Nashville Beginner Crappie & Striped Bass Trip
Private Trip
Lakes/Reservoirs/Ponds Fishing
Fourhour private charter targets crappie and striped bassBeginnerfocused instruction covers jigging, trolling, and electronics operationAll tackle, rods, and reels included for two guests
Looking to get your feet wet in the Nashville fishing scene? This four-hour guided charter on Percy Priest and other local lakes is built from the ground up for folks just starting their angling journey. Captain Jerimiah runs a top-rated beginner program that's perfect for families and anyone who's always wanted to learn proper fishing techniques without feeling overwhelmed. You'll spend quality time on the water learning the ropes while actually catching fish – not just casting blind and hoping for the best. This private trip keeps things relaxed and focused, giving you the confidence to fish these waters on your own down the road.
Percy Priest Lake and the surrounding Nashville waters offer some of Tennessee's most consistent fishing, especially when you've got someone who knows where the fish are holding. Captain Jerimiah tailors each trip to your skill level, starting with the basics if you need them or jumping into intermediate techniques if you're ready. The four-hour window gives you enough time to try different spots without feeling rushed, and since it's a private charter for up to two people, you'll get hands-on instruction the whole time. The boat comes loaded with quality rods, reels, and all the tackle you'll need – no need to worry about showing up with the wrong gear or spending a fortune at the bait shop beforehand. You'll learn to read the electronics, understand what the fish are doing, and pick up techniques that work specifically on these Nashville lakes.
This trip focuses on light tackle fishing, which is perfect for beginners because you can actually feel what's happening on the other end of the line. You'll learn jigging techniques that work great for crappie around structure, plus trolling methods that help you cover water when targeting striped bass. Captain Jerimiah walks you through operating modern fish finders and GPS units – skills that'll serve you well if you decide to get your own boat later. Live bait plays a big role in the success here, and you'll learn how to locate, handle, and present it properly. The captain also covers artificial lures and when to use them, giving you a well-rounded foundation. By the end of the trip, you'll understand why certain techniques work in specific conditions rather than just going through the motions.
Crappie are the bread and butter of Nashville lake fishing, and for good reason. These panfish typically run 10-14 inches in Percy Priest, with some slabs pushing over a pound. They school up around submerged timber, brush piles, and creek channels, making them perfect targets for learning structure fishing. Spring brings the best crappie action when they move shallow to spawn, but you can catch them year-round if you know where to look. They're aggressive biters once you find them, so beginners get plenty of action. Plus, they're excellent table fare – many folks consider crappie fillets the best-eating freshwater fish around.
Striped bass bring a different kind of excitement to Nashville waters. These fish are pure muscle, often running 3-8 pounds with larger specimens topping 15-20 pounds. They're open-water hunters that chase schools of shad, creating some of the most consistent fishing in Middle Tennessee. Summer finds them in deeper, cooler water during the day, while spring and fall see them feeding aggressively in shallower areas. When you hook a striper, you'll know it immediately – they make long runs and fight harder than almost anything else in the lake. Captain Jerimiah knows their seasonal patterns and can put you on fish whether they're suspended in 30 feet of water or chasing bait near the surface.
This beginner-focused charter hits the sweet spot for folks wanting to learn proper fishing techniques while actually catching fish on one of Tennessee's premier fisheries. Captain Jerimiah's instruction style and knowledge of Nashville lakes make this a customer favorite for families and new anglers. The private setting means you're not competing with other guests for attention, and the four-hour duration gives you enough water time to really absorb the lessons. With all gear included and a focus on both education and success, this trip sets you up for a lifetime of fishing these world-class waters. Don't wait around – the fish are biting and spots fill up fast, especially during prime seasons.
Step aboard our spacious 22-foot Angler Qwest pontoon and get ready to explore Nashville's prime fishing waters. This 2019 pontoon offers plenty of room for up to two anglers to spread out and fish comfortably while targeting crappie and striped bass on Percy Priest and surrounding lakes. The boat's wireless trolling motor lets us move quietly through the water without spooking fish, while our GPS navigation system and fish finder help locate the best spots where crappie school up and stripers are feeding. The stable platform makes it perfect for beginners learning to work jigs or practice trolling techniques. With modern electronics on board, you'll get hands-on experience reading fish-finding technology while Capt. Jerimiah guides you to productive fishing areas. The pontoon's layout gives everyone space to cast and reel in fish without getting tangled up.
Pomoxis NigromaculatusCrappie are schooling panfish that run 7-12 inches and about a pound on average. We've got both black and white crappie in Percy Priest - you can tell them apart by the black's random speckled pattern versus the white's vertical bars. They love hanging around submerged structure like fallen trees, brush piles, and creek channels in 8-20 feet of water. Spring through early summer is prime time when they move shallow to spawn, but they bite year-round. What makes crappie so popular is they're fantastic table fare - sweet, flaky white meat that's hard to beat. Plus, when you find a school, you can often catch several before they move on. Pro tip for Percy Priest: focus on the creek arms during spring with small jigs or live minnows suspended under a bobber about 2 feet off the bottom.
Morone SaxatilisStripers in Percy Priest typically run 3-8 pounds, though we occasionally see bigger ones pushing 15-20 pounds. These silver fish with dark horizontal stripes are structure-oriented predators that patrol points, humps, and creek channels in 15-35 feet of water. They're most active during low-light periods - early morning and evening - and in cooler months from fall through spring. What guests love about stripers is the fight they put up - they're strong swimmers that make great runs and test your drag. The meat quality is excellent too, with firm white fillets that grill beautifully. On Percy Priest, the key is finding schools of threadfin shad using electronics, then working live bait or jigs just above them. Stripers will often suspend 10-15 feet down over deeper water, following the baitfish.
Nashville