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Ok, if COE is pulling T-Rock, what are they planning to do about Bull and Beaver? Looking at the level stickies it looks like they have not started to pull Beaver (still rising?) and are using Bull as the usual bath tub. Won't they have to pull Beaver at some point? And won't that dump an awful lot of cold water into the Rock? Have a 10 day trip in a couple of weeks and would love high water, as long as it is not too chilly?

Very old (2002) pic of my turner. Thought it might help. Still works and it was cheap to build. Works with Flex Coat or epoxy (ick). Examples of some of the fun you can have. Enjoy yourself, it is addictive and obsessing.

What's the old line..."falling water points fish out"? Somewhat glad to hear they are not trying to suck it right to 910.

Only time I have ever seen that (deer swimming the lake) was on a long ago guide trip with Bud Ehrhardt on Bull Shoals. Neat-O.

Regarding clear coats...forgot the most important part. Clear coats have to be "turned" to finish evenly. This is possible by hand if doing single baits with epoxy, but most of us have built and use a "turner" of some type. Mine uses a rotisserie motor and bar, some spoke like doo-hickeys, and alligator clamps for the baits. Lots of pics of these on TU. It is like turning a rod blank that has had finish applied so it will cure evenly. Not "turning" will not work.

Seems like I am always ready to move shallow before the fish are. No doubt it takes them a few days to adjust to the rise and follow the food. Any guesses as to what the COE response to this will be? Would think they will try to drop the lake, but how fast can they realistically pull it now?

Definitely, definitely go to TU. There are literally years worth of posts from those of us who figured out some of these things the hard way. After checking the stickies and FAQ's and searching, ask away. You might even see some pics of my ugly babies (if Red has not lost the links). Proud TU member since 2/14/2003.

Since we now have a swimming thread...is Moonshine Beach open? Last I saw on the COE site was a delay in the planned opening. Heading down with the kids Sunday and there will be much weeping on their part if it's closed 2 years in a row.

Only one complaint...why would you eat grapes and granola when you are in sniffing distance of Ma's? Eggs & taters, not grapes.

Thanks, T. Seems like when I throw one everything usually goes bluebird with a hole straight thru the ozone layer over my boat.

Can the fin bite be an all day deal this time of year? I have caught them well into the afternoon on cloudy/rainy days, or when they were chasing bait, but am wondering if there is a window where it will act like the occasional all day spook bite.

Could you tell if those jig fish around KC were done, or just coming in? How did the swimbait bite work out? Just finished tying on the single biggest hook I've ever seen outside of a bass club banquet gag gift, and a hard swimbait I could put in our fishtank and just let swim to fool company. Have some buddies who did well throwing swimbaits on post spawners last year (big and soft) fishing pole timber in the middle of the spawn coves. Big ugly blacks.

Love the lines of the old 300 series boats. That is a sharp 354 from a time when bass boats were Rangers and jig chunks were real pork.

Bill...is that grub bite a swim or a scrub? Thanks.

Moto...Must have had a re-size or link issue with the pics. Oh well, you get the idea. Nitroboy would not have bothered me if he had just done what he said he was going to do, I took him at his word and found the worth of it. Your blade bite is unfortunately RIP, at least around 13.

Have some swimbaits I intend to try in earnest next week. Played with them a bit last week, but the bite/weather were not right for them until I left. They for sure throw better than a fin. Have more action, which may not be a good thing.

Left Kimberling this morning...weather could not have been better for the TW bite. Congrats to your clients and yourself on the big girl. Seems that TW bite is always rolling when we reach the water patrol tmt.

