Southern Traditions Outdoors January - February 2015

Complimentary Copy January - February 2015
THE KING OF KENTUCKY LAKE
MASTER GUIDE OF PICKWICK LAKE
FISH STRUCTURE
AMERICAN FARMER: BORN AND BRED
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ALPHA DOE

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Advertising Information:
Southern Traditions Outdoors | Rob Somerville
(731) 446-8052 stomag1@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER - Neither the authors nor 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
The hardest deer in the herd to harvest is the “alpha doe.” She is the warning system for all other deer in the vicinity, including trophy
bucks. - Photo by Rob Somerville
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.
Garry Mason
Walter Wilkerson
Terry Wilkerson
Steve McCadams
Kelley Powers
Shawn Todd
Eddie Brunswick
Larry Self
John Sloan
Richard Simms
John Meacham
Buck Gardner
Scott Marcin
Ed Lankford
Drew Brooks
John Latham
John Roberts
Paul E. Moore
Rob Hurt
Mark Buehler
Field Staff Editors
Owners - Eddie Anderson
Rob Somerville
Kevin Griffith
Stacey Lemons
Publisher - Eddie Anderson
Editor - Rob Somerville
Magazine Design - Kalli Lipke
Advertising Sales
Rob Somerville - Managing
Partner
Distribution
Johnathan Anderson
Mike Robinson
Southern Traditions Outdoors Magazine, LLC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PG................... ARTICLE........................................................... AUTHOR
6...........................Life as a Kentucky Lake Guide...........................................Steve McCadams
14..........................An American Farmer Born and Bred: Eddie Anderson.......Rob Somerville
20..........................Now Is the Time to Place Fish Structure............................Paul E. Moore
28..........................Collector’s Corner...............................................................Rob Hurt
32..........................Fishing with a Mission........................................................Kevin Griffith
40..........................To Train or Not to Train.......................................................Shawn Todd
44..........................Bass Fishing the Big Pond - Kentucky Lake......................Garry Mason
46..........................Master Guide of Pickwick Lake..........................................Mark Boehler
52..........................Trophy Room......................................................................STO
From the Desk of the Editor
The Alpha Doe
While doing deer hunting seminars across the region, I often ask attendees the question, “What is
the hardest animal to harvest in a deer herd?”
I usually get a majority of answers, with most participants claiming that the mature buck is the hard-
est to take. This may be true, but for a small window of opportunity, which lasts about three weeks
in most areas, the whitetail mating season called …. the rut.
During the rut the mature buck takes on the same characteristics
as eventually all human males do. They fall helplessly in love,
chase the object of their hearts desire all over the land, forget to
eat or sleep, and don’t care who sees them or where their amorous
attentions are viewed. That is their weakness and gives hunters a
great opportunity at taking one.
But, there is one deer that serves as a warning siren to the entire
herd. She is the “alpha” or dominant doe. She is usually a wiz-
ened, old crony of 3 ½ years of age or more.
All of you who have ever deer hunted much have seen her. When you are watching a group of
does in an agricultural field, nearly all of them have their heads down, feeding. They are seemingly
without a care in the world, except one single doe. She keeps jerking her head up, looking over her
shoulder and rotating her ears like radar dishes for sounds of danger. She is the dominant doe. The
others key on her every movement, and if she breaks and blows an alarm snort, the rest will follow
suit and run.
Another way to spot the alpha doe on your land is when you see two, small groups of does meet in
a field. The most dominant doe from each small group will approach each other, with their “gal pals”
following behind each of them. Sometimes, these two matriarchs will raise up on their hind legs,
almost looking like boxers, as they paw at each other with their front paws. This usually just lasts a
few seconds, as one of them will soon lower their head to the ground, like a dog that just got caught
messing in the house. The doe that is bowing her head is pretty much telling the other that she recog-
nizes her dominance. The new queen has been crowned and soon all the deer feed happily together.
As Spiderman says, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Thus, the new “alpha doe” is
charged with protecting the herd.
She is the one that will daintily step in to a field and immediately spot any deer stand on its edges.
Trophy bucks will watch her in the field from their staging areas just inside the woods. If she gets
nervous, they get gone! The Alpha doe is the first deer you should harvest from the herd.
Good luck because Hell hath no fury, like an alpha doe!
- Rob Somerville

fter 39 years as a profession-
al hunting and fishing guide
here in Tennessee, I can vouch for
several things, but a few quickly
come to mind. Each year the rain
is a littler wetter; the cold is a little
colder; the wind is a little stron-
ger; and the sun is
a little hotter.
Some wise old
timer told me
it’s called the ag-
ing factor, which
seems to be alive
and well here in my
end of the boat and
in my spot in the
duck blind.
Back in March
I reached the mile-
stone of 60 years
of age and if you
do the math you’ve
rewound the clock
back to a day when
I was 19 and full
of vim and vigor.
Almost four de-
cades have passed
and I’ve still got
some of that stuff,
but sometimes the
quantities have di-
minished and other
times I just can’t quite remember
where I put it!
No complaints, however, as the
journey has been quite interesting.
There have been a few bumps and
bends in the road, but overall, it
has been a pretty smooth cruise on
the high seas of a life as a profes-
sional guide on my home waters
of Tennessee’s “Big Pond” - Ken-
tucky Lake.
I’m often asked to reminisce
and dig up a few stories from the
thousands of sunrises and sunsets
I’ve been fortunate to see and
share with legions of outdoors-
men. They’ve traveled from far
and near to share a day with me in
a fishing boat and duck blind. For
that, I’m thankful.
And yes, I could write a book on
the exploits and someday I will.
Not really sure why I haven’t
done that already, as I have many
memories to choose from. In fact,
it may well take more than one
title to convey the shots taken
and shots missed; fish hooked
and lost; and, a few of those great
days when everything came to-
gether and a little bit
of Heaven spilled
from the sky and I
just happened to be
in the spot where it
splattered.
If my editors al-
low I’ll begin build-
ing the foundation
for a series of stories
and if I do my part,
you’ll feel the wind
in your face or the
sun on your shoul-
der.
Good writers put
you in the boat seat
as though you feel
the drag slip from
the sprint of a tackle
testing trophy fish
or share the knee
knocking seconds
of adrenalin when
ducks are down
wind, cupped and
descending to the
music of the magician, as a vet-
eran caller rises early to fool the
fowl one more time.
Thumbing the pages brings vi-
sions of bird dogs, frozen on point,
when ole’Pete and Sam found ‘em
holding tight at the edge of the su-
mac and broom sedge. If you feel
the thunder of the covey rise, as
feathered jets take flight and your
heart skips a beat, then the writer
has done his duty.
Outdoor writers such as Gene
Hill and Nash Buckingham were
rare breeds indeed. From their
stories, readers shared tears and
laughter and even smelled the
smoke from smoldering oak
campfires.
Yearning for yesteryear often
occupies my dreams. Even if you
lose a thousand tomorrows hold-
ing on to one yesterday, I’m will-
ing to pay the price. Lab pups
chewing at your boot laces. Old
setters and pointers staunch in the
thicket, where concrete and as-
phalt now reside. Back when quail
whistled their southern serenades
and shared the countryside.
Paper shells that swelled
when wet, but still fired off in
the .410-gauge double barrel that
barked toward the tops of scaly
barks harboring clumsy squirrels.
Cane poles and braided line
that held on to hefty slab crappie
around the buck bushes. Dangling
gold fish minnows during the
spawning time in thick cover and
wrestling big fish, from a small
opening. Sculling paddles and
small aluminum boats. No depth
finders or big outboards. Just plain
ole’ fishin’ when dogwoods were
in bloom and the honey suckle
smelled every so sweet.
I’ll stop short of traveling too
far down memory lane in hopes
you’ll hold the thought and rejoin
me again here someday on the old
logging road stumps for a short
rest, as beagles nudge a bite from
the hunting coat sandwiches of
our youth.
As a new year chases away
an old one I can’t help but won-
der where the time went. Here it
is 2015 and why did the seasons
fade so fast?
Seems it was just yesterday that
2014 was getting started and the
last half of duck season ended on
a frigid note. January, last year,
was a doozy. That cold spell es-
corted the beginning of a long
year and it lingered far too long,
as late winter and early spring
fishing had anglers fighting the el-
ements of bone chilling winds and
below average temps that lasted
into mid-April.
I thought spring would never
get here to stay last year. The
crappie bite was off for most an-
glers and the fish hid out in deep
water for a long time, awaiting
warm weather. Did I mention that
cold weather seems colder than it
used to? Excuse the redundancy.
Spring finally arrived in mid-
April, which was about three
weeks late, and a few crappie
moved up before May took over
and the bluegill and shellcracker
bedded on schedule. I can hardly
wait until warm May mornings re-
turn and those bobbers disappear
in rapid succession.
Last spring and summer’s bass
bite was a pretty good one and
throughout the summer and fall
that thick manifestation of aquatic
vegetation worked in favor of fish-
ermen too. The main lake ledge
bite was inconsistent, but had
bouts of productivity, so there was
something for everyone - deep or
continued on next page
A
Life as a kentucky lake guide
by Steve McCadams
Pictured here is the author, Steve McCadams, {in 1980} holding up some Kentucky
Lake slab crappie. He still has his ever-present smile today. - Photo provided by author
Here is the author with a monster crappie, thirty four years later. - Photo provided by author

