tjulianc

In this case it wasn't over filled, I stripped a lot of line out and still the same problem. I have decided to go with fireline, and tie on a leader when fishing clear water. I don't know yet whether I like the fireline or not, it is a lot stiffer than what I am use to for a "superline", and I kind of wish that I just used a good braid, like Power Pro. For now I will just stick to using fluoro on my bait casters, where I have had no problems, and really like it.

My advise, would be to bring along some spinning gear or a baitcaster, and if you are getting skunked on the fly, try fishing a jig or a worm on the bottom in deep pools. Thats about the only way I caught any on the lower Buffalo a few weeks ago. Fly fishing and spin casting both have their virtues, and if the situation calls for one over the other go with it. Also paddle quickly through shallow water, and spend more time fishing deep holes. The more time your lure or fly is on the bottom of a deep pool, the better chance you have of catching a big fish. I could be wrong on this, but I think that big fish in cold conditions are more likely to go after a big lure than a small one. Basically a cost benefit analysis. If they are going to chase something down to eat it, might as well be worth while. And when the water is cold, it might be the only thing they need to eat all day. Thanks for sharing some great photos.

I just picked up some swim jigs and can't wait to give them a try, when the situation is right for them. I was planning on using a grub(both single and double tail) for a trailer, but a paddle tail swim bait sounds like a good idea too. I fish mostly for small mouth in rivers and creeks, so I mostly fish with finesse jigs, and my favorite right now, is P.J.'s finesse baits, bass jigs in 3/16 oz. coupled with net bait papa chunk. I still like Uncle Josh's no.11 trailers too. I've caught some big bass on both this year. I will definitely give the Rage Tail Craws a try and look into those jigs too.

I floated Dillard's to Rush the weekend before last(Nov 6-7). We made it an overnight trip starting out late morning on Sat. I didn't drag in my solo canoe loaded with a big cooler and part of the gear(except when I wasn't paying attention and got stuck on a rock). My friends were in an old aluminum canoe and did a fair amount of dragging, but nothing that would of kept them or me off the river. They had the tent, sleeping bags, a cooler, and some other gear and rubber boots to walk down the occasional rapid. The water is cold. We had lows in the 20s both nights, and highs in the 60s. I'd say the water temp in the morning was in the upper 40s and got up to the low 50s during the day. The fishing was slow that weekend, but a big cold front just came through. We only caught two good size fish, several smaller ones, especially down past Toney Bend. The biggest fish was caught at Buffalo Point, I caught it and I didn't get a measurement, but it was at least 18". The scenery that weekend was at its peak. Lots of eagles, a large flock of Turkey, and some nice deer around Rush. If you go I'd love to hear a report.

Every man who has ever floated down a river knows what they are worth. Who hasn't felt a unique emotion on a river? Are our lives so valueless that we can give up something that actually means something to us for a few bucks? If you support the dams that are here, then logically you should support more dams. That scares me.

This is just my own personal preference but I would much rather fish for smallmouth on the White river in a canoe or jon boat, than spend half a fortune on a bass boat to be able to fish in a giant silt trap -whether its Beaver, Table Rock, or Bull Shoals. Its not a question of Table Rock vs. Windmills, its a question of Table Rock Vs. a natural free flowing river with the finest small bass fishing in the country. I think that the economy the lakes bring into the ozarks, is small compared to other entities (Wal-mart, trucking companies, food industry, education). Every town is different, but few towns are extensively based on the lakes. Holiday Island comes to mind first. I still don't think that the Ozark's economy turned around in the 50s and 60s because the dams were built. A lot more was going on then than just dam building. Sure marinas on the lakes need the lakes to stay in business, but real estate can still do fine without a lake. And there was already a thriving fishing tourism base as seen in the video. It was one of the best in the entire country. I think the economy would of been just fine without building so many dams.

What is the evidence that the dams are what brought economic prosperity to the Ozarks? Dams were built post W.W. II and there was an economic boom regardless of dams being built. Most of the evidence is circumstantial, i.e, before the dams the economy was down, after their was a boom. But before the dams, it was the great depression, after was the post war boom. That probably had more to do with it than the dams being built. Sure there are jobs generated while construction is in progress, but where do those jobs go afterwards? Have you ever been to Langley, OK at the Grand Lake Dam site? Its almost a ghost town. Why doesn't it have the same economic success that Branson, Holiday Island, etc has had? Taneycomo was built in 1913, but all the other large impoundments were completed in the 50s and 60s. I live in NWA, and I think that what brought my area economic success is Wal-Mart, J.B. Hunt, and Tysons. I don't know how much Beaver Lake had to do with it. This issue has little to do with generating electrical power. Comparatively little energy is derived from these dams, and we could do without them with very little consequence in regards to energy. Sure, generation is an added benefit, and they might have paid for themselves by now, but we don't need the power generated, and the destruction of a natural ecosystem doesn't make up for a 1-3% decrease of carbon based fuels, especially if it comes from gas or nuclear(non carbon based, but still controversial). My point is, there are other factors other than the dams being built that influenced the economy, and those can't be ignored. I wonder if it wasn't the improving economy that built the dams, rather that the dams that built the improving economy. I know that the dams and lakes are an economic positive, but I don't think that they are the source of the economic turn around. I think it is false to say, without the lakes and dams we would still be living off the hard scrabble land. On this issue, I think a lot of it is personal taste. For those of us who like and use the lakes, of course we would want them to stay. And we would argue why they should, citing economic gain, energy, recreation, flood control, basically all the reasons in which they were built. For those of us who don't use them and lament that the river is gone, of course we would argue for them to be removed based on an environmental and ecological rationale. There really isn't any other argument. Leaving things the way they are or turning them back, doesn't really have much appeal outside of environmental arena. I guess you could argue that the removal of the dams would help the economy because of the massive construction project needed to undertake such a project. But that would only be temporary.

