Phil Lilley

For Immediate Release: March 2, 2007 A service of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation News Contacts: Michael Bergin or Micah Holmes (405) 521-3856 Web site: www.wildlifedepartment.com Oklahoma bass fishing heats up; 12-pound largemouth caught at McGee Creek March offers full schedule of events for outdoor enthusiasts Youth Hunter Education Challenge events begin this month Outdoor Calendar Fishing Report Oklahoma bass fishing heats up; 12-pound largemouth caught at McGee Creek One Sooner angler has already proven that now is the time to be bass fishing in Oklahoma. Clayton Dorris, Blanchard, landed a 12 lb., 6 oz. largemouth bass Feb. 23 out of McGee Creek Lake in Atoka County. The fish measured over 28 inches in length and had a 21-inch girth. Dorris caught the fish while preparing for an upcoming tournament at McGee Creek. The fish missed being one of the top 20 heaviest largemouth bass caught in Oklahoma by only seven ounces. "My intent was not to catch a big fish, but it just happened that I was in the right spot at the right time," Dorris said. Dorris probably didn't realize just how true his words were when he spoke them. According to fisheries biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, right now through the next month is among the best time all year for catching big bass. "We are entering prime trophy bass fishing season," said Paul Mauck, southcentral region fisheries supervisor for the Wildlife Department. "Since we are coming out of this colder weather, bass are actively feeding and putting on weight for spawning, and that means they will be found in shallower waters and may bite an angler's line more often." Officials at the Wildlife Department say bass are the most sought after game fish in Oklahoma. "Something about this time of year gets people excited about things like bass fishing, and that's good because it's one of the best times of the year to go," Mauck said. "Another great thing about bass is that they are powerful fighters and are easy to find in Oklahoma. They do well in ponds, lakes, rivers and streams and will hit anything from a worm on a child's hook to a surface lure worked by a seasoned angler." Dorris caught his trophy bass by fishing 16-20 ft. deep with a shad-colored spinnerbait. He used a "yo-yo" technique to attract the fish, but he claims the catch was more a result of getting out there and fishing than being a highly skillful angler. He is active in two clubs and said he will fish about 4-7 days a month between now and November. He claims anybody can have luck bass fishing in Oklahoma if they learn a few simple tips and simply go fishing. "You don't have to be a professional. You just have to be on the water," Dorris said. "You'll never catch a big fish sitting at home." ****Photo***** Editor's note: Below is a link for an accompanying photo that is 300 DPI and intended for newspaper publication. The ending link is .jpg for the photo. The photo will open in your browser. If you have a pc you should be able to right click, save picture as, choose the file type you want to save as and click save. The other way is on file in toolbar, save picture as, choosing the file type you want to save as and click save. Images can be viewed with the article at http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wl_news.htm. http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/newsrele...022807/bass.jpg Photo Credit: Mackey Keener, McGee Creek State Park Ranger Caption: Clayton Dorris, Blanchard, caught this 12 lb., 6 oz. largemouth bass Feb. 23 that measured over 28 inches in length, confirming claims from Wildlife Department officials that now is a great time for trophy bass fishing. Dorris caught the bass at McGee Creek Lake. -30- March offers full schedule of events for outdoor enthusiasts March is full of activities and events catered to Oklahoma's outdoorsmen, like the Oklahoma Station of the Safari Club International's annual banquet March 3. The event features a live auction where bidders have a chance to buy guided hunts all over Oklahoma and the world, as well as art, firearms, camping equipment, vacations, jewelry and more. The banquet generates revenue for the organization, which supports local causes that benefit the sportsmen and wildlife in Oklahoma. Learn more about this event and others on the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's Outdoor Calendar by logging on to wildlifedepartment.com. The Outdoor Calendar is updated daily and can help sportsmen plan outings all across the state. "The Outdoor Calendar is a great way for people to learn about events all over Oklahoma," said Nels Rodefeld, chief of the information and education division of the Wildlife Department. "For example, the calendar could be used to plan a family getaway to Tulsa this weekend for the NatureWorks Art Show Saturday and Sunday or the Tulsa Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation's annual banquet and fundraiser." The NatureWorks Art Show and Sale, to be held at the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center (6808 South 107th East Avenue) features the work of nationally and internationally known outdoor artists and, in recent years, has generated matching grants to assist a variety of state wildlife conservation projects. The show runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tulsa's NWTF chapter lays claim to being the oldest and longest running chapter and banquet in the state's NWTF history. The group's event begins at 6 p.m. Saturday and will include a patriotic