REND LAKE While fishing at Rend Lake, we have stayed at several different places from cabins on the Lake to Hotels and the Resort. All have fairly good rates and accommodations. You can find pontoon and fishing boat rental, marinas, golf courses in the area great restaurants and outdoor swimming pool.
We have had some memorable trips here including a couple Catfishing tournaments (this lake is a Catfish factory...!), an Outdoor Writers Conference and just for a weekend all with good Stays & Awesome Fishing.!
- We have also Camped at the Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park Camp Ground and found it to be one of the best state facilities around.
Be sure to hook-up with Todd or Jason of Todd Gessner Outdoors to make your trip a Fishing Catching event and look into their Hunting package too..
- Contact us before you plan your trip as we continue to explore other options and we can make some suggestions..
-- One of the Newest Sportsmans Clubs at Rend Lake is Gun Creek Fin, Fur & Feathers Sportsmens Club on Highway 37 in Whittington at Rend Lake. We made a trip there with Russ & Janice Nash of Hoss's Hawg Bait for some Catfishing at the Catfish factory - Rend Lake and for a stay at Gun Creek Fin, Fur & Feathers Sportsmens Club. This was a wonderful experience of Crappie and Catfishing and our accommodations were great and our gracious host Ric Barth we cannot Thank enough for that great weekend including a fish fry a couple evenings on his new patio with good friends. It was an awesome weekend and we highly recommend you check out Gun Creek Fin, Fur & Feathers Sportsmens Club in Southern Illinois at Rend Lake for your fishing or hunting outfitter in the future.
You can contact Ric Barth at 708-250-4254 or email  RBarth03@gmail.com   And watch the website at GunCreekSportsmensClub.com as they finish work and get this club up and running soon. We may be spending more time here as Ric has more work planned and additions for this project that we will want to see..
-- Recently we made a quick trip to Rend Lake and stayed at the Seasons Lodge with good accommodations and a great staff even on the busy holiday weekend with dinner at Gibby's. - Check with us on this as we may be staying here more...

LAKE SHELBYVILLE While fishing Lake Shelbyville, we have camped at the Eagle Creek and Wolf Creek Camp Grounds both with good boat ramps and we enjoyed both State sites. We also camped at Bo Woods (which has been rebuilt), Coon Creek and Lithia Springs all Corps owned with boat ramps and were OK. Of the these, Bo Woods has been rebuilt with a New campground area with all new facilities and lots of shade. The Wilborn Creek Recreation Area had some facilities rebuilt within that recreation area too but have not been there yet. We have been making several trips to the Lake for it's great Crappie, WhiteBass, Largemouth Bass and the Walleye.. and have made several cast for a couple nice Muskie.

- Most recently (June 2011) we stayed at the Coon Creek Lodge which we found while looking a Good, Reasonable and Nice places to stay right next to the lake.. Well, the Coon Creek Lodge offered it all along with plenty of well-lit boat parking and outside electrical outlets for charging. They have seven Non-Smoking Rooms with in-room Air Conditioning, Coffee Maker, Kitchen/Kitchenette, Private Bath w/Shower, Radio/Alarm Clock, Refrigerator, Shower, Sofabed, Television and a patio with grill..
Just down from the lodge is a Bait Shop with convenient needs and just 1/2 mile from Lake, we also found good restaurants are conveniently located nearby.
The owners and our gracious host were Mike & Linda Myers who have operated the Awesome complex for 9 years which includes one of the best looking and most well maintained RV Parks we have seen. There are 88 wonderful RV sites (makes us kind of wish we still had our RV) for seasonal parking next to Lake Shebyville along with an updated bath house with showers, playground for their kids & grandkids, and a club house. There is also a 23 unit boat & camper storage building on the site.
*We truly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend you check out the Coon Creek Rv Park & Lodge for your next trip to Lake Shelbyville or check into their seasonal availability. They are open April 1st through November 1st and can be reached at (217) 756-3147 or visit them on the web at cooncreeklodge.com

IN ARKANSAS
BULL SHOALS LAKE Our past visits through spring 2013 at the BRASS BELL COTTAGES in the heart of the Ozarks, along with the fishing was enjoyable.
The Cottages were clean, spacious and comfortable with all the comforts of home. Not to mention very reasonable rates.
The Owners are great hosts, making sure all needs are met so your stay is always very enjoyable.
Bull Shoals Lake is a large deep lake with great rock bluffs. The lake is known for it's Bass, Crappie Walleye and at time WhiteBass fishing.
Diamond City is situated between two major tributary arms, the West & East Sugarloaf Creek, which make this a GOOD area to fish. The Cottages are on the West Sugarloaf Arm with access to a cove.
The area is very scenic most of the year. There is a marina and restaurant within walking distance with groceries and other needs adjacent to Diamond City along with a Golf Course if you wish to play while in the area.
Call toll free 1-888-522-7415 and make your reservations to stay at the Brass Bell Cottages on Bull Shoals Lake and tell them you heard about it from us.

