Dewayne French

Yes I will agree as I have caught them in that general area (to the 86 bridge up & a few miles the other way) before when using a spoon and was surprised by the first one or two but now I'm more prepared for them.

Yeah that has been the same order of business since March. Out of stock then they put in stock for a day or two then they always put up a in stock date. I understand from my research it isn't their fault just frustrating when your trying to buy a product as a consumer (I don't need to buy 5 gazillion of these for my personal use) but I will buy all I can next time they are available... Thanks again

Thanks Dutch thats what I'm running up against No one has the Tk 810 and I'm guess it is the light as you say. Man frustrating as heck when find something and can't replace it. Thanks for the help

Yeah I'm pretty sure this is the light wire one, but not 100% just know it was the TK-810 4/0 and I got some 3/0 one time there were a tad smallish. They were never super easy to get, but I have gotten them before from most of the places I mentioned earlier. The 4/0 & 5/0 seem to the perfect size I will have to get me an acct with TU first. It would let me look but not search Thanks again for the help I don't care to buy in bulk esp since this last round of waiting.

Okay guys I'm in need a little inspiration from y'all. I like a lot of you on here pour my own jig heads and tinker around with the "build a better mouse trap" idea. I'm in need of a specific hook that I can't get any more. The 90 degree bend Aberdeen jig hook, the Trokar 810 4/0 is my go to hook for gizit heads. It is almost non existent, Tackle Warehouse, Barlows, Lurnet, Swim bait universe, Tackle direct, Tackle Addict, Lure parts online, I have tried them all. They used to be hard to get, but I could use my source and get some from some where, but since April that has dried up. Does any one have a Eagle Claw rep that can send a guy some. I have very few left and I'm treating them like gold, as you know they almost are with that hook price. Yes I have tried the other brands VMC, Owner, Gammy,Diachi, just to name a few, but none have what I look for, it's what I'm comfortable with. So there you go have at it let me see what y'all can come up with DM, email, or text me some info. Please and thank you in advance. I use the 4/0 95% of the time so that is the one I need but the 3/0 has its working time also.

The mid lake area you are talking about will be the busiest of the whole lake from (Jordan to the dam, the dam to Red bank, and the dam to Fouts area) is the most traversed on the weekends by the skiers, tubers, and just having a good time crowd. The Friday night tournaments go out of panther bay across the lake from Bidwell area so there is always fish in that mid lake area, just getting the timing the non-fishing crew will be your only problem in the daylight hours. I would go with the very early like 30 mins to a hour before daylight time frame in the buzzard roost area-cranfield-fouts as a starting point. A drop shot with a crawler is deadly this time of year anywhere on that lake. I haven't been out in the early morning hours on Norfork much this year, that 4 letter word (work!!), but hey it feeds my fishing.... The night bite on bluffs and channel swings with a worm has been good after dark30. I haven't been out with a lite over the side of the boat yet (deeper water channel areas with bait), but that is my intentions very sooner than later..

Now that is a good temp reading **SAUNA*** That about covers here in north Ark also geezers it is not supposed to be this way yet, but 30 days ago we had 55 degree water temps and was complaining about that. Glad you got to get out and catchem..

I have Humminbird units and have used just about all of their series in DI and SI from 859, 999, 1100, to Onix and the newer Helix 10's. I have had side imagining up front and it does work you just have to tweak how you fish and the units are set. You do have to to moving to get the clear picture of what you see. I don't know about the Garmins but I would say that they have the same or similar technology. That beginning side I normal use down imagining up front and side imaging at the console. That fits my personal preference and style of fishing just get a clear path for the transducer to shoot and your good to go.

