LittleRedFisherman

That is terrible, I think it's clear that is from a gig. The one that was gigged behind the head was obviously released because the barbs had to penetrate, i doubt that fish could of came off before it got to the boat. If that is the case, that fish was possibly gigged thinking it was something else like a sucker. That alone to me would be a good argument to have it stopped. When the water is cloudy, it is probably more difficult to tell what your gigging, that fish could have possibly been mistaken for a sucker, then released in fear of getting caught. ( I may be saying stuff that elementary to you guys on here, but I'm not familar with gigging around here, just thinking out loud).

Wow, I think I'd have a Heart Attack if I caught one like that, that thing is Huge. If memory Serves that one is larger than the Missouri state record? I saw one when the Eleven Point was really clear last month I swear would go 5 pounds, that got my heart a pumping for sure. Basically I've hung up my duck wader for winter fishing.

I think I've logged almost 2000 miles on that boat this winter, between the Eleven Point and Current, and the White and Little Red Rivers in Arkansas. Sad thing is, one my work season starts, it may set up for months without use, so made hay while the sun was shining.... This last trip was by far the favorite of the winter!!!

Thanks Guys, we had a great time. Our fishing time is gonna get harder to come by soon, I hope we can do this again in the next couple of weeks. Next time I'm thinking of heading to Dalton, haven't fished there in awhile. Last time I fished there I watched a friend of mine pull out an 18 incher near Woody's camp. The crappie have been biting pretty good on the "Bottomland version of the Black River" here at home, been wanting to do some more of that to. Today was strange, in a good way, slow bite but big fish.

My friend Chad and I took my Dad with us today fishing on the Eleven Point. My dad self proclaims himself as the worlds worst fisherman, even though he's not that bad. He taught me to catfish, and catch small bass out the Mayo Ditch that runs through the farm years ago. We work together all year on the family farm, and make a great team, but since we are fixing to start another crop for the year, thought it would be a good time to go fishing. Today I talked him into going with us on a Beautiful day, so we headed to the Ozarks. The fishing was as slow as it's been, but when we hooked up, the fish were quality, very quality, all 3 of us caught our PB's today. Dads first smallmouth ever was a solid 15 incher. His second one was just shy of 19 inches, it put up a good fight on a trout rod i let him borrow with 4 pound line. My dad caught and released 3 dandy smallmouths. I was tickled to death that he hooked into something like this. I don't think I will have to twist his arm to go fishing with me again... What a day to be living, breathing, and fishing in the Ozarks with my Dad!

Mosportsman Instead of changing the subject take em and introduce them to the concept of self control and why we need to protect smallmouth more than some other fish. I am guilty myself of not speeking up to a friend or aquantice. There is nothing wrong with being ignorant. Ignorance is the lack of knowledge, stupidity is ignoring education. Once we have determined someone is stupid then we can give up trying to teach them anything. Tom, That is a good point, and i agree totally. I've got several friends I to take that are true sportsman, and one this year that was introduced to the wonderful world of smallmouth for the first time. What I failed to mention about the other guy is that he is a fisherman, but tends to be an outlaw when it comes to rules. He knows better, and can't be taught, which is a sad thing because there's people out there that's just like that. So unfortunately that's the way i've been handling it, be it right or wrong.

That is a shame. A few of my friends have been aware of my fishing this winter for smallmouth. One of them is wanting me to take him bad, but he made a comment that he would like to "have a good mess for supper". When it's brought up to go, I kinda change the subject.

Cow shoals would be a good spot. Also there a pretty good place to wade fish at Libby shoals, which is just up stream from Lobo Landing. There's also some places to wade fish at JFK park just below the dam at Heber.

I almost put a post late Wensday night to see if any of you guys on the forum wanted to meet me up at Van Buren. All my possible fishing buddies here either were working, sick, and one was having a new baby.. So I wasn't going to waste a 60 degree and calm day, so I headed to Big Spring to see if I could target some smallmouth around where the spring runs in by myself. First of all, the river was absolutely beautiful there, and the blue water coming from big spring was a sight for sure. I only had about 4 hours to fish, so I didn't venture around like I would of liked to. So I concentrated on about a mile below the spring. I have to say, i was surprised how hard I had to work for a bite. I almost wondered if the warm weather might of scattered the fish from the spring, or the fishing pressure there may have them thinned out. I don't know, I was the only guy on the water there that day. I did manage to catch a few smallies, and a couple dandy bluegill on a maribou jig with my flyrod. I would up catching the smallies on a crawdad colered tube. I would love to try this place again, possibly going further downstream. One thing that was really neat on one instance, but probably a hinderance in another was the water was some of the clearest i've ever fished, so I tried to make long casts from the boat, that's when I started catching some. It was alot of line to mend with the flyrod, so went to spinning tackle once I started getting a few bites. I know I have alot to learn about this area, I'm more accustomed to the smaller water on the Eleven Point, which seems to be full off good fish, it doesn't matter where I fish there. Planning on heading to the Current again this next week in Arkansas to target some Walleye.

