In June 1938, Reelfoot Lake became the setting for a multi-day fishing rodeo that brought anglers together on one of Tennessee’s most distinctive waterways. Held from June 4 through June 7, the event reflected the lake’s already well-established reputation as a destination for fishing and outdoor recreation.
Reelfoot had long been closely tied to commercial and recreational fishing, supported by its shallow waters, flooded timber and abundant populations of crappie, bass, bream and other species. By the 1930s, events like the fishing rodeo also helped introduce the lake to a wider audience, combining competition with tourism and the growing promotion of Tennessee’s natural landscapes.
The photographs were made during an important period in the state’s conservation history. Tennessee had established its Department of Conservation only a year earlier, in 1937, and photographers began documenting parks, waterways, wildlife and recreational life across the state. Those images were used in publications and promotional materials while also creating a visual record of how Tennesseans experienced the outdoors.
More than eight decades later, Reelfoot Lake remains closely associated with fishing, boating, wildlife and the outdoor traditions seen in these photographs. The 1938 rodeo offers a glimpse into an earlier era of that culture, when organized recreation and conservation were beginning to play a larger role in how Tennessee presented and protected its natural places.