shallow - in the bass department.
Fast forward to late fall and
winter weather sneaking in early,
as November and was a bit bru-
tal at times and some of the year’s
bet duck hunting weather arrived
before the season even opened.
After a good start, most weary
waterfowlers scanned empty skies
for the lion’s share of Decem-
ber, but held on to hopes that last
year’s success of January might
repeat itself.
Seems winter sauger have gone
by the wayside, but some cold wa-
ter crappie fishing has helped fill
the void.
In the great outdoors there will
always be peaks and valleys. True
sportsmen and wildlife enthusi-
asts can always see a burnt orange
sunrise and silhouettes, even on
cloudy days.
In my long career I’ve learned
that it doesn’t always take a limit
of fish or fowl to have a success-
ful day out there. No doubt, the
basking glow from young anglers
posing with a cooler full of fish,
or old codgers still clinging to
the hangers filled with red legged
mallards are special.
I kind of feel like a coach; ev-
erybody likes me when I’m win-
ning! Have a bad day and they’re
sometimes ready to fire you. Of-
ten times, the weather dictates the
day and despite a long track re-
cord I’ve yet to master control of
the weather.
Everyone wants to have a good
day in the great outdoors. Yet, ev-
eryday isn’t filled with fish and
fowl. Those of us who have logged
long hours know that sometimes
you can’t get the wind when you
need it and other days that light
and variable forecast blows your
hat off.
Wise are the folks who play the
cards as dealt and cherish most
the time spent with friends and
family under the guise of a fishing
or hunting trip.
Several generations of fami-
lies have returned and continue to
share great times with me in the
confines of a fishing boat and duck
blind. It makes me feel old when
that youngster that used to sit on
my knee in the front of the boat, or
had to stand on old wooden soda
pop crates to see over the wall of
the duck blind, returns now with
his kids. However, it’s a pretty
good feeling to see families grow
up that way.
I’ve taken many on the best fish-
ing and hunting trip of their lives –
or so they said
- and when
faded photo-
graphs help re-
kindle outings,
it’s the new
friends that
mattered most.
The fish and
ducks were
no doubt the
catalyst that
brought folks
together.
And so it
goes that an-
other year be-
gins…be sure
and spend it
with someone
you love in the
great outdoors.
Steve McCadams has hosted many happy customers over his decades of guiding on Kentucky Lake. - Photo provided by author
Steve is known as “The King of Kentucky Lake” and shows why, as
he and a customer double up on a couple of summer slabs. - Photo
provided by author
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n this article I will introduce
you to my “brother from an-
other mother” Eddie Anderson.
He is a farmer … plain and simply
stated. I mean if you sliced open
his veins, he would bleed John
Deere green. Farming is not only
his chosen occupation in life – it is
his lifestyle; one which
he believes deeply in.
He gets it honest; raised
by his mother Audrey
and his father J.W. – he
was engulfed in the fam-
ily farm from the day he was born.
In my opinion, Eddie epitomizes
everything an American farmer
should be. He is hardworking,
honest, caring and very involved
in the community. I asked Eddie
some questions that can take our
readers into what makes a farmer
tick.
1. What are your earliest mem-
ories of growing up the son of a
farmer - J.W. Anderson?
I’ve seen many changes in ag-
riculture in my nearly 70 years
of farming – from mules to high-
tech machines, satellite plotting
and drones – from manure to grid
prescription fertilizer – and from
single cross seeds to genetically
modified super seeds.
But, my earliest memories were
of riding one of our mules with
my granddaddy, while my father
{J.W. Anderson} plowed with a
Farm All – one row, tractor. We
had a very close-knit family that
worked in the fields together, ate
meals together and prayed togeth-
er.
2. What were your chores as a
young boy?
My mother has always
been a kind, loving and
soft spoken woman. I al-
ways did whatever I was
asked to do. My daddy
was firm and had a very strong
work ethic, so when he said to
get wood in for the heat stove and
then sent me to pick 200 lbs. of
cotton I would do my best. With
the help of my mother and my
aunt {Clytee Leach} I managed to
An American Farmer Born & Bred:
Eddie Anderson
By Rob Somerville
The sign says it all, as Eddie Anderson was born to farm!
avoid much punishment when my
work wasn’t quite up to daddy’s
standards.
Chores were an everyday occur-
rence, with everyone pulling to-
gether to get the stock fed and wa-
tered. My daddy milked cows and
sold the milk to Pet Milk Compa-
ny. My two younger sisters {Phyl-
lis and Jackie} were
two years apart in age
and always worked and
played well together.
3. What impressed
you most about your
father as a farmer?
My daddy really worked hard to
provide for our family. He not only
made a crop and milked cows, but
he also worked part time during
the winter months, which brought
in a little money for Christmas and
extras. I loved it when he would
take me, as an eager six year-old,
to the field with him and let me
drive the tractor.
He was also eager to learn and
try new and improved methods of
farming. When he returned from
his stint in the Horseman’s Calva-
ry of the Army, he enrolled in ag-
riculture classes for veterans. This
class was taught by a friend, who
happened to be a farmer himself,
Mr. Stoy Permenter.
4. What important rolls did
your mother have as the wife of
a farmer?
My mother was the sweetest,
kindest and most loving mother
and wife. She cooked for the en-
tire family and anyone working
in the cotton field every day and
would then go and finish the day
working in the fields, all the while
watching over us small children.
She and daddy married three days
before he got his orders for a one
year tour of duty in
China. She worked at
the Dyersburg Cotton
Mill while he was over-
seas, until World War II
ended.
5. When did you first
realize that you wanted to be-
come a farmer and why?
I think I was born and raised
to be a farmer, but much like my
daddy, I knew I needed to get an
education to compete in the world
Pictured here is a young Eddie Anderson, being toted across the field
by his father J.W. who was the man Eddie inherited his strong work
ethic from. - Picture from the Anderson family
My daddy really worked hard to provide for
our family. He not only made a crop and
milked cows, but he also worked part time
during the winter months, which brought in a
little money for Christmas and extras.
I think I was born and raised to be a farmer,
but much like my daddy, I knew I needed to
get an education to compete in the world of
farming.
I
The next generation of farming in the Anderson clan witnessed Eddie
teaching his son Johnathan the tricks of the trade, as his father did to
him. - Photo by Rob Somerville

