Reelfoot Lake in TN

[rubes]

Has anyone gone down to Reelfoot lake in TN to crappie fish? I'm going down Thursday and was wondering if anyone had success, and if they would be willing to help a fellow hoosier out. Will probably fish for cats and bass too. Thanks!

[Locator79]

I used to go a few times a year for many years. Its a hard lake to fish if you aren't right there on top of them everyday. The wind will dictate where you fish, the wind WILL blow. You can catch catfish just about anywhere you want, I'd spider rig the deeper water for the crappie. You'll see the boats where the fish are.

[cevans]

Check the Tennessee forum out as lots are hitting Reelfoot right now and like previously posted, follow the boats and idle slowly as you will not see all the cypress stumps that your motor will find. With this warm weather, you might just hit it right. You just never know.

[bfbob]

Like cevans said, if you are taking your own boat, stay on the south end. There are big stumps everywhere and you can get your boat stuck right on top of them!

[rubes]

Thanks guys. Its going to be rainy but the fish are already wet

[johnsoninc86]

I've been down there several times, usually later into May. The one time we did get down there in March, the crappie were just starting to spawn. We were catching them back up in the little hidden swamps off the ditches, holding tight against the cypress trees. There would be a 1-2' wide ring around the trunks absent of lillypads and thats where we found them. I'd love to hit them like that again, it was fast and furious, but you have to hit the timing right. You get much into May, and the bluegill bite fires up then. Be careful if you're in your own boat, stumps everywhere. You will hit one or two at some point, so make sure you're boat can handle it. If its a rental boat, then give er hell!

[jascott765]

heading there near the end of april !!! cant wait

[apersohn17]

Same here. End of april!

[river scum]

grandparents used to live by there.

fun times tossing roadrunners in the knees, and around the stumps. one thing about that place is the snakes. reelfoot and its watersheds have the most iv seen. lol dont rule out those other lakes called watersheds, they hold good fish too. they used to have recovering eagles there also you could view close up. been several years since i been there, so they mite not have them anymore.

have a safe trip, your gona have fun!

[gone_fishing]

My wife and I had our personal best day years ago on Reelfoot. First two crappie I caught that day were both 15 1/2" fish and were on back to back casts to a cypress tree that laid over. Later we long line trolled picked some up here and there then right before dark they turned on and it was like a dream. Wife one time was yelling I need a net. I replied ok soon as I get this one in the boat. We ended up a few short of the limit but the average size was over 12 inches. Now I could write a whole book on the times we didn't do good lol. Good luck.