rps

Cotter campground by the bridge used to rent boats. Sportsmans used to rent boats, but that may have been to guests only.When Millers first opened it was a good place to rent boats but the first time it changed hands, (ten years ago?) it went downhill. Don't know who owns it now. good luck

Yes I noticed the dead white bass. There were 10 or 12 floating near the flat under the highlines just downstream from Fletchers. Don't know what is targeting them. As for the bass, I was fishing very familiar areas and made myself not fish topwater. The last two weeks have not been good for topwater for me and as much as I like to fish topwater, I finally have given up on them until it cools a bit. In answer to your question about walleye, I am not sophisticated enough to use planer boards. I just hold a rod and long line troll using the trollers bible to know bait depth. I use 10 pound Power Pro and can reach 32 feet easily with wallmart available baits like the Norman D22. My go to lures are the Cabelas knockoffs of the reef runners, wiggle warts, and hotntots. Near noon Sunday I watched an acquaitance of mine fish the timbered flat above Holiday Island with a worm harness rig. How Chuck can do that in trees escapes me. While I was watching he caught 4 walleye, but only one was a keeper. He was still fishing when I went in and he may have had a great day. His fish were in 25 to 27 feet of water. The one I jigged up was at the same depth. Hope that helps.

My father was a Bull Shoals fan. He loved the Lead Hill area and was one of the lucky ones that went with Forrest Woods as his trout guide below the dam. He took me to BS several times. Later, when I had my first boat, I took him to TR. The Ozarks do invade the blood. Now my wife and I live here. Keep working until you can not, then come on down here permanently like we did. Until then, welcome to the forum and good luck. rps

This morning I was on the water when the sky began to lighten. Those first thirty minutes I had two respectable keepers and an almost in the boat without turning on the big motor. All were largemouths and came out of 10 to 20 feet of water. As it became more light, the strikes became pecks or barely there. I caught two more shorts and missed several others by 8:30. I was trying something new to me. I used a football head jig made from a Do It mold that had one of those spring plastic holders. Right now Cabelas is selling the jig heads already made. I added a Yamamoto hula grub in smoke/rootbeer/green/copper. The hook went thru the grub body right at the twin tail and worked well Texposed. While I was jig fishing, and several times later, I noticed momentary schooling evidence. It never lasted long enough for me to get the boat started and did not seem to repeat in the same places. At 8:30 I switched to walleye hunting. Caught two spotted bass and a 16 inch walleye while trolling, but the good news was the spoon. Based on something Don House wrote I recently ordered some white jigging spoons. I didn't buy the brand he uses because I can't find them, even on the internet. I bought the free style spoons from BPS. I jigged several of the break on a break spots which have produced walleye when I troll. I caught one small white bass and a 25.25 inch walleye on the spoon. What a hoot! By 1:00 my forehead was hot enough to fry eggs and I called it quits.

If they are no longer generating 24/7 to get the water level down by then, I might suggest cutting somewhere and spending three days on the White below Bull Shoals and the lower Norfolk. I don't know which of the other stops you would shorten, but I do know no finer fishery exists than those sections. You could realistically do the Norfolk in a day and divide the White into two days. Day one from the dam to Sportsmans? Day two Sportsmans to Ranchette?

Great pictures! Reminds you why you work so hard just to have some time to get away from everyone and fish.

