Southern Traditions Outdoors - July - August 2021

1 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | JULY-AUGUST 2021
JULY/AUGUST 2021
www.southerntraditionsoutdoors.com
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FREE
TURKEY SEASON RECAP
REELFOOT BLUEGILL · TENNESSEE RIVER CATS
WARRIOR OF THE WETLANDS · JUMP START YOUR CROPS
GLOCK STORE COMES TO NASHVILLE

JULY-AUGUST 2021 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 3

Advertising Information:
Southern Traditions Outdoors | Rob Somerville
(731) 446-8052 stomag1@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER - Neither the authors or Southern Traditions Outdoors
Magazine LLC assume any responsibility or liability for any actions
by readers who utilize any information contained within. Readers
are advised that the use of any and all information contained within
Southern Traditions Outdoors is at their own risk.
On the Cover
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine Mission Statement:
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine vows to put forth a publication to
promote the outdoors lifestyle in a positive manner. We will strive to encourage
veteran and novice outdoorsmen, women, kids, and the physically challenged
to participate in the outdoors in a safe and ethical manner. Our publication will
bring positive attention to the wondrous beauty of the world of Nature in the
mid-south.
Field Staff Editors
Owners - Eddie Anderson
Rob Somerville
Kevin Griffith

Publisher - Eddie Anderson
Editor - Rob Somerville
Advertising Sales
Rob Somerville - Managing
Partner
Distribution
Johnathan Anderson
Mike Robinson
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
We searched long and hard to bag our turkeys, but perseverance finally paid off.
Photo courtesy of Sam Bradshaw
PG..................... ARTICLE ............................................................AUTHOR
8 ........................... The GlockStore .................................................................Richard Hines
14 ......................... Warrior of the Wetlands ....................................................Rob Somerville
20 ........................ Reelfoot Lake’s Giant Blugill..............................................Cody Rodriquez
28 ......................... Crop Yield Jump Start.......................................................Jonathan Holden
40 ......................... Personal Flotation Devices................................................Katrina Greer
42 ......................... Summer Cats on the Tennessee River..............................Steve McCadams
52 ......................... Trophy Room.....................................................................STO
Garry Mason
Walter Wilkerson
Terry Wilkerson
Steve McCadams
Kelley Powers
Shawn Todd
Eddie Brunswick
Larry Self
Cody Rodriquez
Sharon Somerville
Richard Simms
Dana Watford
Buck Gardner
Richard Hines
Ed Lankford
Drew Brooks
John Latham
Will Gregory
John Roberts
Richard Hines
Rob Hurt
Mark Buehler
Richard A. Fagan
Neill McLaurin
Sam Bradshaw
Daryl Ratajczak
Jonathon Holden

TREASURE HUNTING – IT IS IN THE BLOOD
From the Desk of Rob S omer v ille
L etter from the E ditor
I can hardly pass by a yard sale sign without my steering wheel magically navigating my vehicle to
its posted address. I guess it started when I was very young. My mother would always take me with her
to flea markets, yard sales, estate sales and … well you get the picture. I used to think that maybe she
liked me a little more than my three sisters, but quickly found out that it was because I did not tire easy,
didn’t mind sweating and/or freezing {depending on the season}, could care less about getting dirty and
could carry heavier items than the girls could.
The reasons didn’t matter. I quickly and enthusiastically became addicted to any kind of sales – es-
pecially ones that featured antiques and collectibles. So, I guess you can say I came about it honestly
and that it is in my blood. One man’s trash truly is another man’s treasure. I am constantly fascinated
by American history and how items our country manufactured over 100 years ago can still be used to-
day, as well as them being so magnificent in design.
Besides my full time job as co-owner and managing partner in this magazine, in my free time {when
I am not hunting and fishing} I love to go to sales. It is all about finding those hidden gems!
You probably have noticed my ad {on page 7} of every issue, listing what I am interested in buying.
You might think – what does a hunting, fishing and farming magazine have to do with the topic in this
letter from the editor? I collect and sell wooden duck calls, antique fishing lures and all types of John
Deere items – just for starters.
I thought I would share some of the better and varied types of sales in West Tennessee I recommend
for our readers.
FAVORITE FLEA MARKETS
• HIGHWAY 45 FLEA MARKET – MARTIN, TN - 288 ORR RD. – DYER, TN
• FOUR POINTS FLEA MARKET – DYERSBURG, TN – HWY 51 S. – DYERSBURG, TN
• REELFOOT LAKE FLEA MARKET – VFW POST – TIPTONVILLE, TN
FAVORITE AUCTIONS
• BROOKS AUCTION - 116 W. LIBERTY AVE - COVINGTON, TN – ANTIQUES &
COLLECTIBLES – GO TO FACEBOOK OR AUCTIONZIP.COM
BEST ON-LINE AUCTIONS WITH LOCAL PICK-UP
• NEWBERN SALES ON-LINE AUCTION – FACEBOOK
• BETTY’S VARIETY STORE ONLINE AUCTION - DYERSBURG – FACEBOOK
FESTIVAL & EVENTS
• TRASH N TREASURES ALONG THE TENN-TOM – 5O MILE YARD SALE – SEE AD ON PAGE 48.
• REELFOOT LAKE ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL – NOT ONLY DOES THE EVENT HAVE MANY
ARTS AND CRAFTS ITEMS – BUT ALSO, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF VENDORS AND
FAMILIES SET UP ALL AROUND THE VENUE AND ON THE MANY HIGHWAYS TO AND
FROM THE FESTIVAL WITH YARD AND GARAGE SALES.
FAVORITE ANTIQUE SHOP
• THE RED BARN – JACKSON, TN - 2150 HWY 70 E. - JACKSON, TN
Of course, the various garage and yard sales listed on Facebook are an every weekend source for buy-
ing. You just never know what you can find. It truly is a treasure hunt and you will quickly learn the art of
negotiating. I use several sources to check values of items for sale. You can check EBay – but always look
at what the items have sold for and not what someone’s asking price is. I mean there is nothing to stop

