vernon

Best "keeper" of the day!

I wonder if the head, shaft and motor position and alignment is correct? Mine's never done that and I remember reading that the alignment and positioning of the motor in the bracket was critical in order to achieve 360 degree turning without overrunning the limitations of the cable. Might be worth a look as mine has been absolutely flawless. I've yet to find a single negative and just can't say enough good stuff about this thing. In fact, I keep wondering how they got this much technology and performance put together so inexpensively. "Inexpensively" being relative of course!

Flood control is ALWAYS priority number 1 with power generation a distant number 2. When flooding is not occurring nor imminent, generation is the focus. Many might disagree with the methodology employed prior to, during or after an event but the priority of flood control is never compromised.

Yep. It's really good and lots of fun. I'm sure you'll like it. I think we're gonna go over to Buffalo Ridge. It's our favorite and we're hoping its in good shape after the Legends tournament this past weekend. Branson Hills (formerly Payne Stewart) is really good too. They're all about the same price so it's mostly personal preference. Gonna be a great day it looks like! Hit 'em good!

Oh yeah, lots more largemouth and Kentucky's today than yesterday which was almost all smallmouth.

We started out slower today but that was likely due mostly to me deciding to experiment and try different places and different stuff. Once I went back to Ned and slowed down the fish magically reappeared. After the slow start we actually ended up with more fish than yesterday. I also started measuring some fish today and, consequently, need to revise what I said about yesterday. Turns out, I guess I was expecting four pounders or something cause what I thought was two keepers yesterday was probably closer to ten or twelve. Anyways, today ended up being really fun. Kathy caught at least a dozen, which, considering the time and effort she put in was pretty good. She went in about 600 and I hung out in a little pocket by the marina and had a blast. Once the shade hit the west bank it was on. Caught about twenty in an hour or so with about eight keepers. They seemed to just be swarming into the flooded stuff and were really aggressive. Quite a few were spitting shad and a couple had crawdads showing. Some were grabbing Ned in just a couple feet of water and others came when it slid off the shallow stuff and was dropping off into deeper water. All I really know is it was a bunch of fun and wish it was like that all the time. Of course, slowing WAY down and letting the fish dictate what they wanted was the difference.

Where's golf? Hopefully, they're off the paths by now. If so, it might be the last time till July if the forecast holds!

Dang Alex - I didn't mean to make you mad! You be all like The Great and Powerful Oz and stuff.

Just noticed the "updated and revised" WU forecast now says a little over 3" so certainly trending towards the Alex "model"!

Enjoyed bumping into you and meeting Dwight last night. Long ways to drive for a get together though! Might see you again sometime today as we'll likely ride up that way. I like the dam area fine but always have to run up to Kimberling a time or two during the week. And I really need to blow the cobwebs out of my toaster oven sometime soon anyways. I have my binoculars at the ready so if you start getting that weird feeling that you're being stalked you'll know why..........

Weather Underground says more like 2" and I, for one, sure hope they're right. However, I'm willing to bet that Alex is just as good if not better at forecasting as WU so don't rule out the 5 - 6"!

Not much to add other than, "What they said". Fished from 1000 to about 400 and caught 35 - 40 but only two for sure keepers. Three or four others were close but didn't measure them. One K on spinnerbait that hit about ten feet from the boat - all others on Ned. Caught 'me from three feet to thirty feet. Some absolutely hammered the Ned while others just "were there". Personally, I was very pleasantly surprised with the way the day went. Was expecting much tougher going but pulled up on a secondary point in a cove across from Indian Creek and started catching 'em right away. First fish had two or three followers which kind of shocked me but sure didn't hurt my confidence level or negatively affect my attitude towards the day! The water was about as clear as I've ever seen and it was just fascinating to watch the fish fifteen to twenty feet deep especially when a couple of others were chasing. Messed around for about an hour trying to find some crappie but no luck. Overall just a beautiful day on the water and lots of fun. Cant wait for this fog to burn off and get back after 'em today!

Been in that situation for four years now! Pension and social security - can't beat the hours though...... And it still spends the same!

Gettin' ready to head south in an hour or two. How'd things fare down that way after the storms? Just curious how much damage the news of our impending arrival might have wrought on the innocent. Best of luck to everyone out there today. Stay safe and DO NOT break a leg!

Bingo!

"Paid for" sounds great and all but more often than not what it really means is a re-appropriation of funds. The money that's not going towards a boat payment is instead paying for braces, college, a car, a new driveway, a nicer house, a new roof, etc....... I just happen to prefer new boats over the alternatives. Unspent money isn't really worth having in the first place unless you're in the business of setting up endowments. I happen to be my own favorite charity!

Pretty much the equivalent of lemonade stands for grownups.

Ha! I'll be happy to pass the word along but I do know that one of the "secrets" to their success is pretty much focusing on facilities that are either on the verge of failure or have already gone under. Buy low sell........... And, as I said, only time will tell. Members at places run by Troon Golf and Kemper have plenty of horror stories to tell as well. As I alluded to above the former Branson Creek is a prime example. The golf industry is just such a volatile and unpredictable business. Heck, it makes fishing resorts and the guide business look like a lead pipe cinch sure thing! And I no longer would have the attitude or aptitude for either of 'em. Tuff gigs both.

That's great to hear. I'll be sure and stop by sometime next week if not tomorrow on the way down. Congratulations and anxious to see the new digs! And, I might add, where else can one hear of such things or glean such great information regarding the Table Rock area in one easy "click"! Good stuff I say.

Kind of like trying to get a house painted cheap - you get what you pay for. And that goes for the painter just about as much as the home owner. Cheapskates ain't much fun to work for.

No kiddin'. Any or either of the two sounds great right now!

Big fan of the squid scents in this household. Particularly fond of both the strawberry and the musk oriental squid. Sometimes even mix the two for a special treat. Tough to beat with a nice Chardonnay by a warm fire!

Only for about a week though!

Well then, it HAS to be true!

How does one go about documenting the 360 days of on water experience? More importantly, (if it really is even important) how is it verified? Appears to me they might be more interested in justifying the "tuition" by establishing a bunch of arbitrary numbers more than anything else. But then again I'm a former bureaucrat so I'm inherently suspicious of all of this sort of stuff. Although that's only because I used to get paid to come up with crap ideas and then write policies and requirements that were supposed to make the crap ideas appear legitimate.