Blll

Parents blessed me with the name Walter Harry Borg 3rd. My grandpa lived until he was 92 so there were plenty of times Grandpa, Dad and myself would be together. If someone called "Walter" all 3 of us would respond. Just became easier at family functions to be called "B3" or Blll. Lots of guys think I'm just mis-typing Bill but nope, its Blll. Proud of my name but it did cause issues in the past. Carried on the tradition and there was a B4 but sadly he's gone too. Just me, Blll.

Pretty slim pickings for me lately. Trying to learn from the Table Rock threads but can't really find those concentrations yet. Evening surface action has been zero for me. WT holding around 87-88.

Just a heads up. At least 2 bouys gone from Rt12 bridge sandbar. Still at least 3 fow but dropping.

Nice fish. I hope it's still swimming.

The last few times I've been out, bass fishing, I was surprised by the number of striper guides coming out of PC and fishing between Shaddok hollow and the bridge. So i tried pulling brooders this am, 6-8 and got two stripers. Not giants, a 9# and a 10#, but fun to feel a real pull again. Basin north of Bear island. 50-65 fow, , 90-100 ' of line out with 1/2 oz weight. Trolling .5 mph. Saw another one landed, and I missed at least 2. WT cooled back to 80-81.

I heard of a 45# plus striper caught on Beaver last week. Largest one I've heard of this year. Any info out there?

Nice trio. To me, Beaver walleyes have always seemed less stout than the ones I've caught up north. Catching quite a few in the 10"-12" range so year classes seem in tact.

Pretty much agree that clothing is the money maker at either store. I do say that BP has the largest inventory of both rods and reels anywhere that I've seen. Sure they have often been out of the exact one I've gone there for, but they also have more brands, sizes and styles than anyone else, at least as far as being on the floor. I have had good luck with either clothing brand with several items 10-15 years old and going strong. There actually seems to be more help at Cabela's lately.

Went to the Cabela's in Rogers today. Clearance cave is 75% off and just about bare. I don't see it coming back...ever. I don't mind BP but Cabela's had enough different products to make it noticeable. I've ranted before about Cabela's in Rogers lack of stock. No different today. Plenty of empty hooks. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Diawa made Cabela's bait cast reels. BP currently has no relationship with Diawa so right now there are no Cabela's branded bait cast reels. End of story.

You're correct, the depth master reels (3) show up today. Weird but still no bait casters.

Had a 10 yr old bait caster start squealing this morning. I've got some Cabela's points saved up, plus they have a Lifetime warranty on all their branded stuff so I thought I would check them out. I know the top end reels were made by Diawa. Guess what, no more Cabela's brand baitcaster reels on website. Not even any of their depthmaster line counters. I'll check the store next few days but I'm afraid the Cabela's branded items may be on the endangered list. That lifetime warranty must not sit right with the BP beancounters.

Since moving here, I've learned to really like fishing with the Ned rig. I thought everyone fished them with the light wire weed guard. Had a dock side discussion with some buds and they all fished it without a weed guard. So am I in the minority? I've never fished it without a weed guard. Maybe my "get em' in the boat" ratio would be higher. What do you guys use?

WOW!

Quill you're having quite a Spring. I missed all last May with our dock inaccessible. Really enjoying getting inspiration from your reports. Mid lake is clearing but nothing like the water you are fishing. Thanks for another great report and keep on em'.

Got out early and had a good spook bite on the sandbar. Caught 4 and missed the best one before this mornings tourney blasted by and shut it down. Weird weather, got pretty black, couple of rumbles and a stiff breeze for the next hour. Pulled out Ned for the 1st time this spring. Wow! Got bit steady for the next hour or so. I was a little rusty so I gassed quite a few and still boated 18. No monsters but better quality than I had been having. No smallies today with about 50/50 split. Higher water makes all but the steepest bluffs worthwhile ned banks. Fished all new water today, wound up with 18 over 12" and about a dozen shorter. 1- 18" white bass hit a square bill while I was picking out a birds nest, in about 2 fow. Water temps from 75-78. In at 11 as tubers got warmed up. Great to be alive!

Rates will vary with amenities. Also lake position will have some impact on how you like to fish. Moved here 4 years ago and had same exercise to work through. You will need to visit them to really get the feel and they are different. Some offer food, gas type and price will be different. Parking is different. Some marinas are nuts busy on weekends and some are ghost towns. Start with location and plan on a visit the weekend or midweek when you will usually be using your boat. . I won't throw shade or sunlight on any particular marina. I got lucky and bought a home with a slip. Buying a slip is another option. Welcome to NWA.

Out on Sat. & Sun. mornings, 6-11. Caught 30 plus fish each morning. Mostly 10" - 12" spots which are everywhere. Fords Creek & Blackburn. Fishing was about the same but Blackburn was a mud hole compared to Fords. WT 70-71 Only a couple whites, 4 LM 14" -16", 4 SM 10" - 16" , 8 crappies, all 10"+ and a 3# channel. Lots of small fish but pretty happy with the action. More windy than I like but doable. All fish in under 12fow. I think there are better fish actually closer to shore but it was hard to find clear shoreline with so much trash blowing in. All caught on 3.3" silver Keitech and 1/8 oz. head. Tragic about teen drowning at PC. Life's short, live it!

Nice bunch Quill. Are the bigger smallies done spawning and off the bank little. I've been catching about 50% smallies but I can't tell with all the male bass I've been catching if they are done. I'm still catching a bunch of fish, all shallow, but mostly 10"-12" males. Boy, those 3.3 Keitechs are getting hard to find. TW order, here I come. You seem to be really "on em' this spring.

Beautiful smallies Quill. Do you think they were still up spawning or done? Boy, those 3.3 Keitechs are getting hard to find. You seem to be really "on" them this spring.

t sure is in a nice spot. Hope somebody finishes it.I

Fished 6:30 til 11:00. Caught around 20 including all 3 bass species, walleye and a couple of green sunfish. wt 66-70. 10 fow and in. Caught a few on a square bill, couple on ned and most on a white Keitech. Caught a keeper LM, Spot and a 16" smallie. The rest were cookie cutter 10" but again all 3 species. I"m wondering are these males guarding fry or are they still nest building? I hope I haven't missed the big girls yet again. This morning there was a big debris pile on the bridge sandbar, stretched several hundred yards. By 11am, the wind have broken it up and spread it from the bridge to PC. Mostly junk but a few floaters to keep your attention. Several striper boats, west side of Deer island. Great day!

While most are fishing for walleyes and muskies, its a great big bluegill fishery.

TJM, you're right about the days off. Not suggesting we should work less, maybe more, just perhaps arrange a schedule to enjoy the short years your kids are growing up. I'm sure your 12 hour/half days guy piled all his "wealth" around him as his last marble rolled away. Wow! Way too heavy. Let's get back to fishing. Beaver Lake flooded again and water is muddied up again. 2nd spring in a row to flood just when everything was moving shallow. Hard to get at em' now. Be well.

My dad got me into bird watching as a kid. Living around Chicago, we were blessed with plenty of trees and quite an army of different species. Bird houses and feeders were always a part of my life. Moving to NW Arkansas gave me a whole new group of local species. Sure I had seen a bluebird but here they are common. I had seen a piliated woodpecker, here I have a nesting pair . And the most common of birds in Chicago, the sparrow, is rather scarce here. Love your pics, especially the orioles which I have not seen in our 4 years here. Great hobby. Enjoy!