of farming. I was fortunate to have
great mentors and teachers in my
life – from my parents and family
members to my Ag teacher, Mr.
Sam Reed. I realized early on that
I lived in an ever-changing agri-
culture world and I welcomed the
challenge. I never even consid-
ered being anything but a farmer.
6. What steps did you take at
becoming one?
After attending U.T Martin and
my active duty in the National
Guard, I came back home and
married a loving and caring farm
girl, Ann Jones, in 1967. She re-
minded me a lot of my mother
and remains the love of my life.
In 1971, we had a beautiful baby
girl and named her Virginia. Four-
teen years later, we were fortunate
to welcome a baby boy named
Johnathan into the Anderson’s.
Our family was now complete.
I became a farming partner with
my father, J.W Anderson. I also
learned a lot about cattle from my
father in-law, Mr. Ike Jones, and
still utilize his advice today.
7. What are the biggest changes
you have witnessed as a work-
ing farmer?
I guess the biggest changes I
have seen are the efficiency of
farm equipment, the increased
cost of genetic seed and land, and
how globally positioned satellites
can actually drive the tractors and
Here is Eddie’s full time crew, along with some of his grandkids. Eddie’s priorities include God,
family, friends, work and community service. - Photo by Rob Somerville
combines. My daddy would have
flipped out over that!
8. What are some things the
general public may not realize
about the hardships of farmers?
Farmers are so dependent on
one thing they have no control
over, whatsoever … the weather!
Local and world crop produc-
tion influences prices as does the
World Trade Organization. The
high costs of
seed, fertil-
izer, chemicals,
machinery, in-
terest rates on
loans and labor put a big hit on
every farmer’s wallet. Land pric-
es are at an all- time premium,
whether you buy the land or rent
it. Farming is a huge start-up cost
for a combine {$400,000.00} a
cotton picker {$650,000.00} or a
tractor or planter {$200,000.00 to
$300,000.00}. Then you have the
cost of constant maintenance and
upkeep of all of your equipment,
land and grain bins.
9. How many acres are you
currently farming?
I farm/manage 3500 acres of
row crops, 1350 acres of wheat,
200 acres of wetland reserve trees,
100 acres of timber and 150 acres
of pasture.
10. What words of advice would
you give to future farmers?
Be patient … anything worth
having is worth waiting for and
working towards. Depend on
family, school or reputable farm-
ers for advice. Work your way
into farming gradually. Our rule
of thumb we’ve always prac-
tices was to only buy an acre if
you have an acre paid for. Don’t
buy more equipment during good
times, than you can pay for in bad
times. Realize that farming will
cycle from bumper crops to poor.
Do everything you can to succeed,
but realize that certain factors are
out of your control. Believe me,
I started with nothing and it took
a lot of hard
work, from a
lot of good peo-
ple to get here.
And one last
thing, say your prayers and count
your blessings every day for the
opportunity to live in this great
country. Farming is a greatAmeri-
can heritage and I am proud to call
myself a famer.
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easoned anglers know that
sport fish are most always relating
to some type of structure. It may
be a downed log, a brush pile, a
ledge, river channel, chunk of
rock, or a wad of vegetation.
Structure offers the fish both
security and a place from which
to ambush prey. Structure attracts
baitfish for similar reasons and
thereby brings in predator species.
Anglers typically find the structure
and then find the fish.
Most lakes have a certain amount
of natural structure, some more
than others. Some lakes are
practically devoid of structure.
Regardless of how much structure
is available, by placing additional
structure in the lake, anglers can
often build honey holes which
they can then come back to again
and again to enjoy great fishing
action. There is no better time
than right now to place or build
fish structure.
During the summer months,
lakes are usually held at their
maximum pool capacity. Of
course, flooding changes things,
but generally speaking, the lake is
considered full when at summer
pool. Although it’s entirely
possible to place structure at that
time of year, it is somewhat more
difficult and there are a couple of
major drawbacks.
First and foremost it takes away
premium fishing time. Who wants
to work when there are fish to be
caught? Also, with lots of other
anglers on the water, there are
many more eyes seeing exactly
what is being done and where
structure is being placed.
By Paul E. Moore
S
Now is
the Time
to Place
Fish
Structure
Fyrne Lake - 2500 Acre Private Natural Park
Lake Pavilion
Fishing Memberships
Weddings - Special Events
Corporate Meetings - Retreats
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Retreat Lodge
Right now, in the dead of winter,
is usually regarded as structure-
building time. The lake levels
are at their lowest and there are
not a lot of others on the lake
with prying eyes. In fact, fish
structure building gurus David
Jones and Robbie Harmon wait
until the nastiest days of winter
to do their work. The two anglers’
motto is, “The fewer people that
see you placing the structure, the
better chance you will have it to
yourself.”
Jones and Harmon work together
to place structure, but for very
different reasons. Robbie Harmon
is a tournament bass angler,
so he’s looking to personally
catch more bass. David Jones is
a crappie fishing guide (www.
greenriverlakecrappietrips.com),
so he is looking to show his
clients greater fishing success on
booked trips. The collective effort
makes the tasks easier and works
great for both anglers. These two
anglers are the most dedicated
structure builders I know and
were more than willing to share
some of their expertise.
Thefirststepbeforeanyfishhides
are built or enhanced is to check
the regulations. It is not legal to
place structure at all in some lakes,
while others have guidelines on
what and where it may be placed.
Some lakes are very lenient on the
placement of structure. Know the
law before doing the work or the
consequences could be dire.
There are a lot of options on
the types of structure that can be
placed, ranging from natural items
to commercially manufactured
fish hides. Jones and Harmon use
a collection of both natural and
artificial items. Jones said, “We
usually start out with larger limbs,
trees that have fallen (using the
whole tree or just parts), rock piles
and any other natural structure we
find on the banks. We have used
some scraps of PVC pipe, pallets
and scrap lumber to produce fish
hides.
“We also use a lot of MossBack
FishRack systems. There are three
kinds of MossBacks - a model
that is manufactured to lay on
the bottom horizontally, one to
stand up vertical and the newest
addition is the floating model. The
MossBack can also be hung from
docks and piers.”
Everyone has preferences when
it comes to fish structure and some
are limited by what they can afford
or what they can find. Stake beds
Nice stringers of slab crappie like this one are easier to catch when you fish
structure, whether man-made or natural. - STO file photo

