APtravelnews & AP Product News-January 2nd,–Crossville, TN–Recently we had the opportunity to join in as members of SEOPA’s (Southeastern  Outdoor Press Association) 50th Anniversary Conference at Fontana Lakes Resort in North Carolina. During the conference, media types have a chance to visit with various outdoor products manufacturers and view, test and enjoy items, active outdoor sportsmen and women would use in their hunting, fishing and boating life-all kinds of items, from game and fish seasonings, duck and turkey calls, to tree-stands, guns, fishing rods and even hand warmers for those who ice fish, or stay out in the cool and cold of fall and winter.

A little known fact by anglers gleaned from a visit to the Chattanooga Aquarium, probably one of the very finest in the world is that the Tennessee River has more freshwater species than any other body of water in America. I have lived in TN. for 10-years and I have never fished the river OK!, please don’t ask why! Yes, this is going to change, as I am heading for the river today! Stay tuned.

The following fishing items are all I may be using during my forays to the river: Berkley makes a wide variety of baits both soft and hard baits and the new Flicker Minnow Pro in Slick Purple Bengal in size 7, is one I will try first. It dives to from 14-17 feet in depth and I know if G-D is with me, a perch, bass or hopefully a trout is going to commit to a whack at it!  Sebile Action First, provided a neat looking floater called the Squarebill Sunfish. I am fairly confident a sassy bass will strike this on a first cast to the water lilies in a bend in the river. If they don’t bite on the floater, I’ll try their Lipless Sinker with rattles; who knows? Fortunately, these companies make these lures in different sizes and colors and just like my fly fishing excursions with my fly box full of you name it in color and size, my tackle box gives me the arsenal of possibilities that persnickety  fish might like!

From catfish mono line, to crappie and the rest of the gang, new lines appear to be just that, new! I’ve got Gamma Touch Flourocarbon, Stren, Berkley IronSilk in green, and all in weights that will fill my old reels with fresh ammo presentations in abrasive resistant styles. Something I always thought would be a good idea also fell into my bag; “Frog Hair Adjustable Single use EZ-On float indicators from Gamma. No rubber bands, just quick-attach little threads and ready to fish little Bobber’s in several sizes and coloration styles. If I were you, I’d at least check out all this in the big box stores and mom and pops too!