Time on the water is my best answer. It is never the same answer stay 5 mins or stay 1 hour or all day. Its all relative to the situation, time of the year, weather, even day length can be a major player and recreational traffic can make a spot go dead. The fish are still there just in a negative mood. Most lakes have fish in all parts most generally =you just need to find your comfort zone. I'm not qualified to answer the stay or go question it is to situational and to many factors can influence that. Here's my take on that question and it will be accepted or rejected based on fishing style. I fish mainly multi day tournaments not very many single day events except charity tournaments so I fish for active fish. If I know/think there are fish on a particular "spot" as you call it. I will return and fish it at a different time of day, wind direction, or when the boat traffic lays down. As I said earlier I can't make them bite and I realize that, so I move to hopefully find a active school or fill out my limit. I know that wasn't an answer

IMHO which is very humble.... We have to many preconceived ideas when we go fishing. There are basically 2 types of guys/gals on here who fish (tournament or fun fishing) and they have a different answer. Now with that said we also have to have a starting point or at least an idea of where, what, and which lure to start with. The small pea brain of the bass, crappie, walleye, or what ever fish we are after beat us every time. We use to much of our brain and we OVER think them if that makes sense. They live by instinct, but we live by reasoning and those 2 don't jive very often. Weekend or week day fishing on the same lake every weekend is very different than traveling around fishing a different tournament on a different body of water, a few times a month. In tournament fishing your looking for active (biting) fishing you don't have time "to make them bite" also I and most of us can't make them bite. Those guys who can make them bite are those guys you see at the top of the leader board every time at your local tournaments or on the big trails. That is a very good question you asked and the one we ask ourselves every time we are on the water. My dad is passed on to a better fishing area several years ago and he always said they never bite the same way 2 days in a row. I'm finding there is some truth to that. One of the best pieces of info I have taken away from fishing is we all know how to catch them we OVER think it. So just keep it simple....Just think of the times you have caught them really good or your weighed in a big bag at a tournament. If I was a betting man (which I'm not... I spend to much on tackle) I would say it wasn't a earth shattering technique or some thing totally secret.

We actually launched down the lake at Red Bank and caught fish on several spots just south of the state line. Before we headed way up to chase the whites. I'm not going to say I haven't ever hit anything motoring up there, but as long as your up on pad or idling around its not to bad. Yes it was very cold and my Girlfriend wanted that "HAT" when she saw it. I thought it would have been a good day to take her out, but it got cold quick and even with my Gore tex on she got cold. But she is a trooper and we stayed until almost dark, but our best action was around 3pm that day + or minus 30 minutes. We could have just got onto a little group up feeding also. We had a double off the spot and lots of singles here and there. Yes the smaller large mouth and spotted bass were chomping fairly good that day on cranks with the wind and clouds, but that was a no brainier so I could even figure that one out. The whites and walleyes didn't want to play with our offerings, but as they say we will be back.

I was going to write up my report for Norfork Sunday late afternoon, but it is pretty Identical to yours. I was in the older blue basscat I saw you around Bridges crk. Me and my girl friend was out for a fun afternoon of catching whites and walleyes, that didn't occur. It end up cold, windy, and that adjusted our plans for us. Only fish we caught ended up on crankbaits, we had 3 kpr bass all (released) and 12 shorts. Not the first white bass which is what we went for. I did have several of those jarring hits on a jerkbait (French pearl), but no connections. So we opted to go back down lake and catch bass on crankbaits that we had found earlier. Water temp and day length is getting right for some good action. Glad to hear you made it over this way. That river part up there sure has changed since all the big water we had.

I took the tracker out yesterday and my teacher bud that is off for the christmas break before he has to head back and enlightening our kiddos . We had a decent day at Norfork with all the good keeper fish coming on Jerkbaits water temp was 47-48 depending on location, but you had to have wind blowing into that right mix of shelf/chunk rock. We fished from 11-3 and had a good mix of fish after we figured out the Jerk bait bite was on----in the wind!! Main lake but not bluffs but not flat banks either, at our best spot the boat was in 14 fow and we more or less paralleled the chunk rock,/shelf stuff. The water had a good crank bait looking color to it and we tired various baits. but ended the day with the jerk bait for only 4 hours it was a great day for me . Get out and enjoy, but stay safe and take a extra set of dry clothes just in case the unthinkable happens. Keepers were 1-4 lb Lmb, a 15" spot, 2- Lmb at 15-1/2", 2 thumping Black crappie 17 1/2", and a 20 " walleye. Those crappie didn't come from that dock either but they did hit the big jerk bait We had a good variety of non keepers to make the day go even better with 6-8 other short Lmb, 2 other short spots, and 1 other non keeper walleye 14", and a couple really short smb. Threw Meagabass 110's, A rigs, small cranks, and used Favorite rod/reel combos. Braid on the rigs and 8 lb floro on the jerk baits. Can't tell you much more other than you need to be going! Stay safe my friends This post has been promoted to an article

