Feathers and Fins

I actually picked Hobe over PSL simply because its the furthest reach of the bonefish not to mention if I went back to PSL I would have a horrible time going offshore, every time I hit the Roosevelt or 10cent I had to stop and play not to mention all the areas between my old house and those places. It was just horrible from August to October walking out back in the morning and seeing tarpon behind the house and knowing all I had to do was pull op the crap trap and flip a blue out to hook up lol. But still nothing got me going more than the Mullet run. I just watched some Youtubes of it and made me miss the area, one guy even showed it off Vero down to Ft Pierce North Jetty. And sitting here im thinking about the Pompano run.

Bill next time you go to Stuart let me know, I have friends down there and can probably arrange a trip for you... The Indian River is awesome and all the mosquito impoundments are a fantastic tarpon fishery. That was my home for ten years and know it well. J-doc and I were just talking about it the other night, My goal for retirement is to have a home in Hobe Sound that I can rent out most the year but be there for the Sailfish run in February and the Mullet run in late Summer. Its 15 to 20 minutes from there to PSL Inlet and Jupiter Inlet and snook water the entire way. If you have never experienced the Mullet run along the beach from Vero to Hobe you have to, Picture 100 pound tarpon 50 pound jacks 20 pound snook and Sharks of all sizes busting the surf inches in front of you toes. There really is nothing like it in the fishing world.

KHAWK, That is a bad time like Doc said and for the reasons he said. If you can make it down prior to school being out and not on a holiday weekend you will find the fishing much more enjoyable especially if your son is younger. To be honest I will be guiding this year but that is one week I wont I want my clients to have an enjoyable trip and part of being a good guide IMO is to know when not to take people out.

Phil this site does more than you can imagine. The stripers earlier this year were in a area most would not think to look. I posted it after a few days of letting close friends in on it. I went out the Saturday after I posted (which was the next day) There had to be 40 boats in the area including guides. The week leading up to it no one was fishing it in fact they were running right over the area and not even paying attention to it. Its not the first time either I have seen it happen.

Oh hey I didn't even see the flicker shad comment... you leave my dynamite out of it lol. Little off subject im still not sold on the Flicker Minnows yet I really want to test them out more in spring and see what they do but right now they are still low on my confidence bait list or high return for time on water baits.

Dan; I can understand your concerns when I post info on Beaver it is very specific. I have had friends comment that it could be an issue as so many people will be doing it but the one thing I have discovered is I can put out all the detailed info possible but very few people can ( more to the point wont ) do what I have put out. We even videoed it some this December and people still either would not believe it, or just get set in their way so much they are unwilling to try it. Then they say they couldn’t catch a thing. I guess people didn’t believe we were catching fish in 2 to 10ft in winter or that we were doing it on top water even though the video showed it. I told people NOT to run in to the birds or run their big motor yet time after time they did it anyway and couldn’t figure out why they were not catching fish. I guess its like Yakfm say about me it’s that attention to the small details I pay that others do not that makes the difference. So I am not concerned about giving info on how to fish baits or depth etc. But the one thing I have decided to stop doing is giving exact location. The reason for that is simple, Lack Of Respect from other anglers to other anglers. I will say when it comes to other OAF contributing members there is a great amount of respect given and I would feel very comfortable telling them and calling them in to a bite. In fact there have been times where 4 or 5 of us all in different boats were in a good bite and never an issue. But I have had other anglers getting in to it and crossing lines or just flat out moving right in on the fish messing it up for the ones working together. I have gotten tired of the rudeness of the internet scouters myself, and understand where you are coming from. I will continue to Help with how to but I will only be giving general area openly, they can search for the spots and the lakes are BIG lakes. To OAF contributing members the exact info is only a PM away though. It sucks it has to come down to that but when 3 or 4 of us can fish water side by side and never an issue then someone comes blowing in and shuts the bite down because they won’t play well with others, well that bad apple has ruined it yet again for the barrel.

Love the winter bite so few people even understand how good it is.

I said I wouldn't be surprised.

I am not surprised by last night and big congrats to Ohio but more to a very young QB who not only stood up to a challenge but shined brightly and to the Ohio D-line that checked the power of the Ducks.

They all go in phases mostly based off what the last tournament was won with. Like the new craze with big flutter spoons or the feathered bucktails. They have all been around for years. Some of the Pro's have the old school knowledge to remember them some of the younger ones are talking to old timers and using them. With the better tolling and production of lures many of the oldtime lures are making comebacks now that are far superior to what they once were, while others because of mass production have lost the ( whatever it was ) that made them so good. Lures are designed to catch fishermen more than fish IMO. The cheapest lures sometimes are far superior to the high dollar lures. For instance a Flicker shad is 4.00 a rapala is 8.00. I Cotton Cordell pencil Popper runs 5 bucks but I have seen some of the new poppers as high as 20 bucks. The Cotton is not the prettiest on the block but has caught more fish on it than I could dream of.

4.5 at the Maxi big bass this year. its on the fb page.

