Fish Hound

Thanks Dan, that gets me excited to get the little runabout launched this weekend. Has the lake started turning over yet that you could tell?

Great discussion and thoughts. I 100% agree as well with Wrench and snagged that color, especially for crappie, can and does make a difference. I've seen it many times with multiple people in a boat where one color out fishes all the rest and when the other people in the boat switch to that color their catch rate goes up so that takes out the technique, line size, etc. variables. Another question is do fish see color they same way we see color?

I bought my grandson a Zebco 33 outfit and it came pre spooled with Cajun red mono line on it. I have bought plenty of lures over the years that had a red eye, red gill plate, or other red paint schemes that was supposed to look like a bleeding shiner that the manufacturer claimed would attract fish. If red on a lure attracts fish won't they see red mono line? Should I pull this off and re-spool with some clear mono or floro? Thanks

Wanted to get the boat out Saturday before the front but had some work to do on the house. I know, I need to get my priorities straight. About 5:00 decided to run up the Sidewalk hole and throw some lures from bank. The 10" white bass were hungry. Tossing a small chrome rattle trap they must have been hitting it at full speed. I thought they were going to be much bigger when they hit. A lot of fun on the light spinning outfit I was using. Did catch on 15" largemouth. Not much of a report but maybe the fish are starting to move into the coves after the shad.

Thanks for feedback Wrench. Will check these out and see if I can get it smoothed out. Would trolling for long period of time cause the oily issue? My 82 year old dad rode his bike down here to Springdale for BB&BBQ and wanted to go fishing. He likes to troll so we put in at Blue Springs on Beaver went up to War Eagle Marina and back so a long period. I did run it on plane at the very end but that was only for 4-5 minutes. Thanks

I have a small boat I bought from my father in laws estate and has a 1997 25 hp mercury on it. It is idling a little rough and did not know when last time plugs were changed. When I got them out they were fairly oily, not dripping but wet. I know the fuel mix is right so if these are oily is that a sign of bad rings or something else? Should I go with a hotter plug? Spec sheet says NGK BPZ8H-N-10 and that was what was in it. Other than the oil they "looked" good and gap was correct at .040. If plugs are not the issue then maybe just needs idle adjustment? Thanks

Dad came down for BB&B (rode his cycle) and wanted to fish. At 82 I sure was going to take him. He only wants to troll so we put in at Blue Springs and went north all the way to War Eagle marina and back. Trolled flats, edges, points, and channels with everything I had. Bandits, Shad Raps, Hot N Tot, etc. in every color of the rainbow. Changed speeds. Only thing we caught were a few little largemouth. There was a lot of shad around. Looked like threadfin in the 1 1/2" size. Thought about throwing the cast net and drifting with them but didn't. One small cove we saw it come alive with shad being chased by something but I had just got hung up one something and by the time got it off and over their with some casting gear they were gone On the plus side got to spend another fishing day with him and it was nice just being able to be outside and talk.

Wrench, what would be your outboard choice for personal use? Thanks

looks like that's what they were according to the picture. Will the gizzard be further down the lake?

Due to a lot of factors I never really got a chance to use the cast net on beaver but did this past weekend. Was trolling flats and channel edges north of 412 bridge and would see some shad flicking on the surface as well as seeing some good size shad balls on the locator. Wind was nil and had an area where the water was slick and I could see some and made a decent throw and got probably 40-50. Next purchase or build will have to be a bait tank. They don't live long in one of those yellow/white bait buckets. Boat is small so bait tank will have to be as well. Maybe a converted 5 gallon bucket with an aerator. Probably won't be able to put very many in it. I'll look for plans online. Did not catch anything on the shad but pulled in a few white bass trolling. Used a fire tiger hot n tot and a shad colored Storm Arashi crank. 15-20 fow

Lance, looks like you guys had a great time

Lance, I haven't been out since the high water came in. What color was it? Thanks

Lance, you are the crappie whisperer. Not asking for exact spot but can you share if north or south of 412 bridge? Was not able to fish yesterday but did go over the 412 bridge on the way to Hindsville and it looked like it was still fairly muddy there. Thanks

All those fish look like they have been eating well especially the hybrid. It's belly is starting to look like mine.

I thought with some inflow the whites would be moving up in the rivers so I put the boat in and tried the War Eagle arm. That was like fishing in chocolate milk. I don't think the stripers would like that dirty water and if the whites were in there I didn't find them.

What is the verdict on the H20 Express mono line that Academy sells? Any good or should I quit being a tightwad and realize the line is probably the cheapest part cost wise of fishing and go ahead and get a "name" brand? For about the same price of a 250 yard "name" brand spool I can get a bulk spool of the H20 and fill up a bunch of reels.

Lance, finally did some catch and release. Caught in Beaver lake and released into Lake Crisco. Before and after pics below. Thanks for intel and updates. I posted the catch in another thread and was in War Eagle arm. I'm not set up for spider rigging so these were single jig swam over brush or under a slip cork.

For numbers it sounds like spider rigging is the way to go. I did Ok Saturday in War Eagle arm fishing 10-14 fow over brush that was 5-7 ft down. Single jig only though either swimming over the brush or under a slip cork. Black and chartreuse or Blue and white. One fish decided to flop right as I snapped the picture so blurred it up a liitle

Nice fish Lance. I need to get something to release into lake Crisco. I haven't put anything in it in awhile. Do you think this cold front will push them out a little deeper for awhile?

Thanks guys for all the input, going to try it this weekend. I'll second Stumps assertion that there are some masters on here. Dan with shad and stripers, and LM too. There is Lance with the crappie and all the other guys with different species, techniques, lures. etc. I have learned a lot about this lake since finding this board Dan I'm like you I like catching the bait as well. I remember growing up as a kid we would go seine ponds, creeks, sloughs, for bait and it was always the anticipation of seeing what you got in it when it was pulled up. That and checking a trot line also back in the day. Grabbing the main line and feeling something on there always got the excitement level up.

I finally purchased a cast net to get some shad and then try to hook up with a striper. I thought I picked up a 6 footer but when I got home the plastic case had 5 foot on it but I went ahead and kept it. It is a Betts Old Salt so hopefully a decent one and the 5 foot size doesn't end up being too small. After you tubing a bunch of ways of how to throw it (several with bikini clad gals) I can get a pretty decent spread in the back yard. The big question is where did the shad go? This past fall up in the river arms I was seeing thousands right at the surface but when I got out this past weekend I saw none visually. Do they have seasonal patterns on where they go? This time of year do you find them on your graph and then toss the net in hopes of getting some? Any help or insight would be appreciated. Thanks

Lance, I think I saw you. I was standing on the stump by the boat ramp trying to get the less intelligent ones to bite. I did not have much luck. Went across 412 to granny hollow and that cove is almost dried up.

Oneshot, supposedly this will work. I have not tried it myself. Attwood epoxy.docx

I did get out and tried it from the bank in the Blue Springs area. A south facing bank and a mostly westerly breeze blowing into the cove I thought it would be a perfect set up. A couple of shorts was all. A very light bite, the ones I got the bobber didn't really go down. It actually just moved up and tilted over. I thought I set it too deep and was on the bottom so reeled in and when the line tightened there was a dink on it. A spider rigger was loading around 4:00 they said a lot of shorts. It was a beautiful day though. I need to change the oil in my lower unit and get the boat out next time.

I think I'll try the slip bobber minnow/jig tomorrow from the bank. Supposed to be a little warmer and sunnier.. I know a south facing bank that held crappie last spring so will see what happens. I'll post results good or bad.