Topwater TRL

Thanks! I guess I thought it was the brake fluid level you might be referring to. I'll look for the actuator.

Can you expand please on "got the tongue lubed". I see brake dust on my rims and want to head off a potential problem with my trailer surge brakes. Thanks!

The wife and I put in at H ramp around 8 am. Got a late start of course. Water temp was right at 58 with 4+ foot clarity. Temp reached 62 by end of day. Fished Little and Big Indian areas all day till 6 pm. Had lots of shorts (30+) and 8 keepers, biggest was 3.5# black. Most were K's. Biggest success was on the 1/4 oz. shakey using a 4" senko in either dark watermellon green or what I call the Halloween color.... orange, brown and purplish blue. Nothing magical, just drag it slowly along the bottom and shake it occasionally. Did have a few on 3/8 oz finesse jig but always went back to the shakey. Also had 2 shorts on a jerk bait but nothing on a wart or spinnerbait.... which really surprised me. The prime depth was 12' but did catch a few shallower. Secondary points or within 100 feet of the point either way from spawning cuts or coves was key. I saw no beds and no roamers. Went up to Railroad cove and just into begining of the James mid afternoon and Wow!! Whats up with the acres and acres of what looks like golden alge bloom streamers all over some of the coves and cuts. Some places mid lake in those areas also looked like a golden swirly mat type streamers hanging about 2 feet under water. Lake must be turning over in those places I guess. I've never seen anything like it. Almost like you could step out of your boat and walk on it. It wasnt moss and it wasn't pollen. Anyway, where that was going on we caught zero fish. Happy Easter everyone!

I braved the wind yesterday but didnt fare well at all. I too used a spoon. Saw many many shad balls at 50 plus feet so I targeted that depth. Guess that was wrong. If you don't mind, what seemed to be the best depth for your success? Had about 45 degree water up around Mill Creek ramp area. Thanks for your nice report.

A cheap pair of leather gloves is a great thing to have in the boat when using braid and pulling on those hung up a-rigs.

Nice! How was the water color? Lots of floating leafs yet? Always appreciate your timely and detailed reports!

Jug and Plug has them at Shell Knob.

Thanks for the detailed report. Will heading down for a nice three days on the water this weekend and will put your suggestions to work. Did it seem to matter if you were on chunck rock banks or mixed? Thanks again!

Yes, President Oblunder wants all of us to have some pain! Vote them all out. Term limits would help solve this!

Nice report! Thanks. Spoons have salvaged many a fishing outing for me also. Keep those screen shots coming! Very interesting.

Thanks for the report! Glad to see the water temp starting to cool off.

Starbrite Vinyl Cleaner for marine use has always worked for me. Walmart carries it.

Here's the MO Dept of Taxation website for the forms necessary to submit for the Motor Fuels Refund. http://dor.mo.gov/forms/index.php?category=18 You'll need to print off forms 4923 and 4925. Don't let the tax man keep your "off road & marine use" gas tax. Hope that helps.

For those who go alot like I do and care to mess with it, dont forget to have the gas station attendant stamp your boat gas receipts with their "off road" stamp so you can turn those in on your MO tax return for a refund of highway tax you pay in every gallon purchased. Dont quote me but i believe it was 17 cents per gallon last year. It does add up over a years time. I dont know if that applies to boat gas you buy at marinas. Just saying its like buying your boat gas for 17 cents/ gallon less.

For what its worth, I caught two nice walters yesterday close to dark while drop shotting a 4" senko worm whacky style in 28 foot water dead center in a big cedar tree. Fishing the White up by marker 23 if that helps. Never caught a walley on a ds before and darn if there werent two in the same tree. Did have a nice evening on the ds bite all in trees and all 26 to 35 feet deep. Only 4 keepers but steady action on the little guys. Robo worms and whacky senko was the deal. Good luck with the walleye trip!