dtrs5kprs

Welcome to the official "slow fat guy boat" owners club. If I took some spoons and grub heads out mine might actually run, but then I would need a tackle box.

My guy zeroed. 1 short, 1 goggleye on drop shot. Boater had 3 keepers on a blade shallow. Sort of confirmed my thoughts on the drop shot .

More than I've had from anyone else. Much appreciated. My guy got lost yesterday trying to find the BBQ at Lampe

Just wondering what the water conditions are up the James and Kings (back ends, esp). Friend of mine fishing Heartland today drew a boater who wants to drop shot, so doubt I will find out from him. Seems like better conditions for a jig or a dock bite, but could be wrong. Probably not too great for anything.

Heard the weights for Heartland from a friend who is back seating tomorrow and confirmed them on the website (good work to the Hearltand staff by the way, for the rapid updates). Anyone know what the going deal is? Jigs, I would guess with the water.

Ran into some guys in November 2007 who were shooting boat ads. Kind of the same sounding deal. Fish a little, run a lot. Had a helicopter following them down by State Park and the dam. Can't remember the boat brand, might have been Legend.

Depends...warts in their original configuration will "broach" from time to time--sort of a spin and breaking of the surface. Usually stopping the retrieve and slowing it a bit will allow the lip to dig water and self correct. Just spinning throughout the retrieve is likely due to a line tie issue (tune), tangled hooks (classic wart issue), or locked up split rings (not allowing hooks to swing and creating drag). Can be a tough bait to tune due to the position and type of line tie. Once in a while you just get a bait that is molded or assembled badly. Seems to be more of an issue with pre-Normark baits.

Right...we have that race to the first team with 5 wins in the Big 12 North...If it is KSU I will prepare for the apocalypse. Anyone putting a spoon in the docks?

Well Donna at least you can look at the positive side...you weren't late with a limit At least you were able to play with a few.

Thanks all. Good info and breaks the tedium of waiting to leave for the lake. Much appreciated. Are you getting much rain in the area today? We are getting absolutely drowned in Kansas City.

Everyone must be working this week? No fish reports? Or is it the Heartland effect?

Hard to quantify hours. Start to finish each bait takes about a week, working a few hours a day on several baits. Rogues are a bit slower than warts for me b/c they are more individual -> more color changes ->more clean up, etc. When I shoot warts, I usually shoot a minimum of 6 each color, then work until all the clips on the turner are filled. I have a problem with addictive hobbies...painting baits, hand pouring plastic, rod building, and most recently reloading ammo. I have no problem running out of time unfortunately.

This is before the toothmarks were added And a closer shot of an upside down bait. These were shot with an old video camera about 5 years ago (closer to 7 on the purple rogue I think), so apologies for the quality. There are lots of little tricks with sticks, more art to me than painting a dozen of the same color wart.

that color is dynamite up the Kings in the spring...started making in 2003 by using chartreuse foil on the sides, purple back. Mine has a little more color and a little more flash, but both work great. Used a pic of it for my avatar for a while.

Hard to beat: Norman Flake...good starter color T-Rock Shad...also a good starter color Chartreuse Shad (a bit more challenging due to the chart stripe and the color blends required) Clown requires "foiling", little farther down the path of experience, but fun.

Both of my motors are from Home Depot (1 built, 1 spare). Have added "spokes" since the pic, in current configuration it will turn around 30 baits depending on size and type.

Beaver is still rising? Anyone have input on when they will start to dump?

Drifted over from the Table Rock side for a minute...anyone heard word on plans for dropping Beaver? Am assuming COE will start pulling the lake when they have the Rock back down, but can't find any info. Have a trip to Kimberling starting 11/3 and am curious as to how much of Beaver lake might be there to greet me.

Am hearing about a fun spook / fin bite from 13 to Cow area from a resort owner who used to belong to our local club, good enough his wife is going out with him to enjoy it. Not seeing it anywhere else though, maybe due to the impending derbies. Like Champ says, not a guide bite. Sounds fine to me.

Thanks for both reports. What sort of temps / color are you finding around 13?

Started doing that about 5 years ago after a buddy drew a pro from Ark in a Central. Said when he opened his rogue box, each and every bait was customed "upside down", with the explanation you would expect. Have thrown those when it was clear and cold, but quite honestly I paint a rogue better than I fish one. Maybe someone else can add info on this?

Didn't we have a pretty solid wart bite last Nov after similar water issues? But then again my best Nov days have either been fishing a spoon for K's out of Baxter or nasty day blade fishing around the Knob. Always lots of ways to catch fish, and that is why I love this lake.

Thanks Bill. I still feel the fickle finger of fate pointing at us from Beaver Lake. That water will have to go somewhere. How are the temps doing? Can't recall the last time we had cool weather this early.

I was thinking about the river fish, hoping it might turn some blacks on, but concerned about high-cold-dirty from Baxter to the dam. No doubt that would trash the deep bite. Personally, I'd rather catch them on a spoon and a grub, but am trying to see a plus to the additional water, especially if COE dumps Beaver.

Ditto on Fisher and Baxter area. I have shot some great stills and video of eagles in the back of Little Indian at Baxter. Also see them around the mouth of the James...managed a nice pic there 2 years ago on the stubby little bluff that we used for Christmas cards/gifts for some eagle loving friends (managed a 3# K on those trees there at the same time ). Saw some last year directly across the lake from Schooner Creek in that little cut by the long point. Not that I want to get too close, but it seems like it is easier to get closer to them if it is cold. My experience only perhaps.