Reelfoot

[KY#30]

I need help! Headed to reelfoot lake monday, May 11. Never been before. Thought some of you good people could share some of your honey hole spots. Gona try my luck for some BIG GILLS. Thanks for your help. I Hope.

[crappie cowboy]

I need help! Headed to reelfoot lake monday, May 11. Never been before. Thought some of you good people could share some of your honey hole spots. Gona try my luck for some BIG GILLS. Thanks for your help. I Hope.

Ky#30....The very first thing you need is a hot spot map of Reelfoot, you can get one at Bo's landing bait shop at the lake. While your there ask Bo for some Grizzly Bluegill Jigs, he'll know, they are THE GILL JIG on Reelfoot believe me, also get some wax worms and tip your jig with them, it's a killer.
Now as you drive around the lake road, find Acorn Point Lodge, it's on your hot spot map, look out from there at the lake, go straight back all the way back across the lake. Keep going to you get to the lidy pads, and fish just inside the pads, not way up in them, and fish the holes and pockets of the pads, and keep moving don't just sit. I guess most people call that area the back of Rat Island, you want to fish on the right corner side of that area.
You can also catch bluegill around lake shore trees, but fish close to the tree, no more than a foot away.
There are some nice size gills in the pads, that's where I would fish, lots of big
12 oz gills there. You have to be quick on the hook set or they will wrap around the lidy pad stem on you.
Hope you have a good trip, I'll be heading that way probably tomorrow for a few days, It's suppose to rain some, but the gills are already wet..lol

crappie cowboy

[chaunc]

A few words of advise, if you're fishing the pads, leave the light line in the truck.:D Those gills WILL wrap you around those stems, and 4# test wont get it free. Learned my lesson the first day i was there. :rolleyes:

[Festus_Haggen]

I've always wanted to fish Reelfoot, but it's clear across the state. What pound test would you recommend, Chaunc, 8 lb test? I have a friend who's headed that way this summer.

[chaunc]

I've always wanted to fish Reelfoot, but it's clear across the state. What pound test would you recommend, Chaunc, 8 lb test? I have a friend who's headed that way this summer.

I came down from Pennsylvania that time. 8lb is good. It wont break when you try to cut thru the stalks. Haven't tried braided lines. They would probably work best.

[jimmydee1]

Goin Sat myself and have Suffix 20lb braid on my jiggin pole that I plan to use. It is about the same diameter as 6 lb mono. Wonder what the rains last week end will do for the fishin this week end? It's gonna be "Full Moon Saturday", and should be really good, weather permitting. Good luck to all and be safe.

[crappie cowboy]

I use regular 4 or 6 lb. triline extra tough mono line, or Suffix 4 or 6 lb. and I've not had any trouble, and I've caught a lot of bluegills on Reelfoot, I use to have a place there at the lake.
If they wrap you around a stem, just reach down as far you can and cut the stem and you can get your fish.
If you go to yanking and pulling real hard, you gonna lose you fish and jig and have to retie, it ain't worth all that....not to me anyway
Good Luck.....crappie cowboy

[chaunc]

I use regular 4 or 6 lb. triline extra tough mono line, or Suffix 4 or 6 lb. and I've not had any trouble, and I've caught a lot of bluegills on Reelfoot, I use to have a place there at the lake.
If they wrap you around a stem, just reach down as far you can and cut the stem and you can get your fish.
If you go to yanking and pulling real hard, you gonna lose you fish and jig and have to retie, it ain't worth all that....not to me anyway
Good Luck.....crappie cowboy

Are you saying you move your boat everytime a fish hangs you in the pads? I wasn't vertical fishing when i was there. Casted to open pockets all around the boat. Next time i'll give the vertical a try.

[crappie cowboy]

Are you saying you move your boat everytime a fish hangs you in the pads? I wasn't vertical fishing when i was there. Casted to open pockets all around the boat. Next time i'll give the vertical a try.

chaunc....If I disturd the water while being hung up, yea I'll move. I move alot, I don't sit still very long if I'm not getting bite's, I'm always moving very slowly along.
I fish with 4 or 6 lb.line, a 9 1/2 fly rod, tight line [no float] with a grizzly 1/80jig, no weight, tipped with a wax worm hooked though the tip of the tail. That is a killer set up on Reelfoot.
I don't use a rod and reel much at all. I believe your just asking for hang ups casting a rod and reel in the pads.
Jig fishing with the fly rod will spoil you real bad. I'm not knocking a rod and reel, I've have a bunch of them, I always carry one in the boat just in case I get radical...lol.
Good Fishing.............crappie cowboy

[KY#30]

Thanks for the info. looking forward to monday. Hope I don't have a close encounter with tight eyes. ( snakes)