 
NORFORK LAKE We had opportunity to fish Norfork Lake for Striper with Tom Raynolds of STR Outfitters out of Tracy Ferry Marina in fall of 2010 that we totally enjoyed and we have wanted to go back... The Mountain Home area is nice and has all that you need. If we were to stay we look at Hand Cove Resort and RV Park.
- We finally made a return trip 2013 for spring Big Striper and it was the most AWESOME fishing experience.!
--- Check Back for more..

IN KENTUCKY
During early fall a few years ago we had opportunity to visit Kentucky Lake, a premier vacation spot and a stay at the beautiful development, High Ridge Resort located just south of Jonathan Creek arm. This area is known as a crappie hot-spot and Rand McNally had rated this Marshall County area a number one retirement area in the nation. Our stay was very comfortable with the great accommodations offered at High Ridge Resort and as we looked around it was obvious there was no neglect here. It was so peaceful and quiet; we found ourselves over sleeping and still got to enjoy coffee outside while watching deer and other wildlife. Each rental unit is fully self-contained, spacious and set on a 1/3 acre site so you do not feel confined and appear to be the newest facilities in the area. Our gracious host, Jack and Jan Fraust have 30+ years of experience in this area and fishing this lake making for some great conversation. There is much more to do in this recreational paradise or just drive through beautiful countryside with a full service Marina real near with a floating restaurant. If you are looking for a great getaway, very affordable rates and a chance to enjoy super fishing, or maybe your own piece of this paradise, or a Great Business Opportunity to supplement your income while enjoying the outdoors and super fishing, check them out at www.highridge-resort.com or call 1-800-684-8989, you will not be disappointed.
We enjoyed it so much we returned during almost each year and some with friends for awesome Crappie fishing and a super stay in one of their units...
While at High Ridge, be sure to check their good supply of fishing gear, tackle and more and be sure to talk with them about getting your own little piece of heaven..
While there, Jack hooked us up with Hipsher’s Guide Service who lives in the High Ridge community and as we talked it was obvious they really knew the lake and fish. If you are in area we would recommend you contact Hipsher’s Guide Service, who were both featured on TV show with Kentucky Afield, for a guided fishing trip for Crappie, Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass or most all species of fish in Kentucky Lake They tells us late Fall is great Crappie as well as most other fishing, so contact Hipsher’s Guide Service at 270-354-5221 for your next Kentucky Lake trip.
- August 2007 we attended an Outdoor Writers visit to Aurora-Jonathan Creek area with a stay at the Sportsman´s Lodge and found there to be much more to this area than just fishing. Read story about our experience and we recommend you look into this recreational paradise for your next vacation, we plan to go back.

IN MISSOURI
LAKE of the OZARKS Our times spent at the BEACHWOODS RESORT & MARINA on Lake of the Ozarks in Rocky Mount, MO was great during 2008 - 2010 This facility is a permanent campground resort area situated off the main lake in a No Wake cove. And I think at times they may have camp site available, so check their website or call.. On our visit the beautiful sunset and great fishing, made us want to stay for the season. We enjoy time on this lake chasing those big Blue Catfish and Crappie and you can check availability of annual sites by giving them a call at 573-557-2049.

There are also some great timeshare resorts on LAKE of the OZARKS including Four Seasons Racquet & Country Club, Port Elswhere and Vintage Landing Condominiums. You can rent units at these resorts online directly from the current owners so you don't have to pay resort prices. Alternately, if you own at one of these resorts and need to sell timeshare, there's a great service offered by SellMyTimeshareNow.com to help you through the process. Check out their site for rentals as well!

MARK TWAIN LAKE We have stayed at the Indian Creek Camp Ground with abundant hardwood trees. A very scenic area and the fall is a peaceful time to visit at which time lake level is down to winter pool or below, but we did catch fish. This lake is known for it's crappie.

-One other place you may want to check out is South Fork Resort. Check back here since we hope to spend some time at the South Fork Resort with Ron & Mary. South Fork Resort is located on Hwy. 154 in the south west area of Mark Twain Lake, across from Mark Twain State Park, and 1 mile from the South Fork Recreation Area. Be sure to visit their WebSite too at www.southforkresort.net