Fished 10 days out of Schooner Creek starting last Tuesday after an all night drive from KS. Here is how I attempted to follow the changes. 4/21-4/22...decent stick bite and a consistent big rig bite for solid brownies in deep brush off the gravel spawn banks and coves. Rig fish were in 20-25', very slow. Stick fish were shallower in same areas. 4 keepers each day, more shorts showing up on a shakey head Wednesday in 4'-10'. Temps jumped from low 50's to 60-61 degrees by Wed pm in the areas I was fishing. Had to go to 6# seaguar 1/8oz head and Zoom meathead worms to make the shakey go. Flat water and bright skies Wed was the best day of the week for me. 4/23-4/25...bed fish started to show up in the coves in very shallow water, esp near bushes. Fish were in all types of coves and on all types of banks. Looked to be blacks or K's (stripes and black tipped tails anyway). Found them very touchy, scared many more than I caught. Wind became a nuisance for me, as it blew relentlessly on my better places, making finesse rig and shakey difficult. Tried to make them bite a blade and a grub in the wind with little success. After a tough day on Thurs, I sold out on the bed fish Friday with sub-par results. Went back to rigs and little worms Sat. Was staying next to one of the Hummingbird / Minn kota reps who was fishing the Sat tmt. Dave was having the same issues with the bed fish, and was going to run to Eagle Rock Saturday. Have not heard if that worked for him. Saturday I managed 3 solid keeper brownies dragging little rigs with watermelon doctors (pepper, not red flake, that color preference seemed to continue ) in 2-10' on gravel areas around docks. Some short fish the same way. Had a moment with a guy in a Nitro who was tmt fishing the same area where that bite was on. Shared this area all week with other boats (and have in the past including last year in the high water), including one of the area guides and his parties most mornings, no issues. Dude in the Nitro was fishing with the wind, I was fishing the opposite way into the wind. Fished right up to each other & he watched me boat several fish, saw him boat several also, exchanged the usual pleasantries. Stopped to re-tie after breaking a strong fish off in a dock cable, and told them they were more than welcome to fish past me if they wanted, as I was just fishing. No reply. We fished pointed at each other until I felt it was awkward, and asked which way he wanted to go. Said he planned to fish back the way he came, I told him that was fine with me and I would fish back down the stretch I had fished and did so. Fished about 20 minutes, looked back and saw him following me down the bank, contrary to his stated intent. As the wind had picked up, I did not think much of it, thought perhaps he had been blown around while he or his partner boated a fish or re-tied. When it continued, in clear contradiction of what I thought to be a pleasant and friendly arrangement, I took a dim view of that gentleman. Between that and the incessant wind, I trailered at around 10am, and went to Bass Pro in Springfield. I know this bit isn't really report related, but I feel better for the venting. I am beyond laid back when I fish, as I just fish for fun, and the learning experience each day on the lake provides, so an incident like that tends to bug me more than the usual cut offs you get on weekends. Anyway... 4/26-4/27...wind wore me out. Caught shorts and scratched a keeper here and there on rigs and shakey heads. Picked up a few blade fish on the windy banks. Tried to make a jig bite or a blade bite go in front of the beds. Had the idea fish should either be pulling up to spawn, or pulling off b/c of the falling water (thank you COE for all the high and dry nests, but that is for another post). Stuck a few on a little brown jig in 4-10' on banks that had bigger rock. 4/28...cloudy and less wind, some drizzle. Shallow fish starting to blow up on a spook. Picked up 3 decent keepers dragging the little rig and w'melon doctor in 4-10'. Same flat gravel places. 4/29...fished a spook most of the day. Had fish on it from 0-dark-thirty to about 2pm when I came in to pack up. Spook fish were shallow, esp around any cover left in the water. Lots more blow-ups than eaters. Same spawn areas. Did finally get some fish on the jig in front of beds. A very fun day, where you can just laugh at fish jumping clean over your spook, even if they are not killers. Something seemed off with the brownies and spots I normally catch in this stage. Can typically whack the 15-17" fish dragging the doctor or on the shakey. Seemed like the staging / deep bedding fish just are not behaving as usual. Maybe we will get a big push with the coming moon. Might have been a better way to fish (besides beds), but it worked fairly well for me. Am kind of hard-headed, I hate to give up on fish that are biting. Headed back down Monday. Sounds like there will be no shortage of baits in the lake this weekend. Note on pics...these fish were staging on the c-rig & stick, and were swimming when last I saw them. Ranger can't make a fast boat, but the livewells are sweet.

521VX Ranger w/ 250XS Merc silver hull, white cap and bottom, white and red stripes. Usually in the 13HWY area this time of year (like the last 10 days). Think I may have seen Techo last fall around Joe Bald, saw Don in Schooner this week, as well as Capt Rick. Dave Reeves

Dennis...could you see much in the way of wood and trash coming down the lake? Mud I can deal with, but my lower unit is grouchy about deadheads.

so you want to get paid to fish? think I'll stick with the steady gig.

That is great to hear of a TW bite. Nice work and come back when you can.

Thanks moto, will work on them tomorrow.

Little Cow has always been fickle for me...great one day, zero the next. A complete tease. At least you whacked them one day.

Motoman...not arriving until 4/21, still stuck in the other KC. Hope you are enjoying Jody & Leon's wi-fi. If you are still there, feel free to say howdy, will be down thru 4/30 and again starting 5/4. Will try not to cause too many probs for you with the smell of my Harter House filets Good news on the blade, at least for me. I'll sure throw a stick, but I generally hit some nice blacks when it gets like this in the back of Schooner and White's on the blade.