Gonna have a chance to go fishing one day this week with the warmer temps. I think me and my fishin buddy are gonna try Big Springs area on the Current for some Smallmouths. I have never been there much less fished it, but it's not to far from where I live, and thought we would try it. I'll try to post a report after we go.

Great report Brian!!. I almost tried to boat down that way a few weeks ago when the flow was lower. Looks like the right chute would be the one take because it's deeper, looked pretty knarly down there and didn't try it..lol I tried catching a trout right there at the mouth of it, looked fishy, but no luck.

As far as I know, other than the catch and release zone, you can use powerbait type stuff. There are some gravel bars, but if there generating, they will be hard to find. If you put in at JFK park at Heber, you can get out there and eat in the park where the boat ramp is. If you fish at Lobo Landing, there's a resteraunt where the the Marina is there, and probabably a place to park your boat. If the river is low, there is gravel bars. When the water if high, I like to drift an inline spinner with a single hook, and a worm of somekind behind the spinner. Seems like this attracts the brown trout more than just power eggs. Crawdad Crankbaits work good in the river as well, basically just drift and cast like your bass fishing. I'd say most of the property around the river is Private. Bret

Oh you will love the Little Red, it's my favorite Tailwaters to fish. Compared to the white, it's less than half the size, compared to the White at Calico Rock where I fished last weekend, it's probably 1/3 the size. I think there's 3 catch and release sections, one just above JFK park at Heber springs, and another stretch at Durham Shoals down from Lobo Landing, not sure about the 3rd one. I think you should be fine with your boat, it can get some stout current when there running 2 units, but nothing like the White. As far as Bait fishing goes, I like putting in at Lobo Landing just upriver from Pangburn Ar, that's a good place to fish, it has a 3 mile deep run in the river. Dripping springs is another good one, it has a deep stretch, and some shoals nearby to fish as well. There's alot of talk about Cow Shaols being one of the best places to wade fish, I have yet to try that area, but it's a great place to flyfish, which I'm wanting to try. IMO, as much as I love the white, the Little Red is one of the premiere rivers in the country for Brown Trout, and I mean some good ones. Hope this helps, and good luck. Bret

Planning on heading to Current River near Van Buren next week, was wondering if there is also a boat ramp at Big Spring, or do I need to put in at Van Buren? Never been there, but gonna see if I can find some smallmouths. I've heard the Walleye are starting to bite down here in Arkansas on the Current, might change my mind and go there. Guess I could do both since I'm not back to work yet...lol

I found this video going through what the Arkansas Game and Fish archives of there weekly show they have with the Wildman. I found this very interesting, and I thought some of you might also. They have been doing some pretty intense studies on the Ozark Hellbender, it seems that the Eleven Point river is one of, if not the only river they can find it anymore here in Arkansas. I know how popular the Eleven Point is with many of you on here, but the guys in the video surprisingly didn't know much about the Arkansas part of the river. Here in my parts it well known for it's smallmouth even in Randolph county. There is a fishing segment they do first before they show the segment on the Hellbender study. Sounds like they became aware of this great river after fishing it. Here's the link, go down to Oct 8 episode, Hellbenders on the Eleven Point...... http://www.agfc.com/resources/Pages/ResourcesVideos.aspx

Sounds like you went up a long way. Is there some good looking water up from where you was catching the Pickeral last time we were there? I like the area that has the slack water with all the logs, lots of largemouth in there to.

That's great, just the right speed really. Where did ya'll fish at? Would of been a good day to go, I was home today with my sick 3 year old. We need to go sometime next month, I'm wanting to try some brown trout in feburary on the White, perfect time of year.

