Darin Lankford is a longtime, accomplished crappie and bass tournament angler from the Chilhowee and Clinton area. He was born and raised near Truman Lake and first started fishing the area before Truman was even a lake, spending time on the river catching catfish with his grandpa.
Those early days on the water helped build a lifelong connection to the lake and the surrounding area. Darin stayed close to his roots, raised his family in the region, and continued building his reputation as a strong local fisherman.
Darin first got into tournament fishing with Doug Schilling in 2001, and his competitive fishing grew from there. Over the years, he has won many tournaments on Truman and beyond while competing in both bass and crappie events.
As a bass tournament angler, Darin has competed in Major League Fishing / FLW-style events, including the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Ozark Division. One of his biggest wins came on Truman Lake when he won a BFL Ozark Division tournament with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 5 ounces.
Darin also has a strong crappie tournament background and has continued to stay active in the Truman Lake fishing scene through competitive events, local reports, and time on the water. His experience across both bass and crappie gives him a well-rounded understanding of Truman Lake’s seasonal patterns, changing conditions, and how fish set up across different parts of the lake.
As a contributor to Truman Lake Fishing Intel, Darin brings local history, tournament experience, and practical on-the-water knowledge from a lifetime spent fishing the Truman Lake area.