Step 1: The evening before you intend to start smoking, mix salt (I use pickling salt) in enough water to cover the two shoulders. The end result should taste like the ocean. Then add enough sorghum molasses to the water to turn it light tea color. Put the shoulders in the water and weigh them down. I use an ice chest for this process and use unopened sacks of ice to keep the meat down and cold. (Note: If you buy Wally World meat, it probably was injected with brine or broth as they processed the meat. Look on the wrapper. If they added broth or brine they must say so on the label. If the meat has been brothed or brined, skip this step and next time look for meat you can brine yourself.) Step 2: Early the morning you will begin, remove the meat and dry it. Then rub it with a dry rub. I make my own rub in one of those coffee grinders with a whirling blade. I put a table spoon of brown sugar, a tablespoon of paprika, a tablespoon of cumin seed, a half teaspoon of celery seed, a teaspoon of coriander seed, a half teaspoon of mustard seed, two teaspoons of chili powder, a teaspoon of oregano, a teaspoon of mixed peppercorns, and a trace or twelve of cayenne pepper. The amounts are approximate because I don't actually measure, and I never really do it the same twice. I grind everything to a powder and rub the meat. I prepare the fire while the rub cakes on. Step 3: Make sure your fire never raises the temp in the cook pit above 225 and try to stay between 180 and 200. Yes, it will take forever to cook that way, but, trust me, low and slow is the only way to go. I cook the shoulders fat side up so that the melting fat bastes the meat without washing off the rub. I don't have a two chamber unit. I use a big kettle and use hickory nuts wrapped in a foil pouch in which I poke a few holes. The pouch goes on the lump charcoal (small amounts) and helps make the heat more indirect. The shoulder stays as far away from the heat as I can mange in the kettle. I typically will smoke my shoulders through four doses of charcoal and nuts on the first day. The second day I will give it a couple more doses. By then the crust is black/brown. I then finish the shoulder in the oven at 190 degrees. That way I can have a total cook time of 15 -18 hours without staying up all night. Wrap the shoulders in foil, then in brown paper sacks. Let them sit on the counter for one or two hours before you pull the meat. Somewhere on this forum, I posted my recipe for North Carolina yellow BBQ sauce. Try it. My preferred service method is to put the pork on the bun, soak it in the sauce then layer a big spoon of horseradish cole slaw on top of that. That is my advice, but I am sure many others have their own ways. The Ozarks are full of experts on "Q."

The stripers in TR are there because they came through the dam or over the spillway from Beaver. Jeff Fletcher holds the Arkansas state record (60+ pounds) for striper for a fish he caught near Spider Creek which is at the upper end for boats in TR. The stripers love the stocker rainbow up there. BTW, do not assume stockers are the only trout up there. There are relatively large rainbows of 3 or 4 pounds and some Browns in the 6-10 range. Arkansas Fish and Game does not stock stripers in TR and neither does MDC. In 6 years here I haven't caught one or seen one. I have vertically fished spoons for white bass in Oklahoma lakes, but since moving here I haven't. I am sure it would work if you got on a school. I have read reports of vertical spoon fishing walleye on both Bull Shoals and TR. I haven't done it, but I will begin to try as soon as the free style spoons I ordered from BPS arrive. Don House recently posted an answer with information about vertical spoon jigging. That's what got me thinking about spoons and led to my order. If it works, I will post.

We will look forward to the pictures. And welcome.

Welcome to the board. Van Buren is a charming town. My aunt and uncle lived there for a number of years - they remodeled one of the old stores downtown into a office store front with living quarters behind. I always enjoyed visiting there.

These reports are older than normal for me. We've had carpet men installing and that nixed both our main machine and my laptop wireless for two days. I've been suffering major withdrawal symptoms for both days. Fished mid day July 30. Only took my troll rod out with me. I concentrated on the areas above Eagle Rock bridge. Net result for 3 hours were three small spotted bass and two walleyes - one a 22" keeper. Yesterday, I was on the water before I could see. In the dark I jig fished near HI marina. Caught one solid largemouth of 18" and one munchkin. When it began to lighten I couldn't resist throwing a small spook. Caught another dink and then got hammered by a white bass. That's the first white bass I remember on my topwater this year, which is more proof this year has been very different for me. While I was unhooking the fish, she demonstrated the impale past the barb and yank out immediately method on my thumb. I think the people in the houses up on the bluff must have heard me - lights came on and everything. By the time I got the bleeding stopped, there was blood all over my clothes and the floor of the boat. I'm thankful I wasn't fishing a full size spook. Are those kevlar gloves they use at canneries any good for puncture protection? Most of the top water activity that were clearly not gar or carp jumps were out in the lake over or near the channel. Large schools of shad have formed up here and are spending their time between 10 and 20 feet on the channel edges. I kept waiting for schooling activity, but none happened in my sight. I suspect someone who knows how to drop shot could take advantage of the channel edge/shad school pattern forming up here. When the sun hit the water, I fished a jig and dragged a lizard from tree line down to 25 feet. I guess I should have stayed with the jig during the low light time. When I got bored I started trolling for walleye. Got one 24". It plus the Wednesday fish fed guests last night. The walleye struck bone and firetiger baits running at 23 feet in 30+ feet of water. One was tree top fish from the flat with timber above HI. The other came from a point edge near the channel just barely in Mo. Both fish either were suspended or came up. I have not marked a fish and then caught it this year. Nor have I caught a second fish in the same location on the same day. Other oddities that show how things are different. I guess I should make a list of "differences." Hope the information helps those of planning to fish this weekend. Fair warning: The last weekends before school starts are traditionally chock full of tube dragging and skidoos. I suggest you get out early and nap during mid day.