Ya im getting me one for next year, seems the pink gets um lol

Jason, like I said in my first post if you have been a duck hunter you have seen it worse than the fishing world has it. They call them "prostaffers" I want to know how some 16 to 22 year old kid is a "pro-anything" They wear the hoodies and hats and trailers or boats with more decals than one would thing is possible. I have had to run them off private property and had them set-up well within 100 yards of me and even set-up in a position to try and pass shoot birds working my decoys. Like I said in my first post it is about their Actions and Attitudes. People fishing or hunting think because they have the Jerseys or some company makes them a prostaffer they are the end all be all best there is and everyone else must respect them. I don't care about jerseys, hoodies, beanies or stickers though when I see one I have to wonder is this person going to have the "prostaffer" mentality. There is a couple old-birds who fish Beaver that would put any of the wrapped boats to shame and when I see them I go talk to them each time and each and every time I learn something and get more laughs and education than you could imagine. They do have a sticker on the boat but its not fit for saying here though ( picture grumpy old man movie ). Unfortunately we have to put up with these people but not only do we see these people in our sports but there are people wearing fake military uniforms also. I do not know the reason people have to do these things but I can only assume its the same reason some people wear big belt buckles or drive corvettes

way to go Marty and Pat. way to go

I went with a tracker Proteam for the reason I can hunt, fish and get bait from it. which means getting in shallow water often. I can fish for anything from it, and its safe and stable in some nasty water. I suggest looking and test driving many boats till you find the one you like and fits your needs best.

Joe, You know I love you like a brother, but I find it impossible to believe anyone past you. Your boat is like a race horse if another one gets in front of it, it just gets all mad and upset and scrapes it prop on the water and takes off to outrun them lol.

I just got the worse image of Chris and Marty in Brown robes, but Marty had a braided pigtail saying yes Master there is always 2 no more no less. lol

You were... lol.

Hey we made plans months ago. Mother Nature is the one uncontrollable. We went we had a great time together caught up and had good coffee and laughs. He got to see a beautiful lake and has already made plans for a return in the spring. I called it a great day more about the company than the fish or game.

I have a St Croixe hat I wear and im not sponsored by them but I do like their rods. Heck I have an OAF sticker on my truck by I am not sponsored by OAF, I don't think Phil sponsors anyone but I do see more and more of those stickers around. I don't think a person is a Wannabe or Goober just because they like to show their support of a product, company or even website they like. Its the persons actions and attitudes that make them the Goober or Wannabe. Heck you can be a long time veteran hunter or fisherman but if you go belittling things and people all the time or act like an idiot I put you higher on the Goober list than some young kid who hasn't had a mentor yet to help them. There are a few duckhunters on here but they know what im talking about.

I had an old friend in town the last two days so we went out yesterday. No im not insane but when a friend you haven't seen in 6 years has a chance to go you go. Water temp at Hickory was 39.0 and in Monte Ne of 41.3 that is a almost 7 to 9 degree temp drop since last Saturday. We found the fish but could not get them to bite. It was so cold my boat stuck to the trailer in the 7 mile ride from my house to the Launch and Monte Ne and my livewell lid froze, Today the rod locker is froze as is my ice chest locker. My boat is in the garage with a fan on it and heater but this cold is to much. My advise is take a week off, Next Saturday looks good right now and the fish should be biting. As to the PB weight. I am not surprised one bit the bass have been very shallow and decent sized prior to this "Polar whatever the Weather Channel names it this year"

With this front coming through I was thinking about how people experiences are with them. For me I don't find them so much a problem when there is no precipitation as I do when there is. I have had Great days after fronts Fall, Spring and Winter, but if there is a lot of rain it seems they shut the fish off for a day or so after them. I just have to look more with the sonar it seems to find fish but when I do I can pick them off. Just curious what others experience.

Lance you are going to make people cry with Crappie reports, Sounds like a good trip and nice to know the slabs are still shallow.

Racker, There is much more to this area than Walmart. Food wise Old Town Rogers has many good places to eat, Groceries I shop at Harps and for clothing there is plenty of places. We actually seldom go to Wal-mart. Now for food, The Rail in Old Town Rogers has awesome Pizza and their Pork shanks cannot be beat! Lucy's is an old 50's style diner and pretty good as well, JJ's in Prairie Creek is another option during season. There is many mom and pop places in the older area of town for eating. Groceries like I said Harps is right on Locust on your way out to the lake and if you spend so much money you get a gas card for 15 gallons with right now 30cents off a gallon. Pinnacle Hills has all your other needs as far as clothing etc. Fishing stores, HLS in Rogers, Southtown in Springdale, and if you like fly fishing McClellans in Fayetteville will take care of you and they are all ran by people who actually fish the area not just kids hired to work a counter and stock shelves. As to things to see outside of the Lake, Crystal Bridges Museum and the Daisey Museum plus Razorback games and our local baseball team. Friday Nights is football night and any of the high school games are fun to watch. Two hours roughly to Tulsa, Springfield or Branson. The only way to not have something to do around here is if you choose not to travel or just don't feel like it on a given day and I haven't event touched the Float trips in summer or the elk in Ponca and lets not forget numerous civil war sites and Fort Smith area.

Would you mind sending some of YOUR birds down here, I need to speak to them.