Sam

Aw, I'm not planning to go there anytime soon. Thanks, though - I just didn't know the Buzzard Branch name. I've caught some good bass out of there at times, especially night fishing in the summer. As I recall there's about 4 little side-cuts in that cove on the north side and maybe 2 on the south. I've pulled some limits of crappie out of those in the springtime, too.

t1365 - I've got a question too. I thought I knew the James arm pretty well, but I don't know where Buzzard Branch is. That is, I probably know the place but not the name. I got curious and tried looking it up on a map, but struck out. Where's Buzzard Branch? Thanks.

The Ozark language: My grandpa (born in 1890 and raised on upper Beaver Creek) always "commenced" to do something, and for "have you got any" he'd say "ha' ye got airy" - carried over from his family of early Scots/Irish settlers, I'd guess. Toad Strangler = heavy thunderstorm. Scwuz = past tense verb "he like to scwuz it to death". Then there's this - just pronounce the letters and anybody from the Ozarks would understand: M R mice. M R not. S A R, C M E D B D feet? L I B, M R mice. M R snakes. M R not. S A R, C M B D I's? L I B, M R snakes. It goes on.

Well, powerdive, how'd it go? I thought about you guys yesterday. The day looked warm and sunny, but it was real cold and the wind was blowing too. You'll recall that I fished in one of these a few years ago and it was fun - but I think it'd have to be about 30 degrees warmer than this weekend to get me out there. I hope you caught 'em, though. Are there some results to post?

Congratulation on getting your reels back. I hope the damage/loss isn't so bad on your other gear, too. Fishing reels are made to get wet, and those were only underwater for a few days. Inside that box they probably didn't get full of sand or mud either, and that's what's really damaging to a reel. If they were mine I'd take off the sideplates, spinning-reel spools, handles, and anything that's easily detachable and blow all the water out with compressed air. Then dry them as much as you can with paper towels. Then I'd soak them down with WD-40. WD stands for "water displacement", and that's what the product is really good at - it adheres to and forces water away from metal. Let them stand for a couple of hours soaked in WD, then use the air hose again to blow the excess WD-40 out and pat them down with paper towels. Then lubricate all moving parts with light reel oil, put grease on the gears, and re-assemble. Check your line for damage, I think some of the modern super-lines may be weakened with prolonged immersion. I've never been paid for fixing reels, but I'm a gunsmith who's rehabilitated quite a few weapons that went in the drink. I'm guessing that if you paid a "professional" to clean your reels, he'd do exactly what I described.

I'm sure sorry to hear about your boat and gear - what a bummer when spring is almost here. Yes, check with your homeowner's insurance agent, you might get a pleasant surprise about your fishing gear. I was eating lunch in a golf course coffee shop once and some so-and-so stole my golf clubs, bag, and hand cart that I'd left by the rack outside. My homeowner's policy covered that. Everybody's gotta do it the way that's best for them, but so far as the pros/cons of boat ownership I wouldn't be without my boat for anything. It would be nice to have it already on the water, but unless I lived on the lake I'd rather just trailer it. For one thing, leaving it at any marina would cut down on the places I fish. I like to fish different lakes, and I doubt that I'd often pull a boat out of the water to trailer it somewhere else. As it is, I've got a stall in my garage for boat and trailer and my boat has never been outside overnight or got rained on unless I was in it, fishing, at the time. It stays in almost-new condition year after year, and at no expense, that way.

I just got a haircut here in Ozark, and my barber lives at Buttermilk Springs. He said YY was almost impassible even yesterday, but he made it through this morning without too much difficulty. From that, I'd guess the smaller roads around the lake are almost OK now, especially with 4wd. Ramps can be tough in freezing weather, though - especially if someone has pulled a dripping boat out before you launch.

No land mines, but I've known for years that what I often need is a couple of depth-charge racks on the back of my boat. Not big ones - just big enough for soda-can size charges. One slow pass to scope 'em, then turn around and make a run at full speed - laying down a pattern. Full speed is so I don't blow the tail end off my boat.

Ya know, any day from now on that the weather's decent, I'd suggest putting in at Beaver Creek rather than K Dock. K Dock has been my hidey-hole for years where I get away from the crowds, and many's the time my rig has been the only one there. But it's got one little ramp and very little parking. It's going to be a MESS when big crowds come, and that doesn't add to anybody's fishing enjoyment. Beaver Creek has lots of parking and multiple ramps, and it's maybe a 10-minute run by water from K Dock. There's lots of good water in between, too - including the stretch where most of the fish seem to be coming from now. Once you get launched, there's plenty of room on the water for everybody. Much as I love K Dock, I bet most of my trips there this year are going to be out of Beaver Creek.

