Pickwick Lake

[Breezy Brigade]

Friend of mine's little brother came over from Japan for the month of September, mainly to do volunteer work and get some English immersion experience. But he's an avid fisherman, so naturally we had to take him on a little trip...

We used the Bruton Branch campgrounds, just on the other side of the lake from where I used to camp at the BMWMOA Return to Shiloh rallies.



The tent set-up for me and Tadasuke-san. Simple Speed tent, Baby Table, SPaC mat, and two AI-101 sleeping bags.



Shin-san, Tadasuke-san, and Alex wasting no time when it came to fishing. "Camp is set up? Okay, get the poles out!"



And the fishing was good! (No, we didn't eat this drum. Fine looking catch for Tadasuke-san, though.)



Me? I just tried to get good pictures. The wide shots were taken with my phone. The others were taken with my pocket camera.

[Breezy Brigade]

Re: Pickwick Lake





My only complaint was that a group of local kids brought out an RV with a huge sound system to party after the Darryl Worley concert. They didn't stop partying until 2 am. When I casually mentioned this to one of the staff the next morning, she said "I'll talk to her daddy about that!" :D



The next morning, the guys got in a bit more fishing before we packed up. Just a quick weekend getaway, but well worth the short trip from Nashville.

[CampingMama]

Re: Pickwick Lake

We're not too far from Pickwick here, just N. of Memphis. I've never camped there, but it's on our list for next year. Lot's of of friends go over there for the weekends or up to LBL. Do all the sites have water and electric? We will be in a travel trailer. Could you suggest a good site? My oldest ds will love camping close to the water. you give him a pole and you don't see him unless he's hungry. You ever camped at Natchez Trace? Its nice and just outside Lexington

[Breezy Brigade]

Re: Pickwick Lake

Bruton Branch doesn't have water or electric, but restrooms and showers are available. Pickwick Landing, closer to the dam, has water and electric hookups. Both areas are right by the water with plenty of good fishing spots.

I haven't camped at Natchez Trace yet. How is the layout? Any fishing?

[CampingMama]

Re: Pickwick Lake

Thanks for the info on Pickwick. Since you tent camp, have you ever been up to LBL? There's a small lake called Energy Lake there, they have electric but not water hook ups. Great for tent camping. I survived there 3 yrs ago in the camper w no water. Luckily my sister had a ton of water jugs. It's quiet and private.

Natchez Trace has several lakes to fish in. There are 3 diff campgrounds. Pin Oak is the rv campground w sewer hook ups and a few lake sites
We camp at Cub Lake. There's no sewer there. It's a great lake for fishing and no motor boats are allowed on Cub Lake. There's a tent campground,but not on the water. Campground 1 has about 5 sites out on a peninsula that have easy water access but only one site {23} directly on the water. Its great for pop up and small travel trailer campers. Great swimming beach with real sand and clear water. There's a foot bridge all across the lake from cabins to the beach. It will be our first place we go camping when we buy our camper. Spent Labor Day there. Its only 2hrs from me,so close enough for a weekend, but far enough away to be away.
Browns Creek lake is there too with great fishing. There's miles and miles of off road trails. We love to trail ride in the big truck. {I don't "do" horses}

Have you ever been to Bledsoe State Park? We almost went there on vac this year, but ended up at Fall Creek Falls. Ever been there? It was a hard trip for us adults, but the kids had fun. If you're in Nashville, its only about 2 hrs E of you. It's not on my list of places to go back to any time soon, but I'm glad we went. Living close to Memphis, we're close to all kinds of parks here in W. Tn, E Ark, and N. Ms. I plan to see them all,lol.

[Breezy Brigade]

Re: Pickwick Lake

Cub Lake sounds nice. Haven't done LBL since I was a kid. Typically, I go tent camping with my motorcycle. But for Fall Creek Falls back in August, I borrowed my cousin's Wrangler. It was a "business camping trip", as I was hosting a bunch of friends from the local Japan-America Society and supplying the camping gear from my inventory.

