Until I can go again myself I will continue to pass on any information that I get from people that I know I can trust. Yesterday Dale Hollow was 39-40 degrees and in the area where they were at a lot of color. Mix of 5 Largemouht-Smallmouth and Spots all caught in 30 feet of water on a variety of jigs. A lot of fish showing up on Pan Optics close or on the bottom around wood of some sort. Center Hill  mix caught on crankbaits more associated with main river channel than the creeks. Best 5 approx 15lbs water temp up to 45 more or less by 3:00pm when they left.  Not sure of locations on either-but a little info that might help you.  Rick McFerrin

Just a FYI     I am having a complete left knee replacement on March 1-2022 . Obviously I won’t have any new posts from my trips but will post any information that I might get from friends that are fishing.

I should be back on the water sometime late April or maybe before if all go’s well.   Just want to give everyone a FYI   Rick

I’m excited to tell you about the OG Series of baits from Rapala.  For many years as a full time guide I made my living  year around with a Rapala crankbait of some sort.  I can tell you from experience “You Want These In Your Boat” The OG Slim 6 has been available for several months and the “NEW” Tiny 4 is begining   to be available on several web sites. Both are silent/non rattle flat sided balsa  baits. The OG Slim 6 is 2 3/4 inches long and weighs 1/2 ounce and has  #2 VMC Black Nickle 1x Strong Hybrid trebles  . The new Tiny 4 is 2/14 inch long and weighs 5/16th and has 2 #5 VMC 1X Hybrid trebles.  The both come in the same fantastic 19 detailed colors- they both have a nose line tie and circuit board lips that are very thin yet very strong and sensitive.

The OG 6  has a medium wobble and a tight side to side action where the Tiny 4 is designed to be more of a finesse crankbait with a wobble that is similar to a Shad Rap.   In the pictures above you can see the difference in the thickness of the 2 baits and the side by side view  size difference.  Ott Defoe who designed these bait says that he can reach 6 deep on 12lb test on the Sim 6 and using spinning tackle and Sufix Braided Line 4 foot deep on the Tiny.  Another great aspect of the OG Series is that they are year around baits not just cold water.  Buy 1 tie it on and see.

“IF” you like to throw your crankbaits on light line like I do I would suggest the 2 Sufix lines above. These are the 2 that I use  exclusively.  80% or more of all crankbaits that are designed to run 10 feet and less (which is where I concentrate) I use 6lb test. This allow me to gain a little more depth that I can use to my advantage when needed.  Baits that run 10 feet deep or in special circumstances I will use 8lb test  and I use 10lb test very seldom.

Any one that has been on my site over the years know that I am very partial to Sufix Clear Blue Pro Mix. It has high tensile and knot  strength-low stretch and is VERY VERY strong but yet casts great and has low memory.  I like to watch my line when I’m cranking and the clear blue allows me to see even the slightest difference in my retrieve.  The new Sufix Advance mono is a clear  Hyper Copolymer line that has superior abrasion resistance-sensitivity-low stretch and low memory as well. On ultra clear lakes like Dale Hollow or at times Tim’s Ford when we get real clear water I will switch over.

I always use a VMC Snap and never tie directly to the crankbait. By doing this it allows  the crankbait to have a more natural presentation. I took a picture on the 3 snaps that I use- 2 are specifically designed as crankbait snaps The other is a standard #2 Duolock Snap  which I use the majority of the time. Old habits die hard. I found that you don’t want to “Over Power” you crankbaits with a snap that is to big. Stay with the ones above and you should be good to go.

You can view all the product above (better pictures as well) by going to www.rapala.com   Thank for visiting my site-If you have questions just send me a email I will be happy to respond.  Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I fished the last day and a half with some old friends  the father and son team of Terry and Logan Siberry from Greenville Ohio. Terry’s  family and I go back 40 years or more. They have always been close to us and I always enjoy them coming down to fish. The ones you see above was the best of 12 yesterday. We had an additional 16 this morning between 7:00 am and 11:30 am but all were very short.  We lost 2 good fish-1 yesterday and 1 today.  Everything on a VMC Finesse Weedless Jig Head www.vmc hooks.com and soft plastics.  Water temp up a couple degrees today. The ramp situation is getting a little touchy——State Park is border line-Tim’s Ford Marina is a NO—-we put in a Holiday today and my trailer dropped off the left side looking down the ramp—–stay as close to the middle as you can. I saw a couple boats in the Turkey Creek parking area that put in there—-just be careful.  Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Fished Center Hill today with long time friend Terry Hicks. We had 14 total mix of Spots-Largemouth and Smallmouth with the ones above being our best. Caught several on the “New” DT6 Green Gizzrd Shad and a OG 6 Citrus Shad www.rapala.com . 6lb test Sufix Pro Mix Clear Blue mono on the crankbaits. The others came on a VMC Weedless Finesse Jig www.vmchooks.com and soft plastics.  10Sufix Yellow Braid and 8lb Sufix Fluorocarbon  leader. www.sufix.com  Water temp 51–52 good color in some of the creeks. More to come next week after Christmas Lord willing.  Thanks for visiting my site and Merry Christmas have a blessed time with your loved ones. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides,com

