Memphis Area "Gas Lakes"???

[EllisJuan]

So...bringing this back up again.  I am hoping to really get some insight into Memphis area "Gas lakes"?    There is so much good information in the "Memphis Area Pond Hoppers" thread.  Being new to the area, it has really been helpful to me.   I would love to start collecting information, tips, and news about some of the area's larger lakes.

I am guessing that Herb Parsons is going to be the closest place place I could run a 60hp gas 17' boat safely?  I am sure I am going to be wanting to get this thing wet as much as possible in the beginning, even if it is not on the best piece of water to fish.  I would like to find places to fish that I could knock off work reasonably early and leave my house at 2:00 and squeeze in a few hours.  I guess Poplar Tree would be my other option?  I am sure I will be making my way to Pickwick one of these weekends.  I am also trying to work out meeting my buddy at one of the "big" lakes in Alabama, maybe Guntersville one of these weekends.

This will be my first time venturing into all these lakes and would love to learn as much as possible about all of them before jumping out there.  Things like areas of the lakes to concentrate on, navigational hazards to be concerned with, what boat ramps to use?

I will probably be going out to Herb Parsons first...maybe Saturday, so any information on it would be awesome.

[MFBAB]

I still recommend getting a subscription to MSHFN.  There is a nice list of local lakes and reports there monthly. 

 

[EllisJuan]

4 hours ago, MFBAB said:

I still recommend getting a subscription to MSHFN.  There is a nice list of local lakes and reports there monthly. 

 

Thanks.  I went ahead and did that.  $12 for 12 issues is very reasonable.

[MFBAB]

I agree, It's worth it just for the fishing reports. 

Herb Parsons should be fishing good right now, I'd expect to find fish shallow still.  I'm sure the water is pretty dirty w all of the recent rains.  If you get there early, run down the riprap w something like topwater or a squarebill/spinnerbait.

Then maybe beat the banks and try to fish around bream beds where you can find them.  Shade and any cover you can find are your friend after the sun comes up   

[EllisJuan]

I drove out to Herb Parsons today.  I talked to one guy who had been out there for 6 hours and had caught one...ouch.  Said it has been rough out there.  I was a little disappointed the whole lake is no wake.  I was hoping for somewhere close by that I could actually run the boat a bit.  Is there any non wake restricted places around?

[MFBAB]

You can launch at McKellar or Mud Island downtown on the MS river, McKellar is surprisingly good bass fishing at times.  The closest lake you can run on would probably be Arkabutla down around Hernando and Sardis a little further down I-55.  We used to have Lakeview down towards Walls, MS but it is private now. 

Pretty much all of the State Park or TWRA lakes are going to be no wake if not electric only in some cases for the state parks. 

[EllisJuan]

1 hour ago, MFBAB said:

You can launch at McKellar or Mud Island downtown on the MS river, McKellar is surprisingly good bass fishing at times.  The closest lake you can run on would probably be Arkabutla down around Hernando and Sardis a little further down I-55.  We used to have Lakeview down towards Walls, MS but it is private now. 

Pretty much all of the State Park or TWRA lakes are going to be no wake if not electric only in some cases for the state parks. 

I was Curious about Arkabutla and Sardis.  Have you fished either?  They are both around an hour from me.

[TJS209]

Glenn Springs but it's no wake as well.  If you ask me bass fishing at Herb Parsons isn't the greatest.  You could do McKellar but I would do a quick internet search first and look at the latest happenings down there.  Given just a few weeks ago they had major sewage leak issues which resulted in e coli, fish kill, etc..  Sardis can be good bass fishing but it's a mud hole right now I'm sure, you could at least run the boat there I haven't bass fished Sardis in some time so I don't have a current report.  Another option is Tunica Cutoff.  If you're in Collierville why not just make the haul to Pickwick and put in at Yellow Creek?

[MFBAB]

Yes, those are 2 of the best crappie lakes you'll find.  Butla is crazy high right now and it stays really muddy when it's high also, so that can be tough to figure out when you haven;lt fished there before.  Sardis is pretty good for both bass and crappie, if you put in at Holiday Lodge or Wyatt's Crossing on the N side of the lake you should be running with either species right now, the shallow end of the lake is from Holiday on up towards Hwy 7-lots of standing timber up there too.  If there's a south wind you may want to consider driving on down to the south side to launch, Hurricane Landing ramp.  Sardis is a bear when it gets windy, there will be big rollers hitting the ramps on the N side with a S wind much over 10 mph.  

