RBJ Fishing

Haven’t gotten a chance to just fun fish in a while. Enjoyed the mornin on the water out here on Barkley

Well that wraps up the 2023 season for the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series.
I managed to scrounge together a small limit both days for a 36th of 90 finish. I’d never been to Guntersville before this Thursday so my expectations were pretty chill.. I knew these guys knew this water pretty well.
The top of the field were absolutely hammering big limits on day one with it taking 90” to get 11th place.
On day one I couldn’t find anything bigger than 15” and finished the day with a tiny 67” limit.
On day two I started in a new place hoping to find some bigger bites but only caught one 8” fish and decided to abandon that area and did a mid morning move back to the creek where I found a couple small upgrades on day one.
My first cast I caught a 14” and cast back in and set the hook on a 20.75”!! I was pumped thinkin something big might happen for me but no more big ones showed up. By the end of the day I managed to catch 79.5” for day 2 capped off with that 20.75”…. Not a big limit for guntersville obviously but it was a big improvement from day 1.
I caught all those fish day 2 in an area 50 yards wide… just finesse fishin a shakey head back and forth from 9:00am to lines out at 2:00.
It’s been an amazing experience this year learning and gettin to know new waters and building friendships with my local Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group squad.
I want to thank Greg and Blake at Music City Outdoors TN for makin this year happen for me in the PA14.
Thank you to Newport Vessels for the awesome customer service with my NK180 powered by Dakota Lithium Batteries ,I appreciate them too! my batteries never once left me hangin and got me across miles and miles of water without a worry of makin it back in time.
Looking forward to the 2024 season! Dale hollow coming up in December again!!

The Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series championship event on starts tomorrow morning!
Lookin forward to seeing what we can get on the board!

Thanks to Blue Fox Gifts for this sweet aluminum tourney tag!
Crazy simple to order and personalize and showed up in just a couple days 💪🏼

Well the last tournament on the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series is in the books!
I didn’t get the opportunity to prefish for this one so I feel pretty fortunate to have managed 11th among this group.
I had heard a lot of talk surrounding the Bassmaster college series that had been goin on this week. There had been several teams not get a bite in a couple days if their practice so I figured it’d be a tough bite. With that in mind I started off early throwin finesse and it paid off with a few decent keepers early.
I covered water and tried some other things but all my bites ended up on a shakey head and a wacky real slooooooooww.
The state championship is comin up fast on guntersville so I’m gettin my mind on that now .
It’s been an awesome learning experience getting on the water for this series this year and I’m looking forward to next year

The Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group in
Trail Stop 8- Season ender on Lower Lake Barkley was this past weekend.

I fished old faithful again but this time didn’t get the bites I was hoping for. I only found one small 13” bass early and worked for hours to get the second keeper… it was a late rally but after covering a ton of water I found a couple more including a solid 18” largemouth.
I had been watching the standings and at that point in the middle of the morning, no one even had a limit… so I was still feelin optimistic that I could do well if I could fill my limit. So I kept on truckin’, covering water , power fishin just prayin for a 12”
The derby ended at 1:15 and it was about 12:15… I was really feelin the pressure and perplexed about where to spend the last minutes of the day. Reluctantly , I made the call to head all the way back to the back of the creek where I was fishing, which was about a 15 minute trip… valuable time at that part of the day… but that’s where the big one came from so I rolled the dice.
With about 20 minutes left I made a cast and watched my line take off to deep and I set the hook into a 15” largemouth. I was SO relieved… while simultaneously fired up!! I knew judging by the current standings… that if I could land a 5th keeper I stood a chance to cash a check … maybe even win if no one was sandbaggin.
But unfortunately I couldn’t get that last bite. It was a tough day for most of us and somehow those 4 were good enough for a 4th place finish .

This year has been incredible between our grass roots club and the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series trails.
I’ve gotten the opportunity to be in community with and learn from some great men and I’m grateful for that 🙏🏼

Congratulations to Ben Lowry , Bobby Brown Fishing and Shawn SnagZilla Bassham for the podium finishes .

And a BIG CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 TO Richard Bartoszek Fishing for back ti back A.O.Y. Titles !!
I knew going into this one that he had it locked even if I won I would’ve come up 1 or 2 points short.. but I enjoyed chomping at his heels late in the season regardless.

Looking forward to the KAST state championship on Tim’s Ford later in September !
Pumped to visit PICKWICK in a couple weeks for the season closer for the BASS NATION.

Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series’ Stop #6 French Broad / Holston recap:

This one was a blast! Some of y’all know I love smallmouth the best!! Ever since Dale Hollow last December I’ve been a mess!

Like all the other events this year on this trail, I’ve never fished these waters before this week.
I was able to come down Friday and got to Knoxville around 10:30 to scout the area out.
I only really found one ramp on google maps while studying the area that grabbed my interest… This area had some cool features and and islands that I felt like may create some current breaks that could hold bass if they weren’t pulling current . That area was on the French Broad at Seven islands birding park .
I fished there and covered water from 11:00-4:00 and found fish but not really the size or location I’d hoped for… the bites were somewhat random but still… I caught em so I locked it in that this was my spot for the tournament . I did manage to find a couple key spots I felt may hold big ones early in the morning. I just didn’t know how much traffic I’d have out there.
I launched tourney morning with a few of my Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group squad… Richard Bartoszek Fishing, Mike Cheatham Fishing, and Donald Guthrie. Don and I took off up River and Mike and Bart went down .
I tried top water early on some places I felt it may be good for it but no takers.
I was saving my go to place for when the sun started coming up… it was a nice little shoal that funneled into some strong current up river a ways.
As I was working my starting point with top water… a couple anglers passed by headed up to that section… I aborted top water and shot up river to see if I’d be able to get on that spot.
Thankfully the guys kinda fished through quickly and continued up river.
Within just a few casts in the current I landed my first keeper… a 15” smallmouth.. my nerves settled big time. A couple more casts in , felt that subtle bump on the line and set the hook… I knew it was a biggin!! I was shakin fightin her back and forth and she jumped several times… bout fainted !! I got her in though and she was a 19.75” hot mama!!! Conveniently , one of the anglers , as I was taking my photo of her… slipped right around me and cast right in the hole she came out of… 🤷‍♂️… I was kinda taken back by that etiquette but I understand I’m new to all this so I just kept quiet… He fished through pretty quick , but he did literally pedal directly over top of the drop I was fishing 🤦‍♂️
I felt pretty optimistic that I could still get more outta there though so I decided to lock in and keep slow fishing that spot.
I switched to a smaller more finesse bait on lighter line and cast out… got distracted with tinkerin with somethin in the boat… as I drifted down I looked up and realized my line was tangled up with the nose of the hobie… I picked up the rod and went to get it free and felt a tug… 👀.. but the line was still snagged! I just set the frickin hook anyway… and felt another big girl on the other end… 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼💯💯💯
Got her in and there she was .. another 19.50”
My goals quickly shifted from hoping for a limit… to daydreaming about the possibility of cashin a check !!
I worked the area tirelessly the rest of the day and even moved around some trying to fill the limit … finally found two small ones and eventually culled up once…. I admit I was hungry for the podium but had an ABSOLUTE BLAST during this event .
My 82” limit put me in my second top ten for this series this year 🙌🏼.
Congratulations to Josh Sharp for the win… if y’all like watching folks fish on YouTube go check him out BASSn'BEER!!
Also congrats Jordan Marshall and Eric Thomason for 2nd and 3rd place.
Looking now to Pickwick comin up in August!!

Thanks to Mike Cheatham Fishing and Richard Bartoszek Fishing for helping me overcome the saga of the sunken keys!!
Had some 4th of July fun fishing today

Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group
Trail Stop 7- Cross Creeks

I chose Pool 5 for my day and was pretty pumped I did! By 8:30 I had my limit and all on the same pattern I had stumbled on.
I started out in the back and hoped for top water action early in all that grass… I’m not really skilled in the grass yet but if it’s anything like it was today I could definitely get used to it .
I threw a buzzbait, walking bait and a plopper for probably 30 minutes with no bites before pickin up a spinner bait and landing the first keeper. That’s about all it took for me to decide to keep it locked in my hand.
The next fish was a 20” largemouth that bout have me a heart attack tryin to keep her out of the grass on 12 pound mono 🤦‍♂️
At that point you’d have had to pry that rod out of my hands and I fished it the rest of the day… eventually filling out my limit and capping it off with another big girl! A 20.25”
I scrounged around til my hands were sore and culled a few out. I think this had to be one of the funnest trips I’ve had in a long time.. can’t believe it actually happened during a tournament .
I didn’t have any service all day and wasn’t sure how everyone was doin.. I knew I had a solid limit but I also had heard cross creeks can be awesome and with how it had been for me I was assuming it was elsewhere too.
I heard some distant thunder and shortly after the dark clouds rolled in and a storm like I’ve never been caught in dropped in and bout took this ol’ boy out…. Ive never been in fear for my life on the water before but there for about 15 minutes it was treacherous between the lightning clappin all around us and the gale force winds that swept in… by far the worst storm I’ve gotten caught in. Im glad everyone made it off the water safe.
After finally gettin off the water early and loaded up I made it to check in and waited to see how it turned out.
I’m feelin blessed to have pulled off the win and the pot.
Congrats to Mike Cheatham and AcNj Shink for the 2nd and third place finishes!

