camping suggestions?

[navydocivan]

I was wanting to go camping next week, during the weekday. I wanna go somewhere that we can catch large bluegill and a few bass. I have a 18ft bassboat so small lakes are not convientient. I was thinking about either center hill or tims ford. Not sure the conditions on either lake though. Anyone on here ever stay at ragland bottoms on Center Hill? or the alternate campground on Tim ford state park?
I remember Center Hill having large blue gill but that was several yrs ago. Any suggestions on blue gill or shell cracker location would be appreciated I fish old hickory a fair amount and never found any large blue gil there.

[FlatCat77]

If your willing to make the drive, try Kentucky lake @ Parris Landing, I watched lots of boats this past weekend pull big blue gill out of the cover using bobbers with night crawlers and crickets. Seems that everyone on the lake was fishing for blue gill and shell crackers except me, so I had the cats all to myself.

I love to camp/fish at Ragland Bottom. I mostly fish for walleye, so don't camp there until late July-August. There are plenty of bluegill just about anywhere around there, but I would suggest going upstream right now, toward Sligo and beyond, or behind the marina around the houseboats parked there.
According to the corps website, the lake is at the old summer pool, or just about a foot above it as of this morning. Generators are running starting at 10AM until midnight, but that won't bother the gills much. Can't tell you anything about bass as I don't fish for them.
I'm going to a primitive camping area across from Pates Ford this Thursday for a camping/fishing trip and hoping the water gets a little more stable than it has been lately.
One other thing you might consider-just below the swimming area at Ragland Bottom is a curved area of bank. It is a flat bottom and could hold a lot of gills-depending on whether they are bedding or not.
Good luck.

[navydocivan]

have you ever stayed at piney campground?

We used to camp at Ragland Bottom every summer when i was a kid (25 years ago lol) and i loved it. I hadnt been there in many years but I went back for five days last summer and it was even better than i had remembered it. We had a great time. The shower house/bathrooms were exceptionally clean, playground for younger kids, great gravel bank to pull your boat up to. Even though we were tent camping we went ahead and got a spot that was for a camper trailer so we could have a better view, access to the lake and closer to the bath houses. We will definitely go back again this year. Had a great time fishing. I caught the biggest bluegill I have ever caught on a crank bait fishing for bass. It was 1 lb 2 oz. (Released)

[MikeSD]

Originally Posted by navydocivan

have you ever stayed at piney campground?

I have stayed at Piney- a couple years ago. It's a pretty nice campground, and has 2 boat ramps as I recall. I was pleased with it. There is a small 'general store/office' on the grounds as well, for soft drinks, ice, etc.

[wsm2c]

I would consider Tims Ford State Park or Devils Step on Tims Ford. The smallmouth are biting like crazy there and I'm sure with a tube of cicadas in the shallower water you could hook up with several big bluegill or catfish. Devils Step is the flatter, shallower end of the lake and the state park is the steep, deeper part of the lake. The water is over most permanent docks by a foot or so as of last weekend. They may be back down by now, Good Luck!

Come on out here to Tims, but you will definitely be better off during the week. Rockfish, Smallmouth, and Largemouth! That's all I'll say....

Yes, if you fill up a tube with secadas they'll be gone in 15 minutes as well. I haven't been yet because I sold my boat last fall, and I've let turkey hunting consume my spring, but all of my buddies say that the fish are absolutely tearing it up this year.

[MickT]

Flatcat 77's dead on, Kentucky Lake is the place to be for bluegill and bass! You can probably find a campground on the Middle TN side of the lake. My inlaws have always done well around New Johnsonville for bluegills as well, and the bass are shallow right now.

Hey guys,

Do you know of any campgrounds around Hendersonville, Gallatin, Goodlettsville, and/or White House? We'll be camping in tents, not an RV. I can't seem to find any places like that around here, lol.

I've got a few friends that've never been camping or fishing before.

[Travis C.]

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Ca...ex=CampingSpot

Between Hendersonville and Gallatin.

Turn by the nursery and I think it is a new Kroger now on the right before Station Camp Creek heading towards Gallatin. There is a light there not sure the name of the road. Take it a ways back there will be a small sign on the left and turn left will put you on down to the ramp/campground.

Originally Posted by Travis C.

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Ca...ex=CampingSpot

Between Hendersonville and Gallatin.

Turn by the nursery and I think it is a new Kroger now on the right before Station Camp Creek heading towards Gallatin. There is a light there not sure the name of the road. Take it a ways back there will be a small sign on the left and turn left will put you on down to the ramp/campground.

That's a RV camping site, not a primitive tent camping site.

[Travis C.]

http://tennessee.gov/environment/par...Creek/#camping

This might be the only other with more primitive setting. It is past Gallatin. Almost all campgrounds you can put tents but they aren't as "real" camping feel as the other way.

Percy is the better place for that. Almost all the islands are designated primitive. You just have to get to them.

[Catchingtrout]

Check out Bledsoe Creek State Park. Primative camping, Full Service camping, Boat ramp, hiking trails, play grounds for kids, and rarely crowded.