Southern Traditions Outdoor - September/October 2020

1 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
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DEER SCHOOL · GOOD OLD DAYS OF DUCK HUNTING ON REELFOOT
KENTUCKY LAKE BASS · WATERFOWL FORECAST
REDRUM
DUCK CLUB

305 HIGHWAY 51 N. - DYERSBURG, TN - 38024 (731) 287-1470
MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
SUNDAY {OCT.-JAN}: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020 | 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
On our cover this issue is 8 year-old - Bella. She is the main retriever at Redrum Duck Club and
her majesty is duck hunting royalty, as her pedigree comes from a Grand Champion.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Davis
PG..................... ARTICLE ............................................................AUTHOR
12 ......................... Good Old Days of Duck Hunting on Reelfoot Lake...........Cody Rodriquez
18 ......................... A Family Rich in Agriculture ..............................................Jonathan Holden
26 ......................... Combating Aflatoxin in Corn and Cotton...........................Jonathan Holden
32 ........................ Time for School............Deer School!.................................Richard Hines
36 ......................... RedRum Duck Club...........................................................Rob Somerville
42 ......................... How did You Get Here?..... Reelfoot Campground............Katrina Greer
46 ......................... Waterfowl Forecast............................................................Steve McCadams
50 ......................... Kentucky Lake Bass in the Fall.........................................Steve McCadams
54 ......................... 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

It has been my honor and privilege to call Eddie Brunswick not only my great friend, but my
brother from another mother, for over 25 years now. I met Eddie at an outdoor show. He had already
been wheelchair bound for about 20 years, due to an auto accident. He told me that he enjoyed my
articles about the great outdoors and sure missed hunting and fishing. I had never given any thought,
as to wheel chair bound people and how difficult not only the outdoors would be to traverse, but life
in general.
We exchanged phone numbers and I called him some days later. I said, “I don’t know what I am
doing, but if you want to be the test pilot in this outdoor experience, I am game if you are.” His reply
was a simple, “Let’s do this.”
Together with some friends the dream of Eddie participating in the outdoors became a reality. To-
gether, we experienced how to figure out how to transport and design equipment for wheelchair bound
hunters and encourage others to do the same. Eddie never once complained, even when we strapped
From the Desk of Rob S omer v ille
Letter from the Editor

his chair to the bottom of a boat during a raging thunderstorm and took off to a duck blind. His will
is unbendable iron and his heart is enormous.
Eddie soon became a role model to other paraplegics as well as quadriplegics. He showed these
folks that they could be handi-capable instead of handicapped in the outdoors. He became a member
of the TENNESSEE OUTDOOR WRITER’S and has served in office there for over 20 years, writing
outdoor columns and being an inspiration for others. He was my right hand man as the secretary and
treasurer of the WEST TENNESSEE YOUTH OUTDOOR JAMBOREE, which grew into the largest
free outdoor event for kids in the world. Eddie Brunswick is a “giver.”
Mr. Brunswick could have sat back and collected a check and felt sorry for himself, as many of us
able bodied people may have done in his situation. Instead, he became an electronics and computer
guru, teaching for years at NEWBERN VO-TECH School. He has always been a model of determi-
nation and hard work and I have often stated that he could get more done from a wheel chair than
most people can who can walk.
I remember one time, early one in our friendship, when we were at a huge outdoor show in Mem-
phis. The pavement turned to gravel as we traveled from booth to booth in the hot summer sun. I
naturally stepped behind his wheelchair and started pushing it, thinking I was helping. He stopped
me and told me that when you are with people that are wheelchair bound; you must let them do what
they can on their own. I will never forget that day. It was very rare that he would ever ask me for help.
In fact, he has even helped me when I moved to a new house. That is the type of man he is. He has
inspired me in so many ways.
Eddie is in his fifties now and his physical strength is not what it once was. His truck needs to be
replaced and he will keep working hard and pay the monthly payments on the new vehicle.
But, this is the very first time Eddie Brunswick has said he needed help. He simply cannot afford
the tens of thousands of dollars it will take to make him able buy the equipment to transfer him from
his wheelchair to the truck and operate his new vehicle. The cost just to adapt the truck is well over
$30,000.00. As of this date, Eddie is only 20% towars his goal, and he needs our help.
Think about it folks, this could be you. It could be your kid, getting up two hours earlier than most
people just so they can tend to their morning rituals and get dressed.
If anyone, ever … deserved your contributions to a GO-FUND ME page, this is a great candidate.
I beseech you to help. I know I am going to. Will you?
God Bless you!
Rob Somerville
Owner/Editor Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine
731-446-8052
PS – To contribute to Eddie Brunswick’s cause please type
the following in your top web browser:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/wheelchair-conversion-Brunswick
Or you can mail him a contribution directly to his home address at:
EDDIE BRUNSWICK
3472 BOGUS HOLLOW RD
TROY, TN – 38260
PSS – Please share this information!!

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Reelfoot Lake has molded the
way of life for many west Ten-
nessee families since 1811. When
the earth shook and the mighty
Mississippi river ran backwards,
life as west Tennessee knew it
would never be the same. Reel-
foot Lake has been a great asset
for the region. It has been a place
that naturalists have traveled to
since the early 1900’s. There was
something for all outdoor enthu-
siasts, whether traveling to Reel-
foot for fishing, hunting or bird
watching.
Today, visitors still travel
here for those same things
as well as outdoor photog-
raphy, canoeing, kayaking,
and family vacations to es-
cape the hustle and bus-
tle of everyday life. Life at
Reelfoot tends to beat to
the sound of its own drum,
while the mighty Missis-
sippi River keeps a steady
beat for the music in the
background.
Reelfoot has always
been famous for its eagles,
ducks and fish but mostly
for its ducks. Sportsmen flocked
to the lake for hunting and fish-
ing. This was how many locals
made a living off the lake. The
lake was a place that many saw as
an opportunity for income. Con-
trol of the lake, the land around it
and the land under it, has always
been a battle. The West Tennes-
see Land Company tried to take
over control of the lake in 1908.
The land company bought several
old land claims in hopes of gain-
ing control of the lake with plans
on draining the lake and turning
it into farmland for growing and
producing cotton. This was met
with great opposition from locals.
They viewed this as losing their
livelihood. A band of locals gath-
ered together and battled the land
company for rights to the lake.
This group of locals was even-
tually known as the Reelfoot Lake
Nightriders. The Nightriders rodeBack in the olden days of duck hunting on Reelfoot Lake, hunters would
actually hunt from the tops of cypress trees, precariously balanced on
branches.
Continued on page 12
By Cody Rodriquez
GOOD OLD DAYS OF
DUCK HUNTING ON
REELFOOT LAKE

