This has been a very tough fall fishing season for me and many of the folks that I know and talk with on a regular basis.  Water temps continue to be high as well as air temps.  It’s been a long time since I woke up on Oct 27th and the 5:00 am temp outside is 68 degrees and we are headed for another 80 degree day.  Enough whining-here we go.  Center Hill water temp low 70’s:  I had 2 keeper Largemouth and 6 short Spots all caught on the New Rapala River Shad/Shad Dancer casting past balls of shad. This is going to be a tremendous bait this winter.  Before you say well why didn’t you do THIS OR THAT I did no takers in the 3 creeks that I fished in 8 hours . I talked with several fishermen that I saw and it was and has been  tough on everyone-with the exception of someone running into the right pocket and the right time. Tim’s Ford Yesterday water temp 69-71: The wind was just right (at least for me) it was 15-25 plus and under normal circumstances great Terminator Spinnerbait-Rapala Crankbait late October conditions-NO-but I did have 7 short Largemouth and 1 Short Smallmouth on a Rapala Helsinki Shad Husky Jerk scattered on multiple types of structure. Everything was on the river channel-NO-action period in long pockets or creeks where you could work other soft plastics-drop shot-Carolina Rig.  I also had 1 very heavy fish on off a shallow wind swept gravel/mud  point that just pulled off after 15/20 seconds. I think everyone within 5 miles could hear me scream when it came off!  Now Positive Thoughts: WE are very close to Tim’s cranking up on a Rapala Jerk Bait Bite-Along with the 8 short fish I caught I also had that many short strikes and also 4 or 5 chases back to the boat of fish I could easily see.  Come on colder water temps. I talked with Glen our TWRA Officer twice this week and everyone that he has checked on Tim’s has been experiencing much the same.  That’s the Long & Short-The Good-Bad & Ugly.  Just had to vent-Rick www.tennesseebassguides.com