Feathers and Fins

Na stump I FOUND A TON of shad today in 52.2 in 1 to 3fow. I know Doc is beside himself as I made it a point to call him and try to get his butt out. Best was a 4.25 average was about 2lbs but had a few 3's in there. Jerkbait and Pop-r were the ticket and it was a blast. Lets just say I tore them up before stopping to do a little ducky hunting in the exact same spot. One of those days you just dream about but one you scratch your head. Why was this are so warm why were they so shallow and why do I think my brain is smaller than theirs.

Honestly I would have thought it would have pushed everything deeper but seeing bass in as little as 2ft of water I don't know. My guess would be deeper but coming up to feed in shallow

I would guess low 40's didn't have the sonar on though Ice was formed in shallow water near the bank but not on main lake

I do good as a rule the problem is they roost on the big water, I have seen them out there in 3 foot chop and never ceases to amaze me they do it. They are very hard to hunt on a real howling wind but can be done if you sit and watch them long enough, you have to find the flight path between rafts and try and set-up to pick off the few dumb ones but its doable with a big enough spread.

We got out yesterday for a duck kill and were surprised at the number of Bass in skinny water 3ft and under on flats, just before leaving we watched either stripers or whites go on a major attack on bait in Prairie Creek but no way to tell with the freezing rain and fog on the water which one it was. I was going to hit the ducks again today but with falling temps and roads still wet I don't feel like having my boat ski past me on the road. Maybe tomorrow.

Deer season is still open, beyond that Coyote is a lot of fun.

Matt, 4-rivers is a lot of fun you can get a motel in Nevada then drive out to it in the morning about 20 to 30 minute drive then depending on where you want to hunt factor a 20 to 30 minute walk in. Freelancing I doubt people will give you locations they are pretty heavily guarded and I would be leery of any location given out if your not real good friends with the person. I can give you this suggestion, get out and look around with binos and maps, look at the creeks and rivers they will be great when we have weather like we just did day 3 of a freeze the rule is be on a creek or river. You will unfortunately have to scout those areas in warmer months for vegetation and its such a pain in the butt being on some of the best smallmouth bass creeks isn't it. The other thing that is not secret is go to MDOC and AGFC website and download the KMZ file on their ( where to hunt ) section of their website. This loads in to Google Earth and highlights and outlines the public areas and will link you to them and the rules for them. Good Luck.

Marty, that lovely Mule of yours will KILL you if you get in to snow goose hunting. I have the affectionate nick name ( I say affectionate as a joke ) of The Drill Sargent, by guys who have snow goose hunted with me. It was given for the many packs of goose decoys it takes to hunt them. I have gotten older since then and wiser and just put out 24dz silosocks now. Rule #1 in snow hunting land the first few groups at all cost #2 Never shoot the first few #3 refer to #1 , 2 If you do the flocks will bust you and the hunt of a lifetime will be over. I don't know what it is but as long as you let the first batches land and then shoot the remaining flocks the filter in will still try and land. You ever find a field that's hot let me know I will be happy to come up and do a hunt for you and show you how to call them. But as I have said before I wont shoot more than 5 or 6 been on the cleaning end of a snow massacre and aint spending no 8 hours cleaning birds again lol. Get ahold of Chris he knows how to hunt them as well.

Playing with Neosho's again Brit.

Marty we were home by 8:30 and that included a 45 minute boat ride to see if the geese were around. Tomorrows goal is a limit of ducks and to go get some pictures of a pair of Tundra's I found well found me Duane could tell you how excited I was to see them we were on the phone talking. They are such awesome planes errr birds lol

I must have sounded like a lab whimpering as ducks came in.

BURRRRRRRRRR... But ducky, gads mallards and teal and cold rain but happy I am. Beaver has birds but wishing I would have had a rod saw numerous bass in less than 3ft busting shad.

Weed-eater?

I'm so jealous, these dang roads around here have kept me from getting to birds on the big water and the small back-up areas are froze solid and then I tried to go to my favorite creek and found construction going on right above it. I swear this is payback by the duck gods for me starting off so well lol

Bass, I was able to get to the lake yesterday in my truck, I would not risk trailering to it for another few days our local, state and county roads departments as im sure you know have screwed the pooch.