THE RED BARN ANTIQUE MALL
Owners :Tami & Gerry Neese
2150 Hwy 70 East - Jackson, TN. 38305
731-444-0058 731-240-1368
gerryneese@gmail.com
NEW NEW
421 W. COURT ST.
DYERSBURG, TENNESSEE
731-285-5767
sam@bradshaw4insurance.com
Sam Bradshaw
Contact information:
“We don’t cut corners .... we clean them”
Rob Somerville
someone from putting a common penny on EBay
and asking $1000 for it. I use the website Worth
Point a lot. It is a subscription website, but only
shows what the item has sold for recently. I also
use Google Images – so I match an item exactly
to what I am looking at, then I go to the site the
photo came from to research it.
Whatever you choose to try, all of these auc-
tions and sales above are family oriented and very
interesting. I hope you enjoy junking as much as
I do. Good luck treasure hunting!
See ya, Rob

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PROTECT YOUR HOME, PROPERTY, FARM OR BUSINESS!
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1295 HWY 51 S BYPASS - DYERSBURG, TN - 38024
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WE SUPPORT THE
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731-286-0853

Home defense is a hot top-
ic and there are any number of
locations where you can obtain
certification and firearms train-
ing. One of the newest locations
is in Nashville at the Glock-
Store - located at 1930 Air Lane
Drive in Nashville, Tennessee.
The store is only minutes away
from Opryland Hotel and Mall
so if you are wondering what you
might do when someone plans
a trip to the mall, be sure and
include this stop during
your trip. It is not just
a stop for the shooter
in your family, but any-
one with an interest in firearms.
From the novice to the most ex-
perienced shooter, everyone will
find the visit interesting; while
possibly even improving their
shooting skills.
The GlockStore.com, known
as the World’s #1 source of
Glock parts and accessories, also
offers normal retail choices for
numerous brand names of fire-
arms, including pistols, rifles,
and shotguns - along with am-
munition and any gear shooters
might need.
Founder and CEO Lenny
Magill said, “we offer lots of
products, not just to look at and
purchase, but opportunities to
try these firearms before pur-
chasing.” Magill {who founded
the original store in California}
recently made the decision to ex-
pand the GlockStore operations
into a 75,000 square foot facility
that houses the retail store, gun-
smith services, shipping services,
as well as shooting ranges.
When their only store was in
California, the bulk of their daily
shipping of 1,000 to 2,000 pack-
ages were primarily heading to
The GlockStore
Arrives in Nashville!
By Richard Hines
The GlockStore is located at 1930 Air Lane Drive in Nashville, Tennessee. It is only minutes away from
the Opryland Hotel and Mall, so if you are wondering what you might do when someone plans a trip to
the mall, be sure and include this stop during your trip.

the eastern U.S., so Nashville was
the perfect location to reduce
both shipping time and shipping
costs. Tennessee also has rea-
sonable state taxes and gun laws
that make it a desirable location
for any firearms company. The
California store also continues
to operate, but California gun
laws make it difficult for many
residents to enjoy the same free-
doms we have here in Tennessee
and surrounding states.
As a former competition
shooter I have been in numer-
ous indoor ranges and the Glock
Store is, in my opinion, one of
the best designed ranges. Fumes
from expended powder have al-
ways been a problem, but Magill
hired engineers who developed a
ventilation system that quickly
moves air out of the range. As
on any gun range you are still
required to wear hearing and eye
protection, but GlockStore rang-
es are well insulated, preventing
excessive noise from being trans-
ferred from room to another.
Another feature that makes
GlockStore Firing ranges unique
is their flexibility. GlockStore
ranges can be configured into a
wide array of situations to fit the
skill level of the shooter. Normal
shooting ranges have lanes. You
stand at your station and shoot
your target at the end of the lane.
Unless you are shooting a spec-
ified rapid-fire course, you may
be asked to slow down firing,
if others believe it is too fast.
GlockStore firing courses are
supervised by qualified instruc-
tors, many of whom come from
law enforcement and/or military
backgrounds. As you will discov-
er, speed is acceptable.
The GlockStore personnel
will help shooters improve their
skill, from or into, any desired
level. New shooters will learn
stance, trigger control, grip, and
sight picture while experienced
shooters will find a much more
dynamic concept, far from a nor-
mal “lane type” shooting range.
Again, this is determined by the
shooter’s skill level.
Many courses are geared to
help improve those who either
have or want to obtain a Conceal
Carry permit (CCP). Many CCP
On site shooting instruction from experts will help both new and experienced shooters move to the next
level of expertise.

holders obtain their permit and
never shoot again. Glock Store
personnel recommend that any-
one who has a concealed carry
permit should continue prac-
ticing and most importantly be
comfortable with their holster
and firearm.
Practice before beginning
to carry in public is important
and the GlockStore has classes
that not only teach safety, but
awareness, that is being aware of
who is there, who are you deal-
ing with and crucial decisions
on whether to escape or engage.
All concepts that any CCP hold-
er should understand.
Taking your shooting skill, a
notch higher will involve not just
shooting paper but teaching you
how to engage multiple targets.
With the correct guidance and
practice, people soon learn how
Targets can be configured from multiple to single variations. The GlockStore’s shooting ranges have a
wide range of uses, according to each individual shooters skill levels.
GlockStore in Nashville, has a wide range of products for shooters from target to home defense.

to shoot much more rapidly than
they ever imagined…all the re-
sult of speed and accuracy drills.
Magill said, “we want to ex-
pose the everyday shooter and
gun owner to this style of shoot-
ing. It is this type of shooting
that may one day save their life.”
Some of the facility ranges are
designed for improving compe-
tition shooters and these include
spinning targets and pop-up tar-
gets at various distances. Regard-
less, if you are a competition
shooter or not, these ranges are
fun way to spend an afternoon!
Traveling from West Tennes-
see to Nashville is an all-day, if
not an overnight trip, so the like-
lihood of purchasing an accesso-
ry for the pistol and then wait-
ing a week for installation is not
a good option. The GlockStore
will not only have your part in
stock, but will install it while you
wait…at no additional cost! Staff
will also help you with new ac-
cessories and can provide train-
ing time to help you.
Gun owners will also find a
wide assortment of gun safes and
mini vaults needed for transport
and storage solutions.
And are you wondering
what about the kids, why not
introduce them to shooting!
Any young shooter can attend
shooting lessons, but a parent
or Guardian must accompa-
ny the minor during shooting
sessions. If you are going to let
them shoot, why not let them
learn from the best and develop
good habits early!
Magill added, that if custom-
ers would like to shoot one of the
courses, the GlockStore prefers
that you make an appointment.
However, they will take walk-
ins, but you should be prepared
to wait a while.
No matter if you are an ex-
pert target shooter or a novice
just wanting to get into shooting
for either sport or self-defense,
GlockStore is the one stop any
shooting enthusiast should make
while in Nashville.
Editor’s Note: For addition-
al information check out their
Facebook page w w w . f a c e -
book.com/GlockStoreRe-
tailNashville or visit their
website at www.glockstore.
com. The store is open Mon-
day-Saturday 9am to 6pm

