ROGER STEGALL ON PICKWICK LAKE

Stegall's Best Day Of Smallmouth Fishing

EDITOR'S NOTE: Few anglers see or ever catch a 7-pound smallmouth bass. However, in 13 years of guiding and fishing Pickwick Lake, which borders Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, Roger Stegall of Iuka, Mississippi, has caught more than 50-smallmouth bass weighing more than 7-pounds each. This week Roger Stegall talks with us about how to fish Pickwick Lake.

Question: Will you tell me about the best day of smallmouth fishing you've experienced on Picwick Lake?
Answer: Twelve years ago, a hurricane came through our area in July. The water turned really muddy, the water level rose, and a lot of current flowed through the lake. While pre-fishing a tournament on Pickwick, a friend and I caught 45 smallmouth with 14 of the smallmouth weighing more than 4 pounds each. My biggest fish weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces.

My best day of tournament fishing on the lake occurred four years ago when I weighed in a record string for Pickwick Lake. I caught five smallmouth that weighed 27 pounds, 6 ounces. In that stringer, my smallest fish weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces, and my largest fish weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces.

Question: Will you tell me about your best day of smallmouth fishing in 2001?
Answer: While fishing in a B.A.S.S. tournament in March of 2001, I caught five smallmouth that weighed a total of 24 pounds, 2 ounces. My biggest smallmouth weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces.

Question: Will you tell me about your best guide trip?
Answer: During two or three guide trips this year, my clients and I have caught five smallmouth weighing a combined weight of at least 25 pounds. We often will catch five smallmouth that weigh a total of more than 20 pounds.

Question: Will you tell me about your best day of largemouth fishing?
Answer: One day during practice for a B.A.S.S. tournament, I caught a largemouth that weighed 8 pounds as well as several other largemouth that weighed more than 4-pounds each. So, I could have put together a five-fish stringer that weighed 28 to 30 pounds.

Question: Will you tell me about your best day's catch of largemouth while guiding a party?
Answer: I've guided several trips during which we've caught 10 largemouth that weighed a total of 50 pounds.

Question: Will you tell me about your best day of smallmouth fishing?
Answer: I took a doctor and his friend fishing, and they wanted to weigh every fish we caught that day. We weighed in more than 100 pounds of smallmouth in one day. Our 10 biggest smallmouth weighed a total of 52 pounds. We released all the fish, but we enjoyed that fun day of fishing. I also have guided a trip during which we've landed six smallmouth that weighed 30 pounds.

For more information on staying at Pickwick Landing State Park on Pickwick Lake, contact the Hardin County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau at info@tourhardincounty.org, call (731) 925-8181 or (800) 552-3866, or visit www.tourhardincounty.org. Pickwick Landing State Park offers fishing, boating, hiking, camping, swimming and golf. Lodging includes the lakeside inn with over 100 rooms, cabins that sleep eight and a campground that contains 48 sites with grill and electric/water hookup at each site. A restaurant at the park offers delicious southern cuisine. Call (731) 689-3135 or (800) 250-8615 to learn more.

TOMORROW: LEARNING TO FISH PICKWICK LAKE