ceremony as well as dinner, games, prizes, an auction and kids activities. Tickets can be purchased by calling (918) 688-9446. Other NWTF chapter events are featured on the Outdoor Calendar, as are hunter education courses, hunting season dates, eagle viewing events, wildlife seminars, outdoor cooking classes, hunting and fishing events and more. "Basically anything related to Oklahoma's strong tradition of enjoying the outdoors can be found on the Outdoor Calendar," Rodefeld said. "You can't beat it as a source for what's happening in the outdoors across the state." To have your outdoor event placed on the Department's Outdoor Calendar, e-mail kgillman@odwc.state.ok.us, fax (405) 521-6898 or mail details to Kristen Gillman, PO Box 53465, OKC, OK 73152. Please include the date, time and location of the event as well as a contact person and information on registering for the event. Sportsmen can receive the current week's Outdoor Calendar events by e-mail when they subscribe to the Wildlife Department's weekly news release at http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wl_news.htm. -30- Youth Hunter Education Challenge events begin this month Youth can sharpen their outdoor skills this year by participating in the National Rifle Association's Oklahoma Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) events. "We're ready to get the 2007 season going and are looking to have a lot more participation across the state," said Carey Pribil, Oklahoma YHEC state coordinator. YHEC is a program developed exclusively for hunter education course graduates from North America up to 19 years of age. YHEC provides graduates with a unique opportunity to test their abilities at a variety of hunting techniques, including shotgun, archery, and rifle events. The event is divided into youth and senior competitions with both groups competing at the same level of difficulty. Participants also are tested on their knowledge of wildlife species, knowledge of regulations and hunting ethics. Knowledge is tested on the hunter safety trail where participants are led through simulated hunting scenarios and must not only determine when it is legal to harvest game, but also must make correct decisions about whether to shoot at all. This training ensures the future of the American hunting tradition as a safe, viable, recreational activity the entire family can enjoy. Though participants are scored and ranked in all YHEC events, the real challenge focuses on personal improvement. Pribil said the competition aspect should not scare off participants because the events focus on educating youth and give them an opportunity to improve. "It gives them another avenue to test their skills," Pribil said, adding that the events help youth measure what they learned in their hunter education course and in the field. For more information about the hunter education course offered by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, log on to wildlifedepartment.com. The first YHEC event will be March 31 at the Stillwater Gun Club in the Lake McMurtry area in Stillwater. For more information and a schedule of events, log on to yhec.org or call Carey Pribil at (405) 613-8755. -30- OUTDOOR CALENDAR MARCH 12 & 13 & 15: Hunter Education: Bass Pro Shop (101 Bass Pro Dr.), Broken Arrow; 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.; (918) 355-7600, ask for promotion manager. 12 & 13 & 15: Hunter Education: Bass Pro Shop (101 Bass Pro Dr.), Broken Arrow; 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.; (918) 355-7600, ask for promotion manager. 14 & 15: Hunter Education: Francis Tuttle 1400A (12777 N Rockwell), OKC; 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.; (405) 521-4636. 16 & 17: Stars over the Wichitas interpretive program. The public is invited to participate in an evening with the stars where they will study major constellations and other heavenly bodies with the assistance from an amateur astronomer. The two hour program begins 30-minutes after sunset. Participants will meet at the Boulder/Lost Lake picnic area. Program is limited to 15 people and participants must be at least eight years of age. Registration is required and a $5 fee will be collected. Reservations can be made by call (580) 429-3222. 17: Hunter Education: High School, Sallisaw; 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. 17: Hunter Education: Civic Center, Wagoner; 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; 23-25: The Third Annual Oklahoma Selfbow Jamboree, hosted by the Rutter family. The farm has a three-acre pond next to the campsite, where those who wish can fish. A small covered pavilion will serve as the center of activities. Portable out-houses will be provided, and limited trailer camping is available. There is sufficient room for primitive (tent) camping. For directions and additional information go to www.ojam.org. 26: Hunter Education, High Plains Tech Center, Woodward. 