RSBreth

Wrong. The outlet is still pretty warm. If the gentleman doesn't work for CU he may not actually know what is going on with their power plant. If they are cooling the water it may be to prevent fish kills downstream in the James in warmer weather from low oxygen levels.

I paddle and portage up and float back most of the time, but I also have the luxury of living near two great float streams (James and Finley Rivers) so I get the misses to drop me off at an access point and float down the truck left at the take-out. On more popular rivers like the James I've been known to wrangle a local with a couple of bucks or a six pack to drop me off upstream. You've got to figure out the logistics before hand, or be prepared to stand around near the river looking for a ride. I would love to get a deal like that on that boat, I have the Pack, and really like it. A polylink version would be a nice addition to the stable.

Wow, I can't remember how many flies I've tied on 9671 and 9672 Mustads. I still use some Stinger Mustads, I think they are the #1007? But I did switch from Tiemco 8089 to Gamakatsu B10S, after using the 8089 for years thinking it was an upgrade from the Mustad. Kind of depends on if the flies are for personal use or selling them. Thanks for the heads up.

Nice fish, and good picture. Taking them yourself is kind of a trick, I haven't tried that gorilla pod, I've been using a modified table top tripod and it's O.K. but not great. I wish I could get over to the North Fork more often, but it's hard for me to get down to Taney these days, and that's just down the road.

I really love the fact that I can scrounge some scrap lead, cast in a mould I already have, then load it in a case I already have, primed with a primer I "hoarded" and stay mostly "off the radar". Oh, I just let it be known here! Darn it. These bills are just other methods of gun control, which is to say people control. They should make it illegal to shoot people and rob people. That is already illegal? Huh. Well then, I'm stumped.

I have two boxes of the Premier Accutip 50 grain 22/250 3800 fps screamer load, but I don't have the outer boxes they came in, only the black plastic inner sleeves Remington has in the boxes. Anyway, I will part with two boxes for under what one box retails for- 20 bucks even. I'm in Ozark, so the deal is I'll meet you in Springfield Tuesday-Friday, or you have to pick up. Why the deal? I have the ammo, but sold the gun last year. I didn't realize I still had it, or it would have gone with the gun.

It's small enough that almost anywhere you would need chest waders is the spot you should be fishing in, not wading in. Look at my header picture at my website. Guess where?

Yeah, that was me. I sent you a P.M.

I'd love to hit Flat Creek sometime, if I ever get the time. Some weeks I need 8 days with about 30 hours in them. That's why I'm lucky to live so close to the James and Finley.

I've used suspending jerkbaits ever since reading about people doctoring up Rapalas and Rogues in In-Fisherman way back late 80's or early 90's. I used mono back then, tried fluorocarbon when it first came out, and tried straight superline some also. The fluoro didn't make the bait sink, and the superline didn't make it float. The lure simply has too much mass to be effected but the slight difference the line makes. Now I mostly use Fireline/Fluoro leader. I like a bright main line for strike detection.

Naw, I'll need an old beater someone has behind the seat of the 'ol truck, not something like that. But thanks.

Just a little report. Fished the Finley above Ozark Tuesday, and it was a little, um, challenging. Cold water, but warmed a little by recent rains, just clearing up a little after a couple of days. Bass would hit IF you could get a suspending jerkbait to perfectly suspend, perfectly dead drift it in the current seem near cover, and perfectly detect a subtle "twock" of a fish that has stared at a lure for 20 seconds before inhaling it and slowly swimming away. So, pretty easy. Ha! Anyway, I caught a few, and the Finley is holding up pretty good through the winter, so far. Lure of the day was the regular suspending Rogue, blue back/orange belly/silver sides. Tuned.

That's funny, I was thinking mostly about some prime Smallie fishing, too. Warped minds think alike... I didn't say it first ( I think it was A. K. Best in one of John Geirachs' books) but if floods killed trout, there wouldn't be trout. Look at the White River. I've seen Crane get really gnarly, and then bounce right back. My river (you didn't know it was mine, did you?) the Finley, and I know it's not a trout stream, but it's gone out of the banks 3 times this year. Yet the greatest threat to the fish is poaching giggers, poaching fishermen, and ignorant landowners.

Because of the way my weekend went, I was in and out of the Ozark Wal-Mart several times this weekend, and I noticed that each time I was in line there was someone with a rifle/shotgun soft case sticking out of their cart. In one case, the gentleman was buying three. Now, I'm not Columbo, but it doesn't take much thinking to infer that these cases are needed for a new firearms received for Christmas. In fact, I know of several people who bought the first gun they've ever owned because of current "political trends."