ones. Natural structure tends to
attract plankton first, but some
artificial structure such as the
MossBack will take it on nearly
as fast. Some artificial structure
takes a tremendous amount of
time to develop a good base of
plankton.
Harmon said, “Some structure
tends to produce right away,
some structure seems to take a
little while and some structure
never seems to produce. Keep
in mind that no matter how hard
you work, some spots may never
produce. It is very important to
keep checking your structure
spots as fish sometimes move
in and out of these areas.” Jones
added, “One major contributing
factor is how much structure is
already in that area. If you are
adding to an existing location that
has given you good catches, the
chances of this area producing
immediately is greater. If you are
putting structure in an area that
has absolutely no structure, these
sometimes produce right away as
well. Having an area with many,
many small spots is not always
the way to go. Stick with your old
stand-by holes or somewhere that
is completely bare.”
While it is true that multiple
species can be caught on a placed
fish hide, there are subtle ways
anglers can tweak the setup to their
individual tastes. For instance, a
crappie angler who is only going
to use vertical presentations may
want thicker cover. In contrast,
Harmon said, “I prefer structure
that is not as full and easier to
work a larger profile bass bait
through. I also prefer a larger
piece of structure in deeper water
and smaller areas in shallower
water locations. These larger piles
are easier to find with baits and
electronics and shallow piles can
often be seen when fishing and are
not as hard to find.”
Picking a spot to place the
structure is one of the most
important aspects to building a
fish hide. Jones explained, “There
are certain spots on the lake that
are just sweet spots. They have
produced fish year after year. We
continue to add structure to these
spots. One of my favorite spots on
any lake is where two underwater
ledges form a point. These ledges
are natural travel patterns for fish
and adding structure just gives
them somewhere to stage, when
fish are going in or out.”
Harmon added, “We do a lot of
map study, cruising around the
lake looking at our Humminbird
made with tobacco sticks, brush
sunk with concrete blocks, and
other items are popular. Harmon
said, “We have seen a wide variety
of things in the lake. Some people
have used pallets with brush
attached to it. Some drag logs in
various patterns on the bank. We
have noticed some bales of hay
in the water. We have even seen
some people nail or secure small
pieces of trees to stumps and logs
that are a permanent fixture near
the water’s edge. We have seen
different variations of artificial
structure that is out there.
“After trying several of those
and comparing them to the
MossBack, we feel we get more
for our money with the MossBack.
Some products are much more
expensive and not as user friendly.
The MossBack comes all in one
package, shipped directly to your
house and is made in the USA.
The only thing that you have to do
with the MossBack is assemble it
and add a weight to the cable that
is provided.”
Jones said, “It depends what lake
I am fishing, but on Green River
Lake, my home lake, I really
like to fish over the MossBack.
It seems to be very consistent in
producing fish and allowing my
clients to fish structure without
getting hung up.”
Natural cover usually comes
free of charge and is readily
available, but the life span of that
cover is limited to a couple years.
Artificial cover oftentimes comes
with a bit of cost, but usually has
a very long life span.
Although probably more crappie
anglers place structure than other
anglers, crappie and bass fishing
are not the only two improved
by placing structure. Panfish
such as bluegill and redear will
quickly relate to placed structure,
depending upon the depth at
which it is placed. Catfish are
commonly caught from placed
fish hides as are the occasional
walleye or even muskie. Our two
fish-hide building experts believe
success with any species of fish
on structure depends upon depth,
seasonal patterns of the individual
species and the types of prey fish
present on the structure.
There is a natural progression
to placed fish structure. Some fish
will relate to structure quickly
simply to use as a hiding spot.
Mostly though, the structure
needs time to take on plankton,
which will then attract small
minnows and baitfish to feed on
the plankton. Next, will come
larger fish, to prey on the small
Lankford Taxidermy
3070 Thompson School Rd.
Huntingdon, Tennessee - 38344
Phone {731} 986-3351
Specializing in
Fish Mountings and Birds
- 50 Years Experience -
20% off and bass over 6 lbs.
caught from Gibson County Lake
or Carroll Lakes! David Jones displays a couple of the MossBack FishRacks on a perfect
winter day for installing fish structure. - Photo by Paul Moore

deep on Green River may be very shallow on Lake
Cumberland. Finding a depth that holds fish the
majority of the year is a key factor.”
The two anglers feel like the widespread use
of side imaging has kind of hurt some secret hot
spots. Many anglers are now equipped with the
latest technology. This leads them to not placing
structure, but rather searching for structure that
has already been placed in the lake. Placing and
building structure is very hard work and very time
consuming. It is oftentimes labor intensive and
hard work, but it is all worth it when David has
clients catching their limits or Robbie is weighing
in a limit of bass in his tournaments.
The two anglers concluded with, “We have both
seen an increase in catching fish over our structure.
If nothing else, building many pieces of structure
gives us options. If we cannot catch fish in one
area, we always have a back-up plan. The more
waypoints we have to run and check, the better we
like our chances. We feel that good structure work
is a year-round process. We are either putting out
structure, cruising the lake with our electronics, or
looking at areas for future consideration.”
side imaging, and just use trial and
error over the years. The biggest
consideration when looking at
location is to have an area that you
believe in and have confidence in.
“The second thing we always
look at is seasonal patterns.
Fish tend to seek deeper water
in the summer months, so your
summer locations may need to be
in deeper water. Likewise, in the
spring, fish start to move up and
feed for the spawn and then begin
the spawning process. Many
locations for spring and fall could
be in shallower locations of your
lake and its tributaries.”
Picking the right depth can be
tricky in winter. Anglers have to
know how far the lake has been
pulled down in order to determine
the depth their structure will
ultimately be when the lake is full.
For instance, some lakes may be
pulled down more than 20 feet in
the winter.
Harmon clarified, “Just like the
location of structure, the depths
can vary from lake to lake and
fisherman to fisherman. Some
fishermen tend to stay with deeper
off-shore locations all year while
others like to get close to the bank
and catch fish. Depth is a relative
term from lake to lake. What is
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Many different items can be used to build fish structure, as long as permitted by local
regulations. - Photo by Paul Moore

