rps

I do not know about the wax, but Daddy taught me to use the skin oil from beside your nose to lube the male ends before you assemble the rod. Very hillbilly, but it always has worked for me.

Bacon, butter, cheese, morels all in one dish. Makes your mouth water, doesn't it?

Poach them gently in chicken stock. Do not over cook! Save the stock to make the cheese sauce below. Use a pastry bag to fill them with a thick bacon, green onion tops, and cheese sauce. (I prefer Gruyere or Parmesan) Chill them overnight to firm up the stuffing then saute them in butter.

This afternoon as I drove North on 23 out of Arkansas into Missouri, I saw a sad sight. From a distance it looked like some sort of car wreck that involved a boat on a trailer. When I pulled even I saw no car or truck, only the back half of a boat trailer, in the ditch empty, and about 20 feet further on a ProSport boat with a Mercury sitting on the far side of the ditch up against the fence line. I concluded the trailer somehow broke and the back half with wheels took the boat with it as it headed to the ditch. When the wheels hit the ditch, the trailer stopped but the boat skidded on forward and into the fence. I hope no one was hurt and I hope the owner had coverage.

+1

If you shop wisely, you can buy very high quality blanks on sale and add the reel seat/handle you prefer with Pac Bay Minima 3 guides. Thread and epoxy. The end product will be under $100 if you are careful, but will fish like it cost you 300 or 500. If you break it you scavenge the guides and have the fun of making a new perfect rod.

When I lived in London, the markets there often had them for 26 pounds per pound. In todays money that is more than $52 per pound.

Word!

If you look at the Great Lakes trolling rigs, you will see many different configurations for salmon and walleye trolling. An A-rig is merely an application of those techniques to cast and wind. Willow is less resistance than other blades - stick with that. White, silver, copper, and gold are all good - choose for them as you would for a spinner bait. Tight lines.

BTW, I forgot to say thank you. One of the good things about this forum is the number of people willing to share what they have learned or know.

I had no idea Academy carried props. Other stuff yes, but not hardware for boats. I may well call or drive down tomorrow. Is Wolf a decent maintenance stop? I had need earlier this year for an Evinrude 100 hour. I posted a question about authorized dealers but did not recieve much feedback. Wolf would be closer than where I went in Kimberling City.

Although I often feel "picked on," I know I am not alone. Today, on a Friday, after a week of less than wonderful fishing conditions for my Spring break, I arranged for Allan to meet me at the marina to gas my rig. He had to adjust his dock lines anyway and happily agreed. I took the boat off the lift and cruised over. I managed to hit the marina dock at just the right angle and speed to break the trolling motor prop. (Insert your preferred comment here.) I put the boat, now fully fueled, back on its lift. I made a call to BP in Springfield and Branson. Both can ship one but do not have one in stock. The whole world can send me one by overnight for about the cost of the gas to go to Springfield, however ... overnight does not deliver on Saturday. In other words, Saturday and Sunday are no go days. For my entire Spring break I have put one keeper black and one keeper white in the boat. I have caught a grand total of 5 fish from one of the world's great fisheries. Shucky Darn! Do I feel accomplished or what?

Alex - I add my vote to F and F's. CPR immediately or ice it immediately My live well is where I store things like ice bags, empty soda cans, and the cut up clorox bottle I use as a urinal. If you are a tournament contestant, try the thorough wash down.

Well done!

Probably real accurate based on what has fallen so far. However, Weather Channel says it will rain tomorrow and Friday as well.

Wayne - yes, you are right the lakes are under Congressional plan. The authorization legislation by Congress did not include recreation as a factor for any of the White River system lakes. That legislation has never been amended - one of the reasons minimum flow issues have been such a bear to resolve. The part of my post that refers to the electricity buyers comes from discussion with staff at the SW Power offices. I used to office and practice law in the same building in Tulsa.

With the front beginning counterclockwise revolution, it appears what passed by is coming back at us. Oddly, the least hard hit might be Beaver. In case you wonder why no water was released in anticipation, remember that the electricity buyers control the lake levels except and until flood control is required. That is why all four lakes on the White were at top of power pool. The water represented future revenues and saving it for summer when the electricity sales price is higher made financial sense. Also remember that recreation is not even on the priority list for the lake management. That means not one thought in the management plan was given to those who must adjust docks; those who rent slips, boats; those who sell gas and other goods; or those who fish the lake. Also bear in mind the powerful lobby of the downstream farmers. They still need to plant. Based on the above I say Bull Shoals will hit 690. I don't think Table Rock will hit 930, but I won't be surprised at 925. What are your thoughts?

I fished a bit again today before the faux front came through. I cught another wart keeper and two dinks. I doubt I will ever want an A rig rod, but, then. I wiil never be in Buster's shoes.

Over the winter, while I was banged up, Hoglaw (Kyle) wrapped two rods for which I had bought parts but could not finish. One was a 7' crankbait rod on a St. Crois blank. The other was a 7'2" jig rod on a Lamiglass Excel blank. He spiral wrapped both using the micro guides I had ordered. I fished with both today and managed to catch the first fish on each. The crankbait fish was a solid keeper on a wart. The jig fish was an almost keeper. Both rods cast much farther than you would expect - I was on the bank more than once - and both performed well with fish on. Thanks again Kyle. I am sure I would have caught more if I had been able to fish more efficiently. Unfortunately the wind was to the point I needed a guide to drive the troll motor full time while I fished. Trying to do both was a challenge. On a side note, I spent the first three hours above Beaver fishing a Lindy rig for walleye. I caught several bluegill, but the only walleye I brought in was the size of a large cigar.

Year in, year out, soft plastics on this lake should include smoke, water melon seed, junebug, and pbj. Now many will claim water melon candy or water melon red are better than watermelon seed. Others will say green pumpkin over pbj. So I guess I should say smoke, greenish, blueish, and brownish. A good fifth choice for muddy water and sight circumstances would be pearl (or blue pearl or lemon pearl)

So here is how it works. Invite me. Teach me the kinds of areas, the trends, the look fors. I fix you and yours the ones you collect while I am with you. I learn and hunt on my own next year.

PD, you are such a bad boy. trytofish is new to the board and you need to cut him some slack. trytofish, PD is a good guy, but he loves to stir things up.

I had a magic July last year. One at 10+ on a trolled crankbait and one almost 14 on a crawler harness. Of course, I paid for my sins with shoulder surgery in October. I am finally able to reach over my head again, but the rebuilt shoulder is very weak. I am planning to open my 2012 campaign in a few days during Spring break. I know better than to expect a repeat of last year, but I am optimistic.

I did a post last year in June with pictures. Lindy rigging is a form of Carolina rig fishing but you use a small float/attractor in frnt of the hook you use to nose hook a live crawler. I have found it very effective when the walleye are less than 25 feet deep anf holding in areas like the downstream side of inside bend points. I fish them by using my troll motor to move the drag weight over the bottom at .3/.4 mph.

Apples, oranges, bananas? Crank a wart and enjoy yourself.