techo

We are planning our annual float trip. I can't remember who we rented out canoes from. We always stay at Tyler's Bend as some folks have kids and like the ranger talk. women like the showers and so on. I tried to do a search as I ask the same questions every year. Any recomendations on canoe rental? This year I plan on fishing...any recomendations on lures for a spinning reel. Thanks again!

ok.....for the slow guy, you doing that with the spook or the red fin?

Might have to get lessons as to how to fish Table Rock in August! My challemging time is coming.

Consider it done!

Hey EP. I wasn't real sure it was you. I was waiting to hear your voice to make sure! After all of this time of listening to you on the radio and talking to you on here....we still haven't really been introduced or met up. Glad I wasn't sure as if I remember correctly I still have a punch in the stomach coming. I can't rememeber why, but I am sure I insulted you somehow or someway in the past! I am real sorry about your boat. That is bad news indeed! I'm not just greasing your skids. I have thought about trying CPA as Donna, Champ, Tom Spence and others fish it and have great things to say. I am just having so much fun at AIA, no reason to go anywhere else. I suppose you could tell as we were laughing like little kids!

Exactly right! As usual.

I do the same. I will skip a spot that I think has fish and let the Mrs throw to it. It goes way better if she catches the fish. I just pretend i am a guide like Babler!

I almost told her to skip the stickbait......but you never know. I had a friend put pieces of a grub tail on a jointed rapala one time. I tried to explain to him how they worked and he caught a fish. I also went on a fly in trip to Canada and an old timer put pieces of minnow on treble hooks and caught walleye off the dock as i was explaining to him it wouldn't work. Si now I just TRY to keep my mouth shut and hope it works for them. I won't mention the circuit name on here, but I had a real tough year with a circuit a few years back. Billing problems, getting a partner in the PRO/AM even though I was linked and weary of the lecture stuff at takeoffs. It almost seemed like I was lucky they were there instead of them being thankful I was there. Anyways.....the reason why I mention is I almost gave up on tournament fishing after that. AIA is almost like a bunch of friends throwing money in a hat and fishing. I haven't fished CPA, but I heard EP has it going real well too.

Shell and I fished an AIA Tournament today. After the mess on Tuesday, I wasn't sure what to expect. We planned on hitting coves and areas with trees. We pretty much stuck with the plan. We think we caught eighteen bass, but only one fish weighed. a second one could have, but I hate risking it so we let it go. We also caught a walleye, a catfish and a ton of bluegill. The walleye, catfish and some of the bass came on the green wigglewart. A few of the bass early on the red fin and sammy. The rest came on the McStick. Shell had caught her first tourney keeper on a blue McStick and when it gets slow....she insists on throwing old lucky out there. So far he has come through as she usually catches something. All of the reports are saying the jig and grub, so I kept trying......no takers. I must be doing something wrong. It was a great day. We didn't have any trouble finding wind today! I do have to mention how fun the AIA Tournaments are. The folks that run it are very pleasant and friendly. They usually remember our names and are just plain good folk. They run the most enjoyable of circuits I have tried. If you want to dabble in tournament fishing they have a good circuit. A bunch of good fisherman and fisherwoman in there too. Heck, they even have free coffee most mornings.

Kind of was interupted on my last post so to finish.....the Cops for Kids is a way to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation and Cops to fish together. I can't remember for sure, but I think Water Patrol started it and now State Patrol runs it. They give away a Nitro boat most years (last year was four wheelers). Because of the lucrative drawing prize....it now looks like a Nascar race or an FLW/BASS event. Colored shirts galore! Local pros have their own officer to fish with. It has turned into something else. You still see a few flat bottoms with small motors, but it seems there are way more wrapped boats. I fish for fun and hope to win the draw for the boat. I had two different local guide/pros tell me they knew people looking for cops to fish with so they could get in. I would rather fish with my buddy Dan and laugh all day long than fish with a pro. As a matter of fact we almost brought his eight year old kid too. Dan was concerned we would be disqualified for having three fisherman in the boat. I told him I didn't care and to bring Mason along. We didn't take him though as he would miss school. The rules are one fisherman has to be a cop. They are opening it up to Firefighters and EMS now. I guess almost 200 boats isn't enough. The bottom line is that it is still a fun tournament for me. I sure don't mind coming in 200th place to the quality of Cops' friends there. I am happy that one of the Fann brother won with a SPD cop as a partner. They don't talk down to us dumb guys just having fun. The Fann brothers area a class act and willing to talk fishing with you anytime. They seem a it tight lipped on GPS coordinates though!

