You're Invited to the 5th Annual BassResource.com Roadtrip!!!

[Jim Grouch]

Is this another dry county with the nearest beer store 1,000 miles away again? I didn't mind so much the icicles hanging off my nose or blowing up the VMax motor on my boat....it was the 45 minute drive to get a case of beer that was unbearable.

[Glenn]

The park doesn't sell alcohol, but you get some within a 10-15 min drive.  No worries.  

[roadwarrior]

You can crawl to an EXXON station next to the park.

Cigs & beer, no problemo.

                             

[grizzly1654]

there is also a nice bar called freddy T's right down the road for anyone who wants to party

[Uncle Leo]

Either way I'll be there I just wish someone would make up their mind. Besides Kelley would kill me if I did not show.

[cart7t]

I failed to mention that a nonresident license from Alabama is good for all of Pickwick also.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/where/reservoirs/pickwick/

Scroll down to the Links section. A link to info on obtaining licenses online is also available.

The Tenn license does not cover the Bear Creek & Yellow Creek areas.

This reservoir stretches 50 miles from Pickwick to Wilson Dam.

If you wish to fish the area below Pickwick Dam a Tenn license would be needed.

So I'm better off to purchase a non-resident Ala. license rather than a Tenn. if I'm wanting to fish all portions of the lake?

I'm curious if you can answer this. I see a couple ramps in yellow creek that are about 10-15 miles from the lodge in Mississippi. If I launch there I can legally fish with an Alabama non-resident lic?

[cart7t]

Brian, PM sent.  

[Btech]

Ok first off these trips are WELL WORTH IT - I went last year and like joe said have made some life long friends. For the people complaining how far it is for the west coast peeps ... GET OVER IT its well worht the drive - im gona be leaving from NEVADA this year which means anyone who doesnt live in CALIFORNIA is close enough to make it (And the cali peeps can just walk father)

The Dinners, (Debs Desert) Guest Speakers, and "Surpizes" are well worth the money traveling from the west coast PULLING A BOAT!

Please everyone just register, Reserve rooms / campgrounds and save your cash we have plenty of time to do so. (Dont forget your Christmas clubs)

See ya all in ... Where are we going again? East Coast?

PS - Greg where is the local Marina? (Im sure ill need it) Bring your tow rope!

[electrikal]

I failed to mention that a nonresident license from Alabama is good for all of Pickwick also.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/where/reservoirs/pickwick/

. A link to info on obtaining licenses online is also available.

The Tenn license does not cover the Bear Creek & Yellow Creek areas.

This reservoir stretches 50 miles from Pickwick to Wilson Dam.

If you wish to fish the area below Pickwick Dam a Tenn license would be needed.

So I'm better off to purchase a non-resident Ala. license rather than a Tenn. if I'm wanting to fish all portions of the lake?

I'm curious if you can answer this. I see a couple ramps in yellow creek that are about 10-15 miles from the lodge in Mississippi. If I launch there I can legally fish with an Alabama non-resident lic?

As I read the Tenn. license restrictions, Yellow Creek upstream of Hwy 25 bridge, which is in Mississippi & Bear Creek (AL/MISS) is off limits. The majority of Yellow Creek is legal for Tenn. licensees. None of Bear Creek is nor is anything upriver of Bear Creek.

I found no mention of restrictions covering where you decide to launch from. I have never had Marine police or Game wardens check me in the Miss./Tenn area but my experience with Alabama has been that they were more interested in safety and boating license than fishing license. Nonresidents are exempt from the boating license.

This link shows http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/where/reservoirs/pickwick/reciprocal.cfmthe area covered by the Miss. agreement and, with the exclusion of Bear Creek, would also be the Tenn agreement. There is another 25 miles of river past the boundary shown.

[CWB]

In plain English, does anyone know if there is one license that will cover you from dam to dam?

[electrikal]

Yes, Alabama.

[Triton21]

Alabama NR 7 day fishing licence $26.00.

Kelley

[roadwarrior]

Yes, Alabama.

Okay, I never knew that...

8-)

[Triton21]

Who has the best maps of Pickwick?

Kelley

[RoLo]

Garmin

Navionics might require both the "north" and "south" SD cards.

