Blue Bank Resort Head Guide Billy Blakley shows Vernon Lovejoy
how he uses forward-facing sonar to help track down Reelfoot
Lake crappie any time of year.
Brotherhood, Battlefields, and Reelfoot Crappie
Story and Photos by Richard Hines
I was intrigued when I got the call from Vernon Lovejoy, one of my college roommates from long ago. Vernon and I have remained close friends for more years than I would like to admit. Since those days back at Eastern Kentucky University, we have hunted and fished from Canada to the Gulf Coast. So, when I got a call about setting up another fishing trip, I was more than ready.
Vernon told me he had just heard from one of his friends he had served with in Vietnam, Frayne Berg. Frayne is from McVille, North Dakota and apparently after several phone calls, both realized they still had something in common, hunting and fishing. As a result, Frayne offered up a waterfowl hunt in North Dakota while Vernon was to set up a combination catfish/crappie trip somewhere down South.
Since good food and lodging is important, especially to us older guys, our first call was to my favorite fishing location, Blue Bank Resort. Located on Reelfoot Lake in the far Northwest corner of Tennessee, the lodge was just voted #1 among premier fishing locations across the U.S.
After a short conversation with resort manager Drew Hayes, I found out the dates we were looking at would be some tough fishing, but he said, “Come on because I want you to fish with Billy Blakely”. Blakely is the head guide at Blue Bank and “if anyone can roust out late summer crappie, its Billy.”
Before heading to Reelfoot, we made a stop to catfish on the Mississippi River.
Our first morning on Reelfoot, we headed out, the weather was calm but hot. Blakely said, “The crappie are still in their summer pattern hanging in the deepest water they can find which is anywhere from 12 to 16 feet deep.”
According to Blakely, crappie will stay in this pattern until shad begin moving into shallower water. He said that usually happens on Reelfoot in late September.
Throughout the morning, both Vernon and Frayne were extremely interested in watching Billy’s Garmin LiveScope. While they were watching the screen, trying to find a fish, both reminisced about all the things that have changed over the years.
Vernon grew up fishing Mud River near his home in Hamlin, West Virginia, while Frayne had fished small natural pothole lakes near the home in North Dakota. These two combat veterans, who grew up in totally different environments, had developed a friendship while serving together on the field of battle in the jungles of Vietnam. Listening like a fly on the wall, it was obvious to me their friendship was rekindled over the days we fished together.
As it approached noon, a hot south wind picked up. putting a good chop on the water making the fishing even tougher in these dog days of summer.
So, after two hard days of fishing for catfish and crappie, we opted for a late breakfast and a tour of local historical sites. Both Army veterans have an interest in Civil War history, so I planned a trip to Kentucky’s Columbus-Belmont State Park. Located on the Mississippi River, the park sits on the location of the Confederate Fort De Russey, famous for its failed effort to halt Grant’s invasion down the Mississippi River by stretching a large, mile-long chain across the river.
Both former soldiers in the 198th Light Infantry Brigade from 1967 to 1968 began walking around the old trenchworks and came to the same conclusion – “There is no way could this place be defended…it was lost before it started”
Vernon had been a 1st Lieutenant and Frayne the company medic. Both knew what it would have taken to hold this ground. This park is well worth visiting, especially for veterans.
But as we walked through the museum, in the back of our minds, we all wondered what the crappie bite would be like the next morning.
Our second morning was still hot with a strong south wind. But Blakely still found us some crappie before we headed into Blue Bank for lunch. Resort Manager Drew Hayes suggested we spend the rest of the day at the Discovery Park of America museum in Union City. It was a welcome relief from the summer heat, and fascinating displays ranging from military hardware, old automobiles, native American artifacts and my favorite, an entire train along with the depot. This museum shows a great cross-section of life in America.
If you decide to visit Blue Bank Resort, they have an extensive list of qualified guides on staff or on call as needed. Or, if you prefer to do it yourself, they rent fishing boats and are always happy to help mark a spot on the map where crappie or bluegill might be hanging out.
On this trip we had to work hard for our crappie, yet it was still one of the best crappie trips I have been on in many years. Sharing times with old friends like Vernon and Frayne will always be special – and for an outdoorsman, there is no better place to do than Reelfoot. By the way, the three of us have a duck hunt planned for this coming season!
Richard Hines is a retired Wildlife Biologist, book author and award-winning freelance outdoor writer and photographer. When Hines is fishing, he also takes time to explore and photograph local historical sites particularly when the bite slows down! Since 1985, Hines has published hundreds of articles on hunting, fishing, conservation, and natural history.
