MOPanfisher

Sounds like the same advice I got a few years ago when I bought mine. I was going to put a hydrofoil thingy on it, and the mechanic/dealer said that if I needed it he had made some sort of mistake. I used to have them but when I moved up to a power tilt/trim the need went away. My boat is almost the same as yours only 6 inches shorter. Runs about the same speed, and seems a little on the rich side on the mixture. FYI my 90 HP Yamaha does NOT like to have the primer bulb pumped, it will flood it in a heartbeat. It just likes to be cranked with make a little fast idle lever, it doesn't even like to be choked. Was out this weekend and for some reason the smell of a 2 stroke outboard is as relaxing as the smell of fresh coffee to me.

All research does is provide data, sometimes that research shows something doesn't work, sometimes it shows promise of success, sometimes its a resounding success. The research and the data is 100% related to the methodology in which it was done, poor methods or controls equals unreliable data. Relate it to engines, if instead of Mercury, OMC, Yamaha, Honda etc. doing a lot of research on what installing a new fuel injection system would do they simply start building new ones and installing them and wait for the public to be their test bed. (OK maybe Mercury does that according to FW), Maybe MDC could build another warm water hatchery and dedicate it to bass (LM & SM at least as no one seems to want more K's), then leave it idle since the suggestion was to stock in poor spawn years, then the year before a poor spawn year, someone would let them know that the next year is going to be a poor one, they can then fit it into their budget for more people, gear, etc. etc. and ramp up to have a big production year to time it with the poor spawn. Otherwise as long as the data and research show no significant problems why would they go out of their way to spend MORE of our tax dollars to do something that there is no data to show it needs doing. No lake is ever going to have the maximum number of any particular species that everyone wants, but TR from all reports I am seeing on OA seems to be doing pretty well in the bass department. After all they are in the sunfish family and spawn fairly easily and well.

Science and biology is stupid, what has it ever done for the world?

Wow, well it wasn't boring. Yes you could have been badly injured but probably every one of us physically able would have done the same thing. Great catching though it sounds like.

I like fish just about any way they are cooked, but dang a good grilled walleye fillet, painted with a mixture of melted butted and a dash of lemon juice. I happen to like a little spicy mix but I don't think you can go wrong. RPS I am gonna have to try that fish burger recipe, I love me some fish tacos too.

Ain't nothing sell out about that. You had a successful hunt, enjoyed yourself , in my book that makes it a "trophy" hunt.

Bassfisher that one fish might be a little under cooked. Honestly I like the fact that the topics and posts run across a wide variety. So many forums I have seen get so restrictive on what can posted it 3nds up with few regular posters and those are the forum "elite". Besides many many things from regs to launch points, to boat selection and many others all relate to fishing.

We take the lake temp every Monday and Friday a. around 0800, roughly 12 inches deep and the fishing docks below the COE Office. Monday it was 66 degrees. Obviously different places and times of day the temp will vary, but with the consistent time and location it can provide a basic trend. As for visibility/clarity we don't use a sechi disc on a regular basis so I can't give you a for sure one on that other than to say it will also vary by location but right now is 2 feet maybe at the docks. I have been hit and miss (lot of miss) on crappie, of course the bass have at times driven me half insane. Most days they are smaller ones, but keeper size is never a shocker and that is not fishing for them. I have no doubt that if I tried to fish for them I would catch a few crappie and a channel cat instead of bass. Its like deer hunting and squirrels for me.

The interesting thing to me on the mortality study of fishing tournaments was the range of mortality from less than one percent to over 90 percent. however in looking at the data, some of it was from a single tournament, they varied from lake to lake, and by water temp. There is no doubt that some tournaments have a higher mortality rate depending on how and when they are held. The ones that high the high mortality rate usually get called out by fishermen that see what is happening. Others that have a very low rate usually hear nothing or an occasional comment about how well it was run. Growth rates, population densities, spawning success, lake levels, and especially habitat are going to be the driving factors in reproduction. There is no body of water I am aware of that couldn't be improved, the best improvement we as fishermen can do is habitat. Table Rock is big enough that no once can say that the habitat is as good as it can be, why do the high water years have such great spawning success on average, and fishing so good 3-4 years later, simple the brush and shoreline is flooded giving fry the greatest chance at survival.

I always knew how my gun was patterning, don't think I shot at anything else except a coyote with turkey loads, they are too expensive and too much recoil for fun shooting.

That is the way its been lately, don't know what happened to the shallow bite. Seems there are a few still but most are coming from the 6-10 range. Maybe that first wave of early spawners made their run and the next wave isn't quite ready yet. Of the ones I have cleaned most have had good relatively firm egg sacs you could remove intact, only one ran all over the place when the knife went through, she was definitely ready. I haven't gotten to fish as much as I would like, but way more than last year. The yard cat still comes over when I am cleaning fish but can't keep up eating the egg sacs which is all I give the old critter.

