rps

Up at this end, the slime extends out to 6 - 8 feet. Less if there is current. Cause? I suspect six thousand drowned septic tanks from last Spring plus the usual towns/cities/additions that flow into TR.

This morning I was slated to supervise Saturday school. When I arrived a parent plus wayward child were waiting. The parent was not happy at getting up to bring said child to Saturday school, and everything I said was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Great start to a day. Went home at noon and decided to relax with a little Spring bass fishing. Almost as soon as I put the boat on plane, I caught a piece of high water debris and broke the transom transducer clean off. I had to stop and secure the wildly dancing broken end. Since I was planning on fishing areas I know for bass, I did not quit and go back. I should have. Caught ten, only two keepers, on shaky head and blade. Other posts describe the patterns. At 4:15 I headed back. The new trolling motor decided to come unbolted from the bow as I skipped over waves and wake. Barely got the big motor shut down before I destroyed the hull. Barely grabbed the cord before the new digital 24 volt Minn Kota went to the bottom of the lake. Now I have a bow that looks like Swiss cheese, a trolling motor that needs installation (this time soundly), two broken transducers, (yes, the front transducer bought it in the mess) and it is just the right time of year to go fishing, not boat fixing. Strong language seems to be indicated at this point.

Seeing this list almost intimidates me from listing my own. But then I remind myself how little I paid and feel much better. Hardly any of you come this far up lake, but, if you do, look for the tan center console 18' Xpress with a Yamaha 90 and a short, grizzled, stoutly built driver.

On Sunday there were numerous logs, limbs, and boards from Holiday Island to Eagle Rock. Unless the wind stops them, some will make it to Shell Knob on river current by Wednesday or Thursday. Do be careful.

techo: yesterday you had a day I envied. sorry it didn't repeat today. who won with what? rps

Fished from 8:00 to 12:30 today in Haddock, Cedar, and Leatherwood Creeks plus some main lake points. The back half of Haddock and all of Cedar Creek are the color of creamed coffee today. Leatherwood was merely dingy. The main lake is 50 degrees because of Beaver releases and is covered with leaves, limbs, and other wood debris. BE VERY CAREFUL! The temp in the coves ranged from 54 to 57 degrees. Caught six jig LM, four were 1.5 to 2.5 pound keepers. Missed maybe four more bites. Most of the bites came during a no movement pause. All were on 8 to 10 foot shelves.

For the first time in two weeks I was out Friday evening. Fished two hours and caught two. One was a very full of eggs keeper spot. The other was considerably smaller. Up here the water temp ranged from 53 to 57. The bad news: saw the first snake and the first skidoo of the season. I honestly don't know which I hate more. The guy on the skidoo was not in a wet suit. I was hoping he would fall off until I realized that would create a moral dilemma for me. Would the world be better off if I saved him from hypothermia? This morning, Saturday, I went out with the intention of fishing Eagle Rock to Rock Creek. I ran up and turned into Roaring River mouth. There were 15 boats in the first half mile with at least one on every normal Spring spot. Owl Creek was nearly as full. I know there are several events down lake, but I wasn't expecting that kind of traffic up here. I only fished a couple hours, barely avoided a skunk, and came home. So far this has been a disappointing weekend on many levels.

only thing showing for me is percipitation

Replacing guides is not difficult. google mudhole rod building and go to their site. They have videos that show how to do what you need to do. Their service is excellent and their prices competitive. BTW, I have used the Recoil titanium guides on the last couple of rods. Though expensive per guide they are very light and very strong.

There is a campground with RV facilities and a few cabins at the Cotter bridge. I think it was called the White River Campground. Last time I stayed there (10 years ago?) the owner was very nice.

Bill exaggerates. Everyone knows you can't hear the banjo music until you are above the 62 bridge.

47 years ago on the Lake of the Woods, my father and I fished a submerged island that was shallow enough to have weeds on the top. I was using a daredevle spoon (red and white, of course) and was fishing with my Father's new Browning Silaflex spinning rod and a Mitchell reel. A muskie grabbed the bait, ran under the boat, jumped on the far side of the boat and threw the lure back over my head. It was probably somewhere between 75 and 100 pounds. I miss fishing with him.

