Clay County Man Showcases Fishing & Lake

For fifty years, a Clay County man has showcased Dale Hollow Lake and taught the art of fishing.

Dale Hollow’s Cedar Hills Resort is home to Gene Austin’s Fishing Guide Service. Austin offers full-day trips on the lake. Austin said he guides people ranging from zero experience to highly experienced fishermen.

“What I enjoy the most about guiding is the teaching of the sport,” Austin said. “Because I try to to start doing it from the moment I go out and we stop at the first place, I start teaching.”

During the guide, Austin teaches people the correct way to cast. He also demonstrates what weighted lines to use for different types of bait and explains why the weight of your rod might be why fish are not biting.

“Probably about fifty percent of the people are non-fishermen, a lot of the people are retired and previously didn’t have a hobby and they start looking at options they have to get involved in once they retire, and those that choose fishing those are usually the ones that I get,” Austin Said. “but a high percentage of my customers also, they are experienced fisherman, some of them are tournament fisherman, I get a lot of pre-tournament trips when there is a big tournament on Dale Hollow.”

Austin said his ability to be honest with people brings success to his guide. Austin said he has provided fishing guides on different bodies of water in the Upper Cumberland and they require unique techniques to catch fish. Austin said out of fifty years of instructing fishing guides on the Dale Hollow he has only been stumped seven times.