He was my best friend and
I hated to see him go. A part of
me was grieving, but selfishly,
another part of me was angry.
W h a t w o u l d
I do without
him? I watched
as they lowered
him down into
his final resting
place and found
myself wishing
that more peo-
ple could have
been touched by
his personality
and his compas-
sion. My mind
began replay-
ing all the good
times we had
shared togeth-
er. The memory
of our very first
duck hunt filled my senses as a
scalding hot tear rolled down
my cheek, nearly freezing solid
before it hit the ground, in the
bitter winter wind.
Two of a Kind Beats a Full
House Any Day
I was generally considered
to be a “lone wolf” hunter and
somewhat of a curmudgeon.
But, upon being introduced to
my new buddy, something just
clicked between us. I remember
a beautiful and brisk November
day, when we anxiously jumped
out of the truck and stepped
into my old and leaky, Jon boat.
I was constantly worried about
traversing the frigid depths of
the lake in that ancient, alumi-
num rig. But, my hunting part-
ner in his usual stoic and quiet
manner didn’t give hypother-
mia a moments thought. He
just sat patiently in the front of
the boat, staring into the dark-
ness, deep in thoughts of mal-
lards, with wings locked and
feet dropped, landing in our de-
coy spread.
Warrior of the
Wetlands
By Rob Somerville

I guess we got along so well
because neither one of us had
much use for idle chatter. We
just went about our business in
a serious fashion, working hard
at what we both loved to do,
that being the hunting of ducks.
As the blurry grays of pre-dawn
began to cast shadows on the
horizon, I noisily fumbled with
my shell bag and shotgun, draw-
ing a patient yet disapproving
look from my friend. You see,
he was always ready, and didn’t
much like waiting on me.
Shoot Them Birds
As the sun crept slowly above
the eastern horizon, my partner
constantly scanned the sky for
ducks. I found myself getting
distracted and reached for some
grub out of the cooler, confident
that no birds would evade his
eagle eyes. All I had to do was
glance at him occasionally, be-
tween bites of my sandwich, to
see if he had spotted any birds.
Suddenly, I noticed a change
in his vigilant posture. He was
no longer scanning the entire
horizon. His eyes were locked
towards the north. He glanced
over at me, silently, to see if I
had spotted the ducks as they
began to circle our spread. I
simply nodded and his eyes re-
turned to our quarry. Mixed
calls of feeding chatters and
clucks soon filled the air and
the birds liked what they heard.
Two ducks were locked up and
spiraling downward – a drake
and his mate. Two gray ducks
began to follow suit, but as is
their frustrating manner, soon
gained altitude and left. When
the pair that remained were
twenty yards out, I quickly
raised up and fired three times.
The drake hit the water, but the
suzey flew off, with nary a tail

feather ruffled. Knowing I had
disappointed my friend with
my quick and errant shooting,
I snuck a sidelong glance over
at him. He was doing his best
to look at me in disgust, but his
eyes gave away a smile that said,
“Nice shot – quickdraw.”
This immediately set me off
in to a fit of laughter. He merely
sighed, stood up and went out
the door to pick up the dead
duck.
A Lifetime of Memories
Since that day, I learned
a lot from my hunting buddy.
We both shared a passion for
the hunt, but there were many
lessons he taught me that were
even more important. He taught
me about trust, loyalty, and
perseverance – to never give
up. We enjoyed over a decade
of shooting together; includ-
ing quail, pheasant, dove, geese
and of course hundreds of duck
hunts. We ate our meals side by
side and shared many a camp-
site. The most amazing thing
of all is that we never seemed
to get mad at each other. There
simply was never a cross word
passed between us. He was tire-
less, and whether in the duck
blind or hunting a fencerow, as
good a hunter as any I’d ever
seen.
One Last Hunt
Fierce determination and an
iron will were what possessed
him to go on his final hunt for
woodies, this past September. I
thought it might be alright, as
the weather was unseasonably
warm. He was getting way up
there in age, and though neither
one of us let the other know our
thoughts, I think we both un-
derstood that this would be his
last hunt. It nearly broke my
heart when I had to help the old
veteran in and out of the truck
and boat, but he never once
complained. He was a true war-
rior of the wetlands.
Although age had taken
some of the “get up and go”
out of his body, a fierce fire of
determination and desire still
burned bright in his heart and
in his eyes. We killed a couple of
wood ducks that day, but mostly
shared a morning of quiet talk
and reminiscence. He seemed
to want to thank me for tak-
ing him on this last trip, but no
words were necessary ….. not
between us.
Two months later, after

weeks of complete bed rest, he
passed on quietly, after a bout
of pneumonia, complicated by
his old age. He died as he would
have wanted to. He passed on
resting in front of the fireplace
in the den; a room full of shot-
guns, duck calls, photographs
of our trips afield and mounted
birds from hunts we had shared
together. He never complained
in those final days. It wasn’t his
style. I was by his side when he
gave up the fight. He just looked
up at me, sighed, and passed
away.
Goodbye Old Friend
I was shook out of my mem-
ories of the past and returned to
the somber situation at the grave
site, by a gentle and persistent
tugging at my pants leg. Look-
ing down through misty eyes, I
saw a small, black Lab puppy.
I looked across the mound of
earth at my wife and two, young
sons. All of them had tears in
their eyes, but hopeful smiles
on their faces. My wife nodded
her head and pointed at the pup,
which now was fast asleep with
his head resting on my boot.
Picking him up, I looked in to
his huge brown eyes and had to
smile myself.
It was now time to say a final
farewell to my hunting partner.
I looked up towards the heavens
and said, “Goodbye for now, old
buddy. I hope when it is time
for me to join you in the big
duck blind in the sky, the wind
will always be out of the north,
there will be bluebird skies and
the ducks will be flying low.
My hunting buddy had been
the best damn dog there ever
was!
I scratched behind the ears
of the young pup that was cra-
dled in my arms and realized a
part of my old friend would be
with me forever.
Note: I wrote this story after the
death of my black lab, named
Shadow. He had been like my
third son for over 15 years. I
dedicate this story to those of
you that have lost your four-
legged friends, and encourage
those of you that still have the
pleasure of your faithful dog’s
company, to treasure every mo-
ment of it.

