RyanG

I absolutely agree with you, I see all of these things all the time as well. I just wanted to steer clear of any kinds of disputes, I like seeing the constructive conversation this board can turn out!

Well, I have all the respect for my fellow fishermen, those who I know and those of who I have yet to meet. And that goes for you gentlemen as well. However, i am part of that young generation from Arkansas that has learned many of the principals of which you speak from many different sources, including my grandfather and father. Now of course, there are always a group of people who bring a bad name to any group of people enjoying any sport or hobby. And those who act the ways mentioned above, I do lose respect for. however, making generalizations like this really gets us no where and many times turns out to be an ignorant thing to do. I happen to know a great group of young tournament fisherman who respect others and are responsible in all of the right ways as well. Personally, I just like the competitive atmosphere surrounding tournaments. It excites me and i always have a blast. And I have just as much fun just fishing for supper. I am a true outdoors man, and at only 21 years old have much left to learn and I am not alone in that regard. And I have witnessed many grown men acting the way this "new bunch of tournament fishermen" do as well. We are all in some ways a product of our environment, how we were raised and so on. So lets keep it at that, and instead lets focus on teaching others how to be a true outdoors man. I mean all of this with the utmost respect as well and is not a jab at anyone, just thought I would weigh in with my perspective!

I got for a few hours just after noon after the rain moved through but only managed a small walleye on a squarebill up shallow. Did have several nice bass blow up on a topwater and a fluke but missed both. Didn't have the time to fish the way I should have been, or how I feel like I should have. Haha. But it was nice to see some 2-3lb bass come smash a bait ball next to the boat. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

Thanks for the info! I dock in Coose so thats where i spend a lot of time! Now im excited haha

Thats awesome to hear! What part of the lake were you in if you dont mind me asking? I am gonna go out tomorrow for a bit.

I have had a few of those days myself here recently where it seems they just know I am there and wanna show a little side to make me go crazy. Haha. Nice to see the temps coming down though.

Went out with some friends on the water for a bit and did some swimming mostly and noticed the water seems to have cooled off a bit. I left my graphs at home so didnt get a reading of temp but did bring a few rods with me. I used a dropshot in the stalls of a larger community dock in Coose and boated maybe 4 spotted bass with one being 13-14 inches and very chunky. Missed a few more fish and even landed a few on topwater in the evening around the Islands. I will be spending more time on the water if the rain will hold off. I will report back but everytime I have gone out this summer a dropshot has done very well around docks. From 12 to 30 feet. The bite is pretty subtle but man, once they take it and feel you they are off like a rocket! Feels nice to get back out!

That looks great! Awesome job!

Those are some awesome pictures. I havent been on the river below the dam beyond spider creek, its cool to see the bridge from that perspective. Glad to see you were able to get a few fish in the boat! I really miss being out there. Hopefully soon, coming up on a month without being on the water. Way too long.

I like how clean the page feels now. Just gonna take a while to get completely used to it.

Jumped on to the forum recently, but college and moving from place to place is doing a number on my fishing time. But, when the cooler weather starts getting here and I get more time on the water, I'll almost always have a report. Good or bad. This forum has helped me a ton and I owe it back. That and it's a pleasure to be able to talk fishing, I do love it. This month will be hard for me to get going but hopefully soon I'll have some words from the water.

It's a shame he's gone now, I really enjoyed reading his reports. I mean, who wouldn't? I learned most of what I know from things posted here so that's a big thank you to all of you guys! It's helped a younger guy like my self get out and learn a little something. I can understand leaving though, have seen some posts that made my head spin, other forums though. But hopefully I can get out and return the favor, cause places like this really do wonders for people like me that don't yet have much experience.

Sounds good! I'll try to be out but can't say for sure. If I am I'll be out of prairie creek.

I'm gonna try to get out sometime between Tuesday and Friday while we have some cooler weather. If I get out I'll be chasing bass, got some practice to get in! I'll report my results back here for sure. I miss seeing this board alive. Haha.

If I was gonna go out in the next week or so, which hopefully I will, I would drop shot deep docks, points and bluffs. Maybe throw a shakey head as well. Last I was out, that's what I had to do. Deep water is out of my comfort zone, so I need the practice. If you find some suspended fish, might try one of those fish head spins.

Isn't that the luck of it, spoke too soon about te weather. Haha. I catch quite a few little bluegill actually. As to the meaning behind it? I have no real idea. When the water isn't so high I usually find schools of shallow bass feeding on them so usually I would say it wouldn't hurt to throw something to imitate one. But, those shallow fish are inconsistent on a good year anyways. At least for me, others may have a better idea.

Storms were ahead of schedule. Funny how that works out when I can't get out! Haha. A shallow bite would be awesome, goodluck!

Good to hear you were on some fish at least! Even slow, time on the water is hard to beat. I hope to get back out soon my self. As for the weather tomorrow, I would be careful champ, weather just said possible strong storms around the evening time, but who knows could miss us!

I haven't been out in two weeks now. I'm itching to go but have too much to do right now and that rarely happens! Haha. Goodluck if you are out there!

I can hit 30 without air just cant stay long! lol. I was mostly around the 15ft maybe 20 when I was on the bottom and thats where I was seeing the bass. The striper were in the 30 foot range but we werent around long, I had some friends that were scuba diving so they got to spend more time with them. Haha. I did find a bunch of crawfish and some good size too. It is a lot of fun, just always carry something to cut line with cause getting caught in some mono around a tree down there without air would be a messy situation.

Welcome to the forum!

Hey welcome to the forum Rman! Glad to see some are catching something! Haha. I got a new perspective today, spent the day actually below the surface of the water snorkeling around in rocky branch. Swam with some nice smallies and spots. Noticed they are all down around 15 feet or more, absolutely dead up shallow. At least during the day. These were cruising down along the bottom off of small shelfs. Got into a school of striper off of a main lake point towards Rambo creek. Down around 30 foot or so. Nice and cool down there. Haha. But now I have actually seen with my eyes what these fish are relating to now. Pretty cool stuff.

Yeah, the heat, traffic and slow bite has had me off the water for a while now. I got a small channel cat on a jug week and a half ago but don't fish jugs regularly. Im in cabelas all the time just looking at everything I would like to get. lol. Probably gonna stock up and wait this heat out and hit it hard late summer into fall.

I just don't understand even taking the chance. I used to push my luck a little bit (fished with thunder rolling) but after that guy got hit earlier this spring while I was at the Everett weigh in it kind of put things in a new light for me. It's just not worth dying over. But I'm with you, it sounds rude and hateful but you also can't approach most people anymore and expect them to listen. It's a shame really.

I've had some terrible days with boat traffic on beaver, that being said I know there is much worse. But with hot weather, some traffic and a hard bite right now I am just cooling off and waiting it out right now. Besides, I have a busy schedule with the u of a fishing team this fall so gotta save some money up for that! Haha. My old rig sucks the gas down too much to be running all over beaver right now. Lol.