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Being in Real estate, I worked most Saturdays for 25 years. After retiring, you may think like everyday is a Saturday but it isn't. Saturday has a feel to it and most of your working friends and family are also available. WAKE UP!! Not really a regret, as you have to earn a living, but looking back, I do realize how many things I missed. Ball games, camping trips, road trips or just working in the yard with your kids around. We all have to make a living, If you work Saturdays, try to get at least 1 per month off. Schedules can be rearranged. Using the above mentioned math, I'm down to around 300 and will make the most of each one.

Got out for the first time in weeks. Fished around the islands. Started late 9am. Got lucky on first point with a spook bite for 3 quick smallies up to 2 lbs. zeroed for next hour, then found 100 yard stretch out of the wind. Caught 10 spots, 3 SM, a crappie and a walleye(17.5") in the next hour. Missed hooks on at least 5 more. All on a white 3.8 Keitech with 1/8 head. In at noon. Busiest 3 hours I've had in a long time without any White bass. 55 degrees everywhere. Most bites in 10-14 fow and they were whomping it..

Take a look at Fenwick. Mid range priced. Great rod!

Quill, What an awesome morning!! Was the water much clearer there than mid-lake? I spent 3 hours in PC and did scratch out 6 fish with 3 keepers but dang, you hammered em'.

Welcome! Lots of great info and some fun too on this site.

Nice set-up! Do you use the same basic set up for minnows and cranks?

Awesome. Our whole dock tore away again with the gale last week so no power to dock. But I will figure out a way to get at em this week for certain.

Hey Dan, did that striper hit the jerk bait? That must have been nuts on bass tackle. Any size to the whites? Nice day!

Started in high school 50 years ago when Herters was "the" catalog to buy fishing stuff. Got out of it during the KIDS years but have made 20 or so the last couple of years. You really have to make them a labor of love and customize them for yourself. You can buy a serviceable graphite rod for $25. Can't come close to that for just a blank. Great for the winter months. Just finishing a new drop shot rod for myself. Its a real bang to catch that 1st fish on something you made. Enjoy!

Lance, don't ever stop those reports! Itching to get out and see if that technique works mid-lake. Water 4-6 degrees colder mid lake. Thanks for sharing!

Really sorry and makes me think what it will be like when our "Duke" (14 lbs wet)heads out. 12 years old now and slowing down. But just picture your dog up there running flat out with his ears back and grinning. He'll be waiting for ya. Wow, can't see the screen now.

I used to fish rivers around the Chicago area for carp and have a 22# as my personal best. Made my own doughballs, made hair rigs and sold them, I was pretty into it. Here on Beaver, I've seen several carp that dwarfed my PB. With so many other options I've not targeted (or caught) any carp. I'm kinda intimidated by the big lake and would not know where to even start looking to catch carp. Would baiting a small area with corn be worthwhile? I would love for the grand kids to catch some without having to cast much. Isn't it odd how some fish pictures are so presented to distort the size of the fish. JMO

"Better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission" This has served me well.

Welcome to the forum Duke. Just finished my 4th year on Beaver and learn more every day. Missed out on the most of the first season of winter fishing because of the unreliable marina schedules. I'm blessed to have a nice slip and it seems as you may too and my 150 Merc is too much of a gas hog to rely on what I can carry. So my advice is: Have all the marinas on speed dial. Call first and wait for a real person to answer. Too many messages that list winter hours just aren't true. For my money PC is the most reliable and the most expensive. HSB usually is a lot less but they are the worst on being open. I'm amazed at the lack of slip based boats that fish in the winter. Most Important: NEVER get below 1/2 tank. I never worry anymore as I can fish easy all day on a half tank. When you do find an open marina...fill up. Beaver is a great lake and shines in the winter. Plan ahead and go get em'!

You guys crack me up with the wife tales. I too am always surprised that my neighbor Jim knows more about my yard than I do. Best plan is get to him first. LOL

Old school fluid hand warmers like Jon-e and newer ones made by Zippo really do work. A little work involved in prep has made these less popular than the chem ones but I think the fluid ones last much longer. Unless I'm trolling, I don't fish that well with gloves. Those winter golf gloves sound interesting. Just another thought on staying warm. Those fleece face gaiters from S.A. that are advertised everywhere online really do work. Much better keeping the wind off your neck than hooded jackets that don't move. JMO

Scotts posts were the most detailed info anyone put on here. He taught me how to striper fish and I miss his input and wit. I know for a fact he actually got followed and hounded and just got tired of it, especially when some guys would call "BS" on his posted success. I watched,from 100 yards away, and saw him draw a crowd while he sat and ate lunch. See ya on the water Scott!

Finally scored my 1st striper of the fall on my 3rd brooder pulling trip. 31", PC, wt 57. Several guide boats in PC, did not see any hook-ups, except white bass. Here is my question and I've gotten mixed answers so far. My typical brooder trolling set is 4 rods off the stern. Usually 2 free lines and 2 split shot rods. Do you guys put the free lines to the outside or inside of your set? There must be a preferred way to make turns and land fish without a big tangle but I have not heard a consensus either way. I marvel at the 12 rod sets on guide boats with tight turns and no tangles.

To all my fellow vets: "Welcome Home"

Stripers & whites seem to hit a bait and turn so they are moving away and get the circle hook properly. My problem with circles is bass as they seem to inhale the bait from the rear. almost impossible to remove a deep circle hook. When I lose a striper i usually figure the hook just pulled out of tissue and that is caused by too small of a hook with not enough gap to get in the grisle. Like Stump said, at least a 3/0. JMO

Started way too late and missed the morning calm water. Fished in a gale most of mid-day. Scratched up a dozen fish, between the islands. Kept 7 crappies, 11"-12". All on deeper brush piles on shiners. Boat control was a pain. Fish were there, just hard to stay on them. Beautiful day, almost too warm. WT 62.

Mo, We used to live on a small river just outside of Chicago. Learned to carp fish with my home made doughballs and hair rigs. What a fish to hook in 3-4 fow . Not quite a striper run but surely more fight than most anything else swimming. 25# my best. Live on Beaver now and see monsters every day. I've not tuned in to any Ozark carp fisherman and I'm at a loss as how to target them on this great body of water. Any carp clubs around?

Out 3 times in the past week. Not hard to catch lots of spots but not much else. Wasted a # of brooders. No striper action mid lake for me. Can't find any white bass either. Did see a guide boat twice last week in PC. Hate fishing brooders and having bass eat them. Even with circle hooks, they tend to swallow it. Foggy mornings will slow you down. Fished with OA member vinscott last week. He caught a nice 3# largemouth. We saw a couple flocks of Pelicans which neither of us had ever seen in freshwater. Water temp over the week went from 73 to barely 70 yesterday. Blessed to watch ospreys and an eagle fishing' too. They had no better luck than I did.

When my Dad retired we talked about all the fishing we were going to do. Right about then my wife dumped me and I also lost my job. Kids to deal with, finding a new career and eventually a new wife all took time, about 3 years. Just when I got my act together and he told me he had the big "C". Don't let life get in the way of what's important. Now I'm retired and moved south to Arkansas. My wife wanted to move where I could go fish any time I wanted. 2x per week, 11 months a year. (no one should fish in February). Getting a little more wobbley than I used to be. She won't let me night fish alone anymore. I'll know when it isn't fun anymore. Maybe then I'll have time for all those projects in my head.

Thanks again for your reports. Hoping the stripers start to filter down toward mid lake with the cooler nights coming this week.