WOW pretty looking fish you can tell when the water starts that downward cooling trend all the fish look good in pictures.... good report can't ask for much more spot on literally

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That's what is our future about it hinges on us taking them. You did a fine job and we must all do that...

We got a decent amount over here most are saying 1" plus or minus a tad Keep in touch with the white bass when those getting to going they are absolutely my favorites to catch. It isn't Rocket science and are good eating when prepared right.

I don't get to practice for these bigger Derby's/Tournaments as long as most do, I have a day job and pay my own way. This pond has been hammered since about the 15th of Feb or even days before. So I didn't report until after the fact, because we all know that the travel on this site jumped up by massive amounts leading up to these events. I was very fortunate to have done as well as I did in the Open I had a fall back plan and a couple lures poked back and a plan. Because in the Solo Elite I was 37 out 64ish so not to good no gas and room bills got paid there. Thanks for all the pats on the back and pep talks this is a fine group of people. What we all got to remember is we are not competing against each other out there in these deals (that's is what it comes down to for some) we are competing against that little green fish that has the brain the size of a sweet pea?? And they win more times than we care to admit. Thanks again and get out there because fishing is getting really good ladies and gents I hope what I contributed has helped someone.... I will be on Norfork hopefully this weekend for a little school deal and I will post after I get my brains beat out again.....I am the TD for a Childrens Home bass tournament on Norfork April 1st this year. This is or 6th year and we have a blast raising money for a worthy cause. Give me a shout and I will get you some info. I'm not hard to find Thanks again

Thanks BB I did give it a go and I like most people resorted to what I'm confidant in. I had a good tip from Matt who won the Elite solo and another Solo competitor that it was real specific to what they were doing (this grub deal) and with the right conditions it was good for a limit and good ones, but if the stars didn't all line up is was work. I was told as you said to stay way out off the channel swings with timber (under the surface) and the transitions from bluff to big chunk rock. And the better swings where not the bluff end ones that are easy to see on a GPS map but rather the mid bluff ones and the actual old river channel ones way out in the middle. Well as luck would have it on the first one I stopped at on practice Tuesday morning I had a 3.75lb LMB... I say to self Wow this is easy. Then the next 4 hours go by without as much as a sniff and seeing boat after boat and some even pulling up to same location that I had just left. After this good start then the lack of bites with all the boat pressure in this clear water I opted for a long run. Both like I said to avoid boats and to get into a confidence area. With modern electronics, GPS mapping, the internet, and a welling mind with a little patience a guy can pick up a lot with out every splashing his/her boat in the water. That's is what I do when I go off to these places I have never been. Mitch-I was using an old colored Brown gizit up the river in 5-15 fow (on the bottom) I even had to employ a 3/8 oz head to keep it there, they didn't hit it if it came off the bottom. I could catch these fish in practice on 2 or 3 Rock Crawlers I had painted up by a couple of my custom sponsors. But when the Open tournament came around they would only bite the RC in certain little windows. I knew the fish where there and I used the old Ozark winter time trick of when you can't get bit from fish toss a gizit. I'm not a guy that has a lot of raw talent like some have out here, it is a struggle for me to get the bite going from keepers and I have found over the years that simple is way better than a rocket science pattern. In the clear water I was tossing a 4-5" grub and 4" swimbait that a local company makes for me on 1/4 and 3/8oz heads I pour myself Hope this helps a little just remember (K.I.S.S)