Trail Stop #6 Cheatham Lake
Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group

This one turned out bittersweet for me. I launched at the ramp I like most on cheatham and really felt good about the fact that I was alone at the ramp. I anticipated there being 3 or 4 other guys there too but I was pleasantly surprised .
I had a juicy spot for a big one in mind for mid day once the sun got up but I knew I wanted to leave it alone until then … just had to hope no bass boaters would roll in on it .
I started in a section of the creek that’s usually good for a quick limit and for the next two hours I worked through it for 3 keepers with the biggest being 16.75”. I worked there for a while longer hopin to fill out the bag but no luck so I moved over to big girl’s lair …. I got the kayak in the right spot and skipped my senko in there and THUMP… there she was… I set the hook and she just shook her head and darted left pullin drag and then cut back right and got around a limb … I knew it was big and from what she showed me of her it was around 18-20” …
She pulled in around that limb and I fought to keep her out of it but it was too late.. SNAP!! The line broke .😤🤬
Let’s just say everyone within a mile radius knew how I felt pretty clearly 🤦‍♂️.
I was pretty shook after losing that bass… I try not to get in my head but I was. I knew that with the 3 I already had … a good kicker could very well have put me in the runnin for a W.
I worked back and forth all through the creek at both ends trying to get those last bites …
I fought 3 more to the kayak but lost em … just not fishin clean.
I finally caught one more fish with 10 minutes to lines out which ended up placing me in 3rd place.
I’m grateful for making the top 3 but I’m lucky for sure … it was tough out there for everyone …
We only had 2 of 19 anglers catch a limit .
It’s bittersweet because when you get the opportunities to win and don’t capitalize it sticks with you. But on the to the next one ! Keep on grindin.

Congratulations to Richard Bartoszek Fishing on yet another victory and Big fish and to Nick walker for 2nd place .

Shout out to Music City Outdoors TN for this dream rig they got me in .. check them out for all your kayaking needs! They’ll take good care of you … they carry every accessory imaginable and have and awesome rigging department as well.

Come see us! A lot of great deals on Memorial Day!

This year has been a new world for me thanks to Music City Outdoors TN . They helped get me into a brand new early in the year.
I’ve been fishing my local trail with the Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group as well as every event on the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series trail and I’ve had ZERO issues with this rig. I give them ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’s and that’s where my business will go 💪🏼

Trails Stop 5 - Lake Barkley
Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group

Well I’ve been needing a good finish to help chances for qualifying for State.
I wasn’t sure where I was going to fish when I woke up at 3:30… but I ended up choosing the Dover City ramp and planning to head straight into Dyers and see what it’s fishing like this year. I have fished there a lot but haven’t much at all the past two years and the few times I have it was not very productive at all.
I screeched up to the ramp in my regular last minute freak out mode 🤦‍♂️.
I arrived to see a few other fellas at the ramp already floating waiting for launch time which was only 10 minutes away at 5:00am
I managed to get launched and headed into Dyers while the rest headed what appeared to be further South toward lick.
I pulled up to my spot at 5:15 and landed my biggest bass of the year within the first few casts. I believe the full moon had something tj do with it cause 2 casts after her I hooked into one that felt just as big if not bigger in the same spot… she pulled drag and put me in a lay down and broke me off.
Long story short… bites slowed down and I made a couple key moves to go way shallow with a buzzbait and a jackhammer up in the buck brush to fill my limit and ultimately make a late day cull that helped hold on to the lead.
83.25” was solid enough to take 1st place 🥇
And that biggun took Big Bass.
Congratulations to Richard Bartoszek on 2nd! He was chompin at my heels and making culls that had me nervous .
Congratulations also to Bobby Brown Fishing for his 3rd place finish.

