Bedford lake
 

Plan on being in Middle TN next week, and will have one day for fishing (Thursday 7/10/14), and Bedford is the closest of the ones I've been wanting to try out for BG. I'm also wanting to try out Williamsport but the travel time from MT Juliet would be more than I'm willing to do for one day of fishing.

Would appreciate any updates/info anyone is willing to share. Will have my yak and a couple light poles to work with. Be glad to meet and greet any local members as well then. thanks in advance.

Could someone tell me where I can get a the daily permit for Bedford that would be on my way from Mt Juliet area ??

Jim

If you have a smartphone you can use the app and buy one. Or just go to the local walmart.

I'm not a bluegill fisherman but last time I was there the bass were stuck up so I started using trout magnets and I caught a lot of gills. Some tiny, some 7-8 inches. There are a lot of big shellcracker in there as well. Bass fishing in there seems to suck as of lately. It was better a few years ago, or maybe the few trips I've made in the past year or two have been on bad days. The few bass I'd find were small.

You can get the daily for $5.50 for Bedford Lake......it is 50 cents more than the other TWRA Lakes. Walmart in Shelbyville sells it if you can't purchase online....the code is 065. Not really much to add to what Jimmy said. It is not a bass lake for sure...and before someone tells me that it does have bass in it what I mean is I wouldn't head out to there in search of bass. Just not that good a bass fishery. The Gills in there are decent. If you go towards the dam on the right are some good weed beds that Gills may be feeding in...depends on time of day. If not there try the far side of lake opposite boat ramp. The far corner of the dam...to the left as you face it from your kayak....has been a good shell cracker spot. The water is hot already and moss has started.....as summer goes on the moss will be everywhere. Some summers the lake will get extremely low. If you can find them it is worth the trip for an avid Gill fisherman....but with this heat they may be illusive. Good luck.


Regards

Thanks for all the info guys, I do appreciate it. I'm going for the gills, not the bass, but if one wants to play, I will without prejudice. :) Not sure of the time, but doubt I will be there at sunrise, hopefully soon after tho to try and beat some of the heat. :D

Again, thanks for the info and tips.

Sportsman
 

does the sportsman licence cover it like the twra lakes ?

Yes a Sportsman License would cover the lake charge.

call around about permit
 

I don't know about the daily TWRA lake permits, but earlier in the year I wanted an annual permit for the TWRA lakes (type 193). Walmart in Murfreesboro did not sell it, but Walmart in Shelbyville did. TWRA at the time did not sell it online. I never had so much trouble getting someone to take my money. It's set up that way so you will patronize the vendors at the lakes. Bedford has no vendor so area license agents sell the type 193 license.

if the Bedford Lake daily permit is not available online, call the TWRA license section and see who sells it; may save some driving around.

Walmart in Shelbyville sells the daily fee for Bedford also. TWRA still does not sell annual lake fees online. There is no honor box at Bedford as there is no one to collect it. The lakes at Natchez Trace State Park have the honor box system at those lakes as the park rangers collect the money. Many may not be aware that the yearly fee and daily fee is intended for the vendor. The vendors get 80 percent of the fee. Bedford just does not get enough traffic for a vendor to open a shop there. Needless to say just the vendor fees paid at Williamsport makes for a very good yearly salary. I am sure it is also lucrative at Marrowbone. Laurel Hill has decent traffic for the fees but they do a good tackle, bait, and grill service also as they could not make it on the fees alone. While Williamsport has all that traffic their tackle and food service is basically non existent.

Regards

I was able to get the Bedford daily pass online on my phone this am, but a $3.00 "online" fee, but now I don't have to deal with it in person. thanks for the advice and tips.

You can buy the Permit at the valley view market that is almost in front of the fish hatchery at Normandy, What Jimmy and Alpha said sums it all, I love TWRA and almost all they do but I would feel robbed if I had to pay$5.50 each time I go or however much the annual permit fee is, there is hardly anything left to catch here other than catfish, the lake has not been stocked for anything else in years, I remember years ago how good of a bass and crappie fishery it used to be so basically you are paying to have a mowed bank to cast out of oh and a porta potty, not to discourage from going but I would not expect epic catches, good luck!! and let us know how you do

My avatar pic is actually from Bedford 3 Springs ago. That fish was 18" and a fat spawning fish, easily 3.5 pounds caught from the bank on a spinnerbait. Those kind of fish are non-existent in there anymore. I've gone several times since that trip and the fishing got progressively worse to the point I refuse to pay the 5.50 to fish that lake. Very few bass, almost zero over 12 inches.

TWRA actually posted on fb with the recent stocking numbers and I asked about Bedford Lake since some TWRA managed lakes were mentioned with catfish stockings but no bass. I sarcastically said we're more likely to catch a tarpon in Bedford than a bass haha.