Bill, my memory agrees with yours as far as the date. You tend to watch the thermocline for drop shot reasons. I watch it for walleye trolling reasons. First to second week of June is when the pattern I look for seems to begin.

binman: I was pulling your leg. The list of bad things about the day was amazing. Only a tornado would have made it worse. I am glad you got home safe. rps

So, you were lucky and left the lake before the tornado hit?

Carl Jones as in JMC Guide Service? If so, I am not surprised he won. He owns or used to own several line class records on the river.

Shell Knob is a run from here at the upper end. In my 90 hp I am 40 minutes away. Way too much good water to make the run worth it very often. On the other hand, slips up here are comparatively cheap and safe. Every part of the lake has advantages and speed bumps. Just be sure you keep fishing! rps

I know I stink at stick bait fishing. You know how they video tape you when you are learning to swing a golf club or ball bat? If someone were to video tape me stick bait fishing, I am sure it would fit well on one of Bill Dance's blooper videos. I almost always fish alone in my aluminium boat that wants to pretend it is a sailboat. So there I am, throwing a dinky little bait on light line, trying to simultaneously control the line, the boat , my balance, the troll motor, and count: one mississippi, two mississippi.... I don't even like Mississippi. Even more irritating is the fact that the big fish of the Spring are almost always caught by someone other than me on a stick bait. Arrrggh.

First boat, river and lake fishing? Consider a tiller steer aluminium by Xpress or G3. 17 or 18 feet with a 50 or 60hp will be rough water worthy for lakes, fairly shallow running for rivers, stable to stand in, and not expensive when compared to regular bass boats. More river friendly would be a Supreme with a 15hp or a Carolina Skiff. However, both of those have limitations for lake fishing.

I do not KNOW, but my assumption is that this is an attempt to win a different fight now going on here. Fish and Game recently recieved 29 million from a gas lease of Fish and Game land. Attorney General's opinion says it stays with Fish and Game. The Ledge wants it for the general revenue fund, especially if the lease has a strike and starts to pay 20% royalties. A law suit is pending, and this may be a not so subtle reminder by the Ledge that if Fish and Game doesn't share, their other sources of income may dry up. Evidently our Ledge didn't get Phil's message about no politics.

I never played basketball. I enjoy watching. I did look at the brackets and I see six Big 12 teams advanced to the final 32. I'm not sure who all is in the SEC. How many advanced to the round of 32? How many from what conferences?

Open to the public - the dam, Parker, Bertrand and Houseman then Beaver. Open with permission - Spider Creek. Bertrand is just above where Spider Creek comes in. Other access points require private permission. Where you put in depends on intent and vehicle. For example, with a Supreme 20' river boat and a mixed trout and walleye intent, I would put in at Bertrand or Houseman this week. Walleyes and whites with a semi vee boat, I would use Houseman. Clear as mud, right? PM me if you want more detail. Good luck. rps

I live at the extreme other end of the lake in Holiday Island, just outside Eureka Springs. Can't help you on the boat question. I have caught a couple walleyes in the last week dragging a Berkley power crawler on an 1/8 ounce jig head in rocky shoals (5 to 10 feet of water) in the upper White River arm. I would imagine the same trick will work in the Kings River arm. Locals also use roadrunners and plastic swimming minnows in the same size. Crankbait trollling works better later in the year here, but if you try that I suggest a number 5 shad rap. Good luck.

Lilley: I thought politics was off limits? rps

That low water dam was built while James Inhofe was mayor of Tulsa. Oddly it was completed just a year or two after the low water dam upstream at Sand Springs was demolished because of the number of drownings at the site. Something about those kinds of dams attracts people with decision making difficulties. I always have thought Tulsa should build the Inhofe Memorial Cemetery at the dam location. No one would have to take the victims very far. My relatives who still live in Tulsa tell me the Riverparks system is getting a complete rework in hopes of duplicating the success Jenks has had with its Riverwalk complex. When I was a boy, the river stank from the refineries on the west side and the beast was out of its banks nearly every year. My how time changes things.