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I am thinking about going to Reelfoot the second week of March. Does anyone have any suggestions for where to stay. I'm looking for a place that provides bait and boat. Any other tips or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated too. Thanks in advance!
[URL="http://www.reelfoot.com/resorts_lodging_at_reelfoot.htm"]Reelfoot Lake Resorts and Lodging[/URL] and its a shallow lake chock full of cypress knees and fair number of cottonmouths along with 2 gators(protected)
The Gators dont die in the winter???
[QUOTE=IronWorker;509311]The Gators dont die in the winter???[/QUOTE]
They are a northern strain from miss.Biologists have determined that they are merely moving north to where they formerly had been at one time-Believe Murphies pond ky to be about that far north.
Dnr knows where 2 at at on reelfoot,several down around Memphis,did have one back east but dnr dispatched it and upon inspection and dna samples discovered it should be here,so now protected by law.
One in the east and one near Paris Tn -killed in last 6 years again now protected-they follow the obion chain on down from murphies pond.So any of that flooded cypress area formerly a canal one could encounter one,to just about middle tn just short of ky lake by say 20 miles.
Once years ago in Proctorville Oh someone turned one loose by a private pond,thought it would die they finally caught it in feb,transported south then,but much much colder than west Tn.
While it seems to far north,weather patterns have a play in it.
Again while seemingly to far north murphies pond ky has the thickest population of cottonmouths anywhere in the world,far more than fla,equals out to one about every 22 sq ft,not a place to put hands outside of yak or canoe to pick up a paddle you laid down.
Reelfoot is directly below.
I would have never imagined that. Thanks for the info.
Give one something to think about in the east, the dismal swamp is about as far north as either a gator or cottonmouth would exist.Appalachian mtns being a natural barrier both in terrain and climate.West near the [B]Mississippi[/B] river there are no such barriers,and cottonmouths extend all the way to southern Ill.
The American alligator is just re extending its former range where its protected,if not shot on sight and an oddity in the local newspaper.
It is doubt full they at the far northern range,they would ever be enough to hunt or cause much of a problem.
But be also aware getting plinking time on one could land you in jail,not to mention huge fines.
I apologize to the original poster who wanted info on reelfoot,it is however somewhat related but minor.
Reelfoot is a good crappie fishery,shallow and stump filled,but beware of its other inhabitants like cottonmouths.
You might ask your own ky dnr about murphies pond.
Tn DNR will not give out locations other than general news releases like 2 at or near reelfoot lake,Memphis trailer park (relocated)etc.
The fact it is now a protected species should answer all questions are they here,yes in limited numbers.
Ive been going there for 9 years and i have never seen or heard anyone talking of gators........ They did find one that had been dumped in the lake years ago , the article said it was a pet that was released.... I would stay at cypress point or eagles nest,or blue bank , blue bank being my first choice as its more centeral located on the south end ......
Not exactly highly populated stand more of a chance finding an Alligator gar,or cottonmouths which are fairly heavily populated.
The internet has stories of one in guntersville huge with a stag in its mouth later seen at cumberland lol,it was taken way down in ga the pic and was a deer in its mouth and about 12-14 ft.
Their is also a story about two at reelfoot,and the nearby obion drainage.
As to whats true or not decide yourself fact is alligators are now a protected species in Tn.
So ask yourself this if none here why are they protected?
I dont think they are here in numbers,yet are extending their former range.
Miss stocked to within 50 miles of Memphis,part of Guntersville lake is in Tn,from state line to dam is all.
One could easily be basking at South Pittsburg,or for that matter Jasper.
Footnote both the tn river at guntersville and the Tombigbee River which empties into pickwick contain gators,the missippi is a highway.
No doubt one could spend years searching and never see one,myself population around 6,entire state.
That is but a guess,dnr wont release info on them other than its a protected species now.My mention of them and cottonmouths was not meant to detract from the post,tell the guy about the fishing,that is what he is interested in.