Nashville Crappie & Striped Bass Half Day Trip
Private Trip
Lakes/Reservoirs/Ponds Fishing
Fourhour private lake fishing trip targeting crappie and striped bassProfessional instruction covers jigging, trolling, and fishing electronics operationAll tackle and gear provided for up to two guests
Percy Priest Lake holds some of the best crappie and striped bass fishing in Middle Tennessee, and this 4-hour guided trip with Finn Finders puts you right in the action. You'll be working with a local captain who knows every underwater structure, current break, and seasonal hotspot on this 14,000-acre lake. Whether you're new to fishing or looking to sharpen your techniques, this private charter for up to two anglers focuses on putting fish in the boat while teaching you the skills that keep Nashville's top-rated guides successful year after year.
Your half-day starts early when the fish are most active and feeding aggressively. We'll launch from one of Percy Priest's main ramps and head straight to productive water based on current conditions and seasonal patterns. This isn't a leisurely cruise around the lake – we're here to fish, and that means covering water efficiently to find where the crappie are schooled up and the striped bass are chasing bait. The boat comes equipped with high-end electronics including GPS, fish finders, and depth charts that'll show you exactly what's happening below the surface. You'll learn how to read these tools like a pro, spotting fish marks, identifying structure, and understanding how temperature breaks influence where fish position themselves. All tackle, rods, reels, and terminal gear are provided, so you can focus on technique rather than worrying about having the right setup.
We'll be using three main approaches depending on what the fish are telling us. Light tackle jigging is our bread and butter for crappie, working 1/16 to 1/8 ounce jigs around brush piles, submerged timber, and creek channel edges where these fish love to suspend. You'll master the subtle lift-and-drop presentation that triggers strikes, plus learn to detect the light bite that crappie are famous for. For striped bass, we'll switch between trolling with diving plugs and casting to surface activity when these fish are busting bait schools. Trolling lets us cover water quickly while maintaining lures at the exact depth where fish are holding, typically 8-15 feet during spring and fall. When we locate live bait like threadfin shad, you'll learn to work these areas with both artificial lures and live bait rigs. The captain will show you how to operate the electronics, mark productive spots on GPS, and understand the underwater topography that concentrates fish in Percy Priest's main lake and creek arms.
Crappie fishing on Percy Priest is world-class, with both white and black crappie reaching impressive sizes. These panfish average 10-12 inches but regularly produce fish over 14 inches and 2 pounds. Spring brings the best action when crappie move shallow to spawn in March and April, making them easier to locate around brush and standing timber. Summer finds them suspended over deeper structure, requiring precise electronics and presentation to catch consistently. What makes crappie so addictive is their schooling behavior – find one and there are usually plenty more nearby. They're also excellent table fare, making them a customer favorite for anglers who want to bring dinner home. The light tackle approach keeps the fight exciting even on smaller fish, and their unpredictable bite timing means you need to stay focused and ready.
Striped bass and their hybrid cousins are the power players in Percy Priest Lake, with fish ranging from 3-8 pounds and occasional monsters pushing double digits. These fish are pure adrenaline when they hit – explosive strikes followed by drag-screaming runs that'll test your skills and equipment. Spring and fall produce the most consistent action as water temperatures trigger feeding frenzies, but summer evenings can be phenomenal when stripers push baitfish to the surface. What sets Percy Priest apart is the population of hybrid striped bass, which combine the fighting ability of stripers with the lake-adapted behavior that keeps them active year-round. These fish respond well to both artificial lures and live bait, giving you multiple approaches to master. The trolling bite can be non-stop once you locate schools, while casting to surface activity provides heart-pounding visual fishing that never gets old.
This 4-hour trip delivers serious fishing action without eating up your entire day, making it perfect for visitors to Nashville or locals wanting to maximize their time on the water. You'll come away with improved skills, a better understanding of Percy Priest Lake's productive areas, and hopefully a cooler full of fish. The one-on-one instruction style means you get personalized attention that group trips can't match, and the professional equipment ensures you're fishing with the same gear that guides rely on daily. Percy Priest's crappie and striped bass don't take days off, and neither do we. Secure your preferred date now and get ready for some of the best fishing Middle Tennessee has to offer.
Hit the waters of Percy Priest Lake aboard our 22-foot Angler Qwest pontoon, your floating headquarters for chasing crappie and striped bass around Nashville. This 2019 pontoon gives you and one buddy plenty of room to work your lines while staying comfortable during those 4-hour fishing sessions. The wireless trolling motor keeps things whisper-quiet when you're sneaking up on schooling fish, while the GPS and fish finder help pinpoint those honey holes where the big ones hang out. With its spacious deck layout, you'll have room to spread out your gear and land fish without bumping elbows. Whether you're jigging for crappie in the timber or trolling for hybrid stripers in open water, this pontoon handles Percy Priest's conditions with ease and keeps you fishing instead of fighting the boat.
Pomoxis NigromaculatusCrappie are one of the most rewarding fish to target on Percy Priest Lake. These schooling fish typically run 10-14 inches and fight surprisingly hard for their size. You'll find them around submerged timber, brush piles, and creek channels in 8-20 feet of water. Spring and fall are prime time when they move shallow to feed and spawn. What makes crappie special is their sweet, flaky white meat - some of the best eating you'll find in freshwater. They can be finicky, but once you locate a school, the action stays hot. Here's a local trick: when fishing our deeper brush piles, drop your jig straight down and work it slowly. The fish suspend just above the cover, and that vertical presentation gets bit when nothing else will.
Morone SaxatilisThe hybrid striped bass in Percy Priest Lake are absolute fighters that'll test your drag system. These silver rockets typically run 3-8 pounds, but we see plenty pushing double digits. They're open water predators that chase shad schools around points, humps, and creek mouths in 15-35 feet of water. Summer and fall produce the most consistent action when they're actively feeding. What guests love about stripers is their powerful runs and aggressive strikes - plus they're outstanding table fare with firm, white meat. They're constantly moving, so electronics are key to staying on them. Local tip: when you mark fish on the graph, don't anchor - drift with the school and keep your baits in the strike zone. They'll often follow schools for miles.
Nashville