on horseback, under the cover of
darkness. The Nightriders com-
mitted acts of arson and battery
against individuals for things they
saw as unfit, or for doing business
with the West Tennessee Land
Company. Eventually, the State
of Tennessee gained control over
the lake in 1914. The states con-
trol over the lake guaranteed no
individual could control the lake,
therefore saving a way of life for
the locals around Reelfoot.
Before the Nightriders, and
even until today, duck hunting
has always been one of the main
reasons for people to travel to
Reelfoot Lake. In the 1900’s there
were many families that made
a living off the lake by market
hunting ducks. There was no limit
on the amount of ducks a person
could kill. It is said that at times
there were thousands of ducks
killed daily on Reelfoot. Those
ducks where shipped north, to
be sold in places like New York
and Chicago. As the word spread
that Reelfoot Lake was a duck
hunter’s paradise, several sports-
men began to travel to the area in
hopes of partaking in some of the
best duck hunting in the world.
As outsiders began to come to
the lake to hunt and fish, the lo-
cals began to take them out for
pay. This was the beginning of
Reelfoot Lake hunting and fish-
ing guides.
Some of the guides on Reelfoot
Lake today learned from their Fa-
thers and Grandfathers who also
learned from their Fathers and
Grandfathers. It has been passed
from one generation to the next,
as a legacy of times past, and life-
time of Reelfoot Lake tradition.
Over the years duck hunting
on Reelfoot has changed greatly.
One of the things that changed
duck hunting was the develop-
ment of the duck call. The first
duck calls were patented in 1870
in Detroit, Michigan. The Reel-
foot Lake Style call is credited to
a blacksmith named Victor Glodo
Jr. He began making calls in the
early 1890’s. The Reelfoot Lake
style call is best known for its bar-
rel shape and copper reeds. Since
the days of Glodo Jr. the Reel-
foot style has not changed very
much. There have been several
master craftsmen of the Reelfoot
style call since the 1890’s. There
have been small changes such as
some call makers used stainless
steel reeds in place of the copper
reeds, but the overall design is
still based off of Victor Glodo’s
design.
Another thing that has changed
dramatically is the use of decoys.
Duck decoys were made origi-
nally with hand carved wooden
blocks. Some of these carvings
were beautiful pieces of art, while
others only vaguely resembled the
figure of a duck. Over the years
hunters wanted lighter options
for decoys so papier mache’ de-
Live ducks would be placed in the decoy spread with leather tethers placed around one leg connected to
a rope with a weight to entice ducks flying overhead to land.

coys came into production. To
keep up with hunter’s demands,
decoys evolved into the plastic
decoys of today.
One of the practices that were
very popular on Reelfoot Lake
during the olden days was the
use of live decoys. Mallard “call
ducks” were used as another tool
in the hunter’s arsenal. Call ducks
would be placed in the decoy
spread with leather tethers placed
around one leg connected to a
rope with a weight. The hunters
would place the ducks so as that
they could not see each other. The
ducks not being able to see each
other would call back and forth
helping to lure in unsuspecting
ducks for the hunters. This prac-
tice was outlawed in the 1930’s.
Over the years how hunters
have hidden from weary water-
fowl has changed drastically. It
was common practice in the ear-
ly 1900’s for hunters to hide out
on canoes and small boats. They
would hide amongst the Cypress
trees or in the lily pads or grass-
es on the lake. There are pic-
tures of hunters sitting on Cy-
press stumps and some hunters
even used to climb into the tops
of small cypress trees to help
hide themselves from the ducks.
Reelfoot Lake duck blinds have
come a long way to the modern
era blinds that are now on the
“Quake Lake”.
Some of them are forty feet
long and have all the ameni-
ties of home. Full kitchens,
couches, heaters to keep the
hunters warm, and some even
have TV for the slower days of
Reelfoot Lake specially made Calhoun boats were often hunted from,
while concealed in a grove of cypress trees.
Logs and big limbs were also employed by the duck hunters to sit on.
I bet a few of them got wet!

waterfowling
action. Reelfoot
duck hunting
has stood the
test of time. It is
a long-honored
lifestyle for the
people lucky
enough to call
it home. When
you watch the
sun come up over the Cypress
trees on a cold January morning,
you can feel the allure of Reelfoot
Lake. You can feel the history, the
folklore, the mystery of the past.
That feeling is as close as you
will ever feel to being one with
any place on earth. For the duck
hunters of Reelfoot Lake, no-
where else in the world can take
its place.
Very rare and important duck call, made by Victor Glodo, Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, circa 1900.
REELFOOT LAKE
A SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LODgINg, FIShINg & OThER
ThINgS TO DO: cONTAcT uS OR vISIT OuR wEbSITE AT
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Do you happen to know the
Grills Family from Newbern,
Tennessee? If not, you are miss-
ing out on some of the finest
people in the farming commu-
nity. I have been fortunate to
know the family since Rusty and
I played Babe Ruth baseball to-
gether in Newbern. I am proud
to be able to call this family my
friends. Since we met, the Grills’
family has stayed true to who
they are and what they believe
in; family, faith, and farming are
the virtues that this family be-
lieves in and instills in all their
relatives.
The Grills family roots can
be traced back to the1600’s.With
generations and generations in
the Grills farming operation, it
is well known that their passion
for the agriculture industry, the
great outdoors, farming, and
the environment is abundant.
They are a family with faith at
the core of their life. The Grills
family goes to Lenox Baptist
Church and has been members
there for six years. Their ninth
generation Tennessee farm re-
lies on conservation, family and
faith. The Grills commitment to
stewardship is a means to “hon-
or the Lord.”
The Grills have land that has
been in the family since the ear-
ly 1800’s. This farm has passed
from generation to generation,
By Jonathan Holden
The Grills farm is a ninth generation, Tennessee farm and has been dated back to the 1800’s.
Photo by Jonathan Holden

through Jack’s grandmother’s
family, the Mulherins. Mrs.
Mary Mulherin’s family farmed
the land and has passed it down
from generation to generation.
Carl Grills farmed the land and
instilled the passion for farm-
ing in his son, A.J. Grills. In
turn, A.J. instilled the same in
his three sons Jack, JC, and Per-
ry Grills {who all are currently
farming or retired farmers}.
Mr. Jack Grills and his love-
ly wife Miss Ann have four
children, three boys and a girl.
Rusty Grills, the eldest son, is
38 and has been married to his
wife, Christi for 14 years. They
have two girls Hadley - age 9,
and Jaxie - age 6.
Jodi Keeling, is a stay at
home wife, and her husband,
Jon, is a minister in Wynne,
Arkansas. They have two chil-
dren, Jon Caden - age 12, and
Bella - age 9.
Hunter Grills is married to
his wife – Laura. The youngest
brother is Cody. He is married
to his wife – Jessica, who teach-
es 5th grade at Fifth Consoli-
dated School. All of the Grills
boys are farming with their fa-
ther. When I asked what all the
boys do, other than farming,
Rusty told me he was a Coun-
ty Commissioner for ten years
and was recently elected as the
Most people see this as just farming. But to the Grills family it is so
much more of a passion, a lifestyle and a heritage.
Here you can see Mr. and Mrs. Grills with their three boys, Christi, and two of their grandchildren. This
is the table where Mrs. Ann has been feeding the family for decades.