Sportsman’s Resort North & South
Our two Campgrounds have full hookup with water, electricity and
sewer. They are located at the lake’s edge. We offer yearly, nightly or
weekly campsites. The south campground has a boat ramp. Our yearly
rates start January 1 and run through December 31st. We also offer 3
day camping packages that include the R.V. spot, boat, motor, gas and
bait. Please check out our web site for more information.
North Campground has in-ground pool for guests of either location!
SOUTH CAMPGROUND
NORTH CAMPGROUND
Sportsman’s Resort
100 Sportsman’s Resort Lane
Tiptonville, Tn. 38079
731-253-6581 or 731-334-2309
www.reelfootlake.com

I recently had the opportunity
to guide Mr. Larry Rea from the
radio show Outdoors with Lar-
ry Rea, and his wife Miriam. We
enjoyed a beautiful day on Reel-
foot Lake chasing bluegill. Neither
of them had ever bluegill fished
in the lily pads before, so it was
definitely going to be a day to re-
member. Leading up to our trip
the weather had been quite cool.
There had been several days of
temperatures in the mid-forties
and also several days of rain.
The morning of our trip, I met
them at Blue Bank Resort. We
drove around the lake and put in
at Kirby’s pocket boat ramp. We
made our way across the lake and
over to Walnut Gap. The Walnut
Gap area of Reelfoot is full of lily
pads and in early spring that’s
where the big bluegill like to hide
out. We were equipped with 12-
foot jig poles, rigged with slip
floats and Wager Baits Bully Bugs.
Reelfoot Lake’s Giant Bluegill
By Cody Rodriquez
Outdoor personality, Larry Rea, with a nice Reelfoot Lake “bruiser
bluegill.”

Larry’s wife (and fishing partner) Miriam Ray is pictured here fishing the very thick lily pads that the
Quake Lake’s world famous bluegill reside in.

The reason that I enjoy most
about fishing the pads is that it is
as close to old school fishing as
you can get. No side scan, live-
scope, or 360 fish locators can do
you any good. The lilies are thick
enough that electronics are almost
deemed useless. Just like in the
good ol days, you have to rely on
fishing knowledge and lots of luck!
We stopped at the edge of the
lily pads and I got our rods out
and tipped our Bully Jigs with
wax worms. I then deployed my
Minn Kota Ulterra trolling motor
and began to show them how I go
about fishing the lilies. The easiest
way I have found is to let your line
The author (and head guide at Bent Rod Guide Service) is shown holding up one of Reelfoot Lakes famous-
ly ferocious bluegill.

out about the length of your rod,
lower your slip float and jig into
a hole in the pads until you have
slack in your line. Let it set about
20 to 30 seconds and if you do
not get a bite, simply lift up slow-
ly and repeat the process in an-
other hole in the lilies. When you
get a bite you will have to muscle
your fish out of the water fairly
quickly. If you try to play the fish
you will definitely get tangled up
in the stems of the lily pads. Most
times, if you catch a nice bluegill
in the pads and you flip your jig
back in the same place, there will
be multiple fish in one small area.
After a few moments, both
Mr. Larry and Miss Miriam were
ready to catch some fish. It didn’t
take Miss Miriam long to strike
and she was the first person on
the board with a monster Reel-
foot Lake Bluegill. I pulled my
pole in and removed the hook
from her fish and placed it in the
livewell. Before I could get back
to the front of the boat where she
was, she had another stud bluegill
in the boat. This went on several
times and then she finally gave
me enough of a break that I got to
catch one and get on the board!
Mr. Larry on the other hand
was a slow starter. Miss Miriam
was putting a whooping on us,
but my excuse was that I was too
busy taking her fish off to get to
catch one myself. I’m not sure
what Mr. Larry’s excuse was!
We had several short rain
showers throughout the morn-
ing, but we persevered through.
Inclement weather doesn’t ever
really seem that bad when the fish
are biting!
After a few hours in Walnut
Gap we moved over to the pads
just North of Little Daddy’s Re-
sort. Once again, it didn’t take
Miss Miriam long to start beating
up on me and Mr. Larry again.
Larry finally got in the groove
and started to catch them fast
and in a hurry. He was slinging
fish everywhere! As the day went
on we caught a bunch of fish, but
my favorite part of the day was
Large coolers full of gigantic Reelfoot Lake bluegill are not uncom-
mon in the spring of the year.
Photo courtesy of Ed Davidson and Boyette’s Resort
Larry Rea said that he’d heard that Cody was a big man in status, but
he and his wife also learned that he also has a big heart for making
sure his clients not only catch fish, but have a great time.

the conversations we had.
Mr. Larry has been doing
his radio show for 20 years and
knows everyone in the outdoor
world and has tons of stories
to tell. We talked fishing and
swapped stories all day. It was
truly an honor to get to spend a
day on the water with Mr. Lar-
ry and Miss Miriam. They got
to experience the thrill of the
circular dance that the monster
bluegill of Reelfoot go into when
hooked. We promised each oth-
er we would fish together again
soon and I really do look forward
to that day!
Here’s what Mr. Larry had to
say about our time on the water:
“I’d heard that Cody was a
big man in status, but me and
my wife also learned that he also
has a big heart for making sure
his clients not only catch fish,
but have a great time. I’d have
to say that not only did we catch
a lot of fish, but we also got fed
my first-ever hot dog … cooked
in the boat.”
“Thanks for the memories,
Cody. We’ll definitely do it again
. . . and again . . . and again.”
While you’re hunting or fishing on Reelfoot
Lake, stop by and see Johanna and her crew
for a quick, delicious meal.
Or, beat the heat with their
“World Famous” ice cream.
Dine-in or eat outside on their Patio!!
Home Owned and operated
731-253-6311
HWY 78 - Tiptonville
Less than 5 min from Reelfoot Lake
“Something Different”
our hospitable