I don't want to assume anything about anyones choice of firearms (I did not, and don't say "weapon" because anything can be a weapon, ballpoint pen, hammer, baseball bat..) but anyway.....I'll start with the original question and then throw my opinion in there, which you may not want, but there it is. I've owned several decent Taurus guns over the years, my most recent was a 941 .22 WMR with the rare 3-inch barrel. Nice little revolver. I really want one of the "Tracker" revolvers, specifically the 627 .357 mag 7-shot model with the 4-inch barrel. Quality? Pretty good. Actually, really good. Maybe a tad rougher than the comparable Smith and Wesson, but some newer Smiths' have had me feeling something was lacking in the 600.00$ price tag, too. So there you go. That being said, here's my opinion: I feel "The Judge" is a interesting novelty gun, but isn't anything I'd think of when having to pick up something to defend my life with. 5 of the smallest shotshell available? (The gun only chambers 2 1/2" .410 shells which are only bettered by the equally pathetic 3" .410) People who don't know better think "Wow, it's a shotgun I can hold in my hand!" No, not really. And most folks don't shoot handguns very well, especially under stress. If you don't put the time and commitment in on a double action revolver you won't be able to shoot it well. And you only have 5 shots of a load that really can only put out someones eyes- and on and on. Don't take my word for it-for a reality check read this here: Judge<--click here! Not for me, thanks. I can see the use of a handgun for having to check out the late-night knock at the door when it may just be a neighbor looking for a lost dog or something-(put the gun in the waistband at the small of your back, cover with your shirt and then answer the door, they'll never know) but serious self defense starts with a 20-gauge or bigger shotgun or even a rifle. As Clint Smith says- "a handgun is for fighting your way back to a rifle you shouldn't have set down in the first place." If I can leave it in the house secured for when I need it, it doesn't matter how big it is. Inexpensive shotguns like the Mossberg "Maverick" in 12 and 20 gauge are only about 180.00 bucks. Use Buckshot. A "Wal-Mart" Marlin 336 30/30 is a little over 300 dollars, but either are cheaper than that handgun, and much more powerful, while more easy to control. I realize a lot of folks ponder the "If I miss it'll penetrate walls, maybe hit someone else, etc." The only good backstop for a bullet is the bad guy. Practice is the only way to make sure of that. Lot's of it. You can disagree.

I will try to be there, and I'll bring my son to eat everything and knock things over.

I can't find one for less than 200.00 in my local pawn shops, after 3 years of trying. Since they're so "over-rated" would you sell yours to me for $150.00, and make twenty bucks profit? That'd be sweet. Yes, my CZ453 varmint is out of the box deadly- 1/2" groups with some hunting ammo, almost as good as my Browning A-Bolt (rimfire) Varmint.

I'm trying to find a used 10/22 that someone wants to sell for less then $200.00- I'm going to build a custom, tricked out .22 on the action and won't even need the barrel or stock. I can find used ones at pawn shops for about $200.00, but new ones at Wally World or Bass Pro are only a couple of dollars more. So I'm basically looking for one that's a little used and someone needs an extra $150.00. Yeah, I know, good luck. Anyway, email me at rsbreth@aol.com or rsbreth@netzero.com if you can help.

I can't say much about "keeping up" considering how often I check my personal messages Phil, but yeah, Charlie will be missed. http://allozarksfishing.blogspot.com/2008/...sday-blues.html

Browning Auto-22, 125 year anniversary in High Grade Grey. Grade VI. (Look at that freakin' wood!) It may have been test fired, but I'm not sure. It has a couple of tiny dings, but nothing bad, and nothing you can see without bright light and good eyesight. I will call it used, just shy of N.I.B. condition. I want 800.00$ That's firm. Thanks for looking.

Is yours the one with or without the thumb safety? I'm really interested in the M&P .45, mostly the thumb safety variant. (Too many years of shooting High-Powers and 1911's, I swipe at a safety even if there isn't one.)

I barely have time to post anything, but I did update my blog here, and it'll be part 1 of 4. This post is part 1, Jerkbaits for Bass in the lakes. Then for Smallies and other river Bass is part 2. Part 3 is jerkbaits for trout, and part 4 is jerkbaits for crappie and panfish. So I'll be busy. Click Here.

