Philip Sparn | ClarksvilleNow.com
psparn@ClarksvilleNow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The fishing possibilities in the Greater Clarksville Area are plentiful for all types of anglers.Within an hour’s drive, Clarksville anglers can fish for just about every type of catch in almost every type of water or environment.
In the Clarksville area, there is the variety of fishing that the Cumberland River, Red River, West Fork Red River, Clarksville Marina, Liberty Park Lake and Fort Campbell’s Lake Taal and Lake Kyle offers.
If you want to take a short drive or boat ride, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley offer abundant fishing possibilities for almost any species of fish. There are also a number of local creeks, ponds and streams that provide countless chances for some good catches.
Houston Smith, tournament director of the Montgomery County Bass Club, emphasizes that Clarksville residents are very fortunate because there are so many opportunities for good fishing in the Greater Clarksville Area.
“Bass fishing is excellent around here. Bluegill and crappie fishing is great and people are breaking records at catfish tournaments right here on the Cumberland River in Clarksville,” says Houston.
Grayson Smith, Houston’s younger brother and BassMasters Southern Opens Co-Angler of the Year, says there is a wide-variety of fishing opportunities for people who live in Clarksville.
‘There is so many different ways to fish around Clarksville,” says Grayson. “You can fish the deep waters or ledges in Kentucky Lake. You can fish in the shallow grasses in New Johnsonville or Dover, and you got the Cumberland River right here in Clarksville.”
Houston points out that Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake are wonderful places to fish and there are many boat ramps less than an hour away.
“We are very lucky in Clarksville to live so close to one of the top fishing lakes in the country,” says Houston. “Kentucky Lake has been ranked in the top ten-or-so bass lakes in the country by BassMasters several years in a row.”
Fishing in Clarksville
If you are fishing in the greater Clarksville Area, try out the Cumberland River, the Red River, the West Fork Red River or the local tributary creeks such as the Yellow Creek, Guice’s Creek, Fletchers Fork or Ringgold Creek.
Lake Kyle and Lake Taal at Ft Campbell are also some good fishing holes for a variety of fish.
Houston says that Bass fishing on the Cumberland River can be a challenge but there are a few things that anglers can do to increase their odds of landing a big one.
The two brothers recommend using a dark red worm with a quarter ounce weight or a deep diving crank bait.
“Red Shad worms are a great bait to use on almost any type of water,” says Houston. “Red shad, plum, pumpkin-seed and a few other colors work well as long as you put them in front of the fish.”
“I like a three-quarter ounce football jig with a Rage Craw Trailer,” said Houston. “I feel confident that when a fish gets that thing in its mouth, I’m getting it into the boat.”
Grayson suggests getting a crank bait that dives deep enough to drag the bottom.
The brothers who have been fishing together their whole life recommend throwing the worm or crank bait as close as you can to the bank or the edge of cover and slowly reeling it back to you.
It is often hard to get close to the cover – such as bushes, downed trees, logs, rock ledges, docks, and barge ties, without your bait getting hung-up, but the brothers say that is actually a good thing.
“When you are getting hung up, you are probably where you need to be,” said Houston and Grayson. “If you are not getting hung up you are not where the fish are.”
Fishing is a Family Tradition
Houston and Grayson Smith have been fishing together their whole life but the sport of fishing has recently brought the two brothers closer together over the last several years.
“Fishing has kept us especially close,” said Grayson Smith. “We enjoy fishing together and talking about it. It has also kept us close with our dad and grandfather.”
Fishing has been a family tradition passed on through the generations in the Smith family.
“Our dad and grandfather taught us the basics of fishing,” said Grayson. “We have grown up hunting and fishing in the Clarksville area our whole life.”
Grayson co-hosts the Clarksville Outdoors Network’s TV show “Clarksville Outdoors” on Charter Community Channel 10, which airs Wednesday and Friday nights at 8:30 p.m., Thursdays at 9 p.m. and Sundays at 5:30 p.m.
For those interested in bass fishing in the Clarksville area, Houston recommends joining the Montgomery County Bass Club.
The club is a member of the B.A.S.S. Tennessee Federation Nation and hosts a tournament almost every week for both boaters and non-boaters.
For more information on the Montgomery County Bass Club and tournament info visit their Facebook page.
Photos by Philip Sparn | ClarksvilleNow.com