Todd St. John, The DNR fisheries biologist who manages Percy Priest, agrees that Percy provides Nashville-area anglers with some great catfishing opportunities.

"J. Percy Priest has an excellent fishery and I've seen some very impressive catches coming out of the midsection of the reservoir around Hobson Pike Bridge during the summer months," St. John said.

"Four Corners Marina is in the area as well as Hurricane Creek and Long Hunter state ramps. The upper and lower sections of the lake are also productive. Use traditional methods to catch cats such as cut bait. Shad, river herring, shrimp and stink baits all work well. Jug-fishing is also very popular. The catch will be predominately channel cats, but flatheads and blues are also taken."

Percy is, without a doubt, a jug lake.

"We had both of our lake records for flatheads and blues broken last year," said Mark Vaughan, Environmental Protection Specialist for Percy Priest.

The 57-pound-plus flathead was taken in the Hobbs Pike area by Darrell Wardlaw, and the 48-pound blue catfish from the Four Corners area by James Broxton and David Messer. Both were caught on jugs.

Catfishermen looking for that kind of action can find it by launching from the Long Hunter State Park at the Couchville Ramp

Channels, flatheads and blues all call the Stones River channel home. All three species are found above the Hobson Pike Bridge on state Route 171 that bisects the lake. The Four Corners Marina allows access to that area of the lake south of state route 171 off Hamilton Church Road. Simply launch, start looking for rocky cover and enjoy the fishing.

The huge reservoir covers 14,200 acres and sprawls out for 46 miles. Depths reach to 100 feet and the shoreline stretches for over 200 miles. The lake is located in Davidson, Rutherford and Wilson counties.

For additional information on fishing Percy Priest, call Region II at (615) 781-6622.

OLD HICKORY
The Old Hickory impoundment on the Cumberland River near Nashville is daunting at first sight, to say the least.

This part-river, part-lake reservoir covers 22,500 acres and spreads over 97 miles. The shoreline alone is 439 miles long and offers unlimited bank-fishing opportunities.

"Old Hickory is a good catfish lake," St. John said.

"It's a mainstream reservoir that provides both currents in the main-river channel and still, shallower bays off the channel."

He adds that channels, flatheads and blues are all present, but channel catfish are the most common.

"The best area for channel catfish is a mile up- or downstream from Bull Creek," said B.T. Hinsley, a guide who works out of Flipper's Bait and Tackle.

"There are channels in the 5- to 15-pound range and plenty of nice flatheads in the 20- to 30-pound sizes. The Bulls Creek Access Ramp is off Highway 109. Many fish are caught because of the steam plant upstream about a mile.

"Another good area is near the Cages Bend Access. There are several big, intersecting creeks with large flats and a good deal of grass in 3 to 5 feet of water. Channel cats move up into this cover to feed on minnows and are aggressive. You can even catch them on crankbaits, flukes and anything else that will catch a bass."