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of the tins being worth as much
as $5,000.00 each today. Early
Powder kegs now sell for as much
as $25,000.00. This little known
powder company has now fallen
into history, but has left a name
which collectors still keep very
much alive. Whether it’s a tin, a
keg, a poster or any other piece
that is connected to the Miami
Powder Company, one thing is
certain: their items are extremely
rare and very expensive. So go
look in your granddads hunting
stuff and see if you can find his
father’s powder tin or keg.
HUNTING ADVERTISE-
MENT
Let’s talk about advertising. It’s
not certain when the first hunting
or fishing calendar was published,
but the earliest known to survive
is from 1870’s. Since that time,
hunters and fisherman have eager-
ly anticipated these annual calen-
dars. Designers, Illustrators, and
graphic artists were challenged to
create calendar covers that would
imprint their brand into their
customer mind’s eye. The earli-
est calendars did not credit the
artist for their work and the first
calendars have unknown artists.
After the 1880’s most all work
was signed and we are able to ac-
knowledge the artist for his work.
Names like Fanko, Babcock,
Chidley, Phares, Spegle, Crooks,
Davis, Nelson, and Hunt appeared
on the covers of these advertis-
ing calendars. These signatures
allow the legacies of the artist to
live on. Hunting advertising cal-
endars have sold for as much as
$30,000.00 at auction. Keep your
eyes open for any old calendar
hanging in your attics. Most of the
older calendars, in good condition
with hunting/fishing graphics, can
bring $250.00 each. Some of the
reproductions of the calendars are
worth $50.00 each.
So, get up out of your seat and
go find an old hunting calendar,
poster, powder tin, duck call, or
any other hunting related item of
your interest and give me call.
I will appraise it for you free of
charge. Call me at 731-445-8516,
email me at robhurt1970@yahoo.
com, or contact me via my web
site featheredfinds.com.
Good luck hunting those Feath-
ered Finds!
n my younger years, all my
friends collected sports memora-
bilia, such as autographed base-
balls from Sammy Sosa or foot-
ball action figures of their favorite
players. Not to mention thousands
and thousands of baseball and
football cards. My name is Rob
Hurt and my passion for collect-
ibles was somewhat different. I
collected (and still collect) duck
calls. While collecting duck calls
over the past 25 years, I have ac-
quired other interesting things. I
found myself collecting many
other hunting related items other
than calls. For instance, I collect
duck stamps, leg bands, advertis-
ing signage, shotgun shell boxes,
books, decoys, etc. In this arti-
cle, I want to share with you what
I have learned about Gun Powder
tins, kegs, and hunting and fishing
advertising calendars.
Gun Powder Tins are exciting
to collect because there were so
many different advances in the
way gun powder was stored and
transported throughout the years.
Just imagine how important keep-
ing gun powder dry was 150 years
ago. It could mean the difference
in life or death on the wild fron-
tier.
BLACK POWDER TINS
AND KEGS
My favorite is the Miami Pow-
der Company. This small com-
pany was sold several times, but
in its hay-day some key advances
in technology and their advertis-
ing made them a front runner in
the gun powder industries. In
1843 Brothers Alvin and Lorenzo
Austin built a small power mill in
Goes, Ohio and named it the Mi-
ami Powder Company. They sold
the company to a group of inves-
tors in 1855. With the Civil War
fast approaching the production of
powder increased to over 100,000
powder kegs. Powder kegs were
made of Oak wood slats held to-
gether with two or three metal
bands around the barrel. A cork in
the top was used as a stopper. This
is how powder was transported in
that era. After the Civil War ended
and all the government contracts
ran out, the company’s cash flow
was in a pinch. A man named Ad-
dison Faye came to the rescue
with the idea of selling individual
small personal Powder Tins to the
sportsman. With an aggressive
advertising campaign of colored
calendars, posters and mailing
envelopes, the company stayed
afloat. The Powder tins had col-
or graphics like flying ducks or a
picture of a man hunting rabbits.
The Miami Powder company pro-
duced some of the most valuable
power tins out there, with some
Collector’s CornerBy Robert Hurt of Feathered Finds
I

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local dentist. He had been asked
to fulfill Miss Catherine’s wish
and he immediately recognized
her name as a former patient, “Hi
Miss Catherine! Remember me? I
was your dentist. Instead of clean-
ing your teeth, how about going
fishing?” Miss Catherine was be-
side herself. She was going to get
to go fishing again!
Stan carefully planned out their
trip. He identified a productive
four acre pond with easy shoreline
access. He then enlisted the help
of his friend and fellow volunteer,
Steve Kirby and Steve’s 9 year-
old son, Wilkes. They all knew
that Miss Catherine’s health could
cancel the event at any time. But,
when the day came, she was ready!
As Stan and Steve approached the
front door of Canterbury, Miss
Catherine appeared proudly wear-
ing her fishing vest with hat, poles
in hand and a small landing net
slung over her shoulder. With a
huge smile on her face, they all
piled into the car. Excitement was
in the air as they parked near the
pond and moved to the shoreline.
Stan had brought a chair for Miss
Catherine. However, she hardly
got settled before popping out of
it as the first fish took her bait.
Fish after fish were landed, and
Miss Catherine wasn’t tiring. All
the activity energized her and she
craved more.
But, now it was time to eat. Stan
had packed a picnic lunch and
Steve had brought soft drinks in
vintage glass bottles. The four of
them shared an old-fashioned pic-
nic in the cool shade of the trees,
while enjoying the beautiful set-
ting and each other’s company. Of
course, the conversation involved
fishing. Wilkes had been explor-
ing the fishing potential around
the pond and had identified a very
productive spot. Miss Catherine’s
excitement grew! She had already
caught a stringer full of fish and
was ready for a greater challenge.
She wanted to catch a monster
catfish! And with the optimism
worthy of any fisherman, she was
confident that, “There just had to
be one in this pond!”
As soon as lunch was over, she
pulled out her second pole. It had
been rigged years before as a trout
pole and was strung with just 4
lb. test line. She followed quickly
behind Wilkes, as they made their
way to the new site. Miss Cathe-
rine baited her trout rig with a live
worm and cast it as far out as she
iss Catherine was a kind,
southern lady who loved to fish.
She had many fond memories of
casting her line about, but had not
had the opportunity to do so for
years. You see, she was 92 years-
old and her health was failing.
Her fishing equipment had been
in storage since moving into Can-
terbury, an assisted living facility
in Dyersburg, Tennessee. Life was
still good, but sometimes lone-
ly. There weren’t many friends
or family left. She felt isolated.
Then, something called “Mission
Blitz” visited Canterbury and of-
fered to fulfill wishes for all their
residents. She wondered why
someone would want to fulfill a
wish for her. The other residents
of Canterbury were also cautious
and wondered what this “Mission
Blitz” was?
It turns out that “Mission Blitz”
was a day of service performed by
First United Methodist Church in
Dyersburg. (It has now expanded
to multiple churches and denomi-
nations… more on that later.) One
by one her fellow residents started
sharing their wishes: going out for
a catfish dinner at Reelfoot Lake,
taking a ride around the local golf
course, visiting the new library
and playing a game of bridge were
just a few of their very modest
wishes. Miss Catherine was hesi-
tant about sharing her wish… but,
she could not let this opportunity
go by! Excitedly, she shared her
desire to go fishing again!
The various wishes were turned
in and the residents, including
Miss Catherine, waited to see
what would happen. A few days
went by… then one by one, the
residents received phone calls.
“I’m going to Reelfoot Lake!,”
one friend exclaimed. “I can’t
wait to see the new library next
Saturday,” another proclaimed.
Miss Catherine wondered whether
she would get a call. Then, HER
phone rang! It was Stan Young, a
These two full stringers, along with Miss Catherine’s 16 lb. catfish, provided a feast for
the residents of Canterbury. (Pictured: Stan Young, Miss Catherine, Steve Kirby and
Wilkes Kirby)
Fishing
with a
Mission
ByKevinGriffith
M
Here’s Miss Catherine with her 16 lb. catfish, being held by Stan
Young on her left and accompanied by her fishing partner, Wilkes
Kirby, on her right.
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could, making
it just beyond
some mostly
s u b m e r g e d
brush and land-
ing just where
she wanted
it! Steve was
certain Miss
Catherine was
going to get
snagged when
she attempted
to reel it in.
Only min-
utes later there
was a tug! Her
d e t e r m i n e d
eyes wid-
ened. Then,
demonstrat-
ing the fishing
skill and tim-
ing accumulated over a lifetime,
she drew up the slack in the line
while pointing the pole toward the
fish… and smoothly arched back
to set the hook. Her pole doubled
over and the fight was on!
Miss Catherine knew the impor-
tance of keeping a tight line, while
doing her best to guide the fish
away from the snag between it
and her. Miss Catherine was calm
and focused on the task at hand.
Stan was worried! He regretted
not checking over her pole and the
brittleness of its lightweight 4 lb.
test line before she started using
it. No telling how many years it
had been in storage! Miss Cath-
erine wasn’t paying any attention
to Stan. She had HER fish on and
she wasn’t going to let it get away!
The longer Miss Catherine fought
the beast, the wider her smile be-
came. Stan’s worry was begin-
ning to get the best of him. He just
didn’t want her to lose this fish.
Not able to take it anymore, Stan
stepped out into the dark water in
an attempt to help Miss Catherine
land this beast. “There’s a large
landing net over there against that
pine tree,” Miss Catherine calmly
stated to Stan while keeping her
eyes on the line and tilting her
head toward the net. Stan was so
concerned about getting the fish
to shore and so worried about her
gear giving out that he had forgot-
ten all about the net Wilkes had
brought for a time just like this.
Meanwhile, Steve and Wilkes
had worked their way around the
lake and started hearing all the
commotion coming from the oth-
er side. Both began running back,
hoping not to miss what might
happen next.
Amoment later, Stan grabbed the
net, ran toward the water and des-
perately scooped toward the fish.
As he netted it up, Stan strained
to lift it out, “WOW, That’s a BIG
CAT!” Miss Catherine was beside
herself. She had just caught a 16
lb. catfish! This day was exceed-
ing her wildest dreams!
The big cat and her two full
stringers of bream, crappie and
bass provided a feast for all the
residents of Canterbury. Miss
Catherine’s story is just one from
a day filled with stories of people
being touched by volunteers who
repaired the houses of the needy,
visited the lonely, fed the hungry
and shared His love. Being God’s
hands and feet is Mission Blitz’s
purpose and experiencing God’s
love working through YOU is the
www.omnitechmanufacturing.com
PO BOX 848
DYERSBURG, TN - 38025-0848
731-286-4795
info@omnitechmanufacturing.com