There has to be a story on the leg...... Although I grow impatient with people that hog the ramp....I am patient with older folks (like me), families with kids and people that aren't just standing and visiting. If you are in a big hurry, then you shouldn't be going fishing! Glad your on the water! It really helps with rehab.

from dark until sun gets up try top water.

Wow! I feel like I have been taken down a notch...."for them stinkers, fishing with best friend." I guess your not going to name your next kid techo after all? Sorry if I mislead....tried to say one of the Fann brothers. They can fish! JEV....fishing AIA on Saturday. Hope to see you out there. Someone promised to show me his boat. Holy Cow! Did you move to Mississippi? Never see you anymore.

I agree. I think you have more control with the Spook, Spook jr and the Sammy. You can twitch, pause...twitch twitch, walk the dog fast or slow and so on. With all of that in mind the Mrs has really been beating me to death with the Red Fin. She casts it out, reels it in and giggles at me! Just plain fun!

If you really had OCD then you would properly call it CDO and put the letters in alphabetical order! Just saying. I'm sure the smart guys will pitch in on setups. We only caught six last time out so my advice would be unwarranted right now!

Yes they do!

Hey Tom! Long time no hear. We were on table rock with the rest of the guys who said the same thing. Glad you did well. Where area you go to? How deep were they? Fish with your neighbor again this year? Miss ya brother, hope all is going well.

We fished the Cops for Kids Charity tournament this morning. As the weatherman predicted, high skies and no wind. I did manage the first odd looking suntan of the year. We caught six fish. One would have been a keeper. One was on top water red fin early. Caught one on a C-rigged fish doctor, one on the Eakins jig and two on the spinner bait. I can't remember what the other was caught on and we did poorly so it wouldn't help much. The water temp was generally around 62 and we stayed in the Aunt's Creek general area for the most part. The fish we caught were in 18 feet of water. Best bag went over 20 pounds and i think one of the Fann brothers had it, but could be wrong. Payouts went down to about 12.5 pounds. Was good seeing some of the regulars. I was lucky enough to see Beck's new Phoenix boat. Nice colors and innovative storage ideas. Good fun day on the water, but maybe not too successful of a tournament day.

I do agree. A shared passion is way better than....well I guess I am off topic. Point is....I agree. I have never had so much fun as fishing with Shell (Mrs.) We are weighing more fish and have a great time.

I agree. I think I learned a lot the year I fished the AM side of Pro/AM. The number one thing i learned is that I would rather fish from the front of the boat and lose than the back of a boat and win. The number two thing I learned is I would rather fish with the Mrs. and lose than KVD and.....well never mind on that one. I did learn quite a it from each guy though. I think in a situation like you said I would throw something to cover a lot of water and hope for a reaction bite, then switch to a c-rigged fish doctor when possible. Course I could be wrong. Sounds like you made the best of a challenging situation and still managed to catch a few.

Must have been the picnic in the tornado during pre-fish? Congrats! Couldn't happen to better folks. Pays to fish with your best friend!

Didn't have a college roommate. Have a friend who is a local pro and on the Nitro Team though. Stand by my earlier statement. Good price point.

Im glad the top water bite is still on. We have a tourney Tuesday and it is supposed to be sunny, in the 80s and no wind. Concerned about patterns on that type of day. My usual pattern on those type of days is to bring a nice lunch and some snacks, because it is going to be a long day! On a side note....someone at church this morning told me there was a 32 pound bag in a Table Rock night tourney this week. That would be amazing and hate to call a guy a liar in church. Anyone have any knowledge of such a feat?

I know! I like it. Fun group for sure.

You look at the other boat? Sounds like you made a decision! If he brings one up....let me know I would like to see it.