Adam, you've picked a real good time to schedule your trip. Weather permitting, everything should be going on at that time - bass, crappie, white bass, and up the James arm you might even want to snag a spoonbill! Others here will jump in with some help on the details, I'm sure - but if you're around the lake in mid-April you'll soon learn what's going on from other fishermen. Just be sure and bring what tackle you've got for all species, panfish as well as bass. The only possible spoiler would be the weather. April is our thunderstorm month, and last spring it rained and rained, the lakes and rivers got up, and we got to do a lot less fishing than usual. The lakes are back to normal levels now, and the high water of 2008 should make it a real good season this year. I hope you have a great trip.

Naw, I got it three days ago. When you get done hollering and feel like you might snapp - you oughta just mince around a little. Also a feller named drury told me he had a big flat on his trailer rig the other day. He fixed it with white plastic on the bottom, I believe.

Phil, thanks for the offer. I was pretty satisfied with the way it went today. Didn't mean to imply we caught more fish than anybody - just saying that the majority didn't catch too much, from what I saw. As usual, a few probably caught a bunch. We went by Snapp in the afternoon. Don't know if you were still there or not - there were two boats fishing around markers on the channel drop, and we didn't crowd 'em. While at Snapp we saw something that got to me. I commented to my partner that it was such a nice day people were out walking - but it seemed a strange place for it. There were two women climbing down the rocks to the water on that left-hand point of Snapp Holler as you go in. One woman was in her 60's and the other in her 30's, and they got to the water's edge and sat down on a rock together. After awhile, the younger woman got up and started sprinkling something out of a bag into the water. We slowly realized what it was - ashes. Then the two sat down together on the rock again for a while before leaving. I'm pretty sure that was a widow and a daughter bringing a fellow to his favorite fishing hole for the last time - they probably waited for a real pretty day to do it. God bless that family and a fisherman who is no longer with us.

A friend and I went out of K Dock today. It was real nice to get out on such a warm day in the middle of winter, and I think that's what everyone was doing. There were 40+ rigs when we got there, we were sixth in line to launch, and we got about the last parking place. Rigs that came behind us had to park on both the high and low entry roads. The word is out. Talking to folks while waiting to launch, several said "I heard they're really biting here". Nobody said anything about getting the "word" online and I didn't ask - I imagine it's friends telling friends, telling friends. We caught a few - less than half-limits of crappie and one white bass, and under the circumstances that's all I'm gonna say. To do it, I used all the knowledge I've gained from many hundreds of trips on that stretch of water. For a trip in January, I think what we caught was remarkable (water temp is 44). Compared to a trip in the spring, summer, or fall, our success was so-so. In talking with other boats thru the day and during our LONG wait to take out back at the ramp - we did a whole lot better than anyone I talked to. The average was 2 or 3 fish per boat, white bass and/or crappie. We spoke to one pair who had trolled plugs all day, and they had three keeper bass including a 19" smallmouth (which I was sorry to hear they were keeping). I think it's exactly right that 90% of the casual fishermen who'll come have no idea how to fish that lake - and believe me, it's been a long time since I've pounded the banks like most do. It's certainly true that a crowded ramp and parking doesn't crowd the lake. Once you're on the water there's no problem - that's a lot of lake with not much access. All in all, it was great to get out, get a sunburn, and catch a few in January. I think it's an indication of a good spring season to come if the weather cooperates. I think "the word" will work both ways. I bet there's a whole bunch of guys who were down there with us today who'll go home and tell their buddies that they caught a couple, but the fish aren't exactly jumping in the boat.

Are ya one of the 10% that catch 90% of the fish? I keep hearing about that 10% and I want to be one of 'em. I've been working on that for about 50 years now and I'm not sure it's going well - I probably need to sew some patches on my jacket, or something. LOL

I agree with Forsythian, in that my main concern is launching/parking at K Dock if it turns into a real circus. With limited parking and that little single ramp, K Dock just can't handle many rigs. But if it gets too bad I can put in at Beaver. Lots of parking there, I just don't like the shallow ramps. It's a longer drive, but I like to put in at Yocum Creek, too. There's no ramp there, just launching off a gravel beach - no problem with 4wd, but I wouldn't try it with a 2wd rig. I've even put in at that little park on the point straight across from K Dock Marina, but it's hard to get there by road. One way or another, we'll get on the water.