result. We’d love to have YOU join in the fun.
So far, there are fourteen northwest Tennessee
churches signed up, with more coming. Are you not
from northwest Tennessee? Mission Blitz is a move-
ment that started twenty years ago at Snyder Memo-
rial Baptist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
It has since spread to 1600 churches in 21 states with
over 22,000 participants. We’ll be glad to give you
or your church all the information you’ll need to
connect with our event or start your own. You can
find out more at www.missionblitz.org or you can
contact me, Kevin Griffith, by email at: info@mis-
sionblitz.org or phone me at 727-458-8193.
You don’t have to wait for Mission Blitz! You can
make a difference in this world NOW! Simply an-
swer Christ’s calling to be a conduit of His love with
your family, your friends and the people He brings
into your life. You’ll be blessed as much as they will!
Footnote: Miss Catherine and Wilkes created
a bond that didn’t end that day. He became like a
grandchild to her and they kept in touch until her
recent death.
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731-446-8052
TENNESSEE REALTY
575 MALL BLVD.
SUITE G
DYERSBURG, TN - 38024
www.dyersburgtn.com
FOR SALE in Hornbeak, Tennessee
29 ACRES
Perfect location to build a Home, Cattle Farm, Deer or Turkey Hunt.
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Miss Catherine is pictured here, skillfully guiding her huge catfish
toward shore.
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To Train or Not to Train
ello, to all the great readers of
STO Magazine. I hope your holi-
days were great and all your wish-
es were fulfilled. Man, is it not
great to have cheaper gas prices?
It makes one think that the gov-
ernment, speculators and OPEC
have finally come to their senses
and made enough money off the
backs of the working people of
the U.S.A.
The other day, I was sitting in
my office at my café and Andy
Baker came by, to reminisce about
some hunting adventures he and I
had when we were younger. Andy
and I have been close friends for
over 30 years and through that
time we have had some adven-
tures, both hunting and with life
in general. Of those great hunting
adventures, most were of duck
hunting and coon hunting. As we
were reminiscing, he asked which
was my favorite dog and how do
I train those “wild walker” coon
dogs.
I said, “Let me think for a min-
ute.” My mind went through the
years and all the dogs I had loved,
from the first dog I owned {Bar
Hopper – don’t ask} to my next
dog {Spirit} to my dogs now,
Money and Heidi. All the dogs
were good hounds, but probably
the best in competition would be
Heidi, followed by Money. Maybe
it was that I, as a trainer, learned
more with each dog I experienced.
I told Andy there were several
ways to train coon dogs. Most
people will buy a dog that is al-
ready trained and hunting the way
they want it to, but the problem
with this is if you want a good
competition dog, the cost can get
quite expensive.
The second way is to buy a pup
from a breeder and hope that it
will be a coon dog instead of just
a pet. I myself like the pup way. I
breed my own hounds and I know
the great grandfathers and great
grandmothers of all my dog’s
bloodlines. I hunted with these
dogs and know their weaknesses,
strengths and demeanors. That
is the first step, if you are in the
market for a pup; know as much
as you can about their past gen-
erations. Just remember, as my
friend Joe Lewis often reminded
me, that not all dogs will make a
coon dog. After finding the right
pup that you hope will become the
next world champion, the fun be-
gins.
As I stated, there are several ways
to train the pup. One way is to use
a drag scent, which is a string with
a scented rag or pad attached to
the end. An old coon hide works
well for this, as well. Always
make sure it has a coon smell to
it. You can buy coon scent to ap-
ply to the drag if need be. Take the
drag and run it through the yard
and up a small tree and let the pup
follow you with it at first. Make a
game of it, so the pup associates
hunting with fun. Remember that
your pup is like a small child and
they get bored quickly, just like
children do.
As time progresses, let the pup
find the drag on their own by
scent, without watching you ma-
By Shawn Todd
H
Reach over 45,000 middle to
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731-446-8052
stomag1@gmail.com
WILKERSON’S
TAXIDERMY
PHONE (731)286-0853 • 1529 MORGAN RD., DYERSBURG
WILKERSON’S
TAXIDERMY
EVERY MOUNT IS A
TROPHY
Trust a State, National & World Award
Winning Taxidermists!
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just anyone.
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“Quality Work at a
Reasonable Price”
Member T.T.A. & N.T.A.
The author with his PKC CH, UKC DUAL GRAND hound “L AND T’S MYSTIC HEIDI.”

