Ham

I'd love to see more Redear Sunfish in BSL especially if they could get BIG on Zebra Mussels. Like > 2 lb big! I thought of you last Thursday. I saw a giant carp in BSL in a small main lake pocket. It was truly MASSIVE.

*** Caution-Full of small sample size error and the desire to see Silver Linings *** 2017 has been a year of highs and lows fishing wise for me. The rain event of Spring 2017 caused be zero hardships property wise and I feel a little bad complaining about it, but it derailed my fishing in Bull Shoals, Norfolk, and the White River. it literally kept me from catching 100's of fish. Sad really. but of late, I have made a couple of trips to Bull Shoals and I have been Happy with some things I have seen. 1) The fish I am catching are Fat and look very healthy 2) I'm seeing lots and lots of small bass of all three varieties cruising around eating and eating and eating. 3) Catching Big Bluegill. I bet they are giving the walleye guys fits. I'm catching them in 20-23 FOW while drop shouting for bass. 4) some of the flooded brush and trees survived being flooded for months and the banks are not total moonscapes. 5) Zebra mussels seem to be less of an issue. I don't think they are ever going away, but the fluctuating water levels seem to help knock the numbers back. 6 years of steady water is gonna be bad though. I had zero breakoffs on my last trip to Tucker Hollow. That's encouraging. And zero ZM breakoffs on a lower lake trip where I have had a few before. Water temps are coming down. Fish populations are good. Air temps will be cooling. hopefully, I will find the time to get after them a little bit more frequently this Fall. I owe my Bass Cat some trips that I missed in May/June.

Yep, I know EXACTLY what you are feeling.

First and foremost, Good Deal selling the boat to someone that will use and appreciate it. second, Man o Man Marty, we have some unpleasant things in common.

John is a turd.

But to be fair, you seemed honestly excited when we were about to get swept by that high down hill Current into a log jam and killed. Our ekg's would have been fun to see about then

You caught an 18.5 inch smallie in a river and You were so stoic that I thought about checking for a pulse. #flataffect

Despite my advancing age, I can most likely work out ordering from MDC. im still all about the Chestnut seedlings. I'm trying to work out an evil plan where we meet up and fish soon. Transfer the little trees in the process.

The guy who barely cracked a smile over a PB river smallmouth screams over a new life list fish? I need to see it to believe it.

Well then, based and me being really late to the game learning about MDC's seedling program, Next year, I'll be planting me some trees and shrubs. I will take a little while to plan for what plant and what locations BUT I'm inspired.

I've seen these bushes along creeks absolutely covered up with butterfly's . I think it may be Button Bush. Can anyone confirm or deny based on these photos?

I wish he would. I really do.

I guess the bowfishing stuff impacts the economy positively as well, but I see those fish as wasted. I think the carp would be tremendous fun on rods and reels vs an unused dead rotting fish.

Les, you are Da Man! 😂

"Seasoned", I like that.

Dang We're old.

I launched out of Tucker Hollow. Ramp is probably usable at 670. Launching today by myself wasn't great, but doable. Courtesy Dock is not is use right now. There were about 5 other rigs at the ramp today. Lake is about 10 foot high. (669). Water temp was 75 in the morning and got up to 78 in the afternoon. Water has some stain, but not muddy at all. Bait was everywhere. The fish have their feed bags on. Lots and lots and lots of small bass everywhere. Everything is working to some degree. I caught 36 fish on 4 different baitcasters and 4 different spinning rods. Topwater, flipping, shakeyhead, swimbaits. I did not throw a Ned rig a single cast. I threw a chatterbait some. Nada. i threw a jerkbait some, nope. Fishing forecast for the next few years is. very bright All fish were released.

I know where more of these live and lots of giant commons with them. BIG ones.

This is from Crooked Creek. Again on a Zig Jig. I saw them tailing, but was blind casting the general area. Now one of both of these might not be true 20 lbers. I can't judge fish that large. i caught a true giant in Bull Shoals in a mid lake Cove. No pics though. It was massive. I caught it on a 4 inch grub. I saw the fish ease one and smoke the grub in about 20 foot of water. I hoped it was a huge Smallie, but after the first long run past the boat out to deeper water, I knew it was not a Bass. No bass does that. The Bull Shoals boat dock is over run with them. Fishing is forbidden within "x number" of feet of a commercial dock. All sizes.

This one was from the White River on a Zig Jig. I saw them tailing.

Not to take sides on this disagreement, but the ignore feature really is very nice. Everybody gets to have their say and that guy that annoys the crap out of you becomes so much less annoying IF you don't read his BS. MoCarp, I don't know where you are fishing buddy, but there are no shortage of 20 lb carp in this area. 40 lber or 50 lber are less common sure, but pretty decent numbers of 20 lb Golden Whales swim in Bull Shoals.

Common carp are invasive, but it was before our lifetimes and I feel like they have worked a balance out at this point. i don't see carp as degrading the waterway in most instances. To me, carp are Another fun angling option. I fish for Almost everything though.

Lol, too bad there isn't a Wal Mart nearby