Blitz960

Ugh, .. choco milk,.. that'll really "help" this season starting ..

Water's been higher this past couple of weeks, .. if you're looking to fish along Neil's Bluff and upstream, . try putting your boat at Bryce's off 412 and boogie on upstream. I launched at Bryce's a week ago and went past Neil's and couple of bends further as well.. if I wanted, I probably could have gone to TB or close but caught a 30" striper there and left happy, ..... As for yaks, there's really not a whole lot of spot to take it out other than what Chub mentioned by Habberton Rd, .. but depending on the water level, there's quite a bit of walking and hauling your yak to your car, . which, if you parked by the side of Habberton Rd, you'd also have to contend with hauling the yak up a short slope to get to road level. Hope this helps.

The same Wisconsin team volunteered for the search when it first happened but was turned away by the Benton County authorities, per KNWA last evening.. .. After the futile search for a week, the Hernandez family approached the Wisconsin team and asked for help. They came down here with their sonar equipment and the Hernandez family paid for their expenses and the Embassy Suites even donated a room to the team. Not sure how much of these are true but just heard it from KNWA last evening... Cannot imagine what the family had gone through....So glad that the family has closure, even though it is not exactly positive.

I actually re-read my post a few more times to see if I actually "lumped" you into a power boater category and I apologize if I did. ( I'm older and I sometimes will miss some lines, even if it was written by me). Can you quote my mentioned post if you do find the exact line that I did do so? I'm not assuming nor did I assume that you are a big power boater. I believe I might have "lost" you due to my long winded post and not an actual assumption about what you own or operate that you might have read. Again I apologize if I did. In fact, I was not assuming but merely debating and brought forth attention to your previous quote in your post. .... "I come completely off plane and down to an absolute minimum idle when I'm able. But there is a time and a place for everything. Personally, I wouldn't paddle the main lake at beaver at any time. Paddling is best done in protected coves or during off peak hours,....." Avoiding rough waters and open lake and only limit your boating and fishing to river arms is definitely the way to go if that's one's choice. It is definitely safer and most of the time, scenic too. I enjoy that myself as well. But that doesn't mean that others with non motorized boat or Jon boat will share the same sentiments as you or I. So my post just merely in response to " Paddling is best done in protected coves or during off peak hours,....." My entire post was about that and not who's got a larger sized "equipment" ( haha) or assuming who owns what. This thread was started with the best intentions to remind us the dangers of not holding oneself to higher standards of safety and also a grim reminder of how vulnerable and frail it'd be whether on water or land if we disregard our own safety and others. But somehow, it veered off the ledge into how others should behave, where they should belong and the times they could play. Again I apologize if I did "lump" you into the big boaters category.

Agree. PFDs, bow and stern lights, flags and even safety classes if needed are definitely one of those safety features that applies to everyone, regardless of type of crafts. I also agree that there are certain areas of the lake that are more highly trafficked and one in a position of a relatively susceptible water craft should not be in. More of a personal safety common sense that it should of a law, I'd think. If you hear about accidents on any bodies of water, it is usually someone ( motorized craft or not) that made a mis-judgement in their own safety common sense that unfortunately sometimes will cost their lives. It's like pedestrian crossings. You know cars are REQUIRED BY LAW TO STOP. but common sense tells us that in spite of that, we still need to be wary and watch out before crossing. So, yes, there are certain areas that are definitely more suitable than others for each type of crafts. Water displacement is an example of common sense. Too many tragedies happened ( big or small crafts) because of that. Even ferries that are heavily loaded are susceptible to the laws of physics. So , yes , I see both line of reasonings from not any particular posting. I mentioned the post count as a side distraction but certainly anyone can see my long winded post after that explained the exact nature of the post, but not the count. Certainly the mentioned " peak" season of April through Oct, would definitely see more traffic and unfortunately sometimes, more accidents. (July 4th, Memorial Day etc). But this "peak" season also coincide with warmer and nicer water sport times of the year. As I mentioned earlier, this is something we all need to be cognizant about and be responsible equally... Especially if you're in a "small non power boat. Common sense means stay off main channel if possible. Like the pedestrian trying to cross the PedEx. This is a great forum with lots of tips about fishing, safety, how-to first aid kit, and even pics of delicious cookings. I read this forum daily and have truly enjoyed the postings. As said, I don't post very often but interjected because while many replies to this thread offers valuable tips, some offered what I'd think is a one-sided discussion where " I'm not changing a thing but you need to for your own good even though it is not my house that you're in to begin with". Tips and advice are great when it is for the good of the entire whole. Not so , IMO, when it is at the expense of others. Safety is like a continuing SELF improvement education. Very much like golf, one can never be done learning. WE don't tell others how to play golf as we aren't that good ourselves. Tiger Woods , during the peak of his career, once wrote a book titled " How I Play Golf". And not " How YOU Should Play Golf". I post because I see both side of the discussion ( I have both type of crafts) and if the weather is awesome like today, I'd want to bring out my small non power boat, I can. Not in Uncle Bob's protected pond or during a specified time, but anywhere and anytime I feel it's most convenient to me. Of course it is then not only others responsibilities but most importantly, my own...... Regardless if today falls within April through Oct. of course if I'm bringing out the bigger powered boat, then it is also my responsibility to not only my own but others that I share the water with. I don't think I want to tell those to stay off the waters and go back to the " protected cove". We're all tied together if we're in this forum to begin with. The love of our area's waters and/or fishing. It is our own little slice of heaven here in NWA. P/s: the first aid kit that FF posted is a great read if you haven't already. I just came back from Walmart with updated stuff for my kit. Thanks.