A caught one

Couldn't agree more Mitch, 5 stages of a hunter! I actually bite the bullet so to speak each year and buy Heavy Shot for the simple reason I HATE CRIPPLES and that stuff knocks them dead no worries. Expensive as hell but a box or two every couple weeks aint to bad and typically gives me more than enough for a season... Now snow Goose killing I go as cheap as possible

Well I will just put it this way, if an officer ever cited me for it, next stop would be their office to speak with his boss as I was on Public land and following the law I would ask his supervisor to explain to me how I was cited for being legal and had I not made the retrieve attempt I would be in violation for wanton waste. Im betting that would be the end of it.

Guys I was impressed with the "Comeback" as much as anyone. But as I have said been there on the receiving end of it and Seen it in all classes from Peewee through Pro. I said it was a personal fowl but never seen an ejection for it Never not one time ever. Horse Collar is far more dangerous and it is only a personal foul. The ejection talk must be backed and it is not, simple as that. I will not speculate if he had pull off time or anything else as at game speed its hard to do that, pretty easy though for arm chair officials, None of us were in the play and none of us can speak for what was in his mind but he isn't known for being dirty and I will give the benefit of the doubt that it was a bad choice and a personal foul was warranted but an ejection come on that's going a bit well a lot to far.

Rut, I played football peewee and High school and I have watched that hit several times. I can tell you I had it done to me and many players have it done to them and not called. It was by no means a vicious it he ran him out of bounds and did get a ( get away shove at the end ) sometimes its called sometimes its not but No way I would call it a cheap shot. I will say it again. Had it not been for the dumbass cheerleaders leaving those stupid cardboard card on the ground then Josey would not have slid near as far and doubtful but possibly made contact with the cart. It is the sympathy to his story that has many people up in arms. Here it is again, The separation push was late and it warrants a personal fowl call. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfqiSmyRU1I Please look at it close it was the cardboard that really made it even worse.

Wrench I have ran in to the Dock Owner situation a few times and one of the reasons I carry the state and federal regs with me. USFWS http://www.fws.gov/le/waterfowl-hunting-and-baiting.html Arkansas http://www.agfc.com/resources/GuidebookDocs/waterfowl_p32-37.pdf Missouri http://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/regulations/hunting-general-provisions/general-hunting-regulations And then the specific lake im on for instance Beaver Lake http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/Lakes/BeaverLake/RecreationActivities/Hunting.aspx I have had the sheriff come out several times when I'm trying to retrieve birds from around docks and ask me what I am doing. I tell them politely trying to retrieve a crippled bird which I must do under federal law and state law and ask him if he would like to see the law. I only one time after that had an officer tell me I shouldn't be there at which point I pointed out I was below the corps stake and had every right to be there and pointed out to him the corps rules in conjunction with State and Federal he called a Warden who confirmed to him my activities were legal and he left. Just because people own the dock does not give them the right to harass a hunter and in fact its illegal to do so, so in the event its a dock owner I advise them I am legal and they are welcome to call the police, army corps and game and fish if they push the issue and I had one do it. I got back in my boat anchored up called fish and game and had a warden come out ( be prepared to wait a while though took two hours for him to get there ) But that home owner has never bothered me again.

still laughing at that from earlier, To bad a Beaver wasn't home.

Had, apparently a friend went out today and he said they all went bye bye. Crazy fool actually got to the ramp and used his wench. Said he ran PC to the dam and back and only saw a couple birds and one other bass angler.

Joe I have some words for you but they are not fitting this board. I am dieing to get out for some hunting the birds are thick and no way I can get there with this ice on the roads... Maybe if I was in MO where the roads are clear I could.

Wayne I aint calling the Sugar at all, my take on stoops is he has an uncanny way of finding a win out of the air. That game in no way would I bet on but I sure will be watching it. I will stick with Auburn call it gut or a hunch but something is telling me to much voodoo in Gus's pocket I cant put my finger on it but something inside me says they will win and I bet it will be in an exciting oh my god way.