If you love fishing for crappie and want to try your hand at fishing one of the best crappie fishing lakes in the U.S., then you may want to consider making a trip to Tennessee and fishing for crappie in Reelfoot Lake.
Reelfoot Lake Crappie Fishing
Located in the Northwest corner of Tennesee near the town of Tiptonville and Samburg Reelfoot lake is a 15,000 shallow lake located inside of Reelfoot State Park. This lake is only 18 feet deep at his deepest with an average depth of just 5 feet 5 inches. This lake consists of some open water, swamp-like areas, and bayou types basins. When fishing for the first time in this lake, it would be wise to hire a local guide that knows the lake well since the lake can be dangerous due to so many stumps just below the surface of the water.
A guide who is a crappie fisherman himself can also show you the best spots for fishing with crappie and give you advise on the best gear to use when fishing on this lake. Going out with a good guide at least for the first couple of days can set you up for your fishing trip and help to ensure that you will be able to catch your crappie limit.
Reelfoot Lake was formed by a series of earthquakes in 1811-1812 when the Mississippi River flowed backward and flooded a forest area. This has resulted in the ground beneath the water being covered in cypress trees and vegetation making it a great place for Crappie to hide and find shelter.
Interestingly enough not only is Reelfoot Lake is the only large natural lake in the state of Tennessee and until 2003 it was the only commercial crappie fisher in the world.
One of the things that make crappie fishing in this lake so enjoyable besides the sheer number of crappie that inhabits this lake, is that is no size limit to have to worry about although there are plenty of 2 pounds slabs to caught.
When fishing for Crappie on this lake, you need to be versatile and stay on the move, but be able to slow down and even stop when you find a school of active fish. Long lining and jigging can both be effective methods of fishing for Crappie on this lake, and you need to be ready to change bait and locations when the need arises.
For those fishing enthusiasts who live out of town or out of state, there is a number of fishing resorts you can stay at, some right on the lake. The State Park also has some campsites available for those who really want to enjoy nature, the park, and the area while fishing for crappie.
Whether you come with friends or come alone, spend a day, a weekend, or a week, you find fishing for crappie in Reelfoot Lake an unforgettable experience and well the time and effort it takes you to make the trip.
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