Roger

[Keri]

Maps are included with the goody bag but if they can't wait try Atlantic Mapping.

http://www.atlanticmapping.com/gps_lake_charts.htm

[SammyLee]

I plan to go but don't have a  boat, only the tube float.  I called the State Park Marina and asked about rental boats.  They said they have 3 jon boats with 9.9 outboards on a first come, first serve basis.  Well, maybe ok, I'll bring my sleeping bag and be at the marina door/gate at 0300 to get one.  Maybe.

What I'd really like to do is rent a bass boat for a day or two, especially if I could get someone else to split the cost.  But... none of the marinas that have web sites seem to have bass boats for rent.  Perhaps I am just missing it.  Does anyone know of a marina that has bass boats for rent?  Like wise, does anyone without a boat have any interest in sharing one with me?

[cart7t]

There will be a number of boating members down there with backseats available during the week.  The pairing up of non-boaters with boaters happens at the dinners the night before.

There will be a boat seat for you, don't let that stop you from coming.  

[Long Mike]

During my lake research I could find no fishing boats available other than the jon boats that you mentioned.  However, if you want to rent a houseboat, pontoon boat or jet-ski there are plenty available.

As car7t mentioned, don't let the lack of a boat keep you from making the trip.  There are always empty seats available on the members boats.

[burleytog]

My fish at Kentucky was 5.  Jimzee caught a 7+ on Guntersville.

[roadwarrior]

My fish at Kentucky was 5. Jimzee caught a 7+ on Guntersville.

5 1/2...Don't mess with the legend.

8-)

[Long Mike]

OK guys, for what it's worth, a lake that has a high potential for DD bass never comes into consideration when trying to locate a site for the next Road Trip. The most important considerations are which locale will draw the most members and does that locale have the facilities to accommodate the expected influx of members. Because participation in the event has been roughly doubling each year, we had to find a place that would accommodate about a hundred people, yet remain fisherman friendly. Those of you who attended the Kenlake trip and brought your boats know that the choice was a mistake. It's the least fisherman friendly place I've been to. Glenn, the Mods and we coordinators try to learn from the previous road trips to make the next trip more pleasurable for everyone.

There are about twenty criteria that are used in the evaluation of a potential Road Trip site. Obviously, some are more important than others, but I reiterate that big bass potential is not one of them.

The decision is made. It's Pickwick Lake in 2010. There is a possibility that someone may catch a DD bass, but the chances are slim. If you want to have a lot of fun, meet some great people and catch some decent sized bass, come join us at Pickwick. On the other hand, if you want to target your vacation trip to catching big bass, I suggest you go elsewhere.

To paraphrase Abe Lincoln, You can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

[RoLo]

Mike, you're the Roadtrip Coordinator which commands my respect and I salute your initiative.

On the other hand, I respectfully suggest that you use that same initiative to encourage members

to attend the roadtrip instead of painting a picture of submission.

The name of this renowned website is Bass Resource, which respectfully includes largemouth, smallmouth,

spotted and shoal bass. Do yourselves a great big favor and direct your attention to the unique

smallmouth bass potential provided by Pickwick Lake. Does anyone here have any idea of the world-class potential

of Pickwick Lake? With the exception of Roadwarrior, the answer is apparently, No. If I were attending this roadtrip,

every bigmouth bass that I caught would be purely by accident (bycatch), as all my time would be devoted to bronzebacks.

Granted, Lake Erie and the Columbia River may produce more trophy-class bronzebacks, but debatably

the two best waters for world-class smallmouth bass are Dale Hollow Res, TN and Pickwick Lake, AL.

For all our members who never tied into a smallmouth bass, this trip provides a golden opportunity you'll never forget.

The enormous pair of smallmouth bass displayed in Roadwarrior's avatar were taken from the same water

that spills over the Pickwick Dam. For those of you unfamiliar with smallmouth bass,

Roadwarrior summed it pretty well in the following quip (I wonder if Kent remembers posting this):

I keep my pet smallmouth bass in the Tennessee River. I exercise them on a regular basis

so they don't get fat and lazy, otherwise they turn into largemouth bass

.

Roger

[Long Mike]

RoLo, submission?  Never!  I am well aware of the smallmouth potential that Pickwick offers, as should any member who contemplates joining us on the Road Trip and performs more than cursory research.  I was speaking to those who fish for LMB only and think a wimp location was chosen.

[BassinSoldier]

Word on the street is that Bryan and I will be heading back to the sandbox in April, just a rumor as of now though.  Hopefully it stays that way and we'll see you guys again.  If not I know it will be a blast.  I'm really hoping we'll be home, cuz I really wanna fish Pickwick!