I"ve used the boat on the Eleven Point mostly up till this weekend, but we hit the big tailwater at Calico Rock this weekend. Bull shoals running 4 units, and Norfork running 2. It did great in the current, somebody had said that they can move around in the current, I didn't have that problem at all. The boat does not rare up at slow speeds, it basicall like you said about the levitating, "I"ll have to remember that one".. You can tell it just lifts up in the water the faster it goes. Not sure about top speed, dont have a gps, but it goes along fine with a 25 jet, and 3 guys over 200 pounds plus gear. I can easily clear 5 inch water. We fished all day at Calico this weekend, running at least 10 miles of run time, I bet I didn't use even 2 gallon of fuel. Some credit may have to go to the 4 stroke Merc on that. It steers fine, of course it wont corner like a semi V like my war eagle, but it will corner somewhat.

Here's a few of mine from the past year! Had to put a few on here to show how us "flatlander" fish sometimes..lol. I think my favorite is the 4th down, I took some friends of mine fishing, the first time they had ever trout fished, Cade is in 8th grade, and he caught his first trout, it was awesome to watch his excitment! The last pic isn't a fish pic, but it's my favorite pic I took last year while picking cotton. The haze was just right with the sun to snap a neat pic.

I'm kinda new to Pickeral myself, caught a 20 incher on my 4wt the other day. I'm not sure how big they get, but compared to a 15 inch smallmouth, that one didn't fight near as hard. They do attack the bait however, had one tear up on of my jigs 2 feet from the boat.

Cody, is that the ramp that up towards lindseys up river from Calico?

That is right about running out of courage before water. The spot where I'm running that shallow, I had to creep through a few times before I shot through it. You can read the current and detect rocks in water that shallow, but mistakes can be made, so it is best to be careful until your familair with the water. First one I ever rode in was a 42, and they are plenty stable as well. GotMuddy, we need to meet up again sometime. I"m taking from "rookie" friends of mine fishing Saturday, they've never trout fished. I think we've decided to go to Calico Rock, I'm familiar with that water, and my friends will be tickled to death to catch the cookie cutter rainbows that are easy to catch there. Usuallly that part of the river is full of people in the summer, last time I fished it in the winter, we caught some nice ones. If you can come look us up, probably put in there by Jenkins.

I had alot of feedback when I decided on a new boat, and some of you wanted me to give some pro's and cons of this boat, after using it the past month or so I thought I'd give an update. Well, I'll start off by saying I'm elated to have this boat. I've used it several times this winter, some on the Eleven Point, St. Francis, and the Little Red River, headed to the White River this weekend. The L48, is alot more stable than I expected, standing up and walking around is not a problem. The most impressive thing to me, is how shallow it will run. I ran across one spot that was around 4 to 5 inches deep without problems. I've had my 25jet nick a few rocks, but the boat clears them, plus there where 3 of us in the boat, and we all average about 200 pounds a piece...lol. The storage boxs seem to keep everything dry, but I've only had it set out in the rain one time, I keep it sheded here at home. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a river boat.

There definitely are some smallies that far down, we actually caught a couple vertical jigging for walleye as far south as Johnstons Eddy around Reyno several years back. I have a friend that has a cabin near sugarbush and they catch them there, but like you said, there are a mixed bag with Largemouth's and Spots as well. I was surprised on a trip a buddy of mine took a month ago to the Narrows on the Eleven Point, we found an area of slack water, and fished tubes around some downed trees, we pulled several largemouths out in a row there, once we hit the current I pulled out my flyrod and my white 1/16 ounce jigs, and started catching smallmouths again. I have to say, I have absolutely have loved devoteing some of my downtime I get in the winter due to farming, to fishing over the hunting I usually do. One thing I've always said to people, " I like to hunt, but I love to fish". My ozark fishing has been limited to arkansas until this year, mostly to trout, and fishing tailwaters, but I have devoloped a love for the natural streams, and can't wait to try out Current River sometime. I have seen what a love and respect many of you have for these streams, and I'm right there with ya. Al, I plan on going with that buddy I mentioned that has a place there at Sugarbush, he wants to go after duck season is over, which is in a couple weeks. He's been talking to a neighbor down there, and said the walleye are starting to bite there, hope to try a few walleye as well as some smallies. I"ll let you know how it goes.

Thanks Al, I was thinking about Big Spring as well. Doniphan is only about an hour drive from here. I've crossd it several times heading to the Eleven point this winter. I fished an area the other day that wasn't around any springs on the Eleven Point, and had really good success, even some largemouth, and some pickeral. There's an area here in Arkansas on the Current River they call Sugarbush I've been wanting to try, it's the transition area where The Current goes from a Ozark stream to a Bottomland River. Heard there's good fishing, as well as big Walleye, so gonna try it there, but wanted to try it north as well. Thanks again.