Modern minnow shaped lures are called stickbaits, slashbaits, jerkbaits, or often by the name of a popular brand or model such as Rapala or Rogue. I'll call them all jerkbaits whether they're floating, suspending, or sinking just to make it simple. The first popular lure of this kind was the original Rapala Minnow. It was such a success it made Rapala a world wide brand. Now available in many different sizes and colors and even jointed models, it remains a popular and effective lure. Success like that is bound to be copied, so today there are many different brands that make a similar lure, but it took the ingenuity of an Ozarks fisherman to take it to the next level. Somewhere in the late 60's or early 70's, someone doctored up a Rapala with added lead weight where it would suspend in the water, neutrally buoyant, where it wouldn't sink or float back up. Looking like a stunned, dying, or just not paying attention baitfish, these lures are dynamite on cold weather Bass in our clear Ozark reservoirs. There are now dozens of these suspending lures by different manufacturers, no tinkering required. Well, a tiny bit of tinkering, but we'll get to that in a minute, let's move on to some tips and tactics for using these lures for all three Bass species in our Ozark Reservoirs. My favorite time to fish for Bass at Table Rock is from right after the Holidays (early January) through prespawn (mid April), and the main reason is the suspending jerkbait bite. I love the fishing style, and the solitude- the fact that you may catch the biggest bass of the year while everyone else hasn't even thought of getting their boat out of winter storage. One more thing, bass may or may not "school up" in winter, but groups of them are often attracted to the same type of structure or cover in winter, giving you the chance of scoring multiple fish when you locate them. There are experienced fishermen who don't believe how good it can be, or they're just put off by the cold. Either way, you often have the lake to yourself. The very beginning of this period typically has the coldest water temperatures of the year. There may even be ice in some of the coves protected from the wind. Bass may only feed sporadically during this time, if at all. What you are waiting for is a warming trend. It doesn't have to be more than several days of warm and sunny weather to warm the water by a few degrees. It may not seem like much, but a rise in the water temperature of only a couple of degrees is enough to spur some feeding activity. It doesn't have to be sunny, I've had great success when a low pressure system has stalled out and made it cloudy for several days in a row, keeping the night time temperatures mild, rather than the crisp clear nights with temperatures below freezing. A warm rain can get the fish going if it doesn't muddy the water up too much, but that's usually more of a factor close to the spawn, any precipitation we receive in January or February tends to be the frozen kind! When the water is in the low 40's feeding activity can be hard to predict, but as it increases toward 50-degrees you can bet after 2 or 3 days of a warming trend fish will suspend near cover, and hit a properly presented jerkbait. By properly presented, I mean it has to suspend perfectly. It can't float up or sink even slightly, it has to suspend like it has it's own perfectly tuned swim bladder. Thankfully lure manufacturers have many different models that suspend pretty well right out of the box. Rapala XRaps tend to float up in the very coldest water, which is fine, because you can add weight to most lures to get them to work perfectly. The more "Boutique" lures like Lucky Craft Pointers suspend almost perfectly, but even older mainstays like the Rapala Husky Jerk and Smithwick Suspending Rogue can easily be "tuned" by adding weight.. The two easiest methods of adding weight are Storm stick-on Suspen-Dots and Suspen-Strips, and lead flytying wire or rolled 50/50 solder. Some fisherman swap hooks out with bigger, heavier sizes. Screwing around with split ring pliers and spare hooks in the cold isn't much fun, you can adjust weight with lead much easier and get it exactly right in far less time. You'll have to try the lure at boat side to see how it suspends. Cast it out 15 feet or so and reel it in just close enough where you can clearly see it, then watch as long as you can stand it. A lure that floats up very slightly isn't too hard to see, but ones that barely sink are subtle and hard to spot without staring at them for what seems like an eternity out there in the gray winter cold. Luckily, this time of year there aren't to many folks around to see you blankly casting a lure a few feet from the boat and peering at it for a long time. If a lure sinks pretty quickly in 40-degree water, I take it back. You can always add weight to lures that float up, but I haven't had much success with ones that sink quickly in cold water. In very warm water most suspenders sink slightly which is fine because you tend to work them faster in warm water, but that's a subject we'll get to later. Now, how to add the right amount of weight? Using either stick on weights or lead wire winds up being a trail and error affair. Lead wire is the easiest, I usually try a piece about 2-inches long stuck through the front hook hanger and twisted once, cast it out, and remove lead as needed until it suspends perfectly. After you're satisfied it's right, wrap the lead around the hook shank. You can use a dap of superglue to help hold it in place. Stick on lead is a little more tricky, dry the part of the lure right behind the bill before you