I became more allied to it this year, but for me the worm still rules. I find that If they're biting a jig, they will also bite a worm, but it doesn't always work the other way around. So if I could only have one, it would have to be the worm. At least for me.

I can actually see where you are coming from. Most people take for granted their water source. I like taking showers whenever I want, the ability to water my lawn if I want, wash my clothes and dishes at the same time, etc. If we took Beaver lake out, we would probably have to put up with water rationing. There are few people that would pick water rationing over a free flowing natural water system, I just happen to be one of them. Where I live there is no possibility of flooding, so that doesn't effect me, but it would a lot of people. I am not economically dependent on the existence of Beaver lake, even indirectly. But I know there are people who are. So you are right, most people would be not at all happy with the removal of Beaver Lake. But I would.

I'd have to go with the worm. Usually if I am catching fish on a jig or creature bait, I can catch them on a worm too, but it doesn't always work the other way around. So if I could only have one of the three, it would be a worm.

And Al, I agree with what you said, even if we were to come up with some wonderful clean energy, the coal plants would go before the dams. I think its mostly self preservation. Too many livelihoods are based around those impoundments. Those of us who enjoy the natural beauty of the world without human involvement are just too few and far between to change that.

Well, there is no way these dams are going to be removed. In fact there is a greater chance of more dams, rather than less; based off the growing need for a clean water supply. So its a moot point to even discuss removal. However I am surprised that there are some river fisherman that actually rather have the dams than not, on a hypothetical basis. The fact that the Buffalo river was saved is really amazing, when you consider the forces it went up against. I think Eisenhower vetoed two bills by the congress that authorized it to be damed. The Corp obviously wanted it damed. And local business leaders wanted it damed because of the economic boom it would create. And yet due to a little luck and the hard work of those before me it was saved.

I have an issue with it being "limitless". During times of drought, which we haven't seen in a few years, but they will happen, where does your energy come from? Our electricity will be shut down before we allow our drinking water to be drained away. What percentage of our electricity comes from hydroelectric power throughout the region? We have three coal plants in Arkansas, with two of them within the Ozark's region (one in Siloam Springs and one south east of Batesville just off the White River). Where I live here in Fayetteville I only get 3.7% of my power from Hydroelectric, where as the national average is 6.7. So I loose a great natural fishery, and I'm still getting most of my power from coal at 55.7% For those living in Mt Home, most of your power comes from Gas, Nuclear, Coal. Hydo comes in dead last at 1.3%. You can see your own regions power source here: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-and-you/how-clean.html Some view it as a necessary evil, while I just view it as evil. So its either conditionally evil, or just plain evil, either way its still what it is.

Watching that video is painful. The video, and some of the comments here reminded me of one of my favorite quotes, by one of my favorite authors. “In recent decades it has become customary – and right, I guess, and easy enough with hindsight – to darn the ancestral frame of mind that ravaged the world so fully and so soon. What I myself seem to darn mainly, though, is just not having seen it. Without any virtuous hindsight, I would likely have helped in the ravaging as did even most of those who loved it best. But God, to have viewed it entire, the soul and guts of what we had and gone forever now, except in books and such poignant remnants as small swift birds that journey to and from the distant Argentine and call at night in the sky.” -John Graves, Self-Portrait with Birds

Nice Fish! Is the Yellow Magic the top water popper? Do you know what the temp of the water was, or close to it?

I have alot of respect for trout fishermen, but there is just a little bit of irony in trout fisherman in Missouri and Arkansas worried about "invasive species". Thats exactly what trout in the ozarks are. When you introduce an invasive specie, even a desired one, more are almost sure to follow. However, with all the damage we have already done, we should go beyond reasonable effort to keep out more invasive species. If that means slipping around a bit, so be it. We are lucky to even have trout here.