I've been watching this thread closely and seems like most of the guys here that has more than a thousand posts are going after the one guy that only has 15 posts and was voicing his thoughts. Thousand posts members standing together. Regardless, I agree that when he said " your opinion sucks". .... That was not the way to voice your thoughts by starting off putting down someone else' s opinion. But what I disagree on whether it is correct or otherwise, is... Everyone seems to be "conscientious" of small non power boats but the statement is usually followed by why "small non power boats" shouldn't be on the water or sharing the same bodies of water when these "thousand posts members " are recreationally using their " big powered boats". Then it is also usually followed by "advice" on when and where these " small non powered boats" are "allowed" to be on. The specific areas "protected coves" and specific schedule are then listed. " Off peak" .... I've been fishing the lakes in the area since 1993 and I'm still not sure the "peak" schedule is. Almost at all times, there's going to be other users of these PUBLIC waters. Also, I guess all these canoe'ers and kayakers will have to all congregate at these " protected coves at off peak times" together. I'd personally love to witness these get-togethers. Also, using the same "rules" set forth, big powered boats aren't allowed in coves anymore and also, during off peak times, please kindly stay off the lakes. No more boating an fishing around after 1700 or was it 0500? We still need to determine the set schedule. I feel like reading these posts, instead of saying what we all each need to do better ourselves to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again , we're giving advice on what others shouldn't be doing but we can. You see, setting specific times and places where specific group of people can do specific things is like back in the segregation days where specific group of citizens are only " allowed to stay in specific areas and times" and if they do come around otherwise, whatever that follows is open season. I understand my analogy is a tad far fetched but I'm following the same line of reasoning. And both suggest some kind of tragedy if certain rules aren't abided. That being said, there are still a lot of good posts by members here that mentioned they try to shield "small non power boats" from wakes and other " big powered boats". These are the example of posts that suggest what each of us can do better or differently to protect one another. After all, I don't think anyone of us owns these bodies of water. Last I checked, the corp of engineers does. Which means, all of us as taxpayers do. Which also means we're in the same boat. Funny how the word "boat" comes back around but without no mention of size or displacement or power. "The analogy to the freeway was a good one. And you mischaracterized it as truck vs coupe to make your point. It's truck vs pedestrian. There's a reason why bicycles aren't allowed on interstates." I think our highways are 12' per lane so that's the reason why pedestrian and bicycles are not allowed, sir. I personally don't recommend bicycles sharing 24' of space with big trucks. But these lakes are wide open. Dangerous? Yes of course but definitely more navigable if everyone is cognizant of their surroundings. On the highway analogy, I think may be instead of bicycles, how about motorbikes? That's more appropriate. So a big truck or SUV shouldn't tailgate bikes in general too closely and always give them ample space, right? We all do that or most of us do anyway. But it is everyone's responsibility including the bikers themselves. If they swing and swerves irresponsibly close to a truck or at the truck's blind spot, then the it's their own fault. Same should go for canoes and kayakers. They need to be held responsible as well but so does the rest of us in motorized boats. Another analogy that most of us will be familiar with is hunting. So, should the bow hunter not hunt within the same woods and times as the modern gun hunter? What schedule should thus bow hunter abide by? What are peak hours and what areas of the woods should he be in? Or should he just go to his "protected" backyard and just shoots into a sack of target. He'll be safe, that's for sure. Or should everyone be more conscientious with their surroundings and not give " advice" on what others cannot do but they can? Safety is a joint effort. PFDs are everyone's best friend if you're on water. We can all do better to prevent something like this from happening but there's always the outliers. We do what we can and hope that everyone else is doing the same. By the way, I have both a big powered boat and a small non power boat, FYI. I apologize for the long post. I've been following this site for awhile but definitely not a thousand posts member. Thanks.

I have a Jon boat that I use when water is higher but will get out and drag it through these shoals, if need be,..... but later on in the season, I'll break out the yak, when the water gets lower. .. one way or another, fishing continues..

Sfiser, .. I've seen boats with jets up and down Twin all the time.. now, granted at some point during the season when the water is low, you might have tpo get out of the boat to drag it along but definitely jet motors are not an irregular sight out there... If water gets too low, the first shoal/island upriver from the first bridge, you'd have to get out and sometimes, pull it along to get past that narrow strip of water by there. As Clay mentioned, there's another shoal little bit further the way as well...

oh ok.. right around the bend... hopefully it won't rain too bad this week and mess thing s up again...

Clay, I was at 412 bridge yesterday. Launched there and promptly went to blue springs bridge but no action except for crappie. Then went further up stream to Habberton. Saw quite a few boats, mostly spider rigging, not sure if they caught anything but I didn't. How far up river did u go at the Twin?