Hammer time

Sorry D, misread, though you were asking about Ned rig. I have never throw the a-rig. Again my apologies.

D, I rarely fish the Ned rig but when I do, usually January before rouge bite starts. I use 1/8 oz head and either watermelon red or green pumpkin purple and fish just like plastic worm on mainlake channel bluffs and swings. I just let er fall and usually they hit it on initial fall. That's how I've had success, gotta be patient and just let er fall slowly. Lot of guys use 1/16 oz head and seem to do well. I'm to impatient to wait that long. For me, you gotta be on channel banks and if they are eating it well, change over to rouge and try for toads.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year to everyone and their families and friends! Hammer time

Here's a sunset pic from 12-21-16 just before I loaded up

Thanks for your report. Never fished beaver, you going after bass or stripers? Either way, look forward to seeing your report.

Heath and happiness to everyone! And a 17in minimum length limit on all bass on all lakes in Missouri and USA, think how good fishing would be!

Baby black crappie, IMO

My bad Cheesemaster, I edited, meant 12-23-16

Put in at Indian Point at 11, temp throughout the day 48.9-50.4. Started on chunk rock with pea gravel mix and bam, nice brownie and nice black. Thought gonna be awesome day. Then the rain came and shut the bite down, weird. So moved to some bluffs and picked up a few short brownies on 5/16 finesse jig. Finally rain let up, so back to same type banks and started to get bit again. No blade fish today, all came on phantom green wart and rc. Had to be banging and pausing bait to trigger strike. Ended up with 14 and 9 keeps. Fat spots and some nice brownies. Only seen one boat all day, so really had lake to myself. Fished hard and covered a bunch of water, had a great time, except for the downpour. Lots of bald eagles, loons and canvasback ducks, all pretty birds! Tight lines and CPR

Carolina rig gets my honorable mention, but can only choose 2.

X2, couldn't of said it any better! Imo

Put in at 10:30 at Indain Point, water temperature 48.8-50.2 everywhere I fished. Found active fish in 4-10fow on rocky banks with deep water close by. Points, and rocky banks with pea gravel mix worked best for me. Caught em on phantom wart, mouse sreaming eagle blade and a brown/purple/red 5/16oz finesse jig. Ended up with 12 total and 7 keeps. Only one short black, the the rest spots and brownies. Had fun, lots bald eagles everywhere. Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone! Tightlines and CPR

Curious, anyone know Table Rock record spot? Where? Year? Bait?

In my experience whey water temperature goes below 46 it's gets really tuff. When temp climbs up to 48, clown suspending rouge and smoke gitzit on channel banks and rip rap can be deadly on 5-8 pounders. Generally around late February and early March.

Imo, best thing to do is drain and fill live well multiple times before loading up. I put live well on drain between wholes and that gives fish fresh water and cleans out slime. Then, right before loading up I drain live well on way to ramp and refill with new water for way home. Thats just my method, to each their own.

Prayers go out to you and speedy recovery Jeff!

May need to get some Bill Dance, dancing eels. Lol?

Great job! I use 8 lbs on all crank baits exclusively so they hunt deeper! And most importantly so they have better action and bang the bottom on certain cranks, like warts, rc and and bottom bouncing cb! Thanks for the report and pics!

That's some of the best advice I've heard and learned over the years. Contrairy to many applications, the Rock can change daily, as all bodies of water. I have realized that fishing your strengths is not the approach to be successful, you must adapt to the conditions and approach each situation as needed. You have to change your approach and presentation. Imo, the bass are either in a negative, passive or aggressive mood, so being able to entice a strike, being a 1 in strike zone to 8 ft zone is the most important . When you break it down, putting your bait in the strike zone is key regardless of conditions or applications. Thats just my opinion.

Especially on the Rock!

Thanks for the history of the spook, great reading! Please unlighte us on any other knowledge you can provide. Much appreciated!

In my 35 year of experience on the Rock, the nasty, low pressure days are the best. Many of my personal best trips have all come on nasty, windy, rainy, cloud covered days. The worse conditions seem to produce the best results! Imo

Great way to find some active fish and catch em, thanks for the report.

Great report and thanks for the pics! They are flat slamming the jig!

Had a awesome time fishing with Cheese, he's a great fisherman and even a better guy. We had a fun swapping fishing stories and technics. When he set the hook on that spoonbill we both thought huge bass, he hollered out I got a good one, I looked up and seen line pealing toward deep water and was waiting for the big bass to jump! No jump, line was pealing off his real and I figured huge flat head. After 15-20 minutes he wore down the huge spoonbill. Had to 40-45 pounder! What a experience to be a part of, and witness!