My oldest  Rick Jr. and daughter-in-law Amanda was on vacation this week and I wanted to take them to Woods to see if we could round up some white bass . Ronnie and I went Monday and caught 20-30 plus 2 big catfish then today Rick & Amanda and I went and we caught and released 50 to 60 White Bass and 2 more catfish in 3 1/2 hours. They had a blast and that’s was what it was all about for me. I don’t get to spend much time with them together like this so it was a treat. First of the week I caught most of mine on either the Jigging rap www.rapala.com  (see post below) Or a 3/16th Krocodile spoon www.luhrjensen.com -today the spoon that was the best.  I had Rick and Amanda rigged with 7′ M/L All Pro Apx rods www.allprorods.com and 8lb test Sufix Mono www.sufix.com Anytime I can get my kids out on the water like this it is very good-This would be a great opportunity to take someone that just loves to catch a variety of fish and sizes and keep busy while you are there. Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I was hesitant to make this post because some way “I DELETED ALL MY PICTURES” Senior moments again. So for those that know me I will have to rely on the fact that you know I always post 100% truth on what I’m catching fish on. And this is no different.  Way back years ago my dad and I iced fished all the time in Indiana and Michigan. One of our favorite lures was the Rapala Jigging Bait-we caught everything  on them. Walleye, Northern’s, Small/Lrg Mouth, Crappie, Catfish, Perch, Blue Gill you name it we caught it.  Where am I going?  This is not just a northern bait-Ronnie and I have been catching fish on these all week long. (sorry for lost pic’s)  We caught 25 to 30 big White bass and largemouth yesterday on Tim’s jigging these in 40 to 50 feet of water. Some were almost of the bottom other suspended up. -We also caught Smallmouth and Largemouth shallower on other baits as well.  Find the bait-you find the fish. Ronnie caught 50-60 White Bass on Woods this week with the Rapala Jigging Rap-We also caught Spots and Largemouth on Normandy this week on the same bait.  The Jigging Rap comes in 26 colors (to match your needs)  5 different sizes from 1/8th to the 7/8th show above. As you can see they have a center treble and line tie and hooks on both ends. These baits can be bottom bounces, yo yo’d  or  sweep and swim.  They have great tail action and best of all “THEY WORK”  I know I’m talking to guys that love winter vertical spooning -you need to try these you will be very happy when you do. To get a closer look go to www. Rapala.com and watch the videos-I’m sure there are some on Face Book as well.  Oh yes-I like to use a good swivel  because they can create some line twist. Ronnie likes to use 12lb suffix mono spooning-I use 8lb and 10lb  once a lite line guy always a lite line guy-with Sufix Mono you don’t have to worry. www.sufix.com  Once again sorry for the pic’s- Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

What you see is a  combination of a Woods Resv Trip and on Tim’s today. The new Rapala DT6 Live River Shad www.rapala.com worked well on Woods the fish would slam it. Like I said in my last post you will want to put a few of these in your boat-they are hot!—I was throwing these on a Med  All Pro APX spinning rod www.allprorods.com and Sufix 6lb test Mono-great combo www.sufix.com  Today on Tim’s it was slow and easy throwing a craw on a 3/16th VMC Rugby JIg www.vmchooks.com  The Ruby head was designed for rocky bottom which fits Tim’s to a T. The hook are off set and needle sharp. If you look at these in shallow water you can see that they wobble from side to side on a retrieve which adds some additional action that pays off when things are slow.  I was using a AllPro APX M/H spinning and 10lb test Sufix mono on this rig.  Back on the water-most need to do’s for winter is done!!!!!!! Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

This is just a quick update on the past couple weeks ALL DAY TIME TRIPS.  I have always heard that this is the “Dog Days” of summer and I believe that is true-at least for me. I went with Ronnie 1 time to Normandy nothing but short fish-I had one real quick Tim’s trip (got a call about 7am and had to leave my son was sick) 5 short fish almost at the ramp. I have checked with Ronnie every day and it has been spotty for him on Normandy .  Ronnie talks to a TON of fishermen on Normandy and every now and then someone will have a good day time bag or a big fish. Yesterday I went to Center Hill and caught 20-25 Spots all between 8 and 13 inches-The highlight concerning yesterday was they would nail the new Rapala DT6 River Shad www.rapala.com folks this is going to be a good one-you need to grab several of these in the DT4  DT 6 and the DT10 depending on your needs.  This is the same bait that we used on Nick A Jack a couple weeks ago and did so well on. From all the reports that I have had NIGHT TIME is by far the best on most lakes which is normal for this time of the year. Water temps are coming down- shad are already migrating into the creeks and pockets-it’s September 19th and it wont be long before a good cold rain will be here and we all know what that will mean-so if your struggling just hold on it’s going to get better…………….I ‘ve taken these hot days and did a lot of Honey Do’s so they will be out of the way for the Fall and Winter Fishing. Thanks for visiting my site……Hope to have more info and pics soon.  Go TODAY and get some Rapala RIVER SHAD-you will thank me when you do. Rick www.tennesseebassguides.com

