rps

You did not mention whether you were headed up or down lake and that can make a difference. Whether we get a spring deluge to fill the lake or not also makes a difference. Hmmm. If I were going to fish without a guide, I guess I would aim at the first week of May, or maybe the second. You would be ahead of school out, you will hit either the early post spawn or the late spawn, the temperature will probably be nice and, hopefully, the wet weeks will fall , as usual, in April. Topwaters will have started to pay off as well. If I were planning to hire a guide, my answer changes. I would book the 3rd or 4th week of March and have the guide teach me jerk bait and other pre-spawn tactics. The hope/dream would be that I might tie into a lifetime fish. Do let us know what you decide and report the results. Hope you hammer them.

I grew up reading the articles in Field and Stream and Outdoor Life. I respect anyone who can remind me of those articles when they describe that which they have seen and experienced. Very well done. Thank you.

There is a launch there - in fact two. One for normal pool and one for low water like now. To reach the latter, you drive across the exposed river rock flat. From April on, there is a fee, but no one mans the booth this time of year.

Tom Mann labeled his sting ray grubs and I have always thought they produced better than curly tails. When I can't find them, I fish reapers.

So you say now, but you know sometime before the end of March you will say to yourself, "You know, I really wish I were closer to the upper end.

I went out today. Really loved being on the water in January. I saw three deer swim across the lake, but only after they were challenged by Canadian geese. I watched the largest beaver I've seen in a long time just above Beaver town. I watched three different bald eagles soar and one of them dived to fish. I clapped and cheered as fund raisers from Eureka Springs held their annual Polar Bear plunge off the point at Holiday Island. What I did not see was a fish in the boat. My plan was to find out if the walleye had moved upriver in prespawn mode. I learned either they had not or that I did not know how to fish for them. I tried jerk baits, very slow warts, small jigs with minnow plastics, and harness rigged plastic leeches. I loved being out, but I hope others had better luck.

Great story Leonard. I can't top it. I think my total sticks is somewhere around 6. I remember two flying lures, one of which was a 4/0 spinner bait hook. Two, no three, were flopping fish sticks. The most recent was a kick the rod handle while holding the lure. Forgive me, but I'll link to the recently published story. By the way, my story is the next one after one of Phil's articles. Page 10. http://waternwood.com/

Looks like much fun. I read that steelhead do not necessarily die after spawn and can go back to sea and return again. In places where you are allowed to fish them, do many anglers practice C & R?

Denny: Sadly, I have reported on this board, more than once, about hooking myself. I feel your pain. Techo: I feel yours as well. These reports make me hesitant to go out Saturday.

csfishinfool, I hope your plan comes together for you. For me, if I were ever to say that sort of thing out loud, I would have the kind of year where I would be lucky to avoid the hospital, much less the kind of year I would cash a check.

I have a Pentax Optio W series as well. I have only good things to say about it.

I am one of those who regularly fish for walleye, and most often I troll. I use 10/4 braid so bear that in mind for my answers. Down to 15 feet I use Berkley Flicker Shad, Bandit Flat Maxx, and Storm Deep Thin Fins. 15 to 25 feet, I use Storm Original Warts, Bomber Fat Free Shad, Cordell Wally Divers, and Storm Thunder Shad. I also use the Cabelas knock off of the Reef Runner. Below 25 feet I go to the Deep Walleye Bandit, the larger Cabelas Reef Runner knock off, the Storm Magwart, and the large Fat Free Shad. Many swear by the Rapalas: Shad Rap, DT series, and their Taildancers, but they are very expensive compared to the other baits I have listed. Good Luck.

Put in up here. Very few run past Shell Knob and the Kings. Even if they do, they arrive later and leave earlier.

As far as woods and flavors, be aware that nuts in their husks - hickory, pecan - are very effective sources of smoke. I use lump, natural charcoal and the nuts I pick up to produce smoke. Easier than soaking chips, etc. People with native pecans seem very willing to let you have all you want of the tree droppings. Just a thought.

If the good weather holds through Saturday, I will head above Beaver town and jerk bait for early walleye. When I do that the bonus is the occasional bass.

In the archives search: shucks darn golly. A later version is on my blog. The final version is at this link, if I can get it to work. http://issuu.com/billcromwell/docs/water_n_woods_january_2011_issuu

The January issue of Water'n Wood is out. I reworked the post on this forum I made a couple of years ago into a short story. The story is in the issue. I am pleased

Heavens it is nice to cause smiles like those. :-)

First, I am sure Bill and others will have better advice nearer your arrival date. Weather can make a huge difference early in the year. I would also ask around the marina. They won't tell you spots , but you maybe can learn depth and a pattern or two. I live way up lake, where it's nearly a river. What I fish would be like the bluff transitions back in Long Creek near Big Cedar. I just looked at the middle Long Creek map posted in the Table Rock forum. It is the one with Big Cedar. The second point on the left as you leave the cove for Devils Pool looks to be a bluff end transition. I would start there and then head across the lake to try those two bluff ends, especially the one near what looks to be Persimmon Creek. BTW, I forgot to mention a bait. If the weather has stayed cold, a jigging spoon would be a good tool to have.

I would/will fish jerk baits, slow rolled twin spins, jigs with trailers, and grubs. If we have several unseasonably warm days in a row, I add warts to the list. Bluff ends and transitions. For more detail, there are several excellent articles in the archives. Good luck.

Actually, not that difficult on the White below BS. I go to a slack water area with rocks in 3 to 4 feet of water. I bait a size 12 hook with a tiny bit of worm and drop it down in cracks between rocks. They will dart out and bite your bait.

the Xcaliber jerk and twitch baits are excellent

Many guides and fishermen I know and respect fish fluorocarbon. They believe the extra clarity of the line is worth the extra cost and the poor knot strength. I respectfully disagree. I have used YoZuri Hybrid (not the newer softer H2O formula) for five or six years. The fluoro exterior and the copolymer interior means it does not sun age like mono, it ties like mono, it stretches only a little,and neither sinks nor floats. On top of all these qualities, it is cheap! BTW, last year I tried a spool of Sunline's Super Natural mono. It was good stuff, but like a lot of Japanese lines, the break point is actually near the advertised strength. That explains why their 10# is only .10 inch diameter. I generally wart and topwater with 10#. I jerk bait with 8#. I have referred to the Tackle Tour tests on fluorocarbon before. Google it and read. Makes you quite a bit less sure about spending so much for fluorocarbon. Just my opinion, and remember I did point out people I respect disagree with me.

Suspending jerk baits. Wall eye and big browns love them.

I hope your CEO remembers when the who gets to take their vacation when argument starts.