State Representative of District
77. Hunter is youth director at
their church and a pilot. Cody
earned enough college credits in
high school to complete a col-
lege degree at the age of 20 and
works three nights a week as a
x-ray tech in a nearby hospital.
While talking with Rusty he
told me that his father always
says, “The day after I graduat-
ed from high school, I went to
the field. It’s the only thing I’ve
ever wanted to do.” His mother
- Ann grew up in the city, knew
nothing about farming but al-
ways knew she wanted to mar-
ry a farmer or a preacher. “I got
both,” she says.
When Rusty was little Ann
often couldn’t find him. Ann
said, “He was always off with his
father and grandfather some-
where on the farm.”
“We are blessed to be able to
spend quality time as a family,”
Rusty says. “A lot of families say
that’s what they want. We’ve al-
ways done that; we grew up that
way.”
Like a lot of families, on
Sundays, they will be going to
church and afterwards they eat
as a family and spend Sunday
together.
It was evident the three
things that Rusty hold dear are
Faith, Family, and Farming.
Rusty has worked since De-
cember of 2019 on the House
Agriculture committee, which
works in direct contact with the
TWRA, Department of Agricul-
ture, and the Department of En-
vironmental and Conservation.
The Grills family is posing with Hunter and the tractor he won for being the Tennessee Farm Bureau’s
Outstanding Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award winner. Photo by Jonathan Holden

His philosophy as a public
servant is, “Listen to the peo-
ple you serve, work hard to
make government accountable
to them, and use common sense
in making decisions.” Rusty is
an avid outdoorsman who loves
to hunt and fish and be a good
steward of the land. Rusty and
I have been friends for a long
time. Ever since I have known
him he has had a passion for
all things in the outdoors, and
this shows in his work as State
Representative.
The Grills farm has around
3000 acres of corn, soybeans,
triticale {a wheat/rye hybrid},
and wheat. They also have six-
ty head of cattle in which they
have a cow/calf operation.
While farming, the Grills men
are active in the Young Farm-
ers and Ranchers. The American
Farm Bureau Federation Young
Farmers & Ranchers program
includes both men and wom-
en between the ages of 18 and
35. The objective of the Young
Farmers & Ranchers program is
to provide leadership in build-
ing a more effective Farm Bu-
reau to preserve our individ-
ual freedoms and expand our
opportunities in agriculture. In
2016, Rusty and Christi Grills
were named the year’s runner-up
in the state competition for
the Outstanding Young Farm-
er Achievement contest. Rusty
has also won the Environmen-
tal Stewardship award in 2014.
Christi Grills won Outstanding
Young Woman in YF&R in 2018.
In 2020, Hunter Grills is Ten-
nessee Farm Bureau’s Outstand-
ing Young Farmer and Ranch-
er Achievement Award winner.
The young, diversified, row crop
and cattle farmer from New-
bern competed against 15 oth-
er county contestants across the
state to be named the state win-
ner and have the opportunity to
compete for national honors in
January. Hunter was named this
year’s winner based upon farm
and financial records from 2019,
as well as his leadership on the
farm, in his community and in
Farm Bureau. Hunter has been
extremely active in the Young
Farmer and Rancher program
Rusty, Christi, and their girls are out on the family farm enjoying
some hunting as a family. Rusty enjoys time off spent in the outdoors.
Photo by Rusty Grills
The Grills family was proudly on hand in support of Rusty as he gets
sworn into office. Photo by Jonathan Holden

for several years, as well as the
Dyer County Farm Bureau, his
church, Lenox Baptist Church,
and his local community.
In 2015, he was the state win-
ner of the Discussion Meet con-
test and went on to be named
as the national runner-up, and
in 2018, he served the organi-
zation as the Tennessee YF&R
State Chairman. He will go to
the American Farm Bureau Con-
vention in San Diego, Califor-
nia in January 2021, where he
will compete for national hon-
ors with other state winners.
The national winner will get a
2020 truck, provided courtesy
of Southern Farm Bureau Life
Insurance and paid registration
to the 2020 YF&R Leadership
Conference in Portland, Oregon.
To know the Grills family is
truly a blessing. Their passion
for faith, family, and farming is
evident when talking with any
family member. The Grills have
relied on those qualities, espe-
cially their faith, through nine
generations, qualities they hold
as dear as the legacy of the land
they continue to maintain and
enrich.
The Grills family went to see Governor Bill Lee and talk to him
about business. Photo by Jonathan Holden

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Yellow Corn-Soybean
Wheat-White Corn

Are American farmers at
risk of aflatoxin or mold prob-
lems in the coming years? As
the interest in corn and cotton
production in the Southeast
continues to grow, so does the
need to reduce aflatoxin con-
tamination and increase the
value of the grain. When we
have heavy rainfall, drought,
extreme heat, and corn ear or
cotton boll injury from insect
feeding stress the corn and cot-
ton, it creates an environment
favorable for molds and afla-
toxin production.
The word “aflatoxin” was
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“fla” from the species name fla-
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toxins can be produced when
By Jonathan Holden
COMBATING AFLATOXIN
IN CORN AND COTTON
These ears of corn are checked in the field and show positive for aflatoxins present.

these molds, or fungi, attack
and grow on certain plants
and plant products. A. flavus
on corn and cotton is the big
mold problem and can produce
aflatoxin B1 which is the most
potent toxin. There are several
different toxins in the aflatox-
in group. They are designated
aflatoxin M1, aflatoxin B1 and
aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1 and
G2, which may be found in
milk of cows fed aflatoxin-con-
taminated feed. Although it has
been known for more than 100
years that some kinds of moldy
grains when eaten by animals
or humans could cause illness,
intensive study of mycotoxins
and the illnesses caused by my-
cotoxins only dates from the
1960s. Cottonseed contamina-
tion has also been a problem
for decades. It is important to
note that the presence of A. fla-
vus on corn does not necessari-
ly mean that aflatoxins are also
present in that corn.
Moisture is required for
sporulation. The fungal spores
land on silks and kernels by
wind dispersal. Under favor-
able environmental and crop
conditions, the spores begin
to grow. Wounds from in-
sect feeding also create favor-
able growth sites. Hot, dry days
and warm nights coupled with
moisture content levels of 17%
to 30% are favorable for the de-
velopment of Aspergillus ear
rot on kernels. When corn is
stressed, the fungi can initi-
ate aflatoxin production on in-
fected kernels of susceptible
products. The most common
stresses that lead to aflatoxin
production in the field include
excessive heat and drought
conditions.
In the Southern United
States, higher insect popula-
tions and air temperatures can
increase the incidence of Asper-
gillus ear rot and aflatoxin pro-
duction. Drought conditions
coupled with high humidity or
high nighttime temperatures
can also lead to sporadic out-
breaks. Poor grain conditioning
and storage conditions, such as
Farmers pray for rain during their growing season and here you can
see how a lack of water will hurt the plants and are favorable condi-
tions for Aflatoxins.
Ear Larva can eat the kernels and leave an opportuni-
ty for Aflatoxins and mold to slip in and damage the ears.