[Mike]

Re: Pickwick Lake

Very nice photos. Looks very inviting

That trip is probably more of an adventure for that Japanese fellow than you imagine

I have fished and camped in Japan and it is nothing like the adventure he had with your family. I never saw anybody in Japan catch anything bigger than your hand unless it was fake fishing at a stocked fishing pond

He will remember it forever. The Japanese could eat a drum fish, but the Chinese or most of the rest of Asia WOULD eat that drum fish and they would know how to cook it in a most delicious way. Frankly, I have had Japanese prepared carp and it is God-awful, but the Chinese, Thai, Malaysians, and Vietnamese know how to cook drum and carp and other rough fish in most delicious ways

I am always fascinated by our local Hmong people here in Wisconsin. They take home what they catch no matter how rough: carp, yellow belly catfish, white b**** rock bass - all kinds of fish. They gladly accept fish you give them and you can see that the whole family seems excited about the upcoming meal

[CampingMama]

Re: Pickwick Lake

We hiked from the visitor center all the way to FCF through the woods with 4 adults, 7 kids,and tow hunting dogs. Took forever and we outta shape adults thought it was miserable,lol. I took the lead b/c I'm clumsy and was afraid if I slipped I'd take out a few kids in my fall. I told them I was doing it to "watch for snakes, which I was,but I'm not scared of them. The swinging bridge bout did me in. The home movie I took walking across it is full of profanity b/c I was terrified, lol. {The kids did't hear me, but I forgot I was filming}. Then it rained. We were close to the play ground, so the kids were always busy. There's just nothing else to do there but hike and sit around. At least at LBL there's "attractions". We will be going back there. It's kind of half way for my sister and my crew, since they live around Louisville, KY.
For some reason though NT has my heart. I've never gotten bored or had a bad time there. I hope, if you go, you enjoy it as much as we do.

As far as "trash fish" as Daddy called it, I've eaten it. It's all fish to me. I grew up on a big state lake in MS, and grew up catching carp and drum and things like that. I'm a catfish girl myself. We believe the motto "If you catch it or kill it, you eat it or give it to someone who will". I'm raising my kids that way too. I can fish all day long and be quite happy about it. I'm glad my kids are the same way. I'm not a big hunter, b/c I don't like to be still and quiet,lol. DH and oldest DS are though. Natchez Trace has great squirrel hunting, but I don't eat "tree rat". They do.

[CampingMama]

Re: Pickwick Lake

Breezy, if you look on the Campsite Photo's thread, I posted 4 pics of NT campsites. I didn't want to double post.

[Breezy Brigade]

Re: Pickwick Lake

Very nice photos. Looks very inviting

That trip is probably more of an adventure for that Japanese fellow than you imagine

I have fished and camped in Japan and it is nothing like the adventure he had with your family. I never saw anybody in Japan catch anything bigger than your hand unless it was fake fishing at a stocked fishing pond

He will remember it forever. The Japanese could eat a drum fish, but the Chinese or most of the rest of Asia WOULD eat that drum fish and they would know how to cook it in a most delicious way. Frankly, I have had Japanese prepared carp and it is God-awful, but the Chinese, Thai, Malaysians, and Vietnamese know how to cook drum and carp and other rough fish in most delicious ways

I am always fascinated by our local Hmong people here in Wisconsin. They take home what they catch no matter how rough: carp, yellow belly catfish, white b**** rock bass - all kinds of fish. They gladly accept fish you give them and you can see that the whole family seems excited about the upcoming meal

I love camping in Japan. No rattlesnakes! Saw one at FCF back in August while driving along in the Jeep. Missed it.

Yes, he had a great time. And he'll get to return the favor soon, as I'll be in his neck of the woods next month. He attends Kyoto University, and I'll be in Kyoto to see the fall colors at the temples.

My most recent ex-girlfriend is Vietnamese. You're right, they'll eat anything. Well, the Buddhists won't. But the Baptists and Catholics will. Cat, dog, snake, you name it. It's a condition of the economic environment. (Not trying to get into a religious or political debate, that's just how life has been for them.)

Three days into my first trip to Japan, I stopped asking what stuff was and just ate. :D

[tplife]

Re: Pickwick Lake

I have to agree with Mike about southeast-Asian food prep, and not just because I eat the food everyday. Nearly every trip to eat out for us ends with mediocre results and a disappointing exchange of money for food - that's one casualty of marrying a gourmet cook. The payback includes searing the aged meat slow-marinades over the grill in-camp and enjoying the tasty results. And the homemade beef jerky is to die for!