Record temperatures aid in great fishing season Posted: Friday, April 6, 2012 3:00 pm
By: By Brent Callicott Record warm weather continues to help in aiding in a great early crappie, bluegill and bass season.
The bass spawn and even crappie spawn are both early. Water temps usually need to be in the mid 60’s range and above, along with a full moon, when the spawn needs to occur. Water temps are in the 70’s and some areas are almost touching 80 degrees. Wow!
Before the possible chances of rains settled in at mid-week, the lake was sitting at the 282.84 feet above sea level range, but by the time you read this report, the lake might have come up just a bit, which all depends on how much rain we might have received, if any. Normal lake level for Reelfoot Lake year round is 282.20 feet above sea level, according to the USGS website.
Last week on Friday and Saturday, several fishermen from our area fished in the Mississippi State Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters Championship on Grenada Lake near Grenada, Miss.
The Strike King Pro Crappie team of Tim Blackley and Jackie Vancleave of Obion County had the best finish of the folks from this area, settling for 12th place overall. They had 14 crappie for their two-day total weight of 28.96 pounds. Their big crappie weighed 2.98 pounds. Nineteenth place overall went to some more Obion County folks in the team of Tony Hughes and Randall Hughes. They had a two-day total of crappie with 14 that weighed 28.52 pounds. Their big crappie weighed in at 2.97 pounds. Lake Countians and well-known Crappie Pro Champions Ronnie Capps and Steve Coleman had 14 crappie that weighed 28.19 pounds. Their big crappie of the event weighed 2.98 pounds.
To claim first place overall in this event, you needed 14 crappie that weighed 34.05 pounds. Big crappie for the event overall was a 3.24 pounder.
The 19th Annual Reelfoot Lake Buddy Bass Tournament is tomorrow on Reelfoot Lake out of the Kirby Pocket area. Tournament hours will be the blast-off at 7 a.m. and weigh-in at 3 p.m. sharp. Entry fee is $80 per boat (two-person team) and they will be guaranteeing $1,500 for first through third places. You can register the morning of the tournament with no late entry fee added to the $80. We hope to have a complete list of winners and information about the tournament in next week’s column. Yours truly has to work, so they will have to do without me during this event.
Remember, the University of Tennessee at Martin Collegiate Bass Angler Team will host their 4th Annual Buddy Bass Open Tournament on Kentucky Lake next month. It will be held April 28 out of Paris Landing State Park. The tournament hours will run from safe light until 3 p.m. The entry fee for the tournament is $100, with an optional $10 entry for big bass. There will be a 70 percent payout and the big bass pot will be paid back in full. In addition to the prize money, there will be a $100 cash drawing for every 10 boats that are registered for the tournament.
The UTM team uses the proceeds from this event to send its members to compete in sanctioned collegiate tournaments. For more information, please contact club president Grayson Smith at (931) 236-4627 or at grawsmit@utm.edu; or club vice president Dylan Powley at (731) 336-1402 or at matdpowl@ut.utm.edu.
Also, don’t forget Cypress Creek Outfitters will host its first-ever Reelfoot Lake Legends Crappie Tournament benefiting the NWTF Wheelin’ Sportsman Outreach April 21. Entry fee will be $100 per boat/two-man team. Late entry fee will be $125 per boat/two-man team after April 7. Ten percent of all entry fees will be donated toward the NWTF Wheelin’ Sportsman Outreach Program. There will be a guaranteed first place of $500, second place of $350 and third place of $200. According to the organizers, payouts will be through 10th place and will be based on a 50-boat field. There will be door prizes and added money from sponsors also available. For more information, you can call Dwayne Dunn at 446-0048 or email to dunndwayne@rocketmail.com.
If hunting, fishing and just simply being in the outdoors is something your child may enjoy, then I have something for you. SonRise Adventures 2012 Youth Sportsman and Bowhunters Camp has a few openings left.
If your child has the outdoors passion, this camp is for them. It is designed specifically for young people ages 10 to 16. There will be well-known outdoors personalities on hand during the several weeks of camp. Cost is $225 per camper.
Campers will experience a fun-filled week of exciting competitions and activities.
For more information, you can contact Covenant Ranch, 8759 Highway 79 North, Buchanan, TN 38222; (731) 642-2099.
If you are a person who gets drawn for any type of a special hunt on the grounds of the United States Army at Fort Campbell, please read the following and follow the directions or you could be in serious trouble.
Anyone possessing or using any type of firearm on Fort Campbell must have it registered through Gate 4 in advance of hunting on the base. In the past, hunters could bring any legal weapon to hunt on post without getting the weapon registered. You can still purchase your hunting license without getting a gun registered, but before any hunter brings a gun on post, it must be registered prior to the hunt.
All forms can be downloaded by going to the Fort Campbell website, filled out and brought to Gate 4 off Fort Campbell Boulevard in Oak Grove, Ky. The process has been taking about five to six minutes.
The Obion County Central High School Bass Team held one of its club tournaments last Saturday on Kentucky Lake out of the Paris Landing State Park marina.
Claiming first-place honors was Trevor Clouse with 14.18 pounds. Second place were Dallas Mathis and Alan Wilson in a tie with 4.83 pounds. Third place went to John Garrett with 4.77 pounds. There was also a tie for fourth place between Jo Hamilton and Dalton Gooch with 3.88 pounds.
I often want to drop a reminder to all of our readers that if you would like to pass along any outdoor information, photos or stories, please email me at brentcallicott@gmail.com; call me at 446-3678; or drop your information by The Messenger office on East Jackson Street in Union City.
’Til next week’s column,
Catch ya on the water folks.
Brent Published in The Messenger 4.6.12 | 