insufficient drying, can lead to
post-harvest Aspergillus infec-
tion and aflatoxin production
on infected kernels and cotton
bolls.
In the United States we
have a low level of aflatoxin
threat to the food safety be-
cause the regulations and test-
ing by agencies, which exclude
these contaminated grains from
the food supply. These agencies
have been successful in protect-
ing the public from contam-
ination. There are guidelines
for aflatoxins in feed and food
in the United States. Cotton-
seed exceeding 300 ppb aflatox-
in must not enter commerce.
Cottonseed with 300 ppb afla-
toxin or less, but more than 20
ppb, can be fed to animals oth-
er than dairy cattle, depending
upon the levels. Aflatoxins are
extremely durable under most
conditions of storage, handling
and processing of seeds or in
foods or feeds made from con-
taminated seeds. Aflatoxins are
highly stable when exposed to
heat and will withstand boiling
in water. Toxin levels in corn
may decline in storage, but still
be present after seven years.
The National Corn Growers
Association Mycotoxin Task
Force is monitoring USDA and
university aflatoxin research on
better hybrids and production
methods.
Aflatoxin in corn and cot-
ton must be monitored close-
ly as it is highly toxic to many
animals and can be fatal to
livestock. Typically, aflatoxins
are not distributed uniformly
through a field of corn or mass
of grain. Field sampling is dif-
ficult. If a corn or cotton com-
bine is used, make one or more
passes the entire length of the
field. As the hopper is being
emptied, pass a cup through
the moving stream at 30-second
intervals until the collected vol-
ume totals 10 pounds. Mix this
well and save for testing. The
final step in the analysis for af-
latoxins is to determine wheth-
er they are present in a sample
and, if so, in what concentra-
tion. Various rapid test kits
may be used in the field, on the
farm or at the grain elevator to
detect the presence of aflatoxins
and, in some cases, quantify the
When the right amount of moisture is added to a cotton crop, the
farmer has a good yield. As you can see, this cotton field suffers
due to a flood, which can result in molds and Aflatoxins forming on
the cotton. Photo by Jonathan Holden
Here you can see that high
moisture content in the corn
will allow for Aflatoxins to be
more present.

level present. Several commer-
cial firms have marketed rapid
test kits based on enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assays for use
in determining the presence of
aflatoxins in corn samples. ELI-
SA kits, Minicolumn test, and
Thin layer chromatography is
three of the testing methods that
can be used.
Many methods for lower-
ing the aflatoxin levels in corn
and cotton have been tested, but
most are not effective, or are
only partially effective. One of
the methods includes mechan-
ical separation, where a screen
separates broken kernels, or
used for alternative feeding, or
taken to a distillery. There are
also some management practices
to minimize these toxins in corn
and cotton.
Some ways to avoid these
toxins are to plant regional-
ly adapted hybrids, select ap-
propriate planting dates, limit
damage by insects, apply opti-
mum water from silking to late
dough stage, minimize trash and
broken kernels when harvesting,
harvest when 24 percent mois-
ture and dry to 15 percent with-
in 24 hours, clean augers and
pits often, clean trailers, hold-
ing bins, and storage bins thor-
oughly, and apply Alfa guard at
beginning tassel stage of growth.
They are used primarily on corn,
but AF 36 Prevail is also labeled
for cottonseed.
Scout your fields at back layer
and two weeks prior to harvest
for insect or Aspergillus dam-
age, if you have ear rot or in-
sect damage harvest early, dry
and wet corn, and monitor the
moisture content in the field.
If you have contaminated
grains, you still have options.
You cannot carry contaminat-
ed grains across state lines. Any
grain Below 300 ppb can still be
fed to beef cattle, also it can be
taken to local distillery’s, or it
may be cleaned with a screen or
gravity table.
The key to keeping these tox-
ins out is to keep healthy corn
harvested at the right moisture
content and then for the farmers
or granaries to properly man-
age grains during drying and
storage.
When using sound crop ro-
tation, harvesting corn early and
then drying it, southern grow-
ers can likely reduce the threat
of dreaded aflatoxin. Identify-
ing the fungus that produces
aflatoxin, testing grain for con-
tamination, and managing con-
taminated grain can help con-
trol aflatoxin in corn. Keeping
corn healthy is often the best
way to prevent aflatoxin. Grow-
ers should also consider plant-
ing more drought-tolerant corn
hybrids, some of which may
ward off aflatoxin invasions.
Editor’s Note: Jonathan Hold-
en is an Agriculture Education
Teacher at Dresden High School.
His background is in Agricul-
ture and Animal Science.
These are some of the testing equipment that can be used to test your
grains for Aflatoxins.

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After spending over fifty years
in deer stands you would expect
me to know a little about deer.
Add a degree in Wildlife Man-
agement plus thirty-nine years
as a biologist and you might
say I should have everything
covered, but when I recently
signed up for the Quality Deer
Management Associations Deer
Steward 1 online training course
this past spring, I was pleasantly
surprised.
Before I retired, there were
always required training class-
es, but I always avoided them
when I could, but this training
is a little different. After all, it’s
about one of my favorite game
animals, white-tailed deer.
When I was working as a
District Wildlife Biologist, I wish
every deer club I worked with
had at least one person taking
Deer Stewardship 1 before I vis-
ited their property. It would have
made my job a breeze! It was al-
ways difficult to explain to some
of the hunters, why you need to
collect age and body weights,
plus reproductive information
on the does. I remember one
club that had a board in their
headquarters, it listed every deer
and how many points each deer
had, but they did not have a clue
about age or body weights, much
less changes that had occurred
over time. Some clubs remained
in a rut so to
s a y , p l a n t -
ing the same
grains year
a f t e r y e a r ,
never trying
to do some-
thing differ-
e n t . T h e r e
are so many
more options
out there that
you should be
considering.
The Deer
S t e w a r d 1
class brief-
ly covers the
history of the
Quality Deer
Management
Associa-
tion, defining
Quality Deer
Management,
as well as giv-
ing students a
detailed look
into deer biol-
ogy, behavior, management, and
how population dynamics affect
deer herds.
One of the most interesting
segments dealt with predators
By Richard Hines
Antlerless deer management is as important as
managing the buck segment of your herd.

