BolivarBasser

Do you think Pomme would be a better try Trav?

No luck at all dutch?

I had thought about launching at either crabtree or high point, haven't decided yet. Wondering if high point was thaw yet, last time I was there it was iced in and that was before the last batch of crappy weather. Leaning toward crabtree and staying in that general area.

Thanks straw. Right now, my game plan is to drop shot some main points and flip the laydowns or brush I see. Hopefully tomorrow's low-40s temps will be enough to warm up the coves a degree or two by mid afternoon.

Will do.

First time fishing with the water this cold...anyone got some tips I can try tomorrow for largemouths? And this may be a dumb question, but is shoreline cover with a jig/pig still an effective tactic with the water this cold, of should I focus deeper with a dropshot or carolina?

I would LOVE to participate, but I don't think my little jonboat is up for scooting all around the lake at night w/no lights. That being said, if anyone needs/wants a partner for a night, I would most definitely be interested.

Gotcha, thanks dutch.

Mind explaining to the noob what that is?

Thanks Wayne for your insight. Again, the braid is only on my flipping rig, so if it can do that job with brawn and sensitivity, then I don't care about distance really. We'll give her a try next week and see if I can't horse a few lunkers in the boat and see some results.

I've also heard that Braided line acts like a hacksaw blade on rod guide and baitcasting levelwinds, due to the rough texture of the line and subsequent pressure on the guides/levelwind. Any problems with braid cutting into or making indentions on guides or anything?

And I'm not sure about the lower lake Dutch, my guess after the last few days would be no, but I'm very curious as well. And you said you use braid on quite a few rigs, but I have heard that visibility in clearer open waters is an issue. True?

I sorta figured it was normal, after feeling how textured the line is compared to mono or fluoro. I just wanted to hear from someone else more knowledgeable than I That it was normal...Thanks csfishinfool. I don't make any casts longer than 30-35 feet with this rig anyways, so I'm not worried about distance much, just accuracy and more importantly feel.

Yeah the KVD site, along with the bottle, says its good for all lines including braid. After I spooled it on I sprayed it nice and good with KVD line conditioner, and after a few hours noticed the friction.

So I just changed lines on my flipping/pitching rig from fluoro to braid. While I was practicing in the livingroom, I noticed the new line seemed to add a little more friction than the fluoro. What I mean is when flipping or reeling in, It feels like something is rubbing against the line, or vise versa. The only way I can describe it is friction...almost as if my line was wrapped around the pole or a guide (it wasn't...It is threaded properly through the guides and reel). This is my first rodeo with braided line, and I was just wondering if there is something wrong, or if this is just the nature of the beast when using braid. To clarify, I am using 30# Spiderwire Stealth braid with 20# mono backing on a 7' Heavy rod with a Quantum KVD signature baitcaster, 7.0:1 ratio. Also applied KVD line and lure conditioner after spooling. Thanks fellas.

I'm in the market for a fish finder. I've never owned one. It's going on a 14' jonboat. First off, is there a difference between a depth finder and a fish finder? Second, I've been looking at the Humminbird piranhamax 210. Has anyone had any experience with this? I know Hbird is a good brand, one of the leaders. Third, if anyone has any suggestions for economical models that I can look for, that'd be great. I'm not looking to spend much money, I just want something that will tell me the depth and be able to identify and find cover, structure, and bottom composition. Thanks guys. Justin

Yeah it can only be miserable for so long. That's what I keep telling myself, anyways. Can't wait to get out and fish....obviously. Shoulda seen the look on Mrs. BolivarBasser's face when I told her I was going to the lake.

I had the day off today, and was about to keel over with boredom, so I grabbed the ultra-lite and went out to Crabtree Cove (yes, in the blizzard). Good news is that the ramps were clear with no ice and the whole cove area seemed to be thaw. Can't wait for my off day to coincide with a decent weather day so I can get out and try out my new quantum baitcaster I haven't quite mastered yet.

So Dutch, this may not be something I should care about if I fish mainly Stockton and Pomme?

What is it, how do I recognize it, and generally how should it affect my fishing tactics?

Farm pond in west-central missouri, dusk, 90 degrees, right before a huge storm front, on an orange/blue spinnerbait with single colorado. 4 feet of water over submerged christmas trees. 6.5 lb. largemouth. Seems like one trend I'm noticing is...farm pond.

I've been fishing all my life, but only recently have I started using a boat instead of shore fishing...so I have a few terms that I am a little confused about. I keep reading about main/secondary lake points. Could someone explain what exactly those are and maybe provide an example of each on a map or something...I'm a visual learner. Thanks guys.

That's what I'm hoping!

Hey everyone, this is my first winter in the ozarks, and I was wondering when Stockton usually melts. I went out there last wednesday to the ramp off of VV highway near aldrich, and everything was frozen...looked like the whole lake was ice. Again, never lived down here before, and was wanting to know how long I'd have to wait to be able to get out. Also are there any parts of the lake that aren't frozen or ramps that are clear right now?

Hey everyone. My name is Justin, I just moved to Bolivar about 6 months ago from the Kansas City area. I'm 21 years old, recently married, recently graduated from college, and looking for a job in law enforcement. I've been fishing all my life, but recently my buddy's dad gave us a boat and told us it was ours if we fixed it up. It's a 14' aluminum jonboat with a 25 Johnson and a 46 lb. Motorguide trolling motor. Anyways, I fished alot at Stockton and Pomme this fall and can't wait to spent as much time as possible out there this spring. I'm sure you Stockton lake guys will be seeing alot of my posts in the forum, so bear with me. I have alot of questions and am excited about learning from the pros. Thanks, take care.