stick the weight on, and either stick more on, or use a knife to cut small pieces off as needed to get it right. Again, after you get it right, a dab of superglue will hold it in place a little better. With all three Black Bass species in most of our lakes, there are many different places to try these lures in late Winter. Rockslides on bluffs, bluff ends, deeper rip-rap banks, floating docks over deep water, basically more vertical structure with some kind of cover. Deep banks that "stair step" with ledges in smaller creeks just off the main lake can be good, especially if they face South and are protected from North winds, have floating docks, or both. Large isolated cedar trees, especially on steeper banks are another good place. These lures don't run very deep, but properly presented have the ability to draw Bass up from the depths. One day last March three Spotted Bass came straight up from deeper water and attack my lure vertically, drawn out of their cedar tree in 40-foot of water. Just don't get locked into thinking all Bass are deep during Winter. I've caught fish in less than 15-feet of water in January and February on chunk rock and pea gravel flats near main lake points. To fish a specific piece of cover (tree, boat dock, large boulder) cast beyond it and work the lure with downward jerks of the rod tip until it gets close, then stop it. Let it sit. Keep your line almost tight, but try not to move it. Maybe add a small twitch after 30 seconds. Experiment with how long you wait between twitches, the rule of thumb being colder water equals longer time between twitches. Sometimes fish will move long distances to hit a lure, and others you have to almost snag in in a tree. I experiment with how far away from cover I let it sit, trying to get a pattern nailed down. After I've let it sit in a spot and twitched it a few times, I work it along for another 20- or 30- feet and before stopping it again. You'll read of people casting a lure out, then lighting up a cigarette and smoking it before moving the lure again. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. For covering water, experiment with how far between pauses you stop. You can cover an area faster than you'd think with a jerkbait, even with long pauses. Sometimes strikes are the " rip the rod out your hand" types, and others are subtle. Sometimes a fish will mouth a bait and swim at you, your only clue the line going totally slack. If the wind is calm, the water is usually so clear that you can watch your bait as it get's closer to the boat. Polarized sunglasses are a must for fishing these lures. There's been days where I never feel them hit, but I do see the lure disappear, or a small flash of a fish turning as it takes a swipe at it. I've tried attractant sprays, thinking maybe the fish will hang on longer, but I'm not sure if it makes a difference. You do need sensitivity to feel what's going on down there when you can't see your lure, so you need low stretch line. I've used fluorocarbon, but nothing beats superlines like FireLine or PowerPro for sensitivity. For most of my jerkbaits I use a 7-foot medium power/fast action spinning rod paired with a spinning reel spooled with 4/10 FireLine. I use a 10-pound test fluorocarbon leader about 8- to 10 foot long tied to the superline with a blood knot. I remove the split rings on my lures and use a snap tied to the end of the fluorocarbon leader to attach the lures both for easy lure changes and better action. Some guys use shorter rods, or baitcasting gear. To be honest, whatever you are comfortable with will probably work. I like the ease of fishing spinning gear when I have gloves on, and a with my long arms a 7' rod works great for me from the deck of even a low profile boat. A spinning combo puts the weight of the reel under the rod, just hanging there, the tendonitis in my rod arm more manageable with that instead of palming a baitcaster all day. A longer rod also helps rocket casts far from the boat, which can help get more strikes in the crystal clear waters of the White River chain of lakes. It's said the original suspending bait was either A Rebel Spoonbill, a Rapala, or a Smithwick Rogue, depending on who you talk to. I've tried to pin that down for a couple of years and got really nothing to show for it. Does it really matter? There are so many great suspending lures these days, it's almost hard to choose. Starting with the more expensive models, Lucky Craft Pointers are considered top of the heap by many, I just can't justify the price to buy very many of them. Lucky Craft Jerkbaits There are other exotic lures that are available, but the only one I've used was the Diawa TD Minnow. It runs a little more shallow than most of the others listed here. Diawa TD Minnow One I have used quite a bit the past couple of years is the XCaliber XS4. It looks kind of like a Smithwick Rogue, but has a weight transfer system that helps casting in the wind, fantastic hooks, and great colors. In fact, for the coldest water, I'd have to call it my number 1 choice. XS4 Stickbait Rapala has two great suspending lures. One of the first factory made suspenders, the Husky Jerk, is a classic. It comes in tiny Trout/Panfish sizes, and all the way up to models for Pike/Musky. The #10 size is still a favorite jerkbait for Smallmouths and Spotted Bass when they're little finicky. The other Rapala model, the XRap, has become a huge success for the company. Meant to compete against the higher dollar Japanese baits, it's really well made, but affordable. Last time I bought one it was less than 7.00$. Now available in 3 sizes, shallow and deep diving, and lots of