Katelyn
Pharmacy Tech
Crystal - Pharmacy
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Kim
CPhT
Ginger
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Heather
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Christen
Sales Associate
Chasity
CPhT
Sydney
CPhT
Tiffany
CPhT
Emily
CPhT
Brandy
Pharmacy Tech
Sales Associate
Jerry
Delivery Driver
Jamie
Bookkeeper
Kalli-Rae
Sales Associate
Hillary
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Carolyn
Sales Associate
Krissie
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Here are two simple ways of telling us what you need and
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SERVICES TO LOOK FORWARD TO!!
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PHARMACIST/OWNER
Dr. Kevin Cook
PHARMACIST/OWNER

There are many different con-
cerns this year about different
conditions for the farming sea-
son. This year’s growing season
is looking like one for the record
books and not always in a posi-
tive way. We can learn from the
changes and make the most of it.
Current weather conditions and
wet soils cause certain anxiety
and concerns for late planting,
especially for corn and soybeans.
Spring weather this year defi-
nitely creates challenges in pre-
paring fields and getting certain
field operations done on time,
such as tillage, anhydrous in-
jection, manure application, etc.
Decisions to conduct these oper-
ations need to be made carefully
regarding the soil moisture con-
ditions. The current soil moisture
status makes the soil conditions
susceptible to soil compaction,
CROP YIELD
By Jonathan Holden
Taking soil samples of each field and seeing what is in the soil profile when it is tested can help farmers
get their soil to the right levels to grow the most optimum crops.
Photo by Jonathan Holden

low soil temperature and soil ero-
sion just to name a few. These
problems can be yield robbers.
Let’s discuss them individually
and why we need to be more pa-
tient in entering fields and why
waiting a few days may pay off
significantly.
Farmers consistently attempt
to increase crop yields, but may
not know which factors are im-
portant. Yield is influenced by
climate and temperature, plant
and water management, and soil
nutrient management factors.
Good genetics, plus the ability
to manipulate and optimize the
plant’s environment, generally
result in the highest yields.
Many farmers went weeks
between plantings and ground
preparation, waiting for more
favorable weather. Others plant-
ed late, switched to hybrids that
could mature prior to first frost,
planted in wet conditions or
didn’t plant some seed at all. It
seems as if everything imaginable
transpired this spring, making
for an interesting year in terms
of crop progress. Needless to say,
crop yield is important for the
life of a farmer as it affects the
profitability of his farmland. If
only there is a way to improve
the potential crop yield should be
so helpful in contributing to suc-
cessful farming. Given all these
unusual factors, how can you
gauge the performance of your
crops and prepare for as orderly
a harvest as possible?
The concept of high-per-
formance agriculture holds the
key to understanding the impor-
tance of crop yields. How much
you can produce within a given
amount of land is essentially de-
pendent on how efficient you are
as a farmer. In today’s economy,
being able to do things efficiently
is as important as ever. You want
to ensure that you are maximiz-
ing your space and the land you
have worked to cultivate. Crop
yields not only determine your
efficiency, but your bottom-line
as well.
Everything you do on your
farm has consequences, and in or-
der to learn how to increase crop
production and crop yield, you
will have to approach each deci-
sion with a concentrated amount
of study and analysis. This doesn’t
mean that you can’t try some-
thing, fail, and learn from it, but
it does mean that attempts to in-
crease efficiency could affect your
bottom line. Some of the chang-
es that are proven to help with
yield potentials are practicing
seasonal soil rotation, planting
early, planting effectively, ensur-
ing proper water drainage, always
scouting your fields, knowing the
yield potential, testing your soil,
seed quality, utilizing fertilizers
Crop Rotation
Farmers are rotating their crops so that the soil is not depleted of its
nutrients. Planting corn one year and soybeans the next year is the
recommended practice

and weeding early and often.
When you are planting sea-
son-by-season, it is important to
understand how planting recur-
ring crops can affect your overall
yield. Planting corn in consecu-
tive years has been proven to be
less effective for optimal yields.
This means that corn-on-corn
planting should only be consid-
ered when your soil conditions
are strong enough, or your land
mass is limited. If you don’t have
access to either, you may need
to consider planting alternative
crops in alternating years — such
as soybeans.
Planting an alternating crop
helps to diversify the demands
on your soil. This results in crops
that not only yield more, but
continually produce, year in and
year out. Take note that plant-
ing recurring crops will affect the
overall yield when you consid-
er planting season-by-season. At
this point, you need to know how
strong the condition of the soil
is, or if your landmass is limited.
Otherwise, you need to consid-
er alternative crops, such as soy-
beans in alternating years. This
will diversify the demands on
your soil so that it can continu-
ally produce year in and year out.
Choosing the right time to
plant is often the most important
part of planting. The best strate-
gy to use to increase yields is: if
your soil is ready, start planting.
There are tests you can perform
on your soil to see if it is actual-
ly ready for planting. Today’s hy-
brid seeds create a more sustain-
able product, but knowing if your
field is ready for early planting is
just as important. Planting early
can result in increased yields by
taking advantage of unexpected-
ly early favorable soil conditions.
Crop yields can be as com-
plex as they are important for
your farm. Learning how to in-
crease agricultural productivi-
ty is always on a farmer’s mind.
There are multiple techniques to
help improve your corn yields
year after year. These tips will
provide you with a strong start;
enable you begin putting them
into practice, and start maximiz-
ing yield on your farm.
Water management is essential
Finding the right seed is an important key to a successful harvest year. By picking the right seed for your
soil you can maximize the crop potential in your fields.

to crop survival and maximizing
your corn’s yield potential. It’s
important to ensure your crop
is getting enough water, but also
that it isn’t being over-watered.
Developing a drainage system
in your crops can help prevent
waterlogging and salinization in
your soil, both of which can sti-
fle growth and production. Water
management factors include soil
moisture and soil aeration.
Increasing SOM allows soils
to store water for plant growth
and improves a plant’s water ef-
ficiency, reducing water needs.
Intermittent irrigation provides
water to meet plant needs, while
non-flooding conditions con-
tribute to soil aeration. In the
humid, wet Midwest states; soil
drainage is critical for good root
growth. Good drainage, soil aer-
ation, and oxygen availability
support root growth and the soil
microbe’s ability to recycle soil
nutrients.
The sagest advice you can
receive about how to increase
crop yields is by scouting your
fields on foot. This will give you
a chance to assess soil conditions,
notice any weeds cropping up,
and check that your crops are
growing healthily. There is a lot
you can miss when you are pass-
ing by your crops at high speeds,
so hitting the ground and exam-
ining your crops is an import-
ant step towards a stronger crop
yield.
It is not enough to plant your
seeds and hope for the best. You
should thoroughly understand
your field’s growth potential. Un-
derstanding the type of crops,
you’re planting, and the kinds of
seeds you are using are important
when assessing yield potential.
Crop producers typically have an
estimated idea of the yield poten-
tial of their seeds. This will help
manage not only your expecta-
tions, but whether or not your
yield potential is matching your
actual production.
Soil testing should be on
your “to do” list right from the
get-go, because your soil and its
Farmers planting early are seeing that the corn gets more water and is helping them get better yields.
Continued on page 34