"I love this area, and am willing to share." --------------------------- O.K., Bill - I understand what you're saying, completely. I wouldn't want any controversy with a fella who has gone to the trouble of posting such good reports for so long, and who has done so much to help everyone enjoy our wonderful local lakes. Here's hoping for a great 2009 fishing season for all of us. --------------------------- Jeremy, if those whites are concentrated in spots like that - I'd think a good way to locate them would be to slow-troll a swimmin' minnow or something similar along the edge of the roll-offs. When you get bit, then stop and cast to them. What do you think? I never have much luck scoping for white bass. They're so fast, they tend to move rather than let a boat (and transducer) go over them.

Now, I agree with that 100%. I don't post here too often, but when I've had a good trip and have info to share I've posted it up here, many times. I think maybe I've helped some, that way. And I agree that fishing info posted shouldn't be TOO specific. You'll never see me post "look for the big triangle shaped rock on the north bank of the point at Mincy Creek and throw to the brushpile about 30 feet out from the bank in 14 feet of water. It's full of crappie." Obviously, a report like that would get those crappie fished out in short order. I'd tell folks, though, that I'm finding crappie on brushpiles in 14 feet in the Mincy/Yocum/Bee Creek area - nothing wrong with that. But I think there's another kind of report that can be real damaging. To get on here and post about how a quiet fishery is now back to the glory days of the '60s, assuming its place again as a world-class hotspot, In-Fisherman Magazine article, etc.! C'mon - Bull Shoals had ONE high-water year, finally, and a bunch of fish that normally would have got caught last year are still swimming. If the water level stays fairly normal in 2009, it oughta be a good season because of that, after quite a few tough years in a row. That's something to look forward to. It's a fine line, and if guys want to get sore at me for pointing it out - go ahead. I'm sure not sore at anybody - just asking that we remember this Internet goes everywhere and if there's too much cheerleading a whole, whole bunch of out-of-area and out-of-state fishermen can quickly crowd-out and fish-out a good situation that's TEMPORARY in nature. Let's enjoy this fishing with friends and family, but maybe not rent the Goodyear blimp to advertise it - please.

I saw one Hellbender (or a critter very much like one) about 4 years ago while wade-fishing a stream in Taney County. They're so rare, it's probably best if I don't say which creek. Don't mean to change the thread, but talking about strange things in upper Bull Shoals made me think of the 4-lb. grinnel (bowfin) I caught there a few years back. I had to research it at the time to figure out what it was. They're a weird fish, kind of half-reptile in appearance. That ugly thing tried to bite me on purpose, several times, while I was getting it unhooked. Before that, I didn't know they existed or that they were in Bull Shoals, but they are.

Lilley - Yes, you're right. River Run, Beaver, K Dock, and Yocum are the only places to put in on the Missouri end, and that's not many launch points in many miles of water. At times, during a good spring crappie run, I've fished among lots of boats in places like Snapp Holler and Mincy - but we were all catching fish and having a good time. It's a public lake, and I don't expect to have it all to myself. I remember your tip about the spring crappie in Long Creek real well, and want to thank you again for that. It led to many good trips for me. Long and Cricket Creeks did get pretty crowded for awhile - and since I like to fish away from crowds, I soon found that the same conditions applied in other nearby creek-coves. On two trips in particular there must have been a hundred boats up Long Creek while I quietly limited out in Brushy Creek and had it all to myself. So yeah, I've got lots of fishing spots on upper Bull Shoals. If there's not boats on every one of them, I'll be happy.

Well, I understand that you can't keep good fishing a secret. I can usually tell what's going on by how many rigs are parked at a ramp when I arrive - it's amazing how fast the word gets out. But in the age of the Internet, I think the effect is magnified enormously. With these web site postings and now magazines getting involved, we'll have people from St. Louis, K.C., and everywhere else hitting upper Bull Shoals this spring. I can't help but be disappointed - I was really looking forward to fishing there. I've stuck with upper Bull Shoals through all the tough fishing years we've had there, and I kinda got used to not seeing other boats around and still catching fish because of my knowledge of the water. Now if it's good, it'll be packed with ya-hoos from everywhere and quickly fished out - because of all this publicity. I'll try upper Bull Shoals once or twice - and if it's too much of a circus I'll quietly switch to Stockton, Pomme de Terre, or elsewhere. If I'm lucky enough to find good fishing somewhere else, I'm not saying a thing that can be broadcast to the whole world.

