 BILLY
BLAKELY ON REELFOOT LAKE
Bassing On Reelfoot
EDITOR’S NOTE: Blue Bank Resort on Reelfoot Lake
near Tiptonville, Tennessee, is in high gear in the
fall, with anglers catching plenty of crappie, catfish
and bass every day. Billy Blakely is the resort manager/chief
guide and has been guiding on Reelfoot for 23 years.
QUESTION: How is bass fishing during the fall on Reelfoot
Lake?
BLAKELY: There are some good, average-sized bass in
Reelfoot Lake. The mouths of ditches and areas of lily
pads are where the baitfish school-up at this time of
year. We fish these areas with Strike King spinner baits,
knowing we can cover a lot of water and catch numbers
of bass quickly.
QUESTION: What color spinner bait are you using?
 BLAKELY:
I like to use either a black-and-white combination or
plain white at this time of year in the fall. On an
overcast day, I prefer black-colored baits. On bright
days, I prefer white-colored baits. I let the conditions
of the day determine the color of bait I use.
QUESTION: What kind of retrieve do you give the spinner
bait?
BLAKELY: I’m usually smoking it, reeling very
fast. I’ll almost put a wake on the water I fish
this bait so fast.
QUESTION: What do you consider to be a good-sized bass
in Reelfoot Lake?
BLAKELY: We catch quite a few 6-and-7 pound bass at
this time of year. The biggest I have ever seen came
from Reel Foot weighed 9 pounds, 2 ounces.
 QUESTION:
How big a bass will you catch if you fish for three
days on Reelfoot Lake?
BLAKELY: You should expect to catch bass that weigh
anywhere from 3 to 6 pounds.
QUESTION: Where do bass fishermen come from who fish
on Reelfoot Lake?
BLAKELY: We have fishermen who come from Osceola, Florida,
to Evansville, Indiana, and all other points on the
compass. This lake is different. There aren’t
any jet skiers, water skiers or cabin cruisers at Reelfoot
because there’s too much structure under the water.
The lake is strictly for duck hunting and fishing. Reelfoot
is a throwback to the olden days. Not only is it full
of trees and logs; it also has cypress trees growing
in it. The lake was formed by earthquakes in 1811 and
1812. The series of earthquakes caused the Mississippi
River to run backwards for three days. When the lake
was created, all the fish from the Mississippi River
were poured into Reelfoot. Because of all the structure
in the lake, you have to have fishing line that’s
tough,  because
it will come into contact with stumps, logs, roots and
grass. You really need a highly abrasion-resistant line
like Mossy Oak Fishing Line. We discovered that we can
depend on Mossy Oak Line to bring the bass to the boat,
even when they hide in a tree top or deep in the lily
pads.
You can call – 1-877-Blue Bank or visit www.bluebankresort.com/
to learn more.
TOMORROW: DUCKS
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