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HOMETOWN
STORE
DYER CO FERTILIZER
731-627-9335
BIG BOY JUNCTION
731-285-0202
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731-627-2525
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731-885-1891
DYER
731-665-6161
MILAN
731-787-6618
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Gibson Farmers Co-op
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@gibsonfarmers
www.gfcoop.com

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to help rural residents build, farms grow and businesses expand.
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needs will directly influence the
growth of your crops. Examin-
ing the phosphorus, potassium,
and fertilization levels will give
your insight into how to handle
your crops. It will also let you
know when proper soil condi-
tions are forming, such as the op-
timal density and right amount
of nutrients, so you are ready to
start planting. Soil and nutrient
management factors involving
soil structure, nutrient supply,
and SOM are critical to achiev-
ing higher yields. Permeable fri-
able soils allow good root growth
and optimal soil microbial activi-
ty due to optimal oxygen and wa-
ter availability.
Poor soil structure and com-
paction often are a result of over
tilled soils. Abundant SOM sup-
ports a diversity and abundance
of soil microbes that improve
plant nutrition and protects
plants from pests. When soil
becomes constrained by poor
soil structure and compaction,
plant root growth and micro-
bial levels decline, causing a re-
duced nutrient supply and in
turn, reducing crop yields. Lim-
ited plant growth can be affect-
ed by too much inorganic fer-
tilizer and/or too little organic
nutrients. Organic nutrients are
needed to stimulate plant growth
and reproduction. The growth
of your crops can be influenced
by soil quality and its needs. So,
you have to be very keen at test-
ing your soil to determine if the
soil conditions are properly bal-
anced with the right density and
optimal amount of nutrients and
ready for planting.
Having quality seeds is the
basis for increasing crop yields.
Whether you are looking into
increasing your corn yields, or
maximizing your overall agri-
cultural productivity, you need
to consider the quality of your
seeds. Using hybrid seeds that
are naturally inclined to grow
faster, stronger, and with great-
er efficiency is pivotal to the suc-
cess of your crops. Non-GMO
seeds combine sustainability and
cost seamlessly, which accounts
Putting pivots in your fields helps to water your crops during the dry seasons.

for both quality and cost.
Cultivating your soil with
fertilizers is an important part
of maintaining optimal soil con-
ditions for crops on your farm-
land. Fertilizing your corn at the
time of seeding can help provide
the seeds with essential nutri-
ents like potassium, phospho-
rous, and calcium. The root-zone
at the base of your crops is the
most important area to facilitate
growth so your corn can thrive
and produce an impressive yield.
If you want to maintain optimal
soil conditions for crops on your
farmland, you have to cultivate
your soil with fertilizers. Do this
at the time of seeding so that it
can give seeds essential nutrients
so that your corn can thrive and
be able to produce an impres-
sive yield.
Weeds are not just the enemy
of front lawns and golf courses.
They can also compromise your
farmland. They are invasive, and
siphon nutrients away from the
crops you are trying to grow.
Weeds always need to be dealt
with as early and often as pos-
sible. Scouting your fields gives
you the opportunity to spot them
early before the problem can get
out of hand.
Climate and temperature fac-
tors are critical to achieving high
yields. Warmer temperatures
maximize crop growth includ-
ing cell division, cell growth, and
crop metabolism while cold tem-
peratures inhibit plant growth.
Ideally, soybeans grow the best
at air temperatures of 77 degrees
Fahrenheit. A string of tempera-
tures below 60 degrees reduc-
es soybean pod set. Corn is a
warm season plant that germi-
nates best at 60-65 degrees soil
temperatures and grows best be-
tween 72-85 degrees. Ideally, try
to plant both corn and soybeans
when soil temperatures reach 55
degrees to optimize yields.
With large acreage that may
not be possible, but avoid plant-
ing early if conditions are poor.
Larger differences in day and
night temperatures will reduce
plants respiration and allows
more carbohydrates to be stored,
which is important in wheat
yields. Temperatures above 80
degrees tend to cause wheat to
mature quicker, reducing yields.
Longer day lengths stimulate so-
lar radiation and increases pho-
tosynthesis in plant leaves. Plant
growth rates increases up to June
21st then starts decreasing af-
ter that date historically in our
region.
Crop yield rates have steadi-
ly increased over time, thanks to
hardier corn hybrids and smarter
planting practices. Technologies
that allow farmers to best under-
stand their soil, what kind of nu-
trients they may be lacking and
when to plant seeds, have posi-
tively affected outcomes. To put
it simply, planting has benefited
from the introduction of science
and technology in farming.
There is always the pres-
ence of risk when you do some-
thing on your farm. That is why
it is essential that you have the
knowledge on how to increase
the production of crops as well
The best way for farmers to be able to care for their crops is to
constantly scout their fields. By scouting the fields, the farmers can
see what the crops need.

as crop yield. Thus, studying and
analyzing the data should be a
factor in making decisions. For-
tunately, understanding the im-
portance of crop yield is the key
in high-performance agriculture.
That is why it measures how ef-
ficient you are as a farmer via
the number of products with-
in a piece of land. Using these
tips will be helpful in maximiz-
ing your yield potential of your
crops.
Here is hoping that the Good
Lord gives you a safe and plen-
tiful season this year!
Editor’s Note: Jonathan Hold-
en is an Agriculture Educa-
tion Teacher at Dresden High
School. His background is in
Agriculture and Animal Science.