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 26: Hunter Education Home Study, Bass Pro (200 Bass Pro Drive), OKC; 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. (405) 218-5200 30: Standardized Employment Exam, at Rose State College, Tom Steed Building, Auditorium, I-40 & Hudiburg Rd, Midwest City. Exam starts at 10 am. Bring a photo ID. 30 & 31: Project WILD for college credit at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater. Class runs from 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.. For more information or to enroll call Education Outreach at 800-765-8933. FISHING REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 28, 2007 CENTRAL Arcadia: Elevation below normal. Crappie being caught at 8 ft. on red and white jigs. Channel catfish caught on cut shad drift fishing. Report submitted by Tim Campbell, state game warden stationed in Oklahoma County. Hefner: Water 44 and clear. Crappie fair on jigs off the dam. Report submitted by Kelly Roberson, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County. Overholser: Water 55 and murky. Crappie fair on jigs around docks. Report submitted by Kelly Roberson, game warden stationed in Oklahoma County. Wes Watkins: Elevation 5 1/2 ft. below normal, water 51. White bass fair off points on rattle traps and crankbaits. Channel catfish fair on cut baits around the shoreline. Report submitted by Ronnie Arganbright, state game warden stationed in Pottawatomie County. NORTHEAST Birch: Elevation 2 3/4 ft. below normal and clear. Crappie fair on soft plastic jigs and minnows along creek channels. Report submitted by Paul Welch, game warden stationed in Osage County. Carl Blackwell: Elevation 4 ft. below normal, water 42 and murky. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 15-25 ft. Report submitted by Jon Cunningham, game warden stationed in Payne County. Copan: Elevation is 1 1/2 ft. below normal and clear. Crappie good at 14-15 ft. on chartreuse or black/pink tube jigs from the banks. Catfish fair to good on juglines in or near the river channel. Report submitted by Marni Loftis, state game warden stationed in Washington County. Eucha: Elevation slightly above normal, water 45 and clear. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around brush and structure at 14-16 ft. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries. Ft. Gibson: Elevation 2 ft. above normal and murky. Channel catfish good in creek channels and around drop offs and on juglines baited with whole shad. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around brush at 10-12 ft. Report submitted Don Cole, game warden stationed in Wagoner County. Grand: Elevation normal, water clear. Crappie fair around brush piles on minnows and jigs. Channel catfish fair in river channels using cut or whole shad. Report submitted by Jim Littlefield, game warden stationed in Delaware County. Greenleaf: Elevation normal and clear. Largemouth bass fair on crankbaits. Catfish fair on cut bait on bottom. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs around fishing dock. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. Hulah: Elevation 1 ft. below normal and clear. Crappie good at 14-15 ft. on chartreuse or black/pink tube jigs from the bank. Catfish fair to good on juglines in or near the river channel. Report submitted by Marni Loftis, state game warden stationed in Washington County. Kaw: Elevation 1 ft. above normal, water 45 and clear. Crappie are picking up on Kaw at 20-25 ft. around brush piles that have been placed in areas close to natural structure, drop-offs, riprap, and both marinas. The riprap on the Washunga Bay bridge and the Sarge Creek bridge are historically good areas. Washunga bay has been producing the best the last part of February, although fishing is good from the upper Arkansas River to the dam. There are brush piles that have been placed by the Wildlife Department, and these areas are marked with fishing buoys. When most fishing is done from a boat, a depth finder is necessary to find the brush. Generally if your lure or minnow is not in close proximity to the brush, the fish wont see your bait 2 ft. or closer. 1/8 oz jigs with 2" bodies work well, black and green; 10 lb. super line (fire line) helps the abrasive effects of the zebra mussels. Blue catfish will pick up as the water temps edge closer to 50. Jug fishing with cut bait is a very effective technique setting the hooks at five inch intervals at 5-30 ft. When fish are caught, concentrate hooks and bait in the productive zone. The best areas are the upper portion of the lake in the river channel, and trotlines are also very effective. Most anglers use fresh gizzard shad cut into pieces caught with a cast net in the same area. Fishing below Kaw dam has picked up with the recent release of water, with a few white bass showing up. Report submitted by Larry Green, game warden stationed in Osage County. Keystone: Elevation 2 1/2 ft. above normal, water 45-48 and clear to murky. Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass slow to fair on jig and chunk and suspended baits at 8-15 ft. off points and bluffs. White bass fair on spoons and minnows at 10-15 ft. in mouths of creeks. Striped bass below the dam good on Red Fins and Long-A-Bombers at 2-4 ft. when discharging. Striped bass in the lake fair on live shad and big swim baits at 12-20 ft. along Hwy 64 riprap. Channel catfish good on worms and shrimp at 6-10 ft. in creeks. Blue catfish good on shad and worms at 12-20 ft. in mouth of coves. Flathead catfish fair on live shad and worms at 12-20 ft. along rocky bluffs in creeks. Crappie good on small jigs and minnows at 10-20 ft. around docks and brush piles. Report submitted by Larry Sellers, Woody's Bait and Tackle. Oologah: Elevation normal, water in the lower 40's and clear. Crappie fair on jigs around brush piles at 20 ft. Report submitted by Brek Henry, game warden stationed in Rogers County. Skiatook: Elevation 12 ft. below normal, water 43-52 and clear. Crappie fair to good, on jigs and minnows, in creek channels and on structure. Largemouth bass fair, in relatively shallow water on jigs and crankbaits. Smallmouth bass fair to poor, suspended over