Tournament Angler

Darin Lankford

Truman Lake

Local expertise

On the water with Darin Lankford

Darin Lankford is a longtime Truman Lake tournament angler from the Chilhowee/Clinton area with deep roots in both bass and crappie fishing. He has been fishing Truman since before it was even a lake and brings decades of local tournament experience to Truman Lake Fishing Intel.

Target Species

LargemouthCrappie

Fishing Reports

Pro+Weekly Report

Truman

Truman Lake Weekly Fishing Report — October 24–30, 2026

Crappie • Catfish • Bass

Mild fall weather - highs from the upper 60s to the 80s and water of 63-70°F - kept Truman's crappie in two dependable places this week, brush piles in 10 to 20 feet on the lower end and open channel water on the upper Grand, with the lake steady near 705.5 feet and no generation reported at the dam; showers are possible Halloween Saturday, and a cool-down next week should be the next change.

Oct 30, 2026

Pro+Weekly Report

Truman

Truman Lake Weekly Fishing Report — October 17–23, 2026

Bass • White Bass/Hybrids • Catfish • Crappie

Oct 23, 2026

Pro+

Truman

Surprisingly Good Bass Fishing on Truman

Bass

I had an exceptionally good bass day on Truman for the clear skies and very little wind, though it took a few bait changes to get going. Nothing big, but plenty of solid keepers made it a lot of fun. Join or log in for the full breakdown.

Oct 17, 2026

Videos

Locked

Truman

Has LiveScope Hurt Crappie Fishing? | Big Bass Bash, Fall Fishing & Stories from the Guides

Bass • Crappie • White Bass/Hybrids • Catfish

Has LiveScope hurt crappie fishing? Truman Lake guides talk the Big Bass Bash, fall bass on Truman and Stockton, catfish, and white bass.

Oct 24, 2026

Locked

Truman

5/13/26 Truman Lake Fishing Intel Podcast FULL VIDEO 2026

Bass • Crappie

Timestamps 0:00 Intro0:33 Anglers Port Marine sponsor1:04 Holly’s Kitchen sponsor2:47 Guest introductions5:06 Truman Lake Fishing Intel membership update6:11 High, muddy water crappie setup8:19 Osage vs. Grand water clarity11:09 Boat ramp…

May 14, 2026

Truman

5/13/26 Postspawn Truman Bass: Buzzbaits, Bushes, and Falling Water

Bass

The Truman Lake bass bite started changing as the water moved. In this clip, the guys talk postspawn bass, flooded bushes, buzzbaits, moving baits, flipping conditions, and how falling water can reposition fish. If you fish Truman bass tou…

May 14, 2026

About Darin Lankford

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.