powerdive

I've used Vaseline a number of times. On the guides, I should say. On the rod guides, I should say. Doesn't seem to matter much...still gotta punch the ice out. So Chapstick does help some, Ryno?

They are the best tasting fish in fresh water, in my opinion. Just not as glamorous as the "gamefish" species.

Nice report. Far as I know, there is no cure for casting braid in freezing weather. It's fine for vertical jigging/spooning.

It's a popular color scheme on crappie soft baits, Phil. Half pink, half sparkly chartreuse. That would be the perfect job: Color Namer for a lure company. Two of my favorite Reef Runner designs: Cheap Sunglasses and Monkey Puke.

Is that you, duckydoty? If true, then the annual crappie convention is starting pretty early this year. Thanks for the report, SRJ.

Don't get me wrong, gents...I practice the same deal, release the larger fish. I'm from up north too. But it's a very different situation here, and spouting that opinion will NOT make a difference. Note also that those who fish the Great Lakes generally butcher the large fish they catch too. Everybody is welcome to do as they wish, within the law. It's a choice we all make. I always thought that the 20-25 inch fish were the most prolific spawners. I do know that the older, larger female eyes start to lose their ability to spawn successfully due to declining egg efficacy. Like humans, their functions deteriorate with age, as rps hinted.

It'll be the national circuit boys, with a few locals to sweeten the pot.

Now I know the secret to dodging the wind! Wish I could retire... Was out both Saturday and Sunday, and the wind really made things tough for deep water jigging in small, underpowered boats. Had just a couple keeper crappies on Saturday, and 8 plus an eye on Sunday (with another 5 or so lost fish, gotta revamp my hooks). 34-52 feet.

My takeaway: If you wanna catch a monster, use big baits. Buster is a-rocking that pond! Bill nailed it. Walleyes are native to the river system, but the impoundments and their fluctuating water levels don't lend themselves to recruitment of the walleye fry. Almost all starve out or get eaten in most years. The "up-north" attitude doesn't fit these waters. Don't think the "up-north" attitude really fits the up-north waters either. That's so 80's...old In-Fisherman stuff, like spawning peaking at the full moon. I think those numbers above are way too high for the natural fish percentage. That probably represents the occasional high-water spring situation only. I think most years, natural survival is more like in the low single digits. Mojo Rig, you got anything on this?

I wondered about that also, Terry, but wanted to believe, so I figured Ducky was using his bow mount and keeping the bouncer high. Not so easy in skinny water, though. Personally, I don't like being taken in. I don't chase either, but I do try to learn something. I fished Stockton. Thanks, DD, for not letting it drag out.

How many bass tourneys are there on Stockton through the course of a year? Dozens, maybe hundreds? How many walleye tourneys? This is the first one I know of in several years. Sheesh, cut 'em some slack. It's not like this is a regular occurrence. Be proud that the lake is considered good enough to host such an event. Most aren't.

Good gosh, that's outstanding, DD! Great job of adapting your system to deal with the situation. Hats off to your ingenuity!

Only problem, no more walleye club. But we still have a few guys around who are itching for some tourney action. Lundone, are you fishing this? The last "national" Stockton walleye tourney was the PWT in '98. An April event, and the pros really struggled. Same thing happened in the spring FLW walleye tourney (March?) on Bull Shoals a few years later. This one's early enough, though, that some good bags might get weighed.

Well played, kwall. :D

Because they're easy to catch, and worthless. So people throw 'em away as soon as they winch 'em in, of course. Just like the big boys on TV. Sorry. I have to admit, bass do fight much better than walleyes do. So there's that. We've caught seven or eight 15" crappies out of Stockton over the years (all in winter), but no major horses. Odd fact: my best crappie, 18.5", came not from down South here but from Lake Michigan, of all places.

Outstanding! Thanks for the great report.

Walleye too, please. I've been told by the founder of the MO Walleye Assn that it's 16 lbs. on walleye, but have no idea how he came by that number.

I'd probably show up and do some walleye fishing.............. And anytime rps is doing food, I try to be there.

Big c, I will second that. Two of my three double-digit gals came from down here. Both from Bull...I've gotten close, but still haven't crossed that magic line on TR. It'll happen.... For salivation purposes, there's a huge thread on the Upper Bull Shoals forum here from last winter (I think 250+ posts, many with lots of in-depth info) that would make some fun reading on a snowbound day. Check it out!

Beautiful fish.

As many bass as there are in these lakes, it would be more interesting if you DIDN'T catch any that way.

Did a night session at Gillis and Barker last week, looking for walleye. Only got one short, plus three bass up to 16". Suspending stick baits on the bluffs. Sure seems tougher than it used to be....

May till October, I fish the edges of extended flats on inside bends (what Babler calls "runouts"). (Also humps if you can find them.) Concentrate especially hard on the underwater points where ditches running through the flats meet open water. I prefer trolling cranks on braid and lead core, but will bottom bounce with crawlers if I have to. I would love to get on a deep spoon bite, though--it's my favorite way to fish, but I haven't tried it on Table Rock yet. Depths: 15-17 feet in May, 18-30 feet the rest of the summer, 35-40 feet in September-October have been best for me. Know where the thermocline is, and fish those edges and points at the level that corresponds to the top 4-5 feet of the cline.

Same deal with some of the loons on Stockton. Looking for handouts.

Agreed--thanks for the great report. Can't argue with an eye witness!!!