deeper water on stick baits and crankbaits. Report submitted by Greenwood Fishing Center. Sooner: White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on sassy shad and topwater lures in the discharge channel. Channel and blue catfish fair on live and dead shad in the discharge channel. Report submitted by Doug Gottschalk, game warden stationed in Noble County. Spavinaw: Elevation slightly above normal, water 45 and clear. Crappie fair on jigs and minnows around the dam area. Largemouth bass fair on jerk baits. Report submitted by Dwight Moore, City of Tulsa Fisheries. Tenkiller: Elevation 1/3 ft. above normal, water 44-46 and clear. Largemouth slow with some action on soft plastic jigs on drop-offs. Crappie slow with some action in docks in the mornings on tube jigs. Webbers Falls: Largemouth fair on jig and worms in creek channels and brush structure on cut bait and stink bait. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs at 12 ft. around brush structure. Report submitted by Lark Wilson, game warden stationed in Muskogee County. NORTHWEST Canton: Elevation 8 ft below normal. Crappie fair on minnows and jigs near brush piles. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on lake side of spillway on minnows and jigs. Report submitted by Mark Walker, game warden stationed in Blaine County. Ft. Supply: Elevation below normal. Crappie fair on jigs around gate tower. Report submitted by Mark Reichenberger, game warden stationed in Harper County. SOUTHEAST Arbuckle: Elevation normal, water 44-47 and stained. Crappie good off docks and brush piles around dam. White bass slow. Bass fair to good at 12-14 ft. with some bass moving up in shallow in afternoon and caught on spinnerbaits and jigs. Report submitted by Jack Melton. Blue River: Elevation normal, water 51 and clear. Largemouth bass fair on minnows and flies. Catfish fair on liver and worms. Trout good on power bait, super dupers, rooster tails and meal worms. Report submitted by Charles Baker, technician at Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area. Broken Bow: Elevation above normal, water clear. Crappie good on jigs around submerged timber. Bass great on spoons at 30 ft. in creek channels. Catfish good on trotlines with cut bait. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County. Eufaula: Elevation 1 ft. above normal and murky. Blue catfish fair on shad at 5-25 ft. off the flats. Crappie fair on minnows or jigs at 15-20 ft. around boat docks. Report submitted Ed Rodebush, game warden stationed in McIntosh County. Hugo: Elevation 1/4 ft. above normal, water 46 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on spinnerbaits. Crappie fair on minnows. Blue catfish fair on dead minnows and liver. Report submitted by Wendell Smalling, game warden stationed in Choctaw County. Konawa: Elevation normal, water 45 and clear. Largemouth bass good on crankbaits along points and roadbeds at 15 ft. White bass and striped bass hybrids fair on minnows and jigs at 15 ft. in discharge channel. Report submitted by Daryl Howser, game warden stationed in Seminole County. McGee Creek: Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal, water 46 and murky. Largemouth bass fair on soft plastic lures over deep water drop-offs. White bass fair on grubs along windy points. Report submitted by Larry Luman, game warden stationed in Atoka County. Lower Mountain Fork River: Trout good on midges and mayflies, March brown mayflies, San Juan worms, egg patterns and midge patterns. The powerhouse has been releasing water daily. Report submitted by Sid Ingram, Beavers Bend Fly Shop. Pine Creek: Elevation above normal water clear. Crappie excellent on jigs around points. Bass fair on crankbaits around creek channels. Catfish fair on trotlines baited with shad. Report submitted by Mark Hannah, game warden stationed in McCurtain County. Robert S. Kerr: Elevation normal, water 44 and murky. Largemouth bass slow at 8-10 ft. using jigs and plastic baits fishing the rock and riprapped areas next to the old creek channels. Crappie good at 10 ft. using small minnows fishing the edges of the old creek channels of Dirty, Big Sans Bois and Sallisaw creeks. White bass fair at 10 ft. using jigs fishing below Webbers Falls dam. Blue catfish good at 20-30 ft. using fresh cut shad fishing the old Arkansas River channel. Report submitted by Rick Olzawski, game warden stationed in Haskell County. Texoma: Elevation normal, water 46 and clear. Striped bass and white bass fair to good on sassy shad and live bait at 10-20 ft. in the coves. Crappie fair on small minnows and jigs at 10-15 ft. in Widow Moore Creek. Report submitted by Danny Clubb, game warden stationed in Bryan County. Wister: Elevation 1/2 ft. above normal and murky. Crappie good on minnows and jigs. Channel catfish good on cut shad. Report submitted by Randy Fennell, game warden stationed in LeFlore County. SOUTHWEST Ellsworth: Elevation 13 ft. below normal. Crappie fair at Ralph's Resort at 10-12 ft. Report submitted by Mike Carroll, game warden stationed in Comanche County. Foss: Elevation 5 ft. below normal, water 38 and clear. Striped bass hybrids and walleye fair. Crappie good. Catfish fair. Report submitted by Eric Puyear, B & K Bait House. Ft. Cobb: Elevation 1 3/4 ft. below normal. Crappie slow to fair around marina and boat slips. Saugeye slow to fair along east end of dam. Report submitted by James Edwards Jr., game warden station in Caddo County. Tom Steed: Crappie fair on jigs around brush piles. Report submitted by David Smith, game warden stationed in Kiowa County.

