nomolites

Good on you for scanning for trouble!!! Never assume; I have even seen small v-hulls with no lights out on the main lake at night.... Mike

Very nice; thanks for the report! I was down last weekend but came down with the stomach flu and a 103 fever and never got to wet a line before coming home Monday. Glad to see you are into fish, and in my book those are the best kind! Mike

My experience is that with the exceptions of that magical moment females move on shallow beds or when the fish are deep in the dead of winter trolled cranks will out fish anything else for big crappie on LOZ. I am normally hunting(I did not say catching) for eyes or hybrids but will target crappie at times and when you get the right depth and speed it becomes catching rather than fishing. From April - June transitioning females suspend in those spawning basins and are just looking to fatten up pre and post spawn. As you have discovered this approach works most of the year, but the months I mentioned are just stupid good. LOZ is a fertile lake and has tons of crappie thanks in large part to the length limit. Go get 'me....and if you find a solid pattern for eyes like the one in your avatar drop me a line.... Mike

Shhhh! Crappie don't bite on crank baits, especially not cranks that have pink and/or chartreuse. Nope. Looks like the kids had fun Dad; well done! Mike

Nice!

+ shallowish(10-20') long gravel point in the evening is a pretty good bet. May not be on it but will be nearby....

Looks like sh!t happened to me...hate to see that anywhere. I remember years ago Blue Anchor at LOZ got wrecked like that; my brother was on the water near Gladstone at the time laying face down and clinging to the rails of a pontoon and he said it was one hell of a ride. Be OK with me if we don't see any more of that luck!

...and I agree it is just a matter of time. You are due....

Conor is dead on with the suspending stickbait suggestion for big crappie. You won't catch as many but the size is XL; fish points on the way into spawning banks with wind in the spring. Mike

I was taught, and I say that because this DID NOT come naturally, that we should be looking to encourage others to enjoy hunting and fishing and thereby securing it's future by being positive and supportive even when we do not necessarily consider another's accomplishments to be all that. That fellow with the small fish that he is so proud of? Look for the great things about that fish and understand how important it is to him and share his enthusiasm for his catch. The same thing goes for the guy, or gal, with the spike buck trophy, because to them it is just that. Not everyone has the same skills, opportunity, or experience and to each the experience means something different. I have found that when I am able to build somebody else's self esteem with regard to our beloved sports I sometimes come away with more than they did...and that's a winner. Those are some nice fish, I wish I could have caught them. Mike

Lol. A pro...

Yeehaw...Roll Tide...

Saturday evening was thick if the boat was not moving, that's for sure. I would rather have it cold! But I'm the kind of guy who will sit in a tree for hours in January....

Slowest bite I've had all year today - dragged cranks looking for hybrids and caught one drum, one crappie, one LM, and two blue cats around 5#. It was, however, a beautiful day to be in/on the water and the wave makers were certainly getting it done.... Mike

I agree with this statement 1000% ^^^^ Add the ability to know when to change and when to grind. I am not much on grinding so I usually will change it up until I find something that works; at times this is the kiss of death statistically but I prefer it over getting ground down to a nubbin. I've had empty livewells either way.... Mike

The elongated heads inside. Moisten it a bit and tread it up in there then press on the eyelet where you want it to pop out. They seem to crawl through brush and vertical jig much better this way for me. Mike

If you have some knowledge and intuition and then use good electronics you WILL catch more fish. Even with a weekend dabbler like me SI and GPS have upped my catch rate exponentially. In my case learning to use these tools has gradually lead offshore to the water less traveled and to fish most are unaware of. Mike

Nice hybrid! Where there's one, there's more....

Gibson from 11-1 and 4-6 any weekend is the worst spot on the lake. There will be a mile of lake off to port and they will zoom by at 25 feet on the shallow side. I'm sure there have been a few customers to see Wrench after cutting that corner......and yea Plug, they are running to/from Coconuts or Dry Branch... Mike

Fry. I have caught some good fish around those "blue clouds" recently.

Nice! i need to go fishing, I am having withdrawal....glad to hear they are still on the fry. Mike

I have seen the "right hand rule" in play in a number of different places and it works well if folks are all on the same page; a case in point would be the lower Kenai in AK where you can almost reach out and touch the next boat during the king run, but when a boat is hooked up everyone gives way. Communication seems to be the key. My observation on my home waters and other MO lakes are that the number of boaters that understand ANY rules is miniscule, especially on a holiday weekend. Boats will be rented/sold to anyone, AND as annoying as it may be, inexperienced folks have a right to be out there. Everyone needs to operate with their head on a swivel or somebody gets hurt. Even experienced folks can find themselves in trouble if they are not vigilant, especially when conditions are not ideal. Water craft WILL cut across your bow, run right behind you at full speed, and do the unexpected and we simply need to be ready. I had a close call one late November when I was(I thought) the only boat on the lake; after running about 4 miles on plane I shut down at the mouth of our cove in preparation to idle in and a jet ski pulled up beside me, and I mean RIGHT beside me, after jumping my transom. Nobody was hurt and to be honest I still don't know where that kid came from....but I learned something. I need eyes in the back of my head. Be safe! Mike

Like you I hate tying leaders(especially with lead core) but I have tried without and flouro leaders catch more fish in clear water for sure. I use a double-uni with a cross lock with no swivel on the terminal end. I have started running the heavier leaders(14-17#) so I need to re-tie less due to fish abrasions, etc. I tune my cranks but occasionally get some twist due to a crossover event with a fish on; does not happen often but one time is more than enough with lead core... Mike

10/2 power pro or 18# lead core with a 14# flouro leader. I can get deep and I don't get broken off by big hybrids and blue cats....

Nice mess! Love to catch and eat hybrids; had some for lunch today!! I need to try Truman, maybe this fall.. Mike