Got back last night from Hartwell where I fished with long time friend Tim White who lives about 15 minutes from the lake. What you see above is a good representation of the 47 that we caught and released. We had 3 Spots that was right at 3lbs each and the rest varied from 14-15 inches and down. We caught fish on a Rapala DT6 Natural Shad-www.rapala.com A Storm Largo Swimbait www.stormlures.com Top Water and Soft Plastics (several kinds) rigged on a VMC Weedless Finesse Jig Head www.vmchooks.com Both Tim and I was using 20lb yellow Sufix Performance Braid with a 8lb Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon leader, www.sufix.com  We had 2 days Monday and Tuesday that we had a fog delay until almost 11:00am so we lost the early bite and yesterday the  predicted 10 mph wind  turn to 25-30mph which cut our day short. So out of the planned 4 days of fishing turned into 2 1/2 easily.  BUT!!! I had had good time as always with Tim-he is a great to fish with.  More next week Lord willing. Thanks for visiting my site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I’ll start at the top. Ken Jenkins and I fished Normandy Monday and struggled. We had 5 total in the boat and Ken is holding our largest of the day. He was using one of the “NEW” DT 6 Rootbeer. The other fish came on a VMC Finesse Weedless Jig Head and soft plastics. www.vmchooks.com  I fished Tim’s Tuesday with Terry and we had a great numbers day (25) Smallmouth and Largemouth but most were short. We caught them on the same VMC Finesse Rig that I use all the time on Sufix 20lb Braid and 8lb Sufix Fluorocarbon leader and a #5 . Rapala  Shad Rap RS Shad Color. I throw all my crankbaits almost exclusively on Sufix 6 & 8 pound Pro Mix www.rapala.com We also caught  a 15lb Flat Head on the finesse rig as well. My youngest son Daniel and I fished below the Nick A Jack Dam from 8:30am until 1:30pm today caught 14 total. Today we used Creek Minnows on Sufix 20lb Braid and 12lb Fluorocarbon leader and a VMC 1/0 O Shaughnessy Live Bait Hook. Daniel had a great day and I “Was Happy To Be” a good net guy. I don’t have a chance to get my boys out very often-so it was a treat for me to see Daniel in action again. Been to long.  Thanks for visiting my site. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

The pictures above are from 3 different trips over the past week and a half.  This morning I had the 6 above on Tim’s  plus 4 other shorts fish and had 2 other good Smallmouth come off at the boat. Ronnie Wooten is holding 1 Largemouth and we had 5 other short fish on Normandy and Pastor Ron is hold 3 from Woods. Every thing on  VMC  #2 Worm Hook and a VMC 1/8 ounce Tungsten Worm Weight www.vmchooks.com  and soft plastics. Sufix 20lb Performance Braid and Sufix 10lb Advance Fluorocarbon.  More hopefully next week Lord willing. Thankd for visiting my site. Rick

Finally back on the water—been having considerable knee problems but it seems the meds that the Orthopedic Surgeon prescribed is working so far.    I certainly don’t want to have them replaced.  Ronnie and I decided to troll today for walleye—Caught the Crappie and Bass you see instead. Robert Reeser gave us the 2 Walleye that you see. We trolled a variety of baits  and  a Rapala #6 Shad rap was the best. www.rapala.com. 8lb Sufix  Advance Mono www.sufix.com. I’m planning on fishing tomorrow some where-and will update you then. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

This is my youngest son Daniel and my 36 month old Grandson Marshall. We took him to the pond this afternoon and he caught some blue gill on his new rod that his daddy bought him this week. Marshall is a 5th generation fisherman in the McFerrin family. His smile says it all. I  have 2 sons-2 daughter in laws-2 grand daughters-1 grand son and 1 great grand daughter. We love our family Rena and I are  blessed. Rick