Thanks for the info. I like the swivel for when I am fishing a tube, which is what I have on that rod/reel now, but I will definitely learn the blood knot. What do you find to be the best knot for Fireline to lure? I've never used fireline before, but for the braid I am using on my baitcaster, (super pro) I have been using the Palomer knot, and I've used the Trilene knot and the Palomer for Fluoro, which has been working well so far. On a side note, I also read your article on your blog about finesse jigs, which is one of my favorite lures. I used the Bitsy Bug, quite a bit, but like you said it has a sub-par hook, and I had trouble with the skirts sliding down. I found a locally made jig by a company called P.J.'s Finesse Baits, (I am in no way associated with them), they make for the money the best finesse jig I have found. They use a quality Mustad hook, and good silicon skirt, etc). They are decently priced (2 pack is $4.60), so about 30 cents more than the Bitsy Bug, but worth it. I get them at my local tackle shop here in Fayetteville (Southtown sporting goods). Here is a link to their website: http://ejigs.com/Files/Product/C/BASS/FINESSE_JIGS_4632.asp? Again, thanks for your help.

I tied on Fireline crystal to my spinning reel, and already there is a big improvement to the twists, just casting in my yard. I will take it fishing this weekend and test it out. I've used braid a lot on a baitcaster, but down south where the water is stained and in a bass boat on a lake. Didn't want to use braid in the clear rivers and on a canoe but maybe I am over emphasizing the need for low-vis line up here in the Ozarks? So RS, do you now only use braid for your spinning reels, and have eliminated line twists by doing that? When I spooled on the fluoro to my spinning reel, I did it label up, saw there were twists, turned the label over still twists, had my wife hold the spool like I would do for a baitcaster, still twists. There was no technique that would work. Thats when I thought, maybe fluoro just doesn't work with spinning reels. I love it on my baitcasters, low stretch, sinks, low-vis. The Uni to Uni knot broke on a hook set and of course it was the fluoro that broke. I was in a canoe(so not alot of leverage), and I didn't set it like Bill Dance, but I guess it was stout enough. For now I am going to go with a swivel, which will help alleviate line twists too. The blood knot and the albright are two knots I need to learn, since I see they are recommended a lot.

I think I may just give up on using 100% fluoro with my spinning reel. I am very frustrated with it. If I go with braid, and want to tie on a fluoro leader, what knot is recommended? I used the double uni-knot last weekend, and the line broke at the knot. Maybe I should tie the braid to a swivel, and then tie the leader to the swivel, and avoid line to line knots? Is the reason you can't use braid when the temp is less that 32 degrees because braid absorbs water and the water freeze in the line? Can fluoro or copolymer lines be used with freezing temps? Thanks.

I'm having some problems with using a 100% fluorocarbon line with my spinning reel. I am using a Shimano Sedona 2500 reel and I bought Seaguar red label 8 lb test fluorocarbon line. The line twists so bad that the line will unravel off my reel by simply opening the bail. I've never had line twists this bad before. I spooled it by laying the line on the floor label side up, and it spooled correctly on the reel. I've used 100% fluoro for my baitcasting reels, and I really like it, so I decided to go with it for my spinning reel, but now I think it was a mistake. With the gin clear rivers right now I wanted something low-vis, so I have been thinking about trying FireLine Fused Crystal line? Has anyone tried this out for a spinning reel? They make a 10 lb line that has 4 lb test diameter which I may give a try. I used P-Line fluoro clear in the past, its a hybrid line, and it worked well enough, but wanted something even more transparent in the clear water. Any advise on using fluorocarbon with spinning reel?

My biggest worry about using braid, is that I fish from a canoe most of the time, and I am worried about getting snagged in a current and breaking my rod if I can't paddle back quick enough. I guess the answer to that problem would be to tie on a mono or fluor leader, or have my drag set lighter. Any other suggestions?

Yea, as lonkm said your really need to lubricate your line very well before cinching it. If you don't want to spit on it, then spray it with some berkley power scent, or some such thing. That way you are wetting your line, and applying scent to it, killing two birds with one stone.

So, would the swim jig be better for the colder weather coming up? I never fished one, but just bought a few, and have seen several pros on the tellie using them but with single tail grubs. They seem to use white or white/chat. I got one in white, one green pumpkin (my favorite color for river fishing) and one kind of a sunfish color, which I thought might work pre-spawn this spring. This question may send this thread in a different direction, but what are some good late fall lures? I know I am planning on using bass jigs, other craw soft plastic imitations, and slash baits (like the the x-rap and lucky craft's pointer). I've never had much success with swim baits, but maybe I should give them more time?

Thanks, I am working on taking better photos out on the water. Its a bit of a struggle, because I want to return the fish as soon as possible, but it takes time to get that perfect picture too. I'm also learning a new digital camera. I'll keep posting some pictures, and hopefully they will get better.

I've been thinking about getting a one man pontoon boat, for those hot summer days when the rivers are too low to float in a canoe. I think they would be great to sneak up on fish with, and I could get down some really low water. But maybe I should look more into those boards. They seem even better for what I want to do. And there is no assembly time or pump to worry about. The big advantage the pontoon boats have is they are a lot cheaper.