago and just keeps getting better and better. He asked me you go with him in his boat yesterday and I was more than happy to oblige . When we first got to the lake there wasn’t much wind for at least 3 1/2 hours but it eventually got stronger and stronger (20 + sustained-30 gusts) Great Tim’s Ford wind. I took us to a long shallow gravel bank that historically is a good jerkbait bank and the results was the 3 that you see above-4 that should have been and 2 or 3 smaller fish.  All but 2  on a   jerkbait.  Now in full disclosure we tried 2 other similar banks with zero results.  Thats Tim’s Ford-makes you scratch your head some times.  Rapala is a jerk bait industry leader with a  variety  that fits EVERY  situation.  From ultra light to 5 inch and larger. A unmatched variety of colors-depth-actions and match the hatch graphics . Best thing to do is go to  www.rapala.com  and check the possibilities out for you self and you particular needs.  I plan on doing a Jerk Bait post soon with pictures and specific bait details. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I’m excited to share with you a couple new items from Rapala. The first is the new “Revolve Finesse Braid” that comes in  Neon Lime and Low Vis Green and 4-6-8-10-12 and 14 lb test. Revolve is designed for finesse applications. It has a  ultra fine diameter but retains the tensile strength that we all depend on.  The line is very smooth and I have yet to have a wind knot that can be a problem with some braids. I appreciate that there is a mid point marker at 100 yards that can help you divide the spool equally if desired. I’m using  Revolve on one of my spinning reels  and on  my new 13 Fishing  Concept Z SLD Bait Caster and it works equally well on both. YOU NEED TO check this reel out, There are so many ++++’s about this reel that you need to see. Please go to www.rapala.com and click on 13 fishing for all the info. I’m primarily a spinning guy-but I have found that throwing smaller baits like a #5 Rapala Shad Rap rigged on a med/light bait casting rod is no problem because of the slide magnetic cast control and alows you to cast with or into the wind with the flick of ryour fingers.

Now to create a little controversy with some– I’m NOT A FFS GUY-I have little to no interest in watching a screen all day chasing fish that most likely need to be left alone.  Biologists are studying the effect of FFS  now on the long term health of our lakes even now.  I know that I’m looked at as a “Use To Be” at 77 years old.  I know that I don’t catch fish like I use to-Age and health has caught up with me-but that’s alright. But let me share with you my thoughts for a young person for a minute.  I was a full time guide for almost 15 years on Old Hickory-Tim’s Ford and Normandy. I made my living and fed my family by fishing 5 days a week  year round in shallow water.  Most of the times I didn’t even need to turn my electronics on.   I used a relatively small variety of hard and soft baits. Like Luhr Jensen Speed Traps-Rapala Shad Raps-Rapala Floaters-DT’s-fluke and soft stick type baits.  I URGE ALL YOUNG FISHERMEN to learn how to read the water that your on-make your self learn 10 feet or less. Learn what to look for-seasonal patterns water color and levels-bait movement etc.  If you do that you can set your self apart from those that are 100% relying a multiple 12 inch screens. Rapala makes an abundance of hard and soft baits that you can choose from to fit your area-Learn how to fish shallow water without the aid of  a FFS unit.  Just a thought from Woodbury Tn  Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I’m running behind on posts of recent trips. To make thing simple I have fished by my self and with my son and daughter in law and friend Ken Jenkins a couple times over the past few weeks. I have posted the best of those trips-there was several smaller fish thats not shown. I have keyed in on the “Shallow” winter crankbait bite and found the OG Tiny Deep Classic Craw and Citrus Shad producing most of the bites for me.  As always my line of choice is Sufix Mono and Braid. In my next post I’ll talk a little bit about a new braid that I believe you will be very interested in. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I need to take time this morning to express my gratitude to Rapala USA for the support and kindness that they have shown me over these 24 years.   In 2001 at 52 years old   I was on the Luhr Jensen Pro Staff when Rapala purchased them. I stayed on the Luhr Jensen staff for 2001 and 2002 then was transitioned to the Rapala Pro Staff and have been there every since.  I’m 76 now will be 77 in May and although I have had my health up’s and down which created significant time off the water Rapala’s loyalty to me has never waivered.    As I approach the 2025 season  I’m actually excited to see what’s in store.  Time and fish co-operation will tell the tale when we reach 2026.

One last note. I believe that if a young person wants to succeed in this very ultra competitive business where the $$$$ for sponsorships have dwindled YOU HAVE TO BE LOYAL to your sponsors.  You don’t have your hand stuck out wanting them to fill it—YOU EARN what you get.  You have to be  always honest with them and transparent in your business relation ship. And remember you need them more than they need you.   Rick

My son Rick Jr. and I fished Tim’s for 4 hours yesterday all within sight of the ramp and caught the 5 fish you see above and lost 2 more. We didn’t have any big fish as you can see but just a good father/son time out together. My best came on a OG Deep Tiny 7 Classic Craw (pictured above) www.rapala.com  This is a flat sided balsa wood bait with a tight wobble These fish would nail the OG Tiny-you didn’t have to wonder if you got a hit for sure. Winter Rapala crankbait time is on us right now.  There are 19 color patterns of the Tiny’s to meet any water condition that you might encounter.  I always throw  crankbaits up to a 12 foot bait  on Sufix 6lb Pro mix Mono and a VMC Snap to give the bait a little more freedom.  Water temp was a consistent 51 degrees and is at 874.5 which is 1 1/2 feet above winter pool.  I hope to get back to Tim’s soon and cover more water and see what I can find on the Tiny’s and DT’s   Thanks for visiting my site  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I fished twice this week and thankful for that. Believe me I’m NOT WHINING but I’m still a little short on energy and stamina right now I’m good for 4 hours. Truthfully I’ve stayed pretty much with jigs and soft plastics-very few moving baits-at this point in my recovery from open heart that seems to work .In the 2 days we caught and released several smallmouth the size that Ken and my daughter-in-law Amanda  are holding. Just fun size.  Hope for better reports in the weeks to come.  I appreciate all the prayers and support. Rick