See report.

Generation? Who knows right now. We have a tournament tomorrow and if you're planning on fishing it I'm sure you're pulling your hair out trying to predict whether the water is going to run, for how long and how much. If you're trying to decide if you're going to wade or boat, you're in the same "boat". They have slowed the water down and it has been off for periods during the afternoon and night the last couple of days. But tomorrow is a new day and this pattern might or might not continue. Personally- I think it will run in the am and off in the pm... but I wouldn't put any money on it. Midge hatches coming off in the am in front of the resort so I assume they are other parts of the lake too. Schools of rainbows feeding on the surface. People have caught rainbows off the dock all week throwing rooster tails and keeping them close to the surface. Also power eggs drifted from here to Monkey Island and even down to the bridges. I've seen the stocking boat out at least twice this week. Seems like they have the upper lake stocked pretty heavy- and good fish too. T/t one guy this am and he said they fished below Taneycomo Acres against the bluff bank using jig and float and fished deep close to the bottom and did extremely well- color? Didn't matter. They're still hitting white jigs below the dam if they're running enough water to get up there by boat. No shad reported all week. Wish we'd get more shad just to beef up our trout a bit more. Right now we have 21 boats signed up for the Team Tournament. We will take entries till 8 am tomorrow morning.

dutch- you don't think the cold front will put them down? I doubt if they move if they are in deep water. How deep is the water there? I've fished the Spring River in NE OK- that's about the only river/white bass fishing I've done so I'm trying to compare.

