rps

We must ask ourselves, "How does it get better than this?"

thank you. I will try that pattern next week

Much of what I prepare is based on cuisine from that area. Many of the blog entries show this.

Not your first rodeo, right? I found that structure but not those fish lines.

I went out from Crosstimbers Marina at 6:15 this morning. Considering that the drive from my place to the boat is about 45 minutes, that wasn't bad. I can learn how to adjust the alarm. The picture was taken just outside the marina buoys. It illustrates several things. First, you will notice that people are building very nice places with views of the lake. Next notice the dead trees in the water. The lake has been very high for long enough to kill some species. Last, please note the steep rock banks. This lake was built at the confluence of several creeks upstream from the Arkansas and Verdigris Rivers. Its primary purpose is flood control to protect parts of Tulsa uncontrolled by Keystone dam and to protect the upper end of the Kerr-McClellan waterway that runs from the Mississippi River to the Verdigris River. Because of the location of the dam, there are few areas where the lake inundated flood plain. The land flooded sits in the Osage reservation North and EAST of Tulsa. in the midst of a plateau crisscrossed with small creeks and land so rough there was very little farming. Historically the land was tall grass prairie and then later cattle land. So what does that mean? I found no long sand and gravel flats. Wherever I fished a bottom bait, I felt rock. The channels, typically, are the bottom of V shapes. I did find several underwater humps and ridges. I found large areas of flooded brush and timber not visible from the surface. I also discovered that the lake has zero private docks. There are only two marinas, both huge and primarily full of pleasure craft. Large pleasure craft. Large, expensive pleasure craft. The water surface temps were 84 -85 degrees. The visibility was about six feet away from the banks. The wind was blowing around 20 miles per hour and funneling down the coves and fingers in random directions. I had one small fish swat at a redfin early, and one semi bite on a jig and craw. That was it. Obviously I need to learn this lake, but several things cause me to be optimistic. Until 10:00 AM, I saw only two boats and the underwater terrain tells me that when I find fish other than Spring spinner bait fishing in the timber, they will be clumped up together.

Another day, another post from the blog. This one is easier than the last one. https://www.ozarkrevenge.com/2019/07/mediterranean-chicken-and-potato-stew.html

For chicken or beef, add a bit of chicken broth or beef broth. For sausage or bacon gravy, a bit of water serves the same purpose. BTW, Kitchen Bouquet and Worcestershire sauce and beef base will darken your beef gravy. If using chicken or beef base, do not salt until after the gravy is done. Test first then add if needed.

This one takes some time, but you will find it worth it. http://www.ozarkrevenge.com/2019/07/cherokee-purple-tomato-with-pesto.html

He has a point. You can tell what is a keeper or not almost immediately for most fish. If you can't be sure, then decide immediately to not keep. Release them as quick as you can at the water line. If you insist on measuring, and they do not, learn how to fizz them. The inflated bladder problems are a factor of depth and time at shallow depths. BTW, my personal cutoff foe those "rules" is more than 35 feet.

There are a few, natives. The creeks that make the lake are Arkansas River tributaries, and the Arkansas has always had a small population. I am willing to bet there are more sauger than walleye. I intend to investigate, but do not really expect a strong fishery. The main meat fish on this lake is hybrid striped bass/ white bass crosses. These will satisfy my itch to fish after the top water bite dies down.

Never have fished Stockton, but when the water comes way up and stays up, and doesn't really clear quickly, I found a pattern on Tablerock that tested out over three such events. Fish shallower than you think you should, even in the heat. I would Lindy rig a nightcrawler and move the boat with the trolling motor at .5 mph along the edge of the flooded brush. I concentrated on points, humps and other bottom changes. I fished from dawn to about 9:30 AM. I caught fish in 8 to 15 feet of water even in July. BTW expect drum, catfish, and bass as well as bluegill. Bring lots of crawlers.

The lake is still up, although not as high as it was. The wateer is nearly as clear as Table Rock. Looks similar to Tenkiller, which is about the same size.

First exploration of the lake today. The boat is in it's new slip. The first picture is of the huge marina. The second is looking West, upstream from the dam. I am not accustomd to being at the dam end. I will need to adat.

Phil, I do not know how to pin the above lake level post. Can you do that?

http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/SKIA.lakepage.html

The wife's birthday today. I have lobster in the sous vide with butter and parsley in the bag. I blanched and chilled asparagus for the salad with a cold tomato/radish coulis served on a saffron aioli sauce. We have local peaches and cream for dessert. Life is good, even if we moved out of the Ozarks.

Well done!

I neglected to post this the other day when I smoked it. I know this bunch will appreciate it.

I could not find any price information about the Lowrance, but the Garmin will have a suggested retail of around $3000. The actual sale price will probably be below that number. That puts it within pennies of the current price for an Ultrex with the mega down image built in transducer and Ipilot link. That would be the apples to apples comparison. As to what price anyone would consider that they could afford, I cannot speak. However, normal everyday people spend $50,000 to $75,000 for their boat so I don't think the market will only be 100K sponsered bass boat guys. Of course, I could be wrong.

Address? PM

Last night we enjoyed the fruit of my activities yesterday.

Go get them!

Inside the hickory smoke, I have half of the small end of a brisket - about four pounds. The sauce is slowly cooking as I type. In a bit, after I finish the beer left over after I mixed the sauce, I will start on the grilled ratatouille.