It was exciting to finally go
to a major fishing show and have
the opportunity to see all the var-
ious types of fishing gear. I saw
displays of more lures, poles, fish
finders, etc. than I could have im-
aged for the fishing circuit.
I set up a booth to promote
Reelfoot Lake fishing and got to
meet lots of people. There are
few categories to describe fisher-
men in relation to Reelfoot Lake.
There are those who have been
fishing Reelfoot Lake for 20 years
or more and would never miss a
Reelfoot Lake fishing trip. Only
a hospital stay would keep them
away. Then there are those who
fished Reelfoot with their parents,
and they continue on the Reel-
foot Lake fishing tradition with
Remember to Wear
Your PFD–
PERSONAL
FLOTATION
DEVICE
By Katrina Greer
Reelfoot Lake Tourism Council

their children. Finally there are
those who have always heard of
the great fishing opportunities at
Reelfoot Lake and were extremely
interested in receiving our Visi-
tors Guides to learn more about
our resorts, motels, restaurants
and more to provide them with
information to plan their first
trip.
Your first trip will get you
hooked on returning for many
years as Reelfoot Lake is a nat-
ural fish hatchery with shallow,
stump-filled waters idea for fish
breeding and thriving.
This was a three-day fish-
ing show, so I got the opportuni-
ty to visit all the booths to look
at boats, motors and much more.
One thing I noticed that was
missing in the merchandise dis-
plays was life jackets. Life jack-
ets or personal floatation devices
(PFD) are required for everyone
on your boat. The U. S. Coast
Guard was there with pamphlets
and displays promoting boat and
PFD safety.
We all know PFD require-
ments, boat safety rules and that
accidents do happen. In 2013,
my husband and I rescued a man
who had fallen out of his boat
while traveling across the lake.
This man was struggling and was
not wearing a PFD. I will always
be grateful that we were there to
turn this frightful event into a
rescue.
When you visit your favor-
ite fishing supply store or cata-
logue, please look at the PFD’s as
you might need to replace your
existing ones. Get one that is
comfortable and wear it! Where
is your PFD? Hopefully, you are
wearing it at all times while on
a boat.
For more information on PFD requirements and
safety visit: www.uscgboating.org
To order PFD’s and crappie fishing supplies visit:
www.grizzlyjig.com
For more information on Reelfoot Lake visit:
www.reelfoottourism.com or call the Reelfoot Lake
Tourism Council at 731-253-2007

Drifting along slowly with
the current and keeping a close
eye on the depth finder is what
we did for most of the sum-
mer in my younger days. That’s
what a lot of my fishing buddies
did throughout the summer
months in-between odd jobs of
construction, farming and what
have you.
We loved those rainy days,
as that got us out of work and
once the okay was given we
straightened the curves out on
the highway between Kentucky
Lake and my home in McKen-
zie. With some sort of old alu-
minum boat in tow we headed
to the lake at the pace of a thor-
oughbred once the gate opened.
It turns out that we couldn’t
wait to unload our boats and
test the waters of the Tennessee
River channel to see if catfish
were on the prowl and ready to
test our tackle.
Sometimes a short notice re-
prieve from work meant quick
decisions were made and an
early work release often caught
us off guard as to total prepara-
tion. In other words we didn’t
have bait in the bucket or gas in
the outboard’s tank, sufficient
for an extended battle with blue
and channel catfish.
More than a few times we ex-
ceeded the speed limit, only to
lock down the brakes on some-
one’s old truck once we spot-
ted a catalpa tree on a fence
row that appeared to be loaded
with worms. Those big fat yel-
low and black worms ate the
leaves off the trees but if you
got there at the right time you
could gather a big batch of bait
in a short time.
Tennessee River catfish love
catalpa worms and we knew it.
There were times we couldn’t
find the right trees or the birds
had already robbed the boun-
ty and we had to dig worms
around some farmer’s milk
barn; where rich soil mixed
with silage really harbored the
nightcrawlers.
While there were several
options at the bait and tack-
le stores around the river area
that ranged from shrimp to
the awful smelling, commercial
concoctions our fishing clan
seldom had enough money to
make such expenditures while
in hot pursuit of ole’ whiskers.
Somehow we managed to
come up with enough rods,
reels and bait to formulate a
battle plan. Filled with enthu-
siasm we felt all we needed
was water to find and catch
fish. Turns out there was a lit-
tle more to it than that, but sel-
dom did our haphazard excur-
sions fail to produce at least
enough for a “buddy supper”
style fish fry.
Fast forward a few years and
the new aggressive army of end-
less energy, future fishermen
that couldn’t drive fast enough
SUMMER CATS
ON THE
TENNESSEE
RIVER
By Steve McCadams

Sporting a 60-pound plus- flathead catfish taken earlier this summer around Paris Landing is Tommy
Scarbrough of Paris, Tennessee. The big fish broke his rod but he still managed to wrestle the monster
into the boat!

Big numbers of channel catfish can be taken during the summer months along the Tennessee River when
the current is moving and the bite is on!