This year has been amazing getting to fish in my Music City Outdoors TN Hobie Pro Angler.
Being able to cover water with the Newport Vessels NK-180 has been spoiling me!
The Dakota Lithium Batteries have never let me down.
Looking forward to Douglas next week with Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series

Well the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series on WATTS BARR is in the books.
I gotta say I normally wouldn’t be too pumped about a 22/54 finish but when you are looking at only having an hour and a half to fish and you only have one 12” on the scoreboard …. It’s sitting pretty good with me.
In two days of prefishing I felt like I had a good location to pull a limit but I didn’t think it would have top ten size in it. But the other places I went didn’t produce so I chose the first spot.
I threw top water the first couple hours with no action AT. All. Hindsight I should’ve aborted the top water and shifted but it is what it is.
The wind picked up around 12:30-1:00 so I hoped I’d find some pushed in the back of the creek.
I Had to go finesse for the bites but luckily the last 4 all hit the same worm. I was really hoping to get rid of that 12.25” but never could .
Congratulations to Jordan Marshall , Marcas Grubbs and Josh King for the top 3 spots.
Time to get to work on Douglas lake coming up quick .

I got out with my son today for some fun fishin back home.
Came across my biggest bass of the year so far at 20.25” and 4.35lbs.
Got her on spinning tackle and light line so she got the heart pumpin real nice like 💯💯🙌🙌

Had a great day on the water yesterday fishing a tournament with West TN Bass Yakkers .
It poured rain most the morning but I didn’t mind too bad cause I was catching fish pretty consistently .
My biggest 3 gave me a limit of 50.75” which was good enough to place 4th of 30 anglers .
I was pretty happy with the outcome and learned some new stuff about ol’ Kentucky .
Time to get geared up for the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Anglers Series event on Watts Barr next week! 💯💯💯

Clarksville Area Kayak Fishing Group held Trail Stop 3- Little Lakes today.
I managed to get a decent limit but could not find the quality I was needing to get in that top 5.
I’m grateful for a really fun day of fishing though.. I lost count of how many I caught but my best 5 went 75” but we only had a 3 fish limit for this one.. came away with 47.25”
I chose to try one of the lakes I’d never fished before for the tournament… so this morning was my first time seeing it. It’s a cool experience just jumpin in and searching around for juicy spots and even more fun when it actually produces a bite.
Congratulations to Shawn SnagZilla Bassham on that dub! Also congrats to Jay Minor and Richard Bartoszek for 2nd and 3rd!
Way to get on em Elijah Slikker with that big girl!!

TN BASS NATION #3 - Lake Cherokee

Well stop 3 is in the books and turned out much better than I expected it to after two days of not very productive pre-fishing.
I got here in town Thursday mid day and fished a ramp south toward the dam and only caught one and didn’t learn much.
Friday I fished two ramps.. one was the dam at the north end and the other all the way back down at grainger park… I caught one at both but still didn’t have confidence in those areas going into tournament day.
I ended up making a last minute call this morning and picked a ramp I had saw on Google earth that looked tasty.
I was excited when I got there and there weren’t any other kayak guys there.
I launched at 6:30 and motored directly back to the very back of the creek I had seen.
I caught my first 2 fish in the first hour on a frittside crankbait and kept doing circles in that cove for the next couple hours until finally I ran into #3.
IT seemed like the crankbait bite was fading so i left the back of the creek in search of a new area. I made probably 10 casts in that next area toward the ramp and just felt like I’d made a mistake leaving. So I motored my way back there again and decided I’d throw some finesse stuff to see if they were wantin it a little slower.
My next bite was off a ned rig and brought that beautiful smallie in the boat and I didn’t get another bite until after 1:00.
I heard a bass bust the top by the bank… I reached behind me for my wacky rig rod and tossed it to the ripples… twitched it and THUMP! I had my limit bass on the line . I can’t describe how happy I was to have caught a limit. I haven’t managed to do that in this series before today.
I ended up placing in 10th place and qualifying for the State Championship on Lake Guntersville.
Feel pretty pumped about how it turned out… especially since I had no clue where to find em goin into it.
Next stop is Watts Bar at the end of May.
Thanks to Music City Outdoors TN for getting me in this Hobie. Congrats to Jaxton Orr on the victory!