3
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Dyersburg
121 South King Ave. - Dyersburg, TN - 38024
731-285-1543
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470 US Highway 51 Byp W.
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Adjacent to 200 acre hunting club.
On Reelfoot Flyway – lakes used by ducks and geese.
Loaded with deer and turkey.
Lakes can be separately stocked – with one for bass, one for
crappie and one for catfish.
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CALL: 731-589-4858
neuver it through the yard. After it has mastered
this training exercise, trap a coon in a live trap
and take your pup to the woods. Leave your pup
in the dog box and release the coon. Give it a few
minutes to run and go up a tree. Then, release
your hound and hopefully the pup will pick up
the scent and tree the coon in a few minutes. This
may take more than one trip; it may take several,
because repetition is a key to dog training. This
technique is often used with good success.
Another technique that is more often used is
taking the young hound to the woods with an
older, experienced dog {usually six months or
older, depending on weather}. Shadowing an ex-
perienced hound is very helpful for the young
dog, especially if it is his or her mother. This
way, the young dog can follow the older one
and it has more confidence when it is with the
older dog. One drawback to this training is if the
older dog has undesirable traits, such as running
of deer, rabbits or other game. The young hound
may pick these bad habits up. Always remember,
more time in the woods equals a better hound.
These are just two of the many ways to train
a young hound. Time and patience are the most
important ingredients to all training. That is why
many people choose to buy an experienced dog,
instead of gambling on a pup. Whether you buy a
hound or train a pup, get in the woods and enjoy
it while you can. Until next time, dear readers …
see you at the tree.
The author with his WCCHR AND UKC DUAL GRAND “TODD’S MYS-
TIC MONEY.”
Dyer County Animal Hospital
Dr. James A. Crisp
Dr. William T. Dickerson
Dr. John Harris
410 Hwy 51 By-Pass West
Dyersburg, TN - 38024
741-285-2043
www.dyercountyanimalhospital.com
AT BEAUTIFUL REELFOOT LAKE!
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much more!
We Carry everything you need to make your stay here
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2275 St. Route 21 E. - Tiptonville, TN 38079
(731)253-7809

Bass Fishing the Big Pond...
Kentucky Lake
entucky Lake …
Just mention those two
words in a bait shop
anywhere and watch as
all the fishermen in the
room gather near, to
hear what you have to
say. One of America’s
greatest bass fishing
lakes, Kentucky Lake
has become the source
of legendary fishing for
both largemouth and
smallmouth bass. You
can hardly talk about
the famous bass fisher-
ies in the country, with-
out making this pristine
waterway a prime target
of discussion.
Most bass anglers get
the jitters when they
think of coming to what
is known as “The Big
Pond” just because of
its size and stature. It
has bays and creeks that
are as large as most lakes. Blood River and the Big
Sandy River portions of the lake are huge just by
themselves, with hundreds of water acres to fish,
and that is not even counting West Sandy. Kentucky
Lake is so big that an angler could spend all day in
just one of these places and never fish the same place
twice.
So, how do you go about fishing this massive lake
that is over one hundred and twenty five miles long
and over a mile wide, for over two thirds of it. Let’s
break it down to two types of bass fishing for you.
First of all, let’s talk about shore line fishing. Ken-
tucky Lake has miles of great shoreline habitat for
bass fishing and the backs
of most creeks have tons
of button ball bushes and
willow trees, which hold
bass during the spawn and
beyond. Both largemouth
and smallmouth bass tend
to move up into these shal-
low areas to find food,
during early morning and
late afternoon, and most
anglers can enjoy catching
some quality fish during
these time periods. Buzz
baits, Pop-R worms, and
spinner baits can work
well for this type of bass
fishing.
Summertime and early
Fall patterns include some
of the best sized fish that
the big lake has to offer,
for those who are willing
to learn how to “ledge”
fish. This type of fishing
is not just a Kentucky lake
specialty, but can also be
used in many other impoundments. However, in my
opinion, this is the method that has made Kentucky
Lake famous and still remains one of the top tactics
of bass fishing that is practiced by both tournament
anglers and those who just want to enjoy catching
bass on the big pond during this time of year. Baits
of choice can be jig and pig, large deep diving Crank
baits, Carolina rigs, and of course the A-Rig.
Big schools of bait fish travel up and down these
ledges and the schools of bass follow them to feed.
Water current can play a huge role in ledge fishing,
as most bass anglers know, and without current in
the lake the bite can be sometimes slow. However,
by Garry Mason
when there is current, one can find himself in a bo-
nanza of bass on Kentucky Lake.
Summary: I hope that if you come to Kentucky
Lake that you have a great day on the water. Be safe
and take a child fishing every chance you get. The
rewards will be great, even if the fish don’t bite.
K
Hot bass action at Kentucky Lake can be found in the shallows of
most of its various bays and inlets, as these voracious feeders seek
their prey amongst the shady willows and button ball bushes that
are plentiful there. - STO File Photo
This youngster holds up both a largemouth {left} and smallmouth
{right} trophy bass. Catching both of these species in the same
area is not uncommon at Kentucky Lake. - STO File Photo
Kentucky Lake Bass Fishing Tips
1. Kentucky Lake, even with its huge size, is no dif-
ferent than that of a smaller impoundment in
the fact that you are fishing for the same spe-
cies of fish. You just have much more area to
fish. Get a topo map of the lake, or a Navionics
chip for your depth finder if available, and learn
the lake as much as possible before you go.
2. Don’t be stuck on one type of bait or one type
of bass fishing technique. Try different styles
and colors of baits while you’re here. Bass
fishing can be great at the “Big Pond” all year
long, but the way you fish can be totally differ-
ent for each time of year and season and your
baits should imitate what the fish are feeding
on during the time of year that you are fishing.
3. Try to find a local fisherman to help you in your
bass quest on the big pond, or hire a guide to
take you out and show you the where, what
and how to fish. Remember, however, that it
is bad etiquette to return to the area that the
guide fishes unless he gives you permission to
do so. This is how he makes his living, but most
guides will show you great areas to fish when
you are on your own. I have seen many of them
mark maps for their customers to help them lo-
cate places that they can enjoy quality angling.

ick Matlock started catching
fish on Pickwick Lake and the
Tennessee River not long after he
learned how to walk. As a three-
year-old toddler, he’d tag along
with his father, a commercial fish-
erman.
Today the 55-year-old lifelong
Counce, Tennessee resident is a
licensed fishing guide and shares
his knowledge of the river and
lake with others in search of the
next big catch. He started Matlock
Guide Service in 2006.
“I was bringing in some nice
stringers,” said Matlock, whose
full-time job is a sales representa-
tive for BR Supply, selling plumb-
ing and electrical supplies to
hardware stores. “People started
calling me to take them out. I de-
cided to share the success.”
It’s a typical January day below
Pickwick Dam. Water tempera-
tures remain about 43 degrees and
the air temperature is not much
higher, with a wind chill factor
calling for all skin to be thickly
covered.
Wind is coming out of the north-
west at 15 to 20 M.P.H. with high-
er wind gusts to rule out any fish-
Master Guide
of Pickwick LakeBy Mark Boehler
Minutes later, he got a bite. It’s a two-pound largemouth bass. He took a close look, smiled, and then released it.
- Photo by Mark Boehler
Rick Matlock started catching fish on Pickwick Lake and the Tennessee River not long after he learned how to walk. As a three-year-old
toddler, he’d tag along with his father, a commercial fisherman. - Photo by Mark Boehler
R