Again how many want to stand up in a public meeting and support this against the likes of Big Cedar, motels/hotels/resorts, BASS, etc. Essentially you are talking about a 2 month ban on tournaments as they are done now. I have no issues with running tournaments with the catch, measure, photo, release method, but not sure how that will go over with a group that has several thousand dollars of prize money at stake.

The lake is in good shape right now, even the lower end. Did receive a little rain last night but minimal inflow increase yet.

Uh Oh, may be a day or two before Champ heals up enough to fish after his wife sees this.

He had some issues before, however since he has come back he has posted a lot of information and photos. I believe he even said early on that he forgot his password and signed up under a different handle. Thus far Jason has been cool, no reason not to expect him to stay that way. And no I have never seen, talked to or met Jason to my knowledge. Jason, Aggressor, Jas Long, or Bassfisher the single thing I dislike about you is that you are fishing g WAY more that I am and it is making me jealous, especially since much of it is 30 minutes away from my house.

Got some pretty grill marks on them venison loin pieces. Couldn't resist a little meat porn.

Wow, that thing has HAIL and bad news written all over it.

The effects of bed fishing will obviously vary depending upon many conditions, removal of the fish guarding the nest WILL result in a loss of eggs, doesn't translate directly into a measurable effect on populations. I as in most things population dynamics prove out that only a certain percentage of the populations of any species is going to survive in a natural setting. In fish populations natural causes also vary from body of water to body of water. Smaller lakes/ponds are obviously more affected by things like removal of breeding population that larger lakes, simply due to population size and the ability of fish to move in to vacant suitable habitat.

http://sfrc.ufl.edu/allenlab/Popular%20Articles/Bed%20Fishing%20May%2010.pdf Somewhere about the middle of the second column. It does however say basically the further north you go the more impact it has. They even made a computer model, not even a biological study, maybe you will like it more. I will edit this to admit that most of the "studies" which claim either fringe of the topic are nothing more than blogs, commentary, and opinions. with very little biological studies, due mostly to the fact that each body of water and situation is different, and sometimes doesn't translate directly from one to the other.

Google is awesome. I can find studies that say tournament fishing in ruining the fisheries, and studies that say it has no effect on the overall population.

Hognosed snakes used to be pretty common around my house, but haven't seen one in a few years. have taken them to school when I was a kid, played with them etc. Worst thing that happens usually with them or a black snake is they will poop on you, and it is stinky.

Without a doubt some fish die after being through a tournament weigh in, also some die after being caught on crappie jigs, neds etc. If the mortality was anywhere near the numbers of 30% let alone 70% the coves near the weight ins and shorelines of the lakes would be littered with dead bass. I don't see that. Do I see some dead bass, yes, as likely they were caught and hauled around all day on a stringer or in a fish basket and released because the catcher didn't want to clean it. Always see some fish floating after spawning, whether bass, crappie or whatever, some just die from the stress or are at the end of their lives. You will never see the outlawing of bass tournaments during spawn or any other time of the year. How many would like to stand up in a public meeting and advocate the elimination of bass fishing from April 1st through June 15th? How do you think the Resorts, Marinas, hotels, tackle shops etc. would respond to that. Not to mention the fact that there is not a body of evidence out there that I am aware of that says such fishing is doing un-acceptable damage to the fishery. Take lessons from other organizations and instead of pushing AGAINST something, work to educate and re-train. Instead of working to make bed fishing illegal (which really is impossible anyway), or to outlaw tournaments, instead work vocally and on boards like this one and others, write articles and blogs that support CPR and why, don't just pound away on someone who catches and keeps a legal fish, regardless of what kind, were caught, and how caught. Work to improve not destroy. (Stepping down from rickety soap box now).

From my experience throw a sixteenth ouch crappie jig around for a while, you will catch plenty of bass, some days decent size, some crappie, the occasional channel cat or drum. Some days the bass have almost been a plague if trying to crappie fish shallow.

Every place you hunt is going to be somewhat different in the amount of land there and how close the water or a house is. I have known of folks who "patterned" their shotgun on water in a cove, very stupid. As for the hunter I would certainly have my back to something protecting me if possible, and try to keep shots away from water and any known housing, but again sometimes you don't have too many options as to how you set up, it happens too quick. If you have the opportunity to tie an orange flag above you that is a good idea, but again turkeys don't always abide by anyones plan. Hunt defensively, on public land there is always the chance of having someone walk, or boat up to "your" bird. Is it very bad manners to try to call a bird away from another hunter whom you know is hunting it, yes, is it illegal, I cant think of how but it would sure tick me off. And to me regardless of how effective it can be the concept of using a turkey fan to hide behind while crawling up on a turkey is crazy, seems like a great way to get shot.

Ketchup, I hope you sore mouthed them things on Pomme, they have been driving me crazy while crappie fishing. Between then and little white bass sometimes it's hard for a feller to crappie fish. But I guess that is a good problem to have. Fozzyrype, trust me I understand, I have gone some long stretches thinking I had forgotten how to fish, then that one day rolls around, or you change something up and wade a creek, and it all falls back into place and you think you are star material again. Keep fishing, heck throw a Ned or crappie jig, bass hate a crappie jig.