and how they affect deer herds,
from bobcats to bears. Some
of the newest research to come
along shows that when coyotes
arrived in the eastern U.S. pre-
dation was not really an issue,
but turning the clock ahead from
the 1990s into 2020, coyotes may
be beginning to have an impact
on deer populations, depending
on location. The online instruc-
tor carefully explains this por-
tion and to the point you should
be able to explain it to your club
members or friends. Research is
continually moving ahead and
the information you will obtain
is kept up to date. Best of all this
information can be implemented
on your property.
Habitat management is cov-
ered thoroughly and I think back
to forty-five years ago, planting
a small patch of winter wheat
near my deer stand, all in hopes
of a deer stopping by. You will
find out, it is not just about at-
tracting deer, but allowing deer
on your property to thrive by
making foodplots a part of your
Deer Steward 1 covers how
bucks associate with other bucks
in bachelor groups as shown in
this graph.
Deer Steward 1 covers how to
properly plan your foodplots so
they fill in seasonal gaps so deer
have a continual supply of food
throughout the year.
Deer Steward 1 covers individual plants such as soybeans to describe
the overall benefit throughout the year.

management plan.
Notice I said “part”. The sec-
tion on “Forest Management for
Deer” describes the ideal forest
situation for deer and manage-
ment techniques needed to im-
prove habitat, including pre-
scribed fire and how harvesting
timber can benefit deer. You will
learn some forestry terms, “Even
Age” verses “Uneven Age” forest
management and why you need
to make release cuts around
acorn trees to increase acorn
production.
Signing up for the Deer Stew-
ard 1 Level Course is easy and
has been updated. Once you go
through the QDMA
website, you will be
directed to a link for
online classes through
Clemson University. If
you decide to take the
course, you must have
a high-speed internet
connection with Goo-
gle Chrome or an Ap-
ple Safari browser.
To make it easy,
print each PowerPoint
section, staple it and
have it ready so you
can take notes. The
class is a top-quali-
ty presentation and I
also know that forest-
ers and wildlife biol-
ogists alike are taking
this for their Con-
tinuing Education
requirements.
Deer Steward 1
covers twenty topics,
each taking about 48
to 58 minutes. Once
you sign up you will
have 180 days to com-
plete the series of six
sessions. At the end
of each session there
is a test, but do not
panic! Each test is
open notes, which is
another reason why
you need to print each
PowerPoint presentation.
Matt Ross, Assistant Director
of Conservation at QDMA told
me that the point of the exam is
to not penalize you, but to help
you with the learning and reten-
tion process.
Just to make sure I took each
Here is my diploma for completing the class.

test multiple times and it helped
me key in on several issues I
might have missed. In any case,
don’t complain, I bet you never
had a test on deer when you were
in school! While I could have fin-
ished in a few weeks, I stretched
my sessions into three months.
For a lot of hunters, even starting
the Deer Steward 1 prior to hunt-
ing season might work well. After
you watch the section on “Antler-
less Deer Management” or “Sur-
vey Techniques for White-tailed
Deer”, you will find yourself sit-
ting in your tree stand thinking
about how you could improve
your deer herd, or how rotating
food plot plants will improve
fawn production. The ideas you
will obtain from this class may be
just what you need.
Ross said, “We started our
live Deer Stewardship 1 classes
in 2007, but went to the current
online version in 2013” The class
was revised in 2018. Because of
the current situation with white-
tailed deer continually changing,
Ross added, “We plan to upgrade
this version in another couple of
years”.
To date, over 5,000 white-
tailed deer enthusiasts such as
yourself have signed up and
graduated from Deer Steward 1.
Once you complete the class, the
Quality Deer Management Asso-
ciation also hosts a Deer Steward
2. This is intensive on the ground
and in the field instruction about
deer biology and deer manage-
ment and is offered each year
at varying locations. Ross said
“About half of the participants
in Deer Steward 2 attend the sec-
ond session”.
Once you complete the class,
notify QDMA Headquarters and
you will receive a nice certificate
worth hanging on the wall, signi-
fying your graduation from Deer
Steward 1, but most important-
ly you will have expanded your
knowledge about white-tailed
deer and become a valuable stew-
ard for this important resource
we all enjoy.
Editor’s Note: If you are not fa-
miliar with the Quality Deer
Management Association and lo-
cal chapters in your area, check
out their website at https://www.
qdma.com/ or to go directly to the
Deer Steward I Class information;
https://www.qdma.com/steward/
deer-steward-online/
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

In this article, we get a glimpse
of what many waterfowlers are
calling the best duck hunting
guide service in the region. It is
called REDRUM DUCK CLUB.
The principal owner is Jeff Da-
vis and Slayton Gearin is the Di-
rector of Operations and Head
Guide. I asked them a series of
questions. Their answers and the
photos that accompany this arti-
cle should tell you that you need
to book a hunt with them right
away!
STO: Can you explain why you
two decided to go into the duck
guiding business?
RR DUCK CLUB: To share our
passion of duck hunting with
like-minded customers. We are
going hunting anyways, so might
as well carry someone with us.
We wanted our customer’s hunt
to be as enjoyable and memora-
ble as we would expect ourselves
from any outfitter.
STO: Can you give our readers
some background information
on you both?
RR DUCK CLUB: Jeff has been
duck hunting for 38 years. He
has hunted in Camden, Big San-
dy, and WMAs for 27 years and
in West Tennessee for 11 years.
Slayton started hunting at age
nine. He started competing in the
Junior World Competition at age
11, while winning two World’s
Championship and over 30 more
titles since his start. His hunting
knowledge has been obtained by
chasing waterfowl to hunt and or
guide in two provinces and over
Duck Club
A TOP SPOT FOR QUACKER SMACKERS IN WEST TENNESSEE
By Rob Somerville

ten different states. He has been
working in the Outdoor Indus-
try for over a decade, while being
featured in several magazines, TV
shows, commercials, website and
YouTube clips. As we never quit
learning, we love to share what
we’ve been fortunate enough to
learn. With that being said, we
are open ears to any question a
customer may have.
STO: What advantages does
Redrum Duck Club have over
other outfitters in the region?
RR DUCK CLUB: The num-
ber of different properties we
have. Weather dictates success
for harvesting ducks and geese, so
we have 12 properties to choose
from daily. We have four prop-
erties spread out from north to
south of Dyer County, located
adjacent to the White’s Lake Ref-
uge and adjacent to Tiger Tail on
the south end
of the coun-
ty. In Lauder-
dale County,
our property
adjoins Lake
Lauderdale
R e f u g e f o r
2,140 feet on
the south side.
Duck traffic is
not a problem
at any of our
locations. We
will either go
to where the
ducks want to be, or where the
ducks don’t mind stopping!
STO: What types of hunt accom-
modations does Redrum Duck
Club offer?
RR DUCK CLUB: We have four
houses that have four bedrooms
each, double occupancy in each
room, and a five-stand, clay tar-
get, shooting course. We have
accommodations for each prop-
erty that we own to make trans-
portation simple. We move you
to where the ducks are.
STO: What is the average duck
harvest per year?