good colors, you can't go wrong. Rapala XRap Rapala Husky Jerk The Smithwick Rogue Suspending Rattlin' Rogue is one of my most used jerkbaits. It's inexpensive, it comes in some good colors, and it just works. Any time I want to stick a lure right in submerged tree, it gets the call. That might also be why I catch so many good fish on it, I'm not afraid to lose one. Maybe because of the price point these lures sometimes require more tinkering to get them right, but for less than 5 bucks a pop, who do you want? Smithwick Suspending Rogues. For colors on these lures I've experimented with lot's of different things, but I like a general rule of bright day (sunny) I use bright lures. One pattern that works for me is blue back/silver sides/orange belly. The XS4, Rogue, and Husky Jerk are all available in this color. The XRap isn't, but you can color the belly of the blue pattern model with an orange Sharpie like I do. One color that Rapala should make the XRap in is "Purpledescent". They offer it in other lures, but not the XRap. I email them all the time about it. They probably have my email blocked by now. One color that's popular is purple back/chartreuse sides/white belly. I've colored some Rogues like this, and some days they really worked, others not so much."Clown" is another bright pattern lot's of folks like, and I like it too. On cloudy days, I like a more natural, translucent color. Of course, this isn't written in stone. I know someone who uses bright chartreuse almost exclusively and really nails them, but I can't seem to get them to hit that color except when the water is cloudy, so go figure. Don't be afraid to use some Sharpies or highlighter pens, you never know if you'll find the right custom color that really works. As the water gets into the 50-degree range and rising, fish start responding to a little more "jerk" in the jerkbait. I like to start out working the lure just a little faster than I think will work, just to see if the fish are "turned on". You can always slow it down of deadstick it beside cover if you aren't getting any reaction from a faster retrieve. A lure that sinks slightly here is not a bad thing if you are working the lure faster, it can even help you get a little deeper retrieve, sinking on the pause between jerks. All through the pre-spawn different retrieves and pauses should be experimented with, you just never know how the fish will react on any given day, and don't think that the fish will always hit a jerkbait during early prespawn, I've had several slow days that I turned around by using a shaky head or grub near or on the bottom. If you're fishing with a buddy, I can't think of a better way to locate active fish early in the year than have one person throw a jerkbait and the other follow up with a grub swam near bottom, covering most of the water column. As it gets closer to the spawn, just because the water is above a certain temperature or it's after a certain date, don't think it about putting the jerkbait down until you try it. I fished a tournament on April 1st a couple of years ago, and I got a funny look from my partner when I started throwing a Rogue. After I started catching fish on it, he commented that "I didn't think those worked unless it was winter." It was the only thing I could get them to hit in practice, and it was the only thing that worked that day. Even though the water temp was near 60-degrees, the fish wanted that bait to sit there motionless for 30-seconds or more, move it faster and they wouldn't touch it. I don't pester spawning fish, so I can't tell you if jerkbaits will catch bedding fish, but I do know that when they are done and move out from their spawning areas and scatter, one of the best lures to fish is still a jerkbait. Through summer and into fall anytime you can't get a topwater bit going try the jerkbait. There are good floating models that have a little more action, but suspenders work great for our deeper lakes. I have several spots on Beaver Lake I hit early in the morning for a topwater bite, and some days that bite can be stretched out a little further into the morning by trying a jerkbait in the same places. Some days the fish just won't come up to hit topwaters, and the jerkbait is the answer there, too. Just experiment with the cadence of the jerk-jerk-pause. I find myself turning to a suspending bait in the middle of summer to fish a key spot I just know has a fish on it. I use the same method as the one for cold water fishing, deadsticking it beside the cover for as long as I can stand it. There are prominent spots that get hit hard that I still manage to pluck a fish from doing this. (think Kimberling City Bridge) Sometimes wave action from all the summer boat traffic makes keeping contact with your lure impossible, and a slip-float rig with a realistic PowerBait or Gulp lure is the answer for suspended fish, but that's different topic. You can see jerkbaits don't get left at home, they're always on my boat. Maybe during Summer and Fall I use them less at Table Rock or Beaver, but that will bring us to part 2 of this series: Jerkbaits for river Bass. My favorite time for river Smallmouth is Summer/Fall, and the fish like an aggressive, power fishing technique like ripping a jerkbait.

I fished down that way this weekend, nothing much to report. The water is super clear, and I haven't done as well on topwaters this whole year. I have been doing O.K. on my hair or foam bugs (fly) cast right beside a piece of cover a letting it sit for a minute or so. That's some slow fishing.

Nice. I haven't hit some of that stretch much this year, but the senko's still work evidently.