First off let me say I will try and not make this to long and a big thanks to all the guys and ladies on this site for their unbiased going on's with this great lake we have. I have been a OA member for several years and even post from time to time, normally I fish Nofork/Bull. These highland lakes with their beauty and humbling fishing characteristics make it a challenge. Everyone always denotes fishing to putting those dang jig saw puzzles together as kid, Well I wasn't good at that and I like CATCHING better than fishing any day. I have been on Table Rock for about 9 days stright since the 23rd of Feb fishing Webb's Elite Solo Feb 25/26 and then the Open and I will be quite honest I struggled to put the winning pattern together in either one. I'm not a grub fishing dude I have never gotten that down (BUT I KNOW THAT IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO) to catch them this time of year if the A-Rig isn't in play and love to fish a crankbait this time of year. As I had a sammich with Champ & Donna before my elite solo (She can make A great Sammich BTW) after I had been on the water a few hours & yes we where not around the lower end. After my solo tournament and finishing mid pack with the crankbait and Jerkbait I realized I needed to go to the clear water and try the Grub thing. After a couple of days of riding around all the boats from KC to Long Creek bridge and catching some quality I wasn't satisfied with my practice and ran back to my Crankbait & Jerkbait fish and started catching numbers and Quality mixed in with out the boat pressure I was seeing down the lake. I made the decision to make a long run to above Eagle rock for the Open and knew I wouldn't have the pressure as I would down the lake and If I could get lucky I could end up with a good kicker up there on the crank/JB. Day 1 after arriving to my first spot and then second spot with out a keeper and very few shorts. I rotated back through and began catching quality on a Gizit, I was always told by my Dad to never leave fish to find fish. These fish where not going to be moving a along way (they can not go that far up there) so I had to adjust my bait and presentation and Boom a limit, but without a kicker I left early to make the run back and try some clear water spots (just shorts), ended up in 50th place after day 1. Day 2 dawned still cold and bundled up for that long run again, but this day was my long day and I could stay until 3:15 before I had to make the run back. I never finished out my limit even with the Ned I could only manage shorts, but I had the kicker a 4.5-5 lbr that helped boost me up to 36th and a nice check to help pay for my trip. I found water temps during these 9 days from 48 to even 60 on one of those shorts and flip flop afternoons. I never caught anything from the green algea/snot in the clear water and never caught anything from the 60 degree stained water either. I caught fish where shad was to places I didn't even graph a bait ball much less see any. Lures ranged from a Crankbait (WW/RC), Jerkbait, Gizit, Shaky head, Swing head, and yes the NED. Practice was more running and gunning, but on one of my best days of catching before the Solo I did have 27 fish with 7 of those keepers mostly the swing head and 2 custom Rock crawlers did the damage. The shorts also where not those little dinks most where just shy of the 15 inch mark. A good number of just sub legal fish where caught. During the rest of practice I didn't do a lot of catching just looking. The clear water fish I did catch were of good quality I just couldn't duplicate those in areas I thought I should have. I'm never a fishing in a crowd type of guy so I opted to go to the river and I avoided the crowds and actual had fishing areas to my self up there and I learned more about those fish and what they do and where they go up there. Thanks again to all you guys and gals I enjoy these highland lakes and trying to figure them out. We are blest with very good people on this site and if you see me out there on the water please come by and say hey. I run a Basscat and it always has Purple in it.

Than's why is the MAN--very true and yes insightful-- we just need to take heed to it

This will probably start a feud, but there are a lot of times when we feel (THE BITE) it is actually the fish spitting the hook/lure back out and we set when we feel the lure hitting a rock or other hard structure as the lure comes out of the fishes mouth. It is amazing to watch under water video (not slowed down) of how fast they can inhale a lure with all that water and spit the lure back out and we never know we had a bite. I'm amazed at how much water a large bass inhales with the lure each time. Oh and yes I have caught my fair share of limbs, sticks, tress, chairs, docks cables, and rocks. When those dang keeper limb-bass start swimming sideways with my lure man I can go on point.. HA HA