Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 522 is my conversation with Captain Billy Davis — better known as Melton Hill Bill — a Tennessee freshwater guide I have fished with more than once and genuinely loved every day on the water with him. Billy spends over 200 days a year chasing bass and musky on Melton Hill Reservoir. We talk about how Larry Dahlberg and The Hunt for Big Fish put him on the map, the decision to quit his job and guide full-time, and the tactics he has earned from fishing nearly every day.
▶ Watch on YouTube · 🎧 Listen now
Billy Davis, known as Melton Hill Bill, is a Tennessee fishing guide who specializes in bass and musky on Melton Hill Reservoir, a lake on the Clinch River in Tennessee. He spends over 200 days a year on the water and built his reputation in part through an appearance on Larry Dahlberg's television show The Hunt for Big Fish. His guide service can be found at meltonhillbill.com.
Billy first got noticed through Larry Dahlberg's show The Hunt for Big Fish, one of the most respected fishing programs on television. The exposure helped launch his guiding career, and he has never looked back since. Larry Dahlberg is widely regarded as one of the best to ever appear on a fishing show, which made the appearance a significant break for Billy.
Billy primarily targets bass on Melton Hill Reservoir and also catches musky, a challenging apex predator that requires specialized tactics. As a freshwater guide who fishes nearly every day of the year, he has developed deep, place-specific knowledge of how to find and catch fish on his home reservoir across changing seasons and conditions.
Billy guides on Melton Hill Reservoir in Tennessee, a reservoir on the Clinch River. He fishes it over 200 days a year, which gives him an intimate understanding of the water. Anglers interested in booking can find him at meltonhillbill.com, his website and the source of his Melton Hill Bill nickname.
Billy reached a point where he decided to quit his job and become a fishing guide, a leap he describes as coming after some interesting times of deliberation. The decision has clearly paid off, as he now fishes every single day and has built a respected guide operation. He talks in the episode about what pushed him to make that change and commit to fishing for a living.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 522 with Billy Davis, Melton Hill Bill, is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts. The video version is embedded at the top of this page.
I have fished with Billy more than once, and I really, really enjoyed every day of it. He is not a saltwater guy — he is a freshwater guy, and a good one — and the people I most want on this show are the ones I have actually shared a boat with and learned from. Billy is on the water over 200 days a year. When a guy fishes that much and still loves it, he knows things the rest of us do not. I wanted to get his story and his tactics on tape.
Billy got his break on Larry Dahlberg's The Hunt for Big Fish, one of the best shows that ever aired. He talks about how that exposure put him on the map and what it meant to share the screen with Dahlberg. It is a great reminder that one opportunity, handled right, can change everything. Press play to hear it.
Billy had some interesting times deciding to leave his job and fish for a living. He walks through that leap — the doubt, the decision, and what made it worth it. Anyone who has dreamed of turning a passion into a job should hear how he actually did it. Watch the YouTube player above for the full story.
Billy is on Melton Hill Reservoir nearly every day, and that kind of repetition builds knowledge you cannot fake. He shares what daily fishing has taught him about reading his home water across seasons and conditions. The depth of his local knowledge is the whole edge. Hear it in the episode.
▶ Watch the full conversation on YouTube · 🎧 Listen now
Beyond bass, Billy targets musky — an apex predator that humbles most anglers. He talks about what it takes to consistently get them and the stories that come with chasing such a difficult fish. If you have ever wanted to understand musky fishing, this is the section. Watch the player above.
The day after talking to Billy, what stuck with me was the sheer volume — over 200 days a year on the same water. That is not luck or talent, that is reps, and it is exactly why he catches what he catches.
Billy is proof that committing fully to the thing you love changes what is possible. He quit the safe job, fished every day, and built a life out of it. That is a story worth hearing.
▶ Watch the full conversation on YouTube · 🎧 Listen now
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Billy Davis, known as Melton Hill Bill, is a Tennessee fishing guide who specializes in bass and musky on Melton Hill Reservoir, fishing it over 200 days a year. He earned early recognition through an appearance on Larry Dahlberg's The Hunt for Big Fish, then left his job to guide full-time. His deep, daily knowledge of his home reservoir has made him one of the most respected freshwater guides in the region. Learn more at meltonhillbill.com.
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