Jerry Rapp

funny JD, I was thinking of the lakes which the lack of rains have kept the water out of the bushes so the spawns might not be so good this year. Another Mother Nature wonder.

5/23 report - got on the water right at daylight. Good topwater bite for an hour or so in the fog. Spooks, Pop R, buzzers. Then it died for a bit. About 8am started catching them on a carolina rig. Caught around 25 or so total, most of them keepers. Nothing bigger than 3lbs, and they were all lean, obviously done spawning. Fished on the lower end in the state park area towards the dam. Left the water around 11 am when it started getting warm. Water temp was around 76, 1/2 foot below summer pool. Lots of crappie fisherman strolling around, so they must be biting also.

the lack of common sense is becoming a big concern.

Bill, too close is too close, period in my opinion. BASS, FLW, Major League Fishing is promoting the close thing. No wonder the young bucks could care less. It is the old BENT ROD pattern. I thought maybe the cure all A Rig would spread folks out some.

for me, it comes down to common sense and would I want someone to do that to me. I was taught to never fish in front of someone going down a bank.

as long as you keep getting bites. The next month is prime topwater time. Any shade will help, but if it is even a bit overcast I will keep chunkin. Nothing like a big un hitting a topwater.

mother nature always has a way to make things work out. This time next month you might not be able to fish because of floods.

hire Bill for 2 days and tell him what you want to learn. Then in late July hire him again for a day, and the same in the fall. I bet that investment will pretty well dial you in for the upcoming years. Good luck, and just enjoy it.

and what happened to Heartland Pro Am?

yep, I was at K Bridge yesterday for fun times with the wife and dogs. Lots of scum on the rocks. We sort of thought it was because of lack of activity to break it up, but it might be a seasonal thing? Last year at this time massive floods had hit it. I am sure mother nature is doing its annual ritual.

I would guess with high certainty that it is Martin Flats. Several humps on it. About 10 years I caught several walleyes on a long main lake up just up the lake from there.

chief just got scalped. LMAO at this post.

I have never really met a deep fried fillet that didn't taste good.

Troutt and Sons. They will do all they can.

bworm. I live in the AV area also. If you have any questions or need help I will be glad to help in anyway. I try to help Ron anyway I can also, LOL! I am not a much of a floater, but would be glad to help shuttle or offer info if needed. Send me an email my name at yahoo.com and I will give you my cell #. Have fun.

I saw one of them at Clearwater a couple of years ago. Sat there for a week or so against a bluff. Straight across from a marina. It was good cover for the wintering smallies and then the Water Patrol came and pulled it out.

best aadvice on hooks. Just sharpen them. Go ahead and spend some bucks on replacement hooks if you wish. The hook replacement thing is just catching fishermen.

after the previous report, I went back Friday and we caught 17 keepers on the lower of the lake on c-rigs brush hogs. Had one over 5. We fished a little club tournament today and caught 33 keepers, but the best five weighed just less than 10 pounds. No big uns today. That is just fishing. Winners had 16+, 2nd had 11lbs. The winners caught 7 or 8 keepers. Their big one, 6.06 had a bloody tail, but still fat.

trophy bass? If that is the criteria then how would an Idaho lake make the top ten? Much less Rend Lake. I would guess it was sort of money driven. I would bet there might be an Elite Series event in Idaho in the next couple of years.

my humble opinion is if they don't bite an original Zara Spook then they aren't biting a walking bait.

I would check with Charlie and Sonnie Kunkle. They own 154 Marine in Perry, MO. I bet they could hook you up with a good guide. Google them. They are nice people.

some of the "choices" sure were interesting. The mud hole known as Rend Lake in Illinois made the top 100. Huh? I have fished it several times, but 15lbs is good, and if you catch 10 keepers it is a good day. Coure de Lane in Idaho? A top 10? Maybe it is a hidden gem?

Wappapello report(4/25). Best day that me or my buddy have ever had on it. Topwater early, then 200 Bandit and big white spinnerbait. Five best pushing 19 to 20lbs. Lots of 2 lb chunks. Basically they were biting. I like week day fishing. Only one fish had a red tail. Water was 65. On the way home, we were talking and we caught keepers on 7 different baits. Topwater, twitching a rouge, jigs, spinnerbaits, shakey head. It was just a fun day. Surprisingly, there were very, very few boats out. We did see 4 or 5 turkey hunters in boats. Maybe that is what they were all doing?

hey MoSportsman. Have the white bass ever really taken hold at Mark Twain? Are any walleye ever caught anymore. Used to sit out on that lsland in mid lake and catch a lot of walleye right at dark on crank baits. But that was back in the late 80s and early 90s.

I am going down to Wappapello tomorrow to snoop around some. The lake is still 2.5 feet below summer pool, so running the channel is pretty mandatory. I'll report back tomorrow evening or Thursday a.m.