RR DUCK CLUB: Just two of
the properties annually average
over 1,000 birds each, with the
addition of 10 more spots, we
expect the club to range in the 3,
000 to 4,000 range of birds annu-
ally. We just need enough hunters
to have 3 to 4 blinds being hunted
daily, so come get in on the fun.
STO: What would hunters need
to bring with them when booking
a hunt with you?
RR DUCK CLUB: Proper License
and stamps, plenty of shells, warm
knee boots, dependable shotgun,
face mask, headlight, and a big
smile.
STO: Are there open dates for the
2020-21 duck season?
RR DUCK CLUB: Yes, but we
recommend booking your hunts
early.
STO: Please let our readers know
how to get more information on
REDRUM DUCK CLUB and how
to contact you.
RR DUCK CLUB: Slayton
Gearin at 731-431-3332 or Jeff
Davis at 615-719-2109. You can
also check us out on Facebook at
Redrum Duck Club.
Thanks fellas. I know both of
these men and also am friends
with plenty of people that have
hunted with them. They are a class
act and know how to treat peo-
ple with world famous “Southern
Hospitality.” I highly recommend
you give them a call today!

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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

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As I drove past the Reelfoot
Lake Campground area, I saw a
horse in the campground. I must
say that was a first and I won-
dered about a visitor on a horse
and all of the other visitors from
across the United States.
When I drive by the camp-
ground or resort parking, I like to
look at license plates to see where
visitors are coming from to visit
our unique lake. Reelfoot Lake
is very unusual, having been cre-
ated by massive earthquakes in
1811 and 1812, making it a natu-
ral fish hatchery. I frequently see
Tennessee and Kentucky license
plates, but it is not uncommon
to see plates from New York and
California {with every state in be-
tween especially Illinois, Missou-
ri, Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Wis-
consin, and Minnesota}.
Since I had no way to deter-
mine where the horse was from,
I stopped to talk with his rid-
er, Tony Jones, from Texas. In
2016, Mr. Jones rode his horse
from South Dakota to Washing-
ton D.C. to raise awareness to
military veterans’ needs. Having
moved to Texas and now owning
a horse named Sarge {who was
previously a racehorse} Mr. Jones
is riding from Texas to Washing-
ton D.C. again promoting aware-
ness of veterans’ needs. Sarge is
off the racetrack and now travels
at a slower pace of 2.5 mph and
they travel 20-25 miles a day.
They enjoyed Reelfoot Lake so
much that they extended their
visit an extra night to enjoy the
unique scenery at the “Quake
Lake”. It is great that they made
their way to Reelfoot Lake like so
many other visitors.
Most visitors travel the high-
ways in vehicles, many pull-
ing boats and campers. I have
seen motorcycle riders, car club
groups and some fly in via pri-
vate aircraft to the Air Park at the
north end of the lake. Church,
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
By Katrina Greer

retirement home and tour buses
loaded with hungry passengers,
visit our restaurants. We are fa-
mous for golden fried catfish and
country ham meals with all the
trimmings. Many visitors come
frequently and have enjoyed
Reelfoot Lake for several years.
Fishing and waterfowl hunting
are extremely popular at Reelfoot
Lake. These two sports bring in
lots of visitors, many of whom
have fished and hunted here for
more than 30 years. Yes, the
fishing and duck hunting is that
good! Every year, first-time vis-
itors come and catch coolers full
of crappie, bluegill, and catfish.
If you are interested in vis-
iting Reelfoot Lake, please visit
their website at www.reelfoot-
tourism.com or call Reelfoot
Lake Tourism Council at 731-
253-2007 for more information
about Reelfoot Lake, festivals,
eagle tours, resorts and so many
interesting things to do.
However you choose to get here,
even on a horse, you will find
lots to enjoy at our unique lake.
WE HAVE A WHOLE FLEET OF WRECKERS
FOR ANY SITUATION!
CHECK OUT OUR SELECTION
OF DIXIE DEER BLINDS!

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Anxiously awaiting the fall
flight forecast are duck hunters
all over the region, but nowhere
more so than right here in Ten-
nessee. True blue Volunteer State
waterfowlers have it on their
minds all year long.
Even during the dog days of
summer - when heat and hu-
midity dominate - a duck hunt-
er will start up a conversation
with someone about the upcom-
ing season. Frosty mornings and
bone chilling winds are months
away, but it’s never too early to
talk about it.
When summer starts fading
into fall then conversation chang-
es gears. That means it’s time to
start brushing blinds, doing some
carpenter work, repairing leaky
decoys and perhaps test driving
the duck boat and motor to see
what’s broken and in need of a
fix.
There are several things duck
hunters have in common; one
that comes to mind is that some-
thing always needs fixing! The
sport has a reputation for put-
ting equipment through an en-
durance test.
Meanwhile, what’s the fall flight
forecast looking like? Any word
on how the water was this spring
on the breeding grounds? Have
seasons or bag limits changed?
Do you think it will be better this
year than last time around?
Such are the questions on most
every knee booter’s mind these
days. In fact, there’s a familiar
F O R E C A S T
W A T E R F O W L
Duck hunters down south are hoping normal winter weather returns and sends more ducks winging south
of the Mason-Dixon Line this year. USFWS photo
By Steve McCadams

list of questions that surface every
year about this time, regardless
of where you hunt or how long
you’ve been doing it.
It is sort of like talking about
your favorite college or high
school football team. And, the
best season is always the one
forthcoming.
LAST YEAR WAS TOUGH
For the lion’s share of south-
ern waterfowlers last year was
pretty tough on morale. To say
the ducks treated us nasty would
be a gross understatement.
A good portion of the region
also faced inferior seasons the
year before. So, that wasn’t too
rosy either. Two back to back
years of below average seasons
sort of plays mind games, even
on veteran hunters.
Lots of guys have been down
in the dumps these last two sea-
sons, after spending tons of mon-
ey and time, only to be left out in
the cold when ducks didn’t mi-
grate to areas like they were sup-
posed to.
Within the ranks is a lot of talk
nowadays about flyway patterns
changing. Ducks seem to follow
the water and these last two years
the seasons can be summarized
with a description of “warm and
wet”.
While warm winters and
abundant water may benefit some
areas, it greatly alters the migra-
tion patterns for ducks and geese.
When the mighty Mississippi
River backs out over thousands
of acres of farmland, scattered
across four to five states, it’s a
scenario favorable to the ducks
and unfavorable to those that
hunt them.
There are exceptions; as some
hunters are mobile enough to
move about in temporary setups
or wading the backwaters when
they scout and find where the
ducks are using. But, be careful,
because wading in unfamiliar
timber holes or sloughs means
it’s just a matter of time before a
hunter floats his hat!
However, jumping logs and
navigating swift waters in pur-
suit of backwater duck holes is a
young man’s game. It’s danger-
ous at times and tough on both
equipment and those who use it.
Bottom line is that high water
scatters ducks. When wet winters
occur without cold conditions to
ice up shallow feeding and roost-
ing areas {which is what has hap-
pened over a vast area the last two
seasons} ducks have ample places
to dodge hunting pressure.
Last year was a prime exam-
ple as huge portions of southern
Illinois, all across the Bootheel of
Missouri, eastern Arkansas, west
Tennessee and Kentucky and
even the northern tip of Missis-
sippi had abundant water once
the Mississippi River overflowed.
That changes everything. Normal
routes for wintering waterfowl
take on a different course. Ducks
Bagging a nice pile of ducks like this is what makes that early wake-up
call worth it. Tennessee hunters will have another 60-day season and
6-duck bag limit ahead. Photo by Steve McCadams

