Reelfoot Lake?

[Clint]

Firstly I am asking this on the KY board because I know if I ask it on the TN board the answers would be biased, as a question asked here about KY/Barkley lakes would be. I have traveled to Reelfoot Lake a few times, not to fish but just to be a tourist. The last time there, the bride and I took a cruise on a pontoon boat out of the state park, which gave me the nudge to start thinking about it. Admittedly all I saw was dozens of yo-yos hanging from trees with catfish suspended just out of the water and lots of small boats tucked back up in the mangroves mostly with 3 or 4 guys all fishing for what appeared to be catfish.

I am wondering if it is worth the time, the Non-Resident license cost and the hassle of dragging the boat down two-lane roads for two hours to fish the lake. Does anyone travel down there to fish or do I have a “grass is greener” view of the lake?

[Olegiller1]

I have been down there a few times. I always stayed at the lodge out at the airport state park. I hear that is now closed. In that area Grey's camp was next choice. Bring your own boat. There are lots of good rental boats but the wind will shut down that option often . You can go to the lee side of the lake if you have your own . That wind is not to be messed with. The lake is shallow and waves get deadly .I bought a few of those yo-yos. One night of catfishing with them was fun but gave the yo-yos away after that without regrets.
As you know, the lake is beautiful . For scenery I would go there- for fishing I would option for Kentucky Lake.

[yankee doodler]

I have also fished the Foot a few times. Twice in the spring, and once in the fall. As said, the wind is your enemy. If you take your boat be ready to bounce a few stumps...they are everywhere. The fishing can be great. If the wind is too bad there are some options to fishing, but depending on the season, the fish may not be in the cypress which is one way to combat the wind. We did well one spring back off Walnut Log up in Buzzard Slough. Just sayin.

Also fished KY lake. Did well in the spring and fall, but better in the spring. Blood River and Jonathan Creek have been good. Hope that helps.

[doggone]

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/tenne...crappie-lakes/

Boy have I been through Draffenville a few times.

[kyfishman]

I grew up fishing on Reelfoot Lake. You're right, if you go on the Tennessee forum, you will get biased reports....and many of them will tell you NOT to go fishing there. Truth is, they just want to keep it for themselves. I live in Eastern KY now, so I don't get to go to Reelfoot much any more, but I will tell you it is one of the premier crappie lakes in the country. I learned the art of spider-rigging on Reelfoot. Many of the guides used to fish that way back years ago, but always used huge floats on each pole. A friend of mine and I were some of the first ones to stop using floats and just tightline. As you troll, you'll encounter many of the cypress stumps and logs, but it's fairly easy (if you watch your poles carefully) to simply lift your line over and around the logs as you troll. Size and health of the crappie on Reelfoot will amaze you. I once had a Fisheries Biologist from TWRA say that Reelfoot Lake was a natural hatchery for crappie, better perhaps than any other lake in Tennessee.