ermen who are not hardcore.
Eight gates are open on the dam,
river elevation is 6 feet below nor-
mal and there are only three boats
on the river. Not much is biting,
Matlock is told.
“We have our work cut out for us
today,” said the guide, as he put in
his boat at the ramp near the His-
toric Botel. His cap pulled tightly,
Matlock headed toward Pickwick
Dam in his 20-foot Lake Sport
with a four-stroke 150 hp. out-
board Yamaha.
The guide settled in between
the two locks. He is after sauger,
a good eating fish usually located
on the river bottom.
Matlock began “jigging the bot-
tom,” as sauger are after the dying
shad minnows when water temps
dip below 45 degrees. All those
birds that migrate to Pickwick
each winter are after the same
food.
The fisherman cast his 8-pound,
braided test line from his Bass Pro
Finesse.
He immediately caught a sauger,
but it got off the line.
“It was a keeper, too,” he said,
casting again.
In the Beginning
The late William Matlock fished
“day and night” for catfish, taking
little son Rick along as much as
possible. The elder Matlock was
one of a dozen brothers, three of
which were commercial fisher-
men, before retirement years.
Rick Matlock’s first trophy
memory was the day he landed a
20-pound striper at the age of 18.
Now, he leads about a dozen guid-
ed fishing trips each year, when
he’s not on the water to cure his
own fishing fix. Guide trips are
usually in the warmer months for
“whatever is biting,” he said.
The offerings include small-
mouth bass, largemouth bass, sau-
ger, crappie, stripers, white bass
and three kinds of catfish -- chan-
nel, blue and flathead.
The veteran fisherman admit-
ted his favorites are crappie and
smallmouth bass.
Catfish remains the number one
guide request, noted the two-time
winner of the National Catfish
Derby. Most of his trips are repeat
customers from out of state.
“I have some nice customers,”
noted Matlock. “Just super nice
people.”
One fisherman arrived from Ja-
pan. “I needed a translator on that
trip,” he explained, smiling.
His trips are for either half or en-
tire days and includes bait, equip-
ment, fish cleaning services and
post trip photos.
“People just need to bring food
and drink,” he said. “And get in
the boat.”
Twenty minutes after the first hit,
he landed a keeper at 14 and 3/4
inches long and 1.5 pounds. Sau-
ger must be at least 14 inches long
to be kept. He got several more
hits, and then hauled in a second
keeper, 20 minutes after the first.
“Want to change up?” he asked.
He began casting for crappie
about 6 to 8 feet deep between the
two locks.
Matlock loves fishing this area,
due to the variety available on
Pickwick and the river.
“You can always catch some-
thing at Pickwick,” noted Mat-
lock. “The place is unreal. If
something isn’t catching, you
move on to something else.”
As so, he does. The crappie
don’t seem to be hungry on this
day. The guide moves down river.
He stopped near the river bank on
the south side of the river -- across
from the Historic Botel, where he
launched his boat.
Matlock tried his luck at white
bass. It doesn’t take long. He
catches a half-pounder, and then
releases it. The guide moved up
the river, changed to live bait and
began casting for smallmouth
bass.
“I’ve caught some nice ones
around here,” he said about his
favorite target, then casting again.
Minutes later, he got a bite. It’s
a two-pound largemouth bass. He
took a close look, smiled, and then
released it.
“It’s sure tough conditions today,”
he shared.
The sun dipped behind the tree
line. A cold January day is about
to get colder. The wind continued
it’s beating on us.
The decision is made to head to-
ward the comfort of warmth. Four
fish, three varieties, in less than
three hours. It’s a good day -- all
things considered.
Matlock was part of the three-
person team to win last year’s
World Championship Catfishing
(WCC) World Championship at
Pickwick last year. Teaming with
his girlfriend, Terri Switcher of
Kossuth, Mississippi and broth-
er, Duck Matlock of Adamsville,
Tennessee, they caught five fish
which weighed in at 126 pounds.
Switcher got the big fish award,
hauling in a 53-pounder. And
since Duck is 63 years old, they
claimed the senior citizen award.
“It was a lot of fun,” noted Mat-
lock. “No matter what I’m going
after, I just love fishing.”
He also loves sharing his knowl-
edge, watching others have suc-
cess on the water.
“It’s a really, really good feeling,”
he said.
Sauger must be at least 14 inches long to be kept. He got several more hits, and then hauled in a second keeper 20 minutes after the first. -
Photo by Mark Boehler

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Steve Atwill, from Atwill farms in Missouri, shot this
wildebeest this past summer, while hunting in South
Africa. - Photo submitted by Wilkerson’s Taxidermy.
bush buck this past summer, while hunting in South
Africa.
Photo submitted by Wilkerson’s Taxidermy.
Brittany Patterson shot this 8-point buck on
December 6th, 2014 at Chickasaw National
Wildlife Refuge.
Holly Adcock proves that “Girl Power” applies
to hunting, as she poses with an 11-point
trophy buck.
Photo submitted by David Adcock.
gemsbock this past summer, while hunting in South
Africa. - Photo submitted by Wilkerson’s Taxidermy.
Jeffery Patterson shot this 8-point buck on November
9th, 2014 in the Millsfield area of Tennessee.
Mary Malone Adock is only 13 and
this is only her second buck she has
taken while hunting alone. She has
passed nine or ten decent bucks this
past season before harvesting this
one. - Photo submitted by David
Adcock.
Cody Beasley {age 10} shot this nice buck on private
land in Lauderdale County, Tennessee.
Photo by Miss Karen.

kudu this past summer, while hunting in South Africa.
Photo submitted by Wilkerson’s Taxidermy.
STO Magazine associate John Latham’s cousins, Lynn
Pollock with nephews Colton and Clayton and their two
bucks they harvested in the Lexington, Tennessee area.
Photo submitted by John Latham.
Scotty Simpson shot this 11-point buck on
November 8th, 2014 in the Millsfield area of
Tennessee.
Evan Wilkerson arrowed this nice buck in
Tennessee while hunting with his dad, Walter
Wilkerson. Pictured with Ethan is Walter’s
grandson Alex Dye {age 3} who helped track
the deer. - Photo submitted by Wilkerson’s
Taxidermy.
Cooper Adams is pictured here with his first deer ever.
He shot the buck while hunting with Drew Surratt {his
cousin} in the Millsfield area of Tennessee.
Photo submitted by Outerlimit Powersports.
Steve Atwill, from Atwill farms in Missouri, shot
this warthog this past summer, while hunting in
South Africa. - Photo submitted by Wilkerson’s
Taxidermy.
Heidi Mangiaracinia Gardiner shot this
monster buck while hunting behind her
parent’s house in Weakley County, Tennessee.
She was standing when she shot him and
hunting alone. The 11-pointer had a 21” spread,
weighed 170 lbs. and scored about a 140 class.
Gary Simpson shot this 9-point buck on December
26th, 2014 in Lenox, Tennessee while hunting on his
brother’s property. It weighed in at 150 pounds and had
a 21 and ½” spread.

Southern Traditions Outdoors January - February 2015

Southern Traditions Outdoors January - February 2015

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