Ham

Bull Shoals in under 685!

And on top of that, you often aren't going to get that many bites so how do you know when to change to another bait or just keep grinding with what you've got.

I'd start by fishing in Lake Norfork rather than Bull Shoals. Giants in both lakes, but a lot more to target in Norfork. There is a Striper Fishing Club and there are Striper centered fishing reports for Lake Norfork. I don't have a link, but some time fishing on the internet should bring them to hand.

I have absolutely been there when depth and profile made all the difference in the world. Deeper bait whacking them and standard bait going fishless. I've also seen smaller bait getting bit and bigger bait going fishless. The skill and confidence of the fisherman can be huge as well. I really skilled guy with a shallow bait when they want them running deeper is not going to do very well though.

Hey Dave, You could always venture a little further south to BSL. I'm sure that after the BassCat OI with 400 plus boats and the Bass Elites for a couple of weeks that not too fish on the lake won't have a piercing or two. I'm thinking Stockton or Tenkiller may get another visit from me.

The first time I remember seeing Stacey King was on a Bassmasters TV episode. He was paired with another pro. This young man was in contention to win and Stacey basically mentored him to the win. He had nothing to gain from it, but did everything he could to help the young man. The next time I remember seeing him was another Bassmater episode from the following year. Stacey won the event on Toledo Bend stroking a jig on a flat at the motuth of a major mid lake creek.I immediately thought 1) Those are fish I would never have touched and 2) Good for him. Karma is a bogus concept, but I sure am glad he got the win since he was so selfless the year before. I would loved to have fished with him and learned more from him in person.

Pete. That's not nice.

Has Bull finally creasted at 685.23?

He's consistent.

I'm really paranoid about that kind of thing Jerry. Thanks for giving me nightmares.

I really did not like the way the UA made me feel. I'd rather wear the Cabela's stuff top and bottom with layers over that. base layer, nice warm shirt , fleece, wind/water proof outer. Hat and gloves. I'd good down to 20 or so. I'm MOSTLY done fishing when its in the teens.

I'm sure there are catchable fish all over the lake, but access is limited and information is tough to come by. I can guess at three launches that are most likely usuable, but they are all on the lower lake.

It is a Pretty fragile resource. the WWW isn't the place to talk about these things. I would tell the friends that I felt like wouldn't tell everyone they knew about it and the ones that aren't going to keep every legal keeper they catch. I wouldn't tell a single stranger about it. Ever.

Careful...

Sooooo, you went with the Loomis after all. I look forward to trying it one of these days. Did you get the drop shot model or the regular ML taper?

That may be a question for the pros to answer.

I wonder if consistently cool water temps suppress them. They certainly should be all up and down the White below BSL, but I've never seen a one.

Hey Chef, Those stretches are a good first step, but the Flex Bar thingy has been a lot better. I still do the stretches as well. I've gotten most of my grip strength back in my left hand and the overall pain is mostly gone. Mine had gotten pretty bad and I had suffered for months. I was really trying to avoid injections, but I was starting to give up hope. I really do appreciate this thread encouraging me to buy this product.

Lots of ppl can't figure out the different between a spotted bass and a Largemouth. I'm not sure its possible to educate everyone well enough to do all the tricks to clean a boat properly. And I'm not sure that everybody cares enough even if they really understood.

I had a good, but not Great fall on BSL. I did not think it was over. The water temps were falling slowly. I was about to start keeping a jerk bait rod in my hand for at least 40% of the day. Add in a little FB jig action. Keep a spoon ready. A rig. Grub to clown mouth some fish vertically with it. Maybe a little spy bait chunkin. Keitech. Of course, I would have a Ned tied on and ready. Always. Always have a Ned ready. But then this crap happened and so... Bull was still coming up this morning despite them runnin 20,000 CFS and TR only dumping 10,000. It had slowed but was still coming up. Norfork was slowly dropping and TR is slowly dropping. I have no clue what Beaver is doing. Opening up the flood gates will get Bull back to a safe zone quicker, but make the White River a no fly zone for me.

Griz may be the best person in the world at finding deals on fishing gear on the Internet.

The Mustad steelhead hook is Heavy Duty. I always come up with my names for stuff. The HD label is one that I use to set the Steelhead hook version apart from the original Zig Jig. The original has a fine wire hook that sets easily. It is very sharp an can be set with the softest UL rod out there. That hook can get soft after you catch a bunch of fish on it or pull it off a snag. I would not throw it on a ML at all. It is a finesse jig. I can throw the HD version on any spinning rod I own without concern that I'm going to open the hook up.

I want some breathable and layer under that. The OP and I talked about this already. I'm a Cabelas guy. Be patient and catch a sale on the GuideWear stuff. It lasts for years and Cabela's really stands behind their product should you somehow have a problem with it.

So, as it turns out the jigs that I handed out at Jigfest were not the "new" hook versions. Richard meant to send me some, but in his haste to send them out grabbed the wrong ones and I in good faith having never seen the HD model passed them out thinking they were HD's . My bad. Richard figured out his error and sent me some of the HD models. Very noticable difference once you've seen one. Richard made a trip to Key West between Christmas and New Year's and caught a variety of saltwater species on the HD Zig Jig which should tell you plenty. He used the same hook that Super Dave does in his Ned Heads so a lot of you may have had some experience with that hook already. In the 1/8 oz jig it is a #4 and it is a #6 in 1/16 oz and 1/32 oz sizes. It is an amazing hook. Needle sharp and VERY strong. I have told folks that the Zig Jig is an excellent cool / cold water smallie jig. It really is and if you don't have the skill or desire to tie your own custom winter time smallie jigs, you really ought to try the Zig. The HD version will let you use a little heavier rod and reel combo IF desired without concern that the fine wire hook of the Zig Jig is going to be overpowered. BUT I really havent had too much of an issue with bending hooks on fish using the original Zig with a light rod and 6 lb line. I had some concerns that the HD jig would require a heavier rod for a good hookset. This concern was unfounded. The same rods I use for the original Zig JIg will set the hook of the HD without any problem at all. I would think you would want at least 4 lb line and a rod that isn't a total buggy whip witht he HD. Richard and I got out recently and caught some cool water smallies with the HD and it did just fine. No issues with the hook. Smallies ate them up. Where I think the HD Zig Jig is really going to shine, is for Big Whites or Hybrids in fast water below dams and oversized trout, steelhead, or salmon. It will be a heck of a jig for flounders and redfish too. I'll be shocked if anyone runs into a fish that will bend this hook out. The HD is up for sale on the website now. I will be buying a few dozen, but it is not my intention for the HD to replace the Original as much as supplement it in those certain applications. It is my understanding that the HD ones are going to be $14.95 a dozen online. A moderate price increase to offset the more expensive hook. Sizes and colors are a little more limited in the HD than in the original, but plenty of good choices.

" I was called a Hillbilly" , So?