You know those big rocks to the Forsyth side of the rock pile... I've always done well on the crappie around those rocks and between the cable and the dam face. They might not be there yet.

Oppps sorry it was smbass that said it.

Bridge- you mentioned New Orleans Bridge and Taylor Bridge. Where are these bridges? Or they common knowledge to the locals? Were you fly fishing?

No generation at this end of the lake at this hour... hopefully they'll be running some through the generators for you.

I know 2 crappie isn't cause for celebration or speculation but... in what kind of water did you find them? Deep- structure- on the flats? Or did you catch them by accident while fishing for bass? Thanks!

When I think or refer to Pothole, I am talking about the whole area below the dam- say 1/4 mile down. It's called a pothole cause you don't ever know what all you're going to catch (species of fish).

Heard some crappie are showing up on transition banks in 12 feet of water the last few days. Someone needs to go over there and check it out!

The reports I hear are either feast or famine... most are the latter but I do hear some are catching walleye and crappie. Actually the reports don't make sense. How do some do exceptionally well on walleye and others I know are good pothole walleye anglers are getting skunked. The walleye should be up there as much water as been running and the time of year.

Sorry- Curtis already fixed it. He's quick.

It's not matter of safe really... you can wade when the flood gates are open but just around the edges. From 1/2 unit to 2 units is wadeable but beyond that you're limited to the outlets.

Openings for our camp this summer - - - June 16-23 . . . . . . .Cabins #1-5 July 21-28 . . . . . . .Cabin #5 July 28-Aug 4th . . . . . . .Cabin #5 Aug 11th - 18th . . . . . . .Cabins #1-5 Aug 18-25 . . . . . . .Cabin #5 Aug 25th - Sep 1 . . . . . . .Cabin #5 Sept 22-29 . . . . . . .Cabins #1-5 Sept 29-Oct 6 . . . . . . .Cabins #1-5 Oct 6-13 . . . . . . .Cabins #1-5 Cabin #5 is my cabin. Because we added it late to the schedule, it's open for alot of the season. The weeks #5 is open, it's only open to a "fish on your own" trip. This means for a discounted rate of $1395 per person, up to 4 people can stay in the cabin, meals included, use of a boat(s) for the week, and expert guide advise on where to go and what to use. You'll get the same attention leading up to the trip as others- just not the guide service of a full service trip. And I'll say this- if 4 of you want to go one of these weeks, I'll make a better deal than $1395. Flights are running about $1100 to King Salmon so for a lot less than $3000, you can spend a week in Alaska and fish the world famous Naknek River and much more. July- rainbows excellent, sockeye and king salmon peak, dollies and grayling.

??? So where you going... Roaring River or Taneycomo? OR are you referring to Taney as the "roaring river".

Sorry- yes- that's what you tie with.

We should get behind this and get some OAF teams entered. Should be well worth giving up a Saturday to.... fish - think?