to get to the river and launch a
boat, have greatly altered their
pace. A lot has changed among
the ranks, namely the cadence
of the army of anglers going to
battle.
What hasn’t changed is the
thrill and preparation of it all.
The shear thought of tangling
with drag tearing catfish some-
where along the river’s channel
still fuels the fire each summer.
That much hasn’t changed.
As surface temperatures ap-
proach the 80-degree plus range
things really heat up in the cat-
fishing department. While the
spring season was good along
some rocky bluffs during the
peak of the spawning phase,
the fun and enjoyment extends
well into the summer season
once the cats back off to deep-
er venues.
They continue to prowl,
occupying various cuts and
ditches that feed into the riv-
er channel. Sometimes it’s just
an irregular cut or jagged edge
along the river bank itself. Oth-
er times the down current side
of a submerged feeder creek
that once emptied it contents
into the flowing river itself still
harbors a comfort zone or route
for catfish to use.
At times some strange sub-
merged snag along the river-
bank is just enough to break the
current and provide a nice hid-
ing spot for fish to congregate.
Perhaps the cats lay up in a hid-
den eddy, deep below. There
they wait patiently for baitfish,
namely shad, to wash their way.
Today’s technology has add-
ed another dimension to the
deep water “hide and go seek”
game we once played. Today’s
anglers have at their fingertips
sophisticated sonar that will
help them not only locate likely
spots and deep habitat but ob-
serve schools of fish as well as
their forage base.
With GPS it’s easy to relo-
cate the honey holes too, some-
thing we weren’t able to do in
the summers of our youth.
We didn’t have such tools
years ago when we blasted to-
ward the lake filled with antic-
ipation. Sometimes we couldn’t
even get back to the spot where
we’d found fish biting the week
before. It was still there; we just
couldn’t find it!
I recall spending countless
hours riding around looking for
the spot that produced buried
treasure. Trying to remember
landmarks was not an attribute
we possessed. Arguments often
filled the air!
Meanwhile, modern day cat-
fishing hasn’t changed drasti-
cally, as the fish still bite best
when a slight current is present.
Moving water seems to stimu-
late the summer bite and with-
out it the fishing can be tough
at times.
Current just brings life to
a stagnant river. The fish are
there but without current the
schools of shad aren’t mean-
dering around on their paths
to nowhere.
The food chain is active in
light current as the plankton
and algae that provide food to
the shad schools are out and
about.
Summer mornings some-
times start out slow as a stag-
nant lake greets fishermen.
However, once the TVA’s pow-
er demands increase and they
begin to push water through
Kentucky Dam, the whole sce-
nario can change for the better.
A dreary morning can turn
into a productive afternoon
once the current starts to flow
and a sleeping river wakes up.
Summer catfishermen can’t
predict or control the river con-
ditions but they can monitor it
and formulate a plan. By ob-
serving TVA’s website, as to
present elevation and three day
projections, anglers can often
get an idea of what’s ahead.
For lake elevation and hour-
ly discharge rates at Kentucky
Dam anglers can go to www.
tva.com. TVA lake levels can
be obtained there and it con-
tains valuable information that
veteran catfishermen along the
Tennessee River have long re-
lied on. The lake stages and
discharge rates are active in-
gredients in the summer cat-
fish recipe.
Targeting the edge of the
channel in depths of 35 to 45
feet is the norm, but there are
times when deeper depths may
work. Schools of blue catfish
are known to go deeper at times
and can be easily seen on to-
day’s Livescope or various im-
aging sonar units.
Often times the fish will be
suspended too. Varying the bait
presentation is important at
times as being on the bottom is

The author is pictured here with a nice “eating size” blue catfish taken on a hot summer day along the
river channel, while targeting depths of 35 to 45 feet and baiting with nightcrawlers.

not always the answer.
While nightcrawlers seem to
be the bait of choice over the
long haul there are other con-
siderations in the form of chick-
en livers, cut shad, live bluegill
and a host of good commercial
baits available.
Some anglers are looking for
not only fun but some medium
size fish that best suit their fish
fry desires. Others may opt to
trophy fish and that’s another
ballgame as to tackle presenta-
tion, line size choices and big
bait offerings. Most of the time
targeting the huge river mon-
sters requires another playbook!
There’s always some hefty
catfish out there willing to test
anyone’s tackle. Hearing about
fish in the 35 to 45 pound range
isn’t all that unusual for those
who know how the game is
played.
There are always a few lucky
anglers who just tie into a mam-
moth monster with relatively
light tackle and manage to win
the battle.
Whether you hope to land a
cooler full of small to midsize
fish for that upcoming fry, or
you’d just like to see how big
these Tennessee River hogs can
get, summer is a fine time to
pursue your desires.
Wise are the anglers who
spend some time with experi-
enced fishermen who know the
ropes and are willing to share
some of their tips and skills.
Do your homework before
setting sail and properly pre-
pare your rigs for the battle
ahead. From hook size, to prop-
er sinker selection for the vari-
ous flows and winds you’ll en-
counter, having all the tools to
complete the job will only make
it more enjoyable.
No doubt the fish are there;
you have to play by their rules
most of the time. After all, those
big cats don’t get that way by
being stupid or careless.
Here’s hoping you tie into a
drag tester on your next sum-
mer outing on the Tennessee
River.

IF YOU LOVE THE GREAT OUTDOORS,
BUT SOMETIMES YOUR BACK JUST DOESN’T
WANT TO COOPERATE, DO WHAT I DID AND SEE
MY GOOD FRIEND DOC COLE.
HE WILL GET YOU STRAIGHTENED OUT!
- ROB SOMERVILLE
COLE CHIROPRACTIC
BARRY L. COLE D.C., FADP
731-285-2696 1-800-558-2696
417 TROY AVE. - DYERSBURG, TN - 38024
chirotn@colechiro.com
www.colechiro.com
COLE CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC

STOP!
WASTING YOUR AD DOLLARS!
ADVERTISE IN THIS MAGAZINE AND
REACH OVER 47,500 READERS!
YOUR AD WILL ALSO APPEAR ON OUR
INTERNET MAGAZINE, WHICH CAN BE
VIEWED AT
SOUTHERNTRADITIONSOUTDOORS.COM
AND ENJOYS 830 PLUS HITS PER DAY
FOR FREE!
FOR ADVERTISING INFO THAT WILL GIVE
YOU MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
CONTACT ROB SOMERVILLE
731-446-8052
stomag1@gmail.com

MAY - JUNE 2019 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 52
Dyersburg native, Linda Reasons, is pictured
here with a nice largemouth bass.
SPONSORED BY
FIRST CITIZENS NATIONAL
BANK
Allie Wilson killed her 1st turkey April 10th,
2021 on a hunt with her grandfather - Walter
Wilkerson.
Photo courtesy of Wilkerson’s Taxidermy
Allie Wilson and her friend, Ellie Hightower,
are pictured here during the last Tennessee
juvenile waterfowl hunt in 2021.
Photo courtesy of Wilkerson’s Taxidermy

MAY - JUNE 2019 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 53
Here is Robert “Doc” Jackson, holding up a
hefty 40 lb. amberjack he caught this summer.
Sandy Tarkington {of First Citizens National Bank} sent me this photo of her
son-in-law, Garrett Purvis, and her son, Trey Tarkington (both of Dyersburg)
with their great catch of bluegill from Reelfoot Lake. They were on a guided
fishing trip with Gray’s Camp on Saturday, 5/22/21
SPONSORED BY
FIRST CITIZENS NATIONAL
BANK
The father and son team of Ed and Mitch Davidson
literally slayed the world famous Reelfoot Lake blue-
gill every time they fished this past spring – catching
over 200 per day, with many weighing in at over 1 lb.
Photo courtesy of Boyette’s Resort

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Southern Traditions Outdoors - July - August 2021

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