Ham

What size are the hooks on the Fish arrow stuff? They look like fine wire, but are they kinda big for the Ned?

I wear a PFD anytime the big motor is running in the Bass Cat. I seldom wear it on the White which is a mistake. I need to change that behavior. I wear PFD in higher water or cooler water in the yak or if I'm swimming to retrieve a lure.

Family obligations have me on a fishing hiatus for a few more days. My next trip is 4/22. I'm so mad at the fish right now ; It's going to take several > 50 fish trips to get me back to less mad at them. Since I've been struggling, I'm more than ready to get back in the saddle and figure SOMETHING out. I'm happy for the folks catching them now, but I'm jealous and a little chapped that I am not in that group. I've been somewhat spoiled by earlier success. a 12 fish trip is now "poor".

Andy, you're lucky. Just leave them outside overnight and you can drill away in the morning. No need to put them in the icebox and upset the wife.

I still think Ned out to lean on Z man to have a line of Ned approved elaztech baits special for Ned rigging.

Mighty fine fish. I would have used artifical lures because for me it's a lot of aggravation fuding minnows, but minnows obviously can be very, very effective. Good for you guys.

I've got one that was painted goofy and marketed as a Walleye Magnet. I bought it prior to a trip to Canada. I'm not sure that it's ever been in the water.

Dave scared the crap out of me when he mentioned how much Elaztech and flurocarbon line he buys a year.

Well, I've got four of the list sitting in my boat barn now. My White River Jon is a jet, Bass Cat Cougar, Tandem canoe, and 4 SOT yaks. All those options sound nice, but I'm outta room in the pole barn.

I've played the Revive game. I tried to follow the instructions to the letter and I got another year or so out of it. I would still be a fine suit for wind and spray in the cold weather parts of the year, BUT I'm going to get wet in a day long downpour.

I really believe once the ball gets rolling that it's going to be a banner year for numbers and quality of bass caught. I hope people keep what they can use immediately and release the rest. BUT for the time being, I'm fairly confused why I am not getting bit more than I am. If they aren't in the way back yet, why can't I find some on the way to the way back? BIg hopes for 4-22

I launched out of Oakland at around 1100. I took out at about 1800. It was raining when I launched and really blowing its butt off when I put the boat on the trailer. I had good intell from cajun angler and once again tried and failed to suplicate his success. Part of this is trying to make what's happening up lake work down lake and part of it is the daily variences in weather. And part of it is that CA is just fllat catching them right now and I'm not. I ran back to the way back of the two largest active creeks in the Oakland area. I found water around 61 degrees in the way back of the first creek I tried. and off colored water. I fooled one LMB with a spinnerbait. White bass started annoying me so I caught a few of those before relocating. It rained hard and then soft, but I never got to take off my raingear. I have a > 15 year old set of Cabela's Guidewear. It is worn out and left me pretty damp by the end of the day. I'll need to sell some plasma or knock off a liquior store to buy another set. I tried at least four different spinnerbaits looking for more fish. When I caught two white bass on my full size, I put on a small soft plastic on a safety spinner arm and caught a couple more. I also caught a couple on a 3/16 oz Spot. I also tried a buzzbait on a shallow flat. I tried a wobble jig on a rocky transition area. I also tried a square bill on a shallow rocky bank and a wart on a deeper rocky bank. I also tried a jerkbait on a bluffy channel swing headed to the way back. NOTHING on any of these. I did get a couple of spots on a Ned rig. IF I get an area that I know has fish, Ned rig will make them bite. I fished a few docks with the Ned looking to sore mouth a few more Spots, but no takers. The Cougar ran great. I ran 60 plus on top of white caps with not much turbulence. It did get a little bumpier when I had to turn a run the troughs of those white caps. The White Bass I caught were all makes. I did see folks fishing them from shore in the way, way, way back of the creek that has pig trail access. Perhaps the females were in the really skinny stuff. I went until it was < 2 foot with a gravel bottom. I'm not putting my hull at greater risk than that for a few White Bass I'm going to release. Weather was iffy, but it never got dangerous. It wasn't necessarily fun weather to fish in and in the end wasn't really very productive either, but it was fishing. Family matters are going to keep me off the water until 4-22-14.

I wish I knew how many fish I've caught on Slider heads.

As a Blues fan, I hope *T* doesn't bring up the NHL.

My Bass Cat will pump out the live well water in a huge fountain. Not as good as fresh lake water, but better than bilge water. IF your Ranger has a "pump out" feature, I'd use that. Assuming of course that this is a serious inquiry and not an inside joke that I'm stumbling thru. Carry on.

I actually like a NON GYCB version myself. I got some 3 inch DIngers for 88 cents a bag at an Academy store. I was in a rush so I only got about 8 bags. I wish I had bought every darn one they had. I get my 3 inch sticks from Barlow's in the 100 packs. You can get the cost under 10 cents a bait that way.

Do you mind if I drive up to fish that lake with you?

3 inch Senko on a Ned is very effective in warmer water.

I thought it was odd that the BPS Swing Impact baits are basically the same price as the Keitechs. Fragile little baits, but they get bit.

The lthing I like about a "normal" spring is the transition of the "hot" bite from one species to another. Walleye early, White Bass next, prespawn bass, grub bite, crappie bite, pre summer peak, and then creek fishing until November. I guess the walleye deal happened in creeks already. The White Bass deal is still kinda smouldering and I fear everything is going to be happening at once. I'm always going to have work and family stuff take precedence over fishing and with all the bites happening at once I'm going to miss out on lots of good fishing.

I'm chomping at the bit to find out. I hate that lately I'm relagated to fishing the weekends rather than during the week. I'm wanting to try a LMB bite that I've been told about, BUT the siren song of smallies eating a grub is pulling me towards gravel points. I freaking love the grub bite. Ned Rig you say? What is the Ned Rig you speak of? ....Lol.

Was there a rule for the tourney that you couldn't have a walleye on board?

This time last year they were from one end of the lake to the other, biting a little bit of everything. We caught them on jerkbaits, hula grubs, and swimming a grub. I would think they're mostly done spawning, but that's just a S.W.A.G. I've only fished Stockton on one 6 day trip, but I really, really like it and my understanding is that the bite was OFF when I was there.

I feel your pain. It will get warmer and the fishing will get better.

It's cool you've joined the forum. I'm really excited about the positive benefits on minimum flow for the warm water species of Bull Shoals Lake. I'm hoping the new pool level with mean more successful spawns , more often. Any guesses from y'alls point of view how long the newly flooded brush will hold up and allow for better spawning for the fish? I'd certainly appreciate AGFC insights on Zebra mussels in BSL and Yellow Perch in BSL. Maybe you could give us a feel for current catfish populations as well. Ham