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

Ronnie and I had a great morning on Tim’s today and it all started on the very first area we stopped.  We hoped for a good top water bite which didn’t happen but they would hammer a shaky head and craw. We caught and released 15 total with the 10 above being our best, we also lost 5 they we didn’t see. We both throw Sufix mono www.sufix.com and AllPro  APX Rods www.allprorods.com I was using a VMC 1/8 ounce jig head and I think that is the size Ronnie was using as well. www.vmchooks.com  I don’t think there is a trip that go’s by that Ronnie doesn’t say something about the Sufix mono. To quote him “It is some of the best line that I have ever used-small dia but strong and comes off the reel with ease”….Not a sales job just the truth. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com  Oh Yes we caught Smallmouth-Largemouth-Spots and 1 very nice Crappie

Normandy : Ronnie and I are still picking up some decent fish on a jig in 10 to 20 feet of water. The  1/4oz Terminator Green Pumpkin is still paying off for me. www.terminator.com  We both are using Sufix mono www.sufix.com and All Pro APX Rods www.allprorods.com We lost 3 other fish right at the boat as well. Water is still very high with a lot of junk floating so be careful. 82 degree water-good color….Thank for visiting me site Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Rena, Daniel and I spent the last 5 days on vacation in Florida. We stayed in a very very nice cottage on Miles Kayle Lake which is a spring fed 40 acre typical type lake for this area. I honestly didn’t have any real info on the lake it’self (fishing wise) what we were looking for was something that would give you access to the beach and Disney World in Orlando and was pet friendly. (Can’t leave our babies at home) This location was perfect for what we were looking for.  I was ale to fish on and off every day in between visiting South Augustine Beach, Disney Downtown and Disney World. My best fish is above it weighed in at 8lbs and was caught on a Terminator Buzz Bait www.terninator.com We caught several other bass (15-20) on a Terminator 1/4ounce Black-Blue-Purple Pro Series Jig (in the pads) and on a Rapala 5/16th Chrome Blue Rippin Rap www.rapala.com on the drop just outside the pad line.  There was a Jon boat and canoe that came with the cottage-so I took a 27lb thrust trolling motor and battery with me which worked out well for that size of lake. Just a nice get a way for a few days, but there is no place like home!  The 8lb Florida Bass was just a bonus. Rick McFerrin

Another good morning on Normandy with good friend Ronnie Wooten. We didn’t change a thing-why when it’s not broke don’t change it.  Terminator Green Pumpkin Jig www.terminator.com 10ln Sufix Mono www.sufix.com AllPro APX Rods www.allprorods.com. Fish 8′ to 20′ deep and a very slow-slow-slow retrieve. We caught another 4 or 5 that we didn’t take pictures of and lost at least that many. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

Another good early morning trip on Normandy with good friend Ronnie Wooten. Let me address the bottom right hand picture first, this is another friend Billy that sought us out to take a picture of a 5lb 13oz largemouth that he had this morning. Billy catches a lot of fish on Normandy and always seems to find a “BIG ONE”  Ronnie and I should have had 15 or more if we could have kept them stuck. You literally had to let them run & run & run with the jig then “Maybe”.  But they are still on the 1/4 ounce Terminator Green Pumpkin Jig www.terminator.com  Ronnie was using 15lb and I was using 10lb Sufix mono www.sufix. This stuff is tuff but yet is small in dia. and comes off the reel as smooth as silk.  I was using a 7′ All Pro m/h APX spinning and Ronnie a 7′ APX bait caster-He say the same thing every time we fish-I can almost feel them swim by because this rod is so sensitive. www.allprorods.com  8 to 20 feet of water and slow as she go’s on retrieve.  Rick www.tennesseebassguides.com

I spent 3 1/2 hours on Normandy this morning with Ronnie Wooten before he had to leave and we left them biting. We found a stretch of bank where the fish were holding in 8 to 20 feet of water and everything we caught was on a jig. I was throwing a 1/4oz Terminator Pumpkin Green jig www.terminator.com on 10lb test Sufix mono www.sufix.com and a 7′ AllPro m/h spinning  rod www.allprorods.com . Now for the rest of the story I had to miss at least 5 that I just couldn’t keep stuck—-operator error for sure. Hopefully more next week. Rick McFerrin www.tennesseebassguides.com

I thought I would give the Walleye another try on Normandy yesterday but had no takers. I talked with 3 other boats that never found them either-they have disappeared. But I did put a nice 4lb Smallmouth in the boat on a Rapala Silver/Black DT6 www.rapala.com  then I went looking for channel catfish and found a bank that was loaded with them. I should have taken another picture but didn’t-I know I had to have 17-18lbs total before I ran out of bait. Today Rick Jr. and I went just looking for the channels and had almost 15lbs from 5:30am to 8:30am. We had a blast catching these on AllPro M/L spinning rods www.allprorods.com 6lbs test Sufix mono www.sufix.com and VMC Bait Keeper Hooks www.vmchooks.com  and a small split shot. Nice change of pace with my oldest  and if you take time to filet them a tasty meal.  Rick  www.tennesseebassguides.com