LittleRedFisherman

Me to Ham, this should really be fun, i'm not sure if i'll have both days yet, but guess i'm leaning towards at least Saturday since i'm gonna try to do a fish fry, if something changes i'll let ya'll know. I'm bringing catfish, but if someone wants to cook some of there stocker rainbows, i'll have some hot grease!! It's possible I might be bringing someone with as well, but it's not for sure either, so i'll let you know Cody. I've got to get my zig jig order in as well as I need to restock a bit, may do that today, and also got to fix a bad guide on my 4wt! If anybody wants to bring something else for the fish fry, just have at at, right now I think Quill is down for slaw. I"ll have the fish, potatoes, onions, tarter sause etc.. Any ideas just shoot away!! Bret. What time are you guys going on Friday plan to be there, is it going to be an all day Friday event as well?

Talked To Brian Sloss Today, He Might Come As Well, Try To Twist His Arm Into Coming Phil.!

Awesome!

Great post Al, as of tonight just got harvest wrapped up here, so looking forward to getting my winter fishing on soon, this just fuels the fire!! That is a nice walleye, caught my very first one this summer in the EP, I was under the impression from what I've heard that they don't fight much, mine fought like a champ I thought as I reeled it in. I have never fished hair jigs, just marabou, but here you guys sing the praises of them in the winter!

Also, since making video's is kind of a hobby of mine these days, would it be alright with all of ya'll If I try to make a video of this to look back on someday? Of course hopefully this might turn into an annual thing! Something tells me there's gonna be 25 plus inch brown caught.!!

I need to do the same, what colors do you white river regulars recommend. I've got some olive/ginger, ginger, brown and orange and white, that usually covers me on the EP. Also was hoping we might get into some good Jerkbait water for browns, I've never fished this part of the White..

LovE These Topics! Just Ordered An Lc Pointer Haven'tTried Those Yet

As far as the fish fry, I've got the fish covered, hope all of you like flathead? Most do, but I may bring some channel cat fillets as well, most of my flathead was caught out of the St. Francis river (Delta version), and some from that Mississippi river trip. I also cook up my own potato wedges that are pretty good, I'll have all that to. If someone wants to get some slaw, like from Wal Mart, or a local grocery, that's always good with fish, and of course drinks, but there will probably be plenty of. I'm pretty sure I can make this work with me going on the 14 as long as something drastic doesn't come up.. I'll bring my L48, if someone has an extra spider seat, I could take 3 with me! I'm bringing my flyrods i'm sure i'll try to sling some, but would love to zig jig some with Ham, Hoglaw and Cody, and try to refine my skills with the zig jig!! Sounds like fun, can't wait!!

This was Hoglaws brainchild, and a great idea!! I'm almost thinking a fish fry would sound good! I've got access to a large cooker that can cook 10 pounds or so of catfish fillets at a time, that is one of my speciality's I guess you could say, been cooking the annual fish fry at the local cotton gin for 10 years or so, they'd let me borrow there cooker! If this turns out to be a large turnout, that's a great way to feed a bunch of hungry men quick...lol.

Mitch, let us know how you like those Vision 95's, might be good to have one with a different action in the Arsenal!

Sounds like the 14th is gonna be best for everyone, with a month to prepare, I bet that will work for me also! Also looking forward to meeting you guys!!

You sound like me, I love fishing in cold weather. Of course when it's really cold, I wear my duck hunting clothes..lol One thing I like about the cold, you usually have most of the river to yourself!!

I'm the same way with smallmouth, to me it's the ultimate experience for me. I've always had a love for rivers, lake fishing just isn't the same for me, although I go in the summer,and enjoy it, but I usually take my flyrod or something and sneak down to the spring or southfork early of the morning, before I hit the lake with the family. As far as trout, and what Al is talking about, that's why I love the Little Red River in AR. The Brown trout in there, are all wild, none are stocked in that river. They were introduced in there by a fly fishing group like 50 years ago, unbenounced to the AGFC. This group did put those little boxes in there with eggs, but the rest is history, decades later they have reproduced in the river, and there's some woppers in there! So, they haven't always been wild in there, but now it's basically a wild brown trout river. To me, it's my destination for browns!!

Sounds like a great day Al!! Water is getting cold quick this year sounds like, a far cry from the temps we had last fall..

Nothing set in stone yet for me, I may very well be able to make it on the 14. Whatever the works best for the majority, I'll try to make it work for me!!

Fixing to place an order on 10 dozen zig jigs guys, i'm getting ready!! I use the 1/16 oz one on a fly rod below a thingamabobber when I want to tackle a winter smallie on my 4 wt! So I use them for more than just trout! Hope we can get this fishing thing together!!

Lol, self inflicted Ham, I am the boss!! It's my only payday of the year, so you make hay while the suns shining!!

That earlier part of December might be better for me, wife and kids are out of school in the middle of the month, we been talking about going to Branson around then. Nothing set in stone yet! I know I want to do this if any way possible!!

Let us know how you do, wish I could go to!! I was planning on going to the Eleven Point on one of my new favorite stetches here in AR today, but some things came up on the farm that didn't let me go on a rainout day. Back to the field tomorrow, next day off looks like will be in the 20's at night next week! 3 of us tried new stretch last winter, and managed about 20 fish between us all, not bad I thought for trying new water. I'm happy if I can catch 5 or so a day myself, especially if they could be like what Mitch and Gavin caught!!

Got another question for you winter smallmouth jerkbait guys. What would you consider your average catch rate for winter smallies, in normal wintering spots, not counting springs.

Mitch, I'd say round 48, I think it had been one of our colder weeks the week prior.. Was fishing this past summer and decided to pull out a jerkbait, and caught as many on it as anything else I was using, but this river in Arkansas still has an avg temp of 67 or so usually where I was fishing. You guys just won't cut a guy a break....

I've tried several different kinds, I kinda leaned on the Luckie Strike RC's, not a bad jerkbait for 7 bucks, but broke in and tried a Megabass last year. LOVE them, yes there expensive, but have some awesome action. This video here was one of my first experiences with them, here I was using the 110 +1 model, it gets down there in 6 or 7 feet of water, here they were staging behind big rocks in fairly deep water. If your wanting the start out jerkbait fishing to see how you like it, I"d highly recommend the RC's, local walmart had them on sale the other day for 5.99, very good lure for that price compared to 25 bucks. Like several have stated on here, the colder the water the slower the retrieve, I like two quick twitches followed by a long pause in cold water, sometimes 30 seconds, most times, when you got to twitch again, you'll be setting the hook!

Those dates might work for me Hoglaw, I"ll be sure there isn't something going on those weekends!

Hoglaw, count me in man!! December might look better for me, but possibly by the end of this month. I need 12 to 14 days of harvest to finish, not counting rainouts. I"ve got a L48 supreme with 25 jet I can bring if several want to come. Love to hang with you guys and try to perfect my Zig jigging, plus just be cool to meet and fish with new people!! I will drive past Muddy on my way to the white. Lets figure something out and do it!!

Cold water smallmouth is something iv'e been working on for a few years now, it's when I have time to fish, so have tried to adapt. 19 inch is my biggest Ozark smallie so far, would love to break that coveted 20 this winter!! You guys get the itch to try some new water this winter down my way holler at me!!