"I know, for the most part we all keep our yapps shut about Bull Shoals, but I believe this may be a breakthrough year for the lake. We may see some of that old 60's type of stuff, and it has been a long time coming. Us old hardback locals should not be bitter, and share this wonderful old fishery with some new blood. Help our local marina's and bring BS, back to the prominence it once held, as one of the best fisheries in the US." ------------------------------------------- Bill, first off I've really enjoyed your posts here for years. I appreciate all the information, and your efforts to improve everyone's fishing experience around here. Also, I'm real glad to hear about the new owners of K Dock Marina. I didn't know about them, and I've avoided that business since the day a couple of years ago when I ended up offering to throw the owner off his own dock. I hated to get upset like that. I go fishing to relax, not to fight with someone - but the way he was cussin' at me, I think anyone here would have responded the same way. I'll be sure to go by and spend some money with the new folks now. Upper Bull Shoals is my stomping grounds - I know about every foot of it from Powersite Dam to Horseshoe Bend. I sure missed fishing it in 2008, but there's not much you can do when the water's 40 feet high and the fish are out in the woods. I figure 2008 gave the fish a good break from fishing pressure, let them grow bigger, and let a lot of little ones get hatched out and survive - so I WAS really looking forward to Spring, 2009 there. Well, I still am. But dang it Bill - 534 people have read your report at this point, and you said there were 47 rigs parked at K Dock in January. I knew what was going on down there, from friends, before you posted it - but how many more people have those 534 told by now, and your post will stay up from now on and it'll be read for months to come. Maybe we oughta all chip in and rent a billboard on 65 in Branson with a big arrow pointing at K Dock and a full fishing report? Giant pictures of productive lures could be included, in case folks can't figure it out for themselves. I understand your point of view and I'm sorry we disagree on this - but I sure wish you hadn't done it. Folks like me have spent thousands of hours and a bunch of money getting to know that stretch of water, and now I just hope I can find a parking place and that there'll be some fish left for me to catch, too. Things like this make me think that, unlike the way I've done in the past - when I find some good fishing somewhere, I better keep real, real quiet about it or it'll get ruined.

Yep, I've still got the Tracker but I replaced the motor with a 4-stroke Suzuki 50 hp. I love that motor. I'm not much of a winter fisherman. I usually get in a bass trip or two in January around the dam area of Tablerock - big grubs on the bottom in 50 feet of water. Unless I get a nice day for a walleye trip on B.S. pretty quick now though, I'm pretty much done until March.

"When the water's in the 640's, my hands get a bit sweaty on the run between Kdock and Beaver Creek... there is alot of VERY interesting water to fish in that stretch though." ----------------------------- Boy, that's the truth. I've become a low-water artiste at coasting between the islands with the motor up to get in and out of Snapp Holler. Did you know about that one right in front of Beaver Creek? First time I encountered it I thought I was in 25-foot water and it was a bunch of shad working on the surface. Turns out it was just an inch deep there - 'way out in the middle of the lake, and I was lucky I didn't hit it. Another time I was running down the lake at full speed down by Yokum. I was out in the middle, so no worries about hitting bottom - but I passed a spot about 10 yards away where the water surface looked funny, kind of a smooth spot in the ripples. I was curious enough I circled around to look, and it was a big round bale of hay floating just under the surface. That would have been real exciting if I'd run over it. It's good to be careful on the water, especially on upper Bull Shoals.

"have eaten more lower units and props when the water is a little low" ------------------- Hey, I'm pretty good at not letting my prop hit anything - let alone tearing up lower units. Some real fun I've had down there, my partner and I were fishing one summer night in the flooded stick-ups on the deep outside bend just above Drury. The inside of that bend, you know, is a shallow mud flat. The water was low then, and that flat was about a foot deep way out from the bank - you needed to make a real wide swing around it. There was a bass tournament out of K Dock that night, and those guys obviously weren't local and didn't know the lake. They all thought they could run at night about 60 mph, and most of them thought they could cut that corner. He he. We were getting the Doppler effect. Here'd come a bass boat - WEEEEEEEE - OOOOOOMPH. Then there'd be a lot of cussin' and thumpin' for the next 15 minutes while they got what was left of their prop and lower end tilted up out of the mud and used a paddle to pole the boat into deep water. Then after a bit, here'd come another one and the same thing would happen. We got to where we'd see one coming and do a count-down - 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - WHOOOOMPH. We caught a bunch of bass that night, and had all that entertainment too. When we got back to the ramp some tournament guys were still there - looking at their props and griping about it. They all had patches on their shirts, so I guess they're real good fishermen. Sometimes I make my own fun. -------------------------- Crappiefisherman - if you see gar at that spot then it's too late in the summer for crappie to be there. Once the water gets too warm, you won't find them around that flat.

"Sam, aint that the spot the last poor fellows ...... " ----------------------- Naw, no tricks. Crappiefisherman, I figure YOU know that spot - I think your ball cap is hanging on a bush there. That's a spring and early summer crappie hole, obviously. The big shallow flat that starts just below there is a spawning flat, so that brushpile is a staging area before the spawn - then crappie stay there halfway through the summer. I ain't talking about 2008, when the thing was 40 feet under water.