Please excuse the bad photography must be the camera. Billy and I started out exploring new areas that Billy hasn’t fished. Billy had a big one engulf his frog and snapped 20lb braid-that’s what he gets for not using Sufix. Wasn’t long before  I lost a good one -that’s what I get for getting anxious.  After our chances for 2 big fish got away from us we ventured out on the ledges and caught 7-6 pictured above on a drop shot. I  was using the VMC Spin Shot Hook and VMC Tungsten weights www.vmchooks.com. These were rigged on Sufix Braid with a Sufix Fluorocarbon leader www.sufix.com By that time it was very hot again-so we loaded out and headed home. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick www.tennesseebassguides.com

Not much to talk about-4 bites 3 in the boat 2 good ones. Rick

Billy, Braxton and I put in right at daylight this morning and had a good 4 1/2 hrs before it got to hot for 2 of us. (Guess which 2?)  Pictured are 10 of the 15 that we caught and released today most ledge fishing with a drop shot. Big fish for the day was 5lb 11oz. I was using Sufix 20lb Performance Braid and a Sufix 8lb 100% Fluorocarbon leader (always my choice) www.sufix.com and a VMC7119 Spinshot 2 hook. If you haven’t tried the spin shot it really helps eliminate line twist and helps keep your choice of plastics out straight www.vmchooks.com Braxton is back to school tomorrow and needless to say not real excited-How ever he is going to fish on the high school team this year-so it won’t be long before he will be cranked up again. Good day with 2 good friends. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

6 of 15 that Ken and I caught this morning on the Hill. Not an excuse by any means but there was zero “0”surface  activity on the lake (other than gar) and for most of the morning no wind. All of our fish came on 2 different baits. 1 was a swim bait and the other soft plastics.  I really like using Sufix Yellow Braid and with a long Sufix  Fluorocarbon leader on almost all my soft plastics.  The strength, sensitivity & visibility of the braid is fantastic. And the fluorocarbon leader is extremely abrasion resistant and also has superior strength. The combination of the 2 works well for me. Another plus on the Sufix Fluorocarbon  is the exclusive G2 winding system that Sufix has which virtually eliminates line memory. www.sufix.com Lot of fun with a good friend. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Ronnie and I had a decent day on NAJ. We are fishing an area that has been good to me over the past several years and has been holding fish for the past 2 trips. I lost 1 very big fish today-Boo! Sufix mono and braid for both of us www.sufix.com VMC Wide Gap 3/0 hooks www.vmchooks.com. If you are interested in some good looking Rapala Apparel go to www.rapala.com click on clothing and your good to go. Some great looking and functional shirts, hats sun block hoodies etc.. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

11 of 20 today on NAJ. We caught everything on 2 spots. Started out with 7 right at daylight then the remained by noon. Ronnie and I both use Sufix mono and braid of different weights on all our rods-it is very rare that we have our lines broken-and normally when we do it’s because we didn’t stop to retie. Even when fishing grass Sufix holds up time and time again. www.sufix.com.  Needle Sharp VMC Wide Gap 3/0 on the soft plastics www.vmchooks.com  Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Billy, Braxton and I made a unfortunate quick trip to Chickamauga this morning. Let me explain. We had been at the lake for a couple hours and Billy got a call that Frieda his wife had been taken to the emergency room in McMinnville so we loaded out and headed back. For those of you that believe in prayer I would ask that you do so for the family-she is a very sick lady. We had 9 total with 5 pictured above all but 2 on a drop shot. I was using. I was using Sufix 20/9 Hi Vis Yellow braid and a Sufix 6lb Fluorocarbon leader www.sufix.com a VMC #2 Spinshot Drop Shot Hook and VMC 3/8oz Tungsten Drop Shot Ball Weight  www.vmchook.com This is a great Drop Shot set up. The braid cast like  dream the spin shot is needle sharp and the tungsten weight give you a better feel for structure and light bites. Hope we get to go back soon-but even more for Billy, Frieda and the family. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

2 of the blurry pictures are of Ronnie holding 4 that we caught Monday Morning on Normandy. The other 4 are fish I caught yesterday on Center Hill. My trips are short (3 hour or so) during this hot weather-every since I had a heat stroke several years ago I just don’t push it. Yesterday I had 9 all together-Some on my old reliable favorite Rapala Skitter Walk and others on the New Rapala Rip Stop. I want to talk a little about this new bait it comes in 14 forage-matching color patterns. There are 2 sizes #9 which runs 3-4 feet deep and has 2 VMC trebles the “New” size is a #12 which is a 1/2oz bait which is twice as heavy as the original and runs 4-5 feet deep and has three sticky-sharp No. 5 VMC treble hooks, rather than two. The Rip Stop has a tail design that creates a fast ripping hard stopping flashing swim bait action. When you stop this bait it “shimmies or quivers” before it comes to rest and then the head of the bait begins to lift. You can fish this bait like a jerk bait-a wind and cast, a twitch bait-Yesterday it was keep it moving at a steady pace then stop for a couple seconds . When I picked back up the retrieve is when they nailed it. Check them out at your favorite tackle store or on www.rapala.com AS always I spool nothing but Sufix mono and braid-best on the market hands down. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Just got back from vacation so I fished Normandy yesterday from daylight until 10:30am. Can you say HOT!  Trolled for Walleye for3 hours with no luck. Switched over to Crappie using a White  VMC 1/8oz Curl Tail Spinner Bait and caught the 2  11 inch crappie you see above off of the 1st log I fished then 20 logs later zero. You might not beware that VMC has a great line of Pan Fish lures-you might want to check them out at www.rapala.com them click on VMC.  Switched over to bass and had the 4lb 9oz Largemouth and the 2 smaaaaaal spots on soft plastics and  vmc wide gap 3/0 worm hook www.vmchooks.com. I was using  4lb Sufix  Clear Blue Pro Mix on my Crappie Rod and 10lb Pro Mix on the bass rods I used today. By then it was just to hot for me another 100 degree day-so I loaded out and headed home. Not really much to talk about but I thought I would share what I did yesterday. Rick

The headless guy is Ronnie Wooten-the terrible photographer  is me. Ronnie and I had either 12 or 13  Largemouth/Spot mix on Normandy this morning on soft plastics rigged on a VMC finesse weedless jig. We had to hunt for them this morning-it was 10:00am when we finally found them-perseverance perseverance.  I know I sound like a broken record but if you are into finesse fishing like I am you will appreciate the quality of these VMC Weedless Jigs. They work extremely well through all types of cover and are extremely sharp which is a VMC trademark. If you haven’t tried them pick up a pack or two of different weights and you will be very pleased.  www.vmchookscom  We both use Sufix Mono, Fluorocarbon  and Braid www.sufix.com strongest small diameter lines on the market today and always my choice. Thank you for visiting my site-besure to check out www.rapala.com where you can view all the products by brand. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com