Polock - Ok when you guys say jerk bait I am thinking of soft plastic jerks that go all over the water when you jerk them... I fish these a lot on current river but never really used a hard jerk bait. What are some pointers on fishing them? Also are they the same is what you guys are calling stick baits. I do have a few of the stick baits.. I call ‘em minnows. I see they are starting to be productive. Are you guys catching them on a steady retrieve or do you pause? Jerk – jerk - pause type thing? Also, what’s a rogue? Wayne SW/MO - I think the ones that are most affective are those that suspend, Pointer, X Rap and Suspending Rogue come to mind. My technique is to test them first and check the rise when they are stopped. Make a short cast, reel them down hard and then stop and check the amount of time they take to rise a foot, the best ones will take a little time, between about 5 and 10. Sometimes its necessary to add a lead strip or dot to slow them down, this seems to be necessary more in Rogues then Pointers or Raps. You have to this anytime the water temps change, at least that’s my experience. After you have a handle on how they will perform, cast them out, reel them down hard and stop. You can adjust the pause based on the knowledge you have of the time it takes to rise. I don't pause more than about a foot of rise and I hope this takes close a 10 count, the longer the better in cold water. The takes on them in cold water are sometimes more visible than through feel so you must watch the line closely for "tics". I also like to use braid because the lack of stretch improves the feel and the hookups, but another advantage is the fact that hard jerks don't dive very deep, and because braid floats, you get away from the sag that mono creates when it sinks. Great cool water smallie bait. Gary Lange - Here is a Rogue and this should explain what they are. http://www.lurenet.com/catalog.aspx?catID=...atingSuperRogue SKMO – I think on Table Rock jerk baits are considered hard minnow type lures that absolutely suspend motionless and horizontal when you quit reeling. Also called stick baits, twitch baits, glide baits, whatever. Wayne made a lot of good valid points. The only one I would disagree with is using braided line. I feel naked as a jaybird using braided line in the super-clear water that stickbaits excel in. Just my opinion of course. I rarely use braid on TR in any situation, but that's just me. 8# fluorocarbon is what the big stick bass caught that Babler was party to. I throw #10 fluorocarbon on a short medium baitcasting rod. As Wayne said you often have to add a bit of weight, or flotation to the baits to get them to suspend just right according to water temperature. Weight is easy to figure out, but I add floatation when needed by using 3M closed cell foam tape, that double sided sticky stuff your kids hang pictures with that is a nightmare when you try to repaint a wall. (By the way this foam tape is the perfect stuff to get a jointed redfin to wake across the water but that is an entirely different topic). As far as presentation the real pros at this have the patience to jerk it down and let it sit there for a Long Time in one spot. Gotta have confidence in your spot I guess. 10-15 seconds max is about all I can handle but some folks claim to let it sit there a minute or more. The colder the water the longer you need to let it sit. I never proclaimed to be a stickbait expert but I will assure you I have never hit one minute without doing Something especially when it is 34 degrees air temperature. The Smithwick Rogue set the standard several years ago as a cold water presentation. Nowadays there are umpteen suspending stickbaits, most all of them excellent. Lots of Japanese ones out now. The custom ones are really slick, the local painters and modifiers put out real works of art, modifying rogues, pointers and others. One big advantage the customs offer is they seem to get them to run a little deeper, just a foot or 2 can make a difference. Colors are all over the board on the sticks. Clown was the historic go to color and still works, For some reason purples and lavenders seem to work well in the winter. Natural shads, gold, some chartreuse. Color much less important than fishing the right spots, in MY opinion. But don't let that discourage you from buying something off the shelf and tossing it. It'll work. They used to have a "Rogue Tournament" (only allowed to fish Rogues) on TR sponsored by Smithwick and although there were not a lot of boats entered I know a guy who won it at least 3 times. Maybe they still have it. He's just a stickbait predator. I pumped him as hard as I dared for info and he always said "just throw it where the fish are". How true of all of our pursuits for the bass-type fish. Bittle - I have a few questions regarding this topic. The first is what type of rod is better for this type. I have medium heavy rod with braided line on it. Just wondering some preferences for this technique. Also I know rogues and the x-raps, and pointers come in different profiles. Is it true that the bass will hit a larger profile in warmer water or what is the determination of the size of the bait. Bill Babler - Xnay on the line and for the most part most of us are fish medium light on the rod action. I use the same rod that I work a zara spook with. 6ft. fast tip, spongy middle and good backbone at the handle. Reason for the Rod. The quick tip allows you to move or twitch the bait while maintaining it in the same location and not moving it toward the boat, just altering the head position of the bait in a back and forth movement. Soft middle section is always what you want when using trebles as on the lift or hook set it will keep you from tearing the small hooks out. Same reason a lot of the pro's are still fishing glass rods on cranks. The butt section is self explanatory. I an most of use stickbait freaks like the long handle. Everyone except Buster and he is a master. He uses a 5 1/2 glass rod with a pistol grip handle. He has two and if you tried to buy one it would cost your house. He just flicks his wrist to alter the bait movement. Line is pretty much set a huge secret is most stickbait fools, use 8 lb. either Max. or 8 lb. P. A few guys like SKMO use fluorocarbon, I will if I want the bait to sink slightly as the fluorocarbon will sink the bait. Most guys use mono because it will stay in the same position as the bait. I have had the flora. sink at a greater rate than a neutrally boyant stickbait, if I'm letting it set for long periods, and this is ok, unless I'm fishing cedar, where I don't want the bait to get hung-up. It's all good with the line, but try and stay in the 8 to 10 lb. range if possible. If that bait is attached to a well rope you just won't get the action. RSBreth - I remember reading my brothers copy of In-Fisherman back in the old days (late 80's) and seeing an article about "custom weighted" Rapalas for use in winter at Ozark lakes. My brother tinkered with a few and being recently married, didn't get the chance to fish them, so little brother (me) got them. I tried them out on several local lakes where I caught bass crappie fishing in the winter. Man did they work! So for several winters, I went out and caught fish all winter on these strange lures. When production models came out on the market, I was first in line. The doctored Rapalas were light so I used a 6'6" spinning rod and 8 lb. maxima. These days I throw light jerks on a 7' fast action med/light spinning rod with 10 lb. test power pro or fireline. I tie a 8-10 ft. of Orvis Mirage or Rio fluorocarbon leader, 3x( about 9 lb. test) to the end of the superline. These fly tippet fluorocarbon are far stronger per diameter than Vanish or other brands meant for regular tackle. A 7' rod is too long for most guys, but I'm 6' tall and from the front deck of my boat this rod is just an inch or so front the water when I point in down where I like to work it. I like spinning tackle because I'm a puss and wear gloves, but I can also throw a Rogue a long way with this setup. By the way, my favorite new bait, works like a Rogue, casts like an X-Rap: http://www.xcaliburtackle.com/stick.asp Ham - I've been interested in this technique for quite awhile. It really doesn't get cold enough or rather stay cold enough for me to have a TR like situation occur. I have some questions regarding how weather relates to trying the suspended jerk bait. . Do ya'll prefer cloudy days over a bluebird day ? Do ya'll want some wind more than no wind? What weather conditions would make ya'll forget about even trying it if water temp and time of year were right? Bill Babler - For the most part we are wanting wind and most differently sunshine. Water temp is not really a factor and the fish will eat the bait in extremely cold water as long as it tries to increase a few degrees throughout the day. For example SK and I threw the bait for 6 hrs. today and only had one fish on a very cloudy flat smooth day. During this past week in the sun and wind, everyone was having them eat the bait. When we started today the air was 27 and the water 43.7. When we stopped the misery, the air was 38 and the water 42.1 flat on breeze. We had a horrible day. Hope others did better. We did devote about 90minutes to walleye, but they didn't like us either. If we would have had the least amount of wind and a slightly warming surface temp. they would have bit, regardless of the water temperature. SKMO - When the water is cold (below 50) I like sun. And I always like some wind, anytime on this lake unless it gets so windy I cannot fish deep (35'+) spots when that is what I am wanting to do. Seems like cloudy days would be good but if it is flat calm it can be a bugger. I would definitely disagree with Bill on our fishing foray today. He indicated we had little to no success. I would have to disagree with him on this, and I would have said: "All the bites I had were very light. So light as to be undetectable". I must have had 20-30 bites today but I never felt a one of them!