Not much to say . To say Ronnie and I got off our game would be an understatement. This is a combination of late last week and Monday of this week. We fished NAJ on Monday and it RAINED and RAINED and RAINED-Yesterday on Normandy It RAINED and RAINED and RAINED—-we caught 7 or 8 small KY’s yesterday in one area and that was it for us. No excuses-just fishin…………….Rick

A little tougher day on NAJ for Ronnie and I. The first thing we noticed when we got to the ramp was they Corp had pulled the water down at least  1 1/2 or 2 feet which is considerable on this lake plus they continued to pull all the time we were there. All of our fish in the last 2 weeks have been coming out of 5 feet or less so you know where that left us. Our numbers were good  (35 total) but the over all quality was down although we did have the 5 nice ones pictured above. The crankbait bite was slow and most of our fish came on  a top water like the Rapala Skitter Walk www.rapala.com and a 10 inch ribbon tail worm with a 5/0 VMC Wide Gap Hook and no weight.  www.vmchooks.com  As always I exclusively use Sufix mono and braid  www.sufix.com and All Pro APX Rods www.allprorods.com  I Appreciate you visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Another great day on Nick A jack but this time with good friend Ronnie Wooten. Between the Largemouth-Yellow Bass-and White Bass we had to catch  60 or more ?—-with the 14 Largemouth above being our best that we got in the boat. We also lost maybe 4 or 5 that was picture worthy as well.  If you haven’t purchased the new Rapala  HD DT6 Live River Shad you need to grab a handful of them. There 5 NEW HD Patterns this year from Rapala-Go to www.rapala.com to view they all look fantastic. The fish on NAJ has hammered this bait for the past 2 weeks (see posts below) We also caught several on a Rapala Skitter Walk www.rapala.com The secret for us today was slow reel the bait across the grass line and at the edge of the grass pick up the pace. Sufix mono and braid as always www.sufix  The only rods I use are the All Pro APX Rods. allprorods.com  Can’t beat them-light sensitive and just a great feeling rod.  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I fished Nick A Jack by myself today and had a ball. When I got to the ramp at daylight  I had to wait an hour because of a thunder storm. I ran to my first stop and it was on!!!!!! All the fish you see above was caught on either a Rapala Skitter Walk or one of the new  DT6 Custom HD  Live River Shad crankbait www.rapala.com The colors on these new bait are very realistic and this was the first time to try this one out today and they would whack it big time! . 2 different times I caught one on the Skitter Wal got him in the boat fired the  Live River Shad an suck another one.  About 12:30 another very very heavy rain blew in but it didn’t stop the bite. I could have taken 10 or 12 more largemouth pictures of fish about like what you see above but it was raining so hard you couldn’t see 30 feet in front of you. I was soaked to the bone—but smiling all the time. I also caught and released 30 or more white and yellow bass that hit the Live River Shad as well.  I was using 832 Sufix Braid on my top water www.sufix.com and 8lb test Sunfix Mono on my crank bait.  All Pro APX 7′ M/H for the top water and 7′ med on the crankbait www.allprorods.com  More next week Lord willing Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

It was a slow go on Normandy yesterday but we finally put 6 in the boat on top water. I was using a couple different baits including the Rapala Skiiter Walk www.rapala.com. I  like to use Braided line on my top water baits when I can. The Sufix 832   20/6 is fantastic for this application www.sufix.com  If you are new to  braided line I would suggest that you give the 832 a try. Rapala has spent untold $$$$$ in R&D  on the 832 It has 8 fibers of Gore Performance fiber weaved in to every 32 inches of line. This allows the line to have improved abrasion resistance, increases casting length and accuracy. 832 in high strength sensitive line with a small dia.  Give it a try you will be pleased!  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebasguides.com

A little slower for Ronnie and I today on Tim’s. The 6 above turned out to be our best and the Smallmouth as in turned out was a tough bite. We caught everything again on a shaky head and craw combo. 10 to 25 feet of water and a slow-slow retrieve.  We also caught several white bass on Kroidlie Spoons www.luhrjensen.com  and had a 4 lb plus Largemouth that was determined to get one of the white bass as we brought  it to the boat-would have made a great video. Sufix Mono www.sufix.com  VMC Rugby Jig www.vmchooks.com and Allpro APX Rods www.allprorods.com  Just a hard combination to beat. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com