Catch of the day
Fast Eddie’s Bait & Tackle, Benton
SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS IN 1984, Fast Eddie’s Bait & Tackle has become a destination on Kentucky Lake. Anglers stop by the convenience store in the early morning to fuel up and buy supplies, and they come back after a day on the lake to enjoy a catfish dinner, pizza or the daily special. Tourists and locals visit for lunch, dinner, fuel, footwear and just about anything in between.
Owners Andy and Kim Davenport have won the Marshall County Tribune-Courier’s Readers Choice awards for best catfish, best pizza and best convenience store for four years running. “Anything from a bologna sandwich down to a pair of boots, you can get it here,” Andy says.
The two-piece catfish dinner is the restaurant’s most popular offering, but customers also love pizza, to the tune of 200 pies on a busy weekend. Daily specials like Wednesday roast beef and Friday steak round out the menu, with peanut butter chocolate pie, pecan pie and cheesecake to sweeten the deal.
Served by West Kentucky RECC, Fast Eddie’s has a close relationship with the cooperative. During the 2009 ice storm, Fast Eddie’s served as the co-op’s fuel station, and following tornado damage in 2021, the Davenports cooked and delivered food to line crews working to restore power. Today, Fast Eddie’s supplies all of the co-op’s safety footwear—and innumerable lunches for hungry lineworkers.
In 2018, Andy and Kim, both former teachers, bought the restaurant from Andy’s dad, Eddie Davenport, who opened its first location in 1984. “I love seeing all the different customers,” Andy says. “Every day is different.”
Located at 8492 U.S. Highway 68 East in Benton, the convenience store at Fast Eddie’s Bait & Tackle is open daily, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the restaurant is open 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday.
