Tennesee’s Wild Side Weekly Pro Staff

Ernie Paquette

Ernie Paquette has been living on Tennessee’s wild side for the last seventeen years as the owner of South Harpeth Outfitters, Nashville’s oldest fly fishing and light tackle guide service. Born and raised on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Ernie has been involved in both the sport and commercial fishing industries since the mid-seventies. His angling adventures have taken him from Spain to Alaska, Italy to the Bahamas, chasing trout, bonefish, tarpon, salmon, sailfish, striped bass and bluefin tuna, among other species.

Prior to his becoming a Wild Side Guide, Ernie has made numerous TV appearances on ESPN, Tennessee Crossroads and the Bill Hall Show. Though he’s probably best known as a fishing guide, Ernie is also a nationally published outdoor writer and photographer. His magazine credits include American Angler, Warmwater Fly Fishing, Southern Outdoors, In-Fisherman, Bassin’ and Tennessee Valley Outdoors. An English major from University of Massachusetts, he spent a year as the Fly Fishing Editor for Tennessee Angler and another two years as the Outdoor Editor for Nashville Life Magazine.

A leader in fisheries conservation, Ernie has worked closely with the Tennessee Legislature and the Wildlife Commission to bring about changes in fish management. He is currently a Board member of the Cumberland Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He also serves as the Chairman of the Legislative Review Committee for the Tennessee Council of Trout Unlimited. Ernie was honored in 1996, when the American Fisheries Society presented him with their annual “Friends of Fisheries Award” for his “Dedication and Loyal Support of Fisheries Projects Across Tennessee.”

“I’m glad to say that I’ve worked with the TWRA over the years to keep bad things from happening in the Legislature and to make good things happen with the Wildlife Commission.” One of his proudest moments came when the TWRA reduced the black bass creel from 10 fish down to 5 per day. “I worked three and a half years for that, traveling back and forth across the state to Commission meetings. It was a great feeling of accomplishment to finally get it done. None of it would have been possible though, without the efforts of the Agency’s biologists.”

You might say he has even bigger fish to fry now. For the last seven years, Ernie and his wife, nationally known chef Debra Paquette, have been the owners of ZOLA Restaurant, voted “Best Restaurant in Nashville” three years in a row. Debra has been named “Nashville’s Best Chef” a dozen times. Owning a highly successful restaurant certainly poses its share of challenges, joys and successes. Ernie juggles his time as fishing guide, restaurateur, TV personality and coach of his sons’ two hockey teams.

“Sure, it’s a lot to keep up with, but it is such a pleasure and honor to get to work with my wife after all these years. She works so hard and her talent is amazing. Fortunately, the guiding and TV production really keep my feet on the ground and in the water. I don’t take that for granted. I’m just an incredibly lucky man. I’ve got a great family, terrific friends and a couple of wonderful careers.”

Find out about Ernie’s other stories on Tennessee’s Wild Side...