Stump bumper

As long as the gates are open that mud line will move, I hope someone checks it today. I am betting it is to point 5 by now. I really wish there were more cams on the lake.

On number 1 Didn't you fish with J-Doc more than once? and sometimes your reason number two can be justified by reason number 1

But that was a spring flood so IMO apples and oranges, there is no December on record to compare to this one. Just saying

I agree with the more wide open for the back of the boat. The problem most people have with the back of the boat is adapting to doing the opposite of the front of the boat. For example if the "Pro" is flipping docks or brush then I would drag a jig out 90 degrees from him in open water and hope to bump something unseen and so forth. It is a hard to think of the front as fishing against you at the same time having respect for a man's job. I have always wanted to prove myself in that seat and will one day do it. In any tournament I always enjoy the back better, all you have to do is fish !

With the new attitude of confusing fishing with Nascar that is probably a wise decision, I miss the days when half the boats had 50hp motors and you spent more time exchanging lures and spots then fishing. But I will miss the stories of the worst year and how someone caught five fish in the muddy cold water. Good luck to all those who fish.

One year the lake was froze solid, so they lined up all the boats in a small area of PC that was open water. The first person that caught a bass blew an air horn and was declared the winner. This year can not be that bad. Last one I fished it was 17 degrees at launch, that was enough. I helped carry on the tradition for 10 years, time for younger stronger men to carry on. It should be Jan 1 regardless, that is what makes the memories.

First drop recorded in days 1132 to 1131.98, maybe on it's way down?

Still clear water, I have never seen mud go over the dam. I wonder if this will be a first. Since I moved here in 2001 there has been more opening of those flood gates than from 1968 until 2001. Global warming or bad management? Guess we will never know. I say we blame Champ, he used to work for big media......

If I was fishing I would run to the back of PC and throw the brightest Jerk bait I had all day. I would only use the big motor to load the boat on the trailer. But I will not be fishing this one.

With all this water all our stripers might swim all the way to Huntsville......I know they swim upstream to spawn, not sure about this time of year. But if they do wash down into Table Rock there won't be any trout down there to stop them. Wish someone would post some picks from Beaver Town or Holiday Island. I am picturing 80 foot oaks washing down through there in my head. I will get in the truck and drive to the dam in about an hour to see for myself, don't think I want to chance going to Beaver though....

I didn't even know it could hit 1132, what is the top of the dam?

I think I would target picnic tables in 10 feet of water with current flowing throw them and slack side of storage units in back yards ! Bass should favor the largest structures under water and blocking current but close to the flow. Also tall grass in the flooded fields should be good, wow look grass in Beaver (or Beaver in the grass).

It is no longer Beaver Lake it is Beaver River, the current flowing throw there must be as strong as the Arkansas River by now !

sorry for duplicate

RPS and others; I see the release from Beaver is the highest I have ever seen it ! Is Holiday Island still there? Is everyone OK ?

In case you thought you were on fish for the Polar Bear, guess what.....that spot is not there now..... For all those who wanted to get rid of some shad...there they go.... I am worried about RPS and all the fine people on Holiday Island, if anyone has pics or news on Holiday Island please post. I don't think the gates have ever been open this wide.

The question becomes how far they open the gates, that becomes important for the residents of Holiday Island. I don't know how far they open the gates before they start washing out back yards and homes but it will diffidently take out the camp grounds and some boat docks not to mention the bridge. There will also be trout caught way up in Table Rock this spring.

And just think this all from the rain, the runoff has not really hit the lake yet, that starts tomorrow! All the rain south of us will be coming !

NEVER, Winter pool is usually 1115, I have seen them generate for a week to pull it down from 1120 to 1115 this time of year.

I have always heard it takes time for them to move after the water rises so if the if catch them on the bank and the water goes up 5 feet to look at 5 feet and the colder it is the longer it takes. Then I see sunshine coming and lots of run off coming so the run off should be warmer then the lake. If the warm water is running into the lake that is where I am going to start next week. Then if you see my boat you can bet that is not where the fish are at.....

J-Doc I think you are wrong on the fish moving up, it will be cold dirty water and I think the fish will sit where they are for a while that will make them deeper than they were but the same spot. War Eagle weather station only recorded 2 inches of rain yesterday and lake did not seem to move much yet.

Get ready to receive stipers Table Rock !! If they run away from muddy water they will all go right over the dam.....lol

I just wanted to see if you would do it. LOL

With 6 inches of rain tomorrow and not stopping until Monday I am predicting they open the flood gates on Tuesday and they will still be open and the lake level will be 1130 on Friday during the Polar Bear. I also see the mud line going as far North as point 5 and dirty water going over the dam.

That will make some big fish but fewer shad will make them easier to catch. I have only seen one good top water boil where the fish had to run them to the top, I really miss that.