Having said all of that, from Collierville I'd drive to Pickwick every time rather than either Butla or Sardis if I were bass fishing. 

[UFpwrLifter]

I've only rented boats at Glenn springs and its stump city, probably why they have the no wake restriction in place. Haven't been to herb but I'd imagine it's for the same reason. Have you checked out reelfoot?

My buddies and I have a trip set up for guntersville next month, can't wait!

[EllisJuan]

I picked up my boat on Friday... 

I am going to go putt around Herb Parsons tomorrow.  I am not married and my mom is in Florida, so I am hoping Mother's Day will have the lake deserted.  It will give me a good chance to familiarize myself with the boat close to home.  I have some serious learning to do with all the electronics...I am interested to play with the Xi5 trolling motor.  The anchor and heading hold functions are supposed to be very cool.  I know it can be controlled by the helm Lowrance. 

Maybe I will get lucky and the bite will be on.

 

[EllisJuan]

Went out to Herb Parson's for the first time this afternoon. I made it out there for about four hours.  This being my first time putting the boat in, I spent as much time trying to learn the tech as fishing. The boat and everything about it performed flawlessly.  This boat is a total game changer for me.  Ended up catching two at close to dark on a Rage rigged craw. One dink and one pretty nice fish.

[roadwarrior]

Sounds like a great day!

[Basstracker 95]

Don't forget about Beech Lake in Lexington, TN. Less than 2 hours from Memphis. No wake restrictions and has some good fish.

[EllisJuan]

6 hours ago, Basstracker 95 said:

Don't forget about Beech Lake in Lexington, TN. Less than 2 hours from Memphis. No wake restrictions and has some good fish.

Wow.  I did not know anything about that lake.  It is only ~80 miles from home.  I may go check it out this weekend.

[UFpwrLifter]

1 hour ago, EllisJuan said:

Wow.  I did not know anything about that lake.  It is only ~80 miles from home.  I may go check it out this weekend.

Need a partner? ?

[EllisJuan]

 

38 minutes ago, UFpwrLifter said:

Need a partner? ?

Possibly, but your screen name makes me think you are a Gator, and I lived in Tallahassee for about 25 years with season tickets to FSU...so...

[UFpwrLifter]

16 hours ago, EllisJuan said:

 

Possibly, but your screen name makes me think you are a Gator, and I lived in Tallahassee for about 25 years with season tickets to FSU...so...

Lol! I am a gator. 

[Skeeter Dan]

There is a open Tournament at Beech lake this Sunday. Registration at 0530

[EllisJuan]

36 minutes ago, Skeeter Dan said:

There is a open Tournament at Beech lake this Sunday. Registration at 0530

Wow.  I don't think I am ready to fish it...maybe the next one.  It may be a good chance to go out there and see where the locals concentrate. 

[EllisJuan]

Incase anyone wanted to see a sonar map of Herb Parson's.  This is what my Lowrance has picked up on my last two trips.  I am going to try to map the rest next couple times out.

[00 mod]

@EllisJuan If you crisscross back and forth a little more, your detail will become much more accurate.  Here is an example I did.

Jeff

[A-Jay]

17 minutes ago, 00 mod said:

@EllisJuan If you crisscross back and forth a little more, your detail will become much more accurate.  Here is an example I did.

Jeff

Great Work Jeff ~ I'm sure that took some time & effort to get right but should pay off.

Do you think you'd be interested is doing a couple of the lake over my way for me ?

I'll pay for the chip & lunch . . .

A-Jay

[00 mod]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Great Work Jeff ~ I'm sure that took some time & effort to get right but should pay off.

Do you think you'd be interested is doing a couple of the lake over my way for me ?

I'll pay for the chip & lunch . . .

A-Jay

I have the whole thing completed now. Took about 3 trips all day to complete the way I wanted. 

I would be interested but , you will be able to do your own soon!!!!!

I will come up and take you up on that lunch though- anytime!

Jeff

[EllisJuan]

Very cool OO Mod.  What lake is that?