don’t have to fly very far to find
food and water if hunting pres-
sure pushes them out of an area.
A glance at waterfowl counts
on state and federal refuges last
year showed peak numbers were
down throughout the winter.
Both warm weather and flood-
ing were no doubt factors, as to
the whereabouts of ducks during
December and January.
Some very popular hunting ar-
eas that ranged from Barkley and
Kentucky Lake in the east to Reel-
foot Lake and all across flooded
rice fields west into eastern Ar-
kansas and Missouri where popu-
lar blinds, pits and public wildlife
management area had a reputa-
tion of providing good hunting
were sucking wind. Ducks just
weren’t traveling to traditional
areas or following their normal
routes.
Sure there were a few excep-
tions. There always are. A few
high dollar private hunting clubs
adjacent to refuges bagged ducks
at times. Others spots up the Obi-
on, Forked Deer and Hatchie
River bottoms had short honey-
moons with a few ducks, but the
average hunter faced inconsisten-
cy across the region and suffered
hard times.
Day after day of empty skies,
or hunting the same old ducks
because no new flocks were mi-
grating through, made for a be-
low average season for scores of
weary waterfowlers.
WHAT’S THE FORECAST
For the first time in its 65-year
history, the Waterfowl Breed-
ing Population and Habitat Sur-
vey was cancelled by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USF-
WS), Canadian Wildlife Service
(CWS) and state partners due to
COVID-19 restrictions.
Because of recent changes in
how harvest regulations are set,
survey cancellations will not af-
fect the 2020-21 hunting sea-
son. Proposed regulations for
the 2020-21 season were based
on population and habitat con-
ditions from the 2019 breeding
season and are making their way
through the approval process.
For the 2021-2022 general
duck seasons, Richkus said the
USFWS will use the long-term
data and models to predict 2020
spring abundances of ducks and
habitat conditions in place of the
spring 2020 data. The results from
these predictions will be com-
bined with the existing harvest
strategies to determine appropri-
ate levels of harvest for the 2021-
2022 season.
Meanwhile, there’s some good
news in the wind. North Dakota
based Delta Waterfowl says ex-
cellent breeding conditions in
the Dakotas and Manitoba helped
produce an abundance of ducks,
which should benefit hunters this
season.
“Conditions were good in
key regions for breeding ducks,
and production was strong over-
all. If we get a few timely cold
Delta Waterfowl says excellent breeding conditions in the Dakotas and Manitoba helped produce an
abundance of ducks, which should benefit hunters this season. Photo courtesy of Delta Waterfowl

fronts, then it could be a tru-
ly memorable season,” says Dr.
Frank Rohwer, president of Del-
ta Waterfowl
Delta Waterfowl forecasts that
a mix of average to above aver-
age breeding conditions in the
prairie pothole region, combined
with a stable population of breed-
ing ducks, will result in a strong
fall flight for the upcoming wa-
terfowl season. Importantly, The
Duck Hunters Organization ex-
pects improved flights of dab-
bling ducks over 2019, especial-
ly for blue-winged teal, mallards
and gadwalls.
“These surveys are the bed-
rock of effective harvest manage-
ment in North America and have
helped sustain waterfowl pop-
ulations and abundant hunting
opportunities for over 60 years,”
said Ducks Unlimited Chief Con-
servation Officer Karen Waldrop.
“Although we will miss the
anticipation and excitement that
comes with the annual release of
the May survey results, we don’t
expect the cancellation of surveys
to impact seasons and bag limits
for the majority of species. The
combination of healthy, robust
waterfowl populations and our
long-term experience with these
types of data, gives us faith that
the waterfowl management com-
munity can project populations
with a high level of certainty.”
SEASON DATES SIMILAR TO
LAST YEAR
Tennessee duck hunters will
see another 60-day season, with
another liberal 6-duck daily bag
limit. Statewide season dates are
November 28-29 for the first seg-
ment; December 5-January 31,
2021 for the second segment.
The Reelfoot Lake Zone will
have its early weekend opener
November 14-15. Second seg-
ment there is the same as the
statewide segment, which is De-
cember 5 through January 31,
2021.
As season nears, optimism lev-
els rise. Duck hunters in Tennes-
see have long known weather and
water conditions deal the cards.
In a changing world that’s some-
thing that never seems to change!
Editor’s note: Steve McCadams is
a professional guide and outdoor
writer from Paris, Tennessee. You
can reach him at stevemc@char-
ter.net.
REELFOOT OUTDOORS LLC
3330 STATE ROUTE 21 E.
ON REELFOOT LAKE
TIPTONVILLE, TN - 38079
EMAIL: reelfootoutdoors@att.net
www.reelfoot-outdoors.com
OWNER: MACKY WILSON
Reelfoot Outdoors is your one-stop outdoor shop
for anyone visiting beautiful Reelfoot Lake.
They offer the best, time tested, hunting and
fishing equipment for your visit to the
“Quake Lake”
Coming in from out of the area? No problem, as
Reelfoot Outdoors offers quality and affordable
lodging. They can even hook you up with a local
guide, whether for duck hunting or fishing!
Owner Macky Wilson is dedicated to supplying
all his cutomers with the best chance to get the
most out of their visit to the lake.
Best of all, Reelfoot Outdoors is the only
outdoor outfitters located right on scenic Reelfoot
Lake. They wrote the book on
Southern Hospitality!

That howling sound has dis-
appeared from the big waters of
Kentucky Lake. It’s because the
“Dog Days of Summer” have fad-
ed away, opening up the door to
seasonal changes that will soon
put a nip in the air.
Are you ready to trade hot
and humid days for some light
jacket mornings and shirt sleeve
afternoons? How ‘bout plenty of
room at the boat ramp and beau-
tiful hills full of hardwoods hold-
ing on to their annual parade of
colors that mirror nature’s image
in placid waters?
Bright, yellow, scaly bark hick-
ories dot the ridges mixed with
some burnt orange from scores
of oaks that reflect nature’s paint-
brush. It is indeed a sight to see
and a colorful background for a
fall bass fishing expedition at the
region’s biggest reservoir.
If that’s not enough to jerk
your bobber under then add
calm winds, bass patterns hold-
ing up from week to week, and
the sound of some early arriv-
ing geese and ducks overhead as
their annual migration goes into
motion!
It’s a fall fishing fiesta and
Kentucky Lake offers a wide va-
riety of angling opportunities. It’s
a season that’s often overlooked
and very underrated by many
anglers.
After Labor Day, it seems the
fishermen retake the waters. Sep-
tember signals the beginning of a
By Steve McCadams
Light jacket mornings and shirt sleeve afternoons await fall bass
anglers on Kentucky Lake. The season is both overlooked and
underrated for bass here. Photo by Steve McCadams