Drop Shot: Technology SKMO - I think It's good to be able to see your drop-shot rig (or spoon) for a few reasons: I'll often dropshot in 80-90' of water trying to keep the rig just above treetops that may be 30-40' below the surface. If you can't see your bait it's pretty hard to stay in the sweet spot and pretty easy to get hung up constantly. I also fish the rig right on the bottom in 30-50' of water. It's pretty common to go over a couple suspended fish that may be 10-15' above the bottom. When you notice this you can raise your rod or give your reel a couple cranks and get your bait on the same general level as the fish or slightly above them. With the way a bass's eyes are positioned I think fish see what's above them a lot better than what's below them. It is surprising how far above them they are looking and will respond. Many times when I am watching my rig drop to the bottom a fish will shoot up from the bottom and intercept it on the way down, often coming up 15' or more. Sometimes they eat it, sometimes they follow it back to the bottom and eat it, more often than not they do nothing but sniff it and leave it alone. Anyway it's pretty cool to watch, makes you realize how many fish see and inspect your offering with no bite. i.e. they are watching, they are simply not cooperating. Another one of my Grande Theories relates to competition. If I am seeing a single fish here, and a single fish there there, it is probably a mediocre bite and I'll have to do some serious "begging". If I am seeing 2-4 bass-type returns on the screen at once and get my bait in proximity chances are they will rush it and one will suck it in pronto. It's just like feeding my two dogs. If we are in the food bowl area I can throw down a sock soaked in kerosene and if they are both nearby, they will fight over it assuming it just might be prime rib, they can always spit it out. If only one of them is there they always approach the offering as if it WAS a kerosene soaked sock. One thing for sure is that a transducer with a wide cone angle is a lot easier for me to "video fish" with than one with a narrow cone angle. My last depthfinder had a narrow (17 degree I think) cone angle and although it was a real quality unit (X-15) it was almost impossible to keep my bait in the zone of coverage in deeper water. The boat had to be pretty much stationary. My current depthfinder has a 30 or 35 degree cone angle and it is a night and day difference in how much easier it is to keep my rig in sight. That said, keep in mind that just because your display shows your rig and a fish or two in proximity on your display, they (fish and rig) may actually be 10-15 or 20' apart horizontally, depending again on the cone angle and depth of the water. Your display will show everything at once that is within the cone and the processor does some averaging to give you the display picture. In any case when you see a display return that looks like bass it's a pretty encouraging thing, since the most important factor in deep fishing to receive a tug on the end of the line is fishing where fish are at. Sounds like a trite remark but it was not meant to be that, after some time you will know if you are fishing around fish. I think most mid-priced or better depthfinders have the capability to see your bait so if I was shopping for one I'd for sure be taking into consideration the cone angle of the transducer. Some units have more than one transducer angle available also. I think getting the highest quality depthfinder you can afford and spending the time to learn how to use it and INTERPRET what you are seeing is a really important part of making the most out of the deep fishing thing. With a good unit and some experience you can get a pretty good picture of what's down there and be able to tell what you are looking at. Hardwood trees, cedar trees, brush piles, logs/stumps, boulders, underwater bluffs, shad schools, broken up (harassed) shad schools, and different species of fish all have a unique "signature" you can learn to interpret not with 100% certainty but with some degree of confidence. I'm sure some will roll their eyes when I suggest you can tell species but I am certain when I am over something that might be bass. They have a distinct concise thickness to the line that they give on my screen. Not to say that it might not be another species but I know what bass look like. Just as importantly I know what they do not look like. Big thick arches never bite and I would assume they are carp, gar, paddlefish, catfish...whatever. Smaller numerous arches and a blotchy return are usually panfish. (I know this because I chase bluegill on occasion). A nice solid black line just off the bottom, preferably 2 or 3 at once going up and down, those are usually active bass and when I see that I go on point for the bite. So to answer your question "Are my electronics good enough for dropshotting ?" it looks to me like your Eagle Fishmark 480 is a real good quality Lowrance/Eagle unit with plenty of capability to pick up on your rig at any depth. So the ball is in your court on learning how to fine tune the settings and interpret what you are seeing on the display. Getting a good depthfinder is not the solution or answer to all the questions of what's beneath the boat, but it is the visual display of where all your questions begin. There will still be plenty of times you see something weird and say "what the heck was THAT" ? but over time you will say that less often. bobby b. - Regarding the 35 degree transducer discussed by SKMO, the Eagle Fish Mark 480 unit as well as many other Eagle units come standard with a 20 degree transducer yet they claim a 60 degree capability by making some adjustments to the unit. Does anyone know how and if this 60 degree thing works? Increasing the sensitivity gives a wider cone angle: http://www.lowrance.com/Tutorials/Sonar/so...tutorial_06.asp Transducer Cone Angles: The transducer concentrates the sound into a beam. When a pulse of sound is transmitted from the transducer, it covers a wider area the deeper it travels. If you were to plot this on a piece of graph paper, you would find that it creates a cone shaped pattern, hence the term "cone angle." The sound is strongest along the center line or axis of the cone and gradually diminishes as you move away from the center. In order to measure the transducer's cone angle, the power is first measured at the center or axis of the cone and then compared to the power as you move away from the center. When the power drops to half (or -3db[decibels] in electronic terms), the angle from that center axis is measured. The total angle from the -3db point on one side of the axis to the -3db point on the other side of the axis is called the cone angle. This half power point (-3db) is a standard for the electronics industry and most manufacturers measure cone angle in this way, but a few use the -10db point where the power is 1/10 of the center axis power. This gives a greater angle, as you are measuring a point further away from the center axis. Nothing is different in transducer performance; only the system of measurement has changed. For example, a transducer that has an 8 degree cone angle at -3db would have a 16 degree cone angle at -10db. - - - - - - - - - 20-degree cone angle - - - - - - - - - - - 8 degree cone angle Lowrance offers transducers with a variety of cone angles. Wide cone angles will show you more of the underwater world, at the expense of depth capability, since it spreads the transmitter's power out. Narrow cone angle transducers won't show you as much of what's around you, but will penetrate deeper than the wide cone. The narrow cone transducer concentrates the transmitter's power into a smaller area. A bottom signal on the sonar unit's display will be wider on a wide cone angle transducer than on a narrow one because you are seeing more of the bottom. The wide cone's area is much larger than the narrow cone. High frequency (192 - 200 kHz) transducers come in either a narrow or wide cone angle. The wide cone angle should be used for most freshwater applications and the narrow cone angle should be used for all saltwater applications. Low frequency (50 kHz) sonar transducers are typically in the 30 to 45 degree range. Although a transducer is most sensitive inside its specified cone angle, you can also see echoes outside this cone; they just aren't as strong. The effective cone angle is the area within the specified cone where you can see echoes on the display. If a fish is suspended inside the transducer's cone, but the sensitivity is not turned up high enough to see it, then you have a narrow effective cone angle. You can vary the effective cone angle of the transducer by varying the receiver's sensitivity. With low sensitivity settings, the effective cone angle is narrow, showing only targets immediately beneath the transducer and a shallow bottom. Turning the sensitivity control up increases the effective cone angle, letting you see targets farther out to the sides.

I usually use strung marabou for jigs but you can use the larger feathers with bigger quills. Peel the soft, lower plumes off and cut the ends off. As far as body, keep adding more and more till you have the look you want. But don't make them too big... it's better to have a low profile jig than a bulky one- I think.

Bass is on Friday... Trout is on Saturday. We had a bass contest on Friday last year for the fun of it- had several fish it and weighed in some nice bass. Saturday is the REAL tournament.

http://ozarkanglers.com/team_07.html There will be a informal bass tournament on Friday, March 2 starting at 1 p.m. and weigh in at 5 p.m. It will be an individual contest, each person will weigh in up to 6 bass, artificial baits only. Entry - $10 each... winner take all. Big bass wins a Lilleys' Landing sweatshirt.

May have to go fishin'..

That's what I have- Optio W20.