cooling trend and by October fish
resume more active modes.
Gone are the crowds at the
boat ramps and across the lake.
The recreational navy of jet skis
and pontoons, blasting loud mu-
sic has begun early hibernation.
Like most reservoirs in the
TVA system, Kentucky Lake has
an annual draw down but the
big pond changes gradually with
only a five-foot difference be-
tween summer and winter pool
elevation. That’s in sharp contrast
to many eastern state reservoirs
where draw down can be 20 to
30 feet or more during fall and
winter months.
Locals call it “low water” when
winter pool elevation occurs,
which is 354 feet above sea level,
but for bass fishermen it’s a new
lake. That is, fall fishing territory
differs vastly from spring or sum-
mer structure.
Bass anglers love fall here as
an abundance of gravel banks and
rock points beg for a shad colored
crankbait to be tossed their way.
Other lures in the arsenal can
range from jig and pig combos,
to jerk baits that imitate a cripple
shad’s dying quiver.
EARLY MORNING/LATE
AFTERNOONS
Rise early and slip around to
a gravel bank, where fog filters a
sluggish rising sun and you can
harness the lowlight conditions
for several hours.
Especially on the eastern
shorelines of the lake, a shady
scenario can deliver some aggres-
sive shad activity, where tossing
the topwater bait of your choice
can be about as much fun as you
want to make it.
In the lowlight conditions
thousands of threadfin shad can
be seen popping along the slop-
ing gravel banks where they’re in
a feeding frenzy. They’re feast-
ing on the early morning midge
hatch, a tiny insect that delivers
a buffet to the batfish in lowlight
conditions.
Walking the dog with a Zara
Spook, or the twitch start and
stop technique of a Rebel Pop-R,
or Storm’s Chugg-Bug are two
poplar choices in the early morn-
ing arsenal. A floating Rapala is
another one deserving honorable
mention.
Sometimes a buzzbait will trig-
ger some strikes too, but often the
bass are working the shallow ar-
eas, so a light entry from a jerk-
bait landing in the water doesn’t
An anglers targets one of the many gravel banks here that are so popular for fall fishing. Early mornings
and late afternoons often provide great topwater action when shad are up feeding.
Photo by Steve McCadams

spook the finicky fish and the sil-
ver shaded finish of a bait mimics
the forage base that lures the bass
there in the first place.
Just a slight change in col-
or, shape or motion can alter the
lure’s appeal. Fall bass on the
banks can be peculiar!
Most bass anglers agree that
fishing topwater is the ultimate
style or technique for heart stop-
ping thrills. It requires a cadence
and technique with the rhythm of
a musician to properly cast and
retrieve a jerkbait in order make
it perform and trigger finicky fish
into striking.
Then, there’s the visible struc-
ture pattern of shallow stumps
and logs, along with a vast array
of manmade crappie beds that
peak out from beneath a shallow
surface. A little twig here or a
dark spot under the water there;
chances are there’s more habitat
beneath than what meets the eye
and such venues are havens for
hungry fall bass waiting to am-
bush their prey.
Tossing a spinnerbait and
slow rolling it over a submerged
stump or working a shallow run-
ning crankbait alongside a bridge
pier or private dock can often test
your tackle here too.
Late fall bass here have an
attitude and an appetite. Shal-
low water patterns develop as
gizzard and threadfin shad find
a comfort zone in shallow bays
and coves. Surface temperatures
are still warm - often in the mid
to upper 50’s - and the baitfish
frolic around shallow habitat
where algae and plankton meet
their needs.
Smallmouth have been known
to sneak up on a rock point and
steal a crawfish or two in the pris-
tine waters of the eastern bays in
Land Between the Lakes. Search-
ing the backs of big bays and
watching for gull activity can of-
ten lead an angler to baitfish ac-
tivity. Follow the birds for bites!
Gone is the abundance of
aquatic weeds that once covered
the backwater bays and provided
carpets of cover throughout the
reservoir in open water flats. In
the late 1980’s and early 1990’s
vegetation in the form of Eur-
asian watermilfoil, coon tail moss
and spiny leaf naiad covered the
reservoir’s shallow zones, provid-
ing abundant habitat and refuge
for baitfish and bass here.
All that has changed as the
aquatic weeds began to disappear
a few years ago. No one knows for
sure who’s to blame, but when
Asian carp entered the picture the
grassbeds disappeared. Go figure!
Yet, it’s the diversity of the
lake that appeals to so many bass
anglers, as several different pat-
terns can be applied all at the
same time. From the shallow
pockets of secondary bays in both
the Tennessee and Kentucky por-
tion to the deep, rock bluffs of
Land Between the Lakes along the
main Tennessee River, Kentucky
Lake has some water for every
lure in the tackle box.
It’s not unusual to see bass
anglers hit the banks in the early
mornings and fall back to main
lake humps and ledges at mid-
day, changing their approach and
patterns and with different lure
presentations.
Summer may be gone but
summer bass patterns of fish-
ing main lake ledges and sand-
bars can linger on into late fall.
When current is present it seems
to stimulate the bite on main lake
sandbars when crankbaits dom-
inate and lures such as chrome
colored Rattle Traps or Red-eye
shad type lures are at the top of
the angler’s list.
PAY ATTENTION TO
CHANNEL MARKERS
During fall, the reservoir de-
scends to its low ebb. Boaters are
advised to use caution, howev-
er, when boating here as shallow
sandbars and stubborn stumps
have been known to damage a
few lower units on outboards.
Pay close attention to channel
markers and avoid the temptation
for taking shortcuts, even out in
the middle of the lake.
Fall fishing here means the
reservoir is approaching TVA’s
normal winter drawdown lev-
el. Locals take it in stride, as it’s
a normal occurrence and starts
back in early July on a slow, grad-
ual path to provide more storage
capacity within the reservoir.
Lower lake levels expose a lot
of good fishing spots in the form
of stumps, manmade crappie
beds that stick up above the sur-
face and sandbars as well.
Bottom line is Kentucky Lake
changes with the seasons. Both
lake stages and weather chang-
es throughout the year and so
should the approach and tech-
niques of bass anglers testing the
waters here.

421 W. COURT ST.
DYERSBURG, TENNESSEE
731-285-5767
sam@bradshaw4insurance.com
Sam Bradshaw
Contact information:
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

54 SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020MAY - JUNE 2019 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 54SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2020 | SOUTHERN TRADITIONS OUTDOORS 54
This largemouth bass was caught by Gavin Sipes
in Roellen, Tennessee.
Photo submitted by Chad Sipes.
Jason “Triple J” Edmonds
caught this hawg bass out of
Carroll County Lake.
R o b e r t “ D o c ” J a c k s o n
caught this nice smallmouth
at Pickwick Lake.
Perry “PeeWee” Cox with one of the many
big bass he regularly catches, usually
fishing the river bottoms.

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Southern Traditions Outdoor - September/October 2020

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