The water temp guage showed 90 today. Not when I started at 5:45, but when I came off the lake at 4:45. Just in case you assume I fished that entire time - no, I did not. I was off the lake at 8:30. I caught one - one - almost keeper on a Chompers jig. Nothing on topwater. Then I went in to deal with chores and such. I went back out around 12:30. Trolled the 21 to 26 foot range and had one hit. The fish was connected for maybe two seconds and gone. I did a little spoon jigging around the trees where I had some luck in the last two weeks, but no joy. What a hot and sucky day. Let's look on the bright side. I got to fish, and I did not get skunked. A good day, even if the only thing on fire was my skin.

I have an obsolete method/lure I use all the time. Forgive me, it requires a story. When I was a boy, I was lucky and my father took me fishing. He even took me to Canada's Lake of the Woods. There I caught my first large smallmouth. It must have weighed a gazillion pounds! Well, maybe four. Anyway, I caught it on a black twin spin with a green spot pork frog. I think maybe the brand was Shannon or Bushwacker. Does that sound right? He had the bait in his box next to the Hawaiian Wiggler. He never got that one back and when I lost it, he got me a new one. I continued to buy and use them when I started buying my own tackle. Eventually, twin spins disappeared from shelves. I went without for a while. Then I found some in Okiebug and started fishing them again. Okiebug eventually went out of business. I gave up and ordered a Do It mold and make my own. The point of this long anecdote is that old lures worked well then, and, if given a chance, work well now. I have fished a twin spin for over 50 years. It catches fish, including big fish. Black is still the best color, although I also make white and chartreuse/blue. Once you fish one in heavy cover or as a drop bait down a point, you will wonder why the single arm safety pin spinner wound up as everyone's go to bait.

Start with this: No dumb questions. When I came here in 2002, I had to modify what I knew. Few buzz bait opportunities here in the Ozarks - but when they do, by golly, they really happen. Wait for a shallow season, Spring or Fall, and cloud cover. Some fish dressed jigs with a trailer, others fish a bare jig head with a soft plastic body. I am in the later group, but many good fishermen are in the former. Colors that work: watermelon with black or red flecks; blue with purple, black, red or everything flecks, brown with purple or black flecks Have fun learning..

The time of year when the fish will be deep is upon us. This year I intend to try to master jigging spoons for bass and walleye. I used to use the method a lot on white bass and stripers when I lived and fished in Oklahoma. I had a couple of good largemouth trips with them as well. My question is this: Has anyone experience with the free style jigs? They look like they are deadly and like they have advantages.

Don knows his stuff. In case you want a more complete explanation, go to the free style jigging article at the Bass Pro site. Use jigging spoon as the search and look at the articles that pop up with the products. Ignore the fact the are trying to sell you another kind of rod and look at the spoons in the article. One (looks like a Hopkins or Cotton Cordell) has a feathered tail, and the others are not silver but light colored. I've never fished the actual free style jig spoon, but I have used the method for white bass, stripers, and largemouth. I have read in more than one article and message on the boards that the method also works for walleye.

Kevin: The Ark. record is over 60 and was caught in the river part of the White below Beaver dam. The fish must have come through the Beaver dam as stripers have not been stocked in Table Rock. Jeff Fletcher, a guide and son of JD Fletcher, caught the fish. Evidently, the big fish liked the cooler water near the dam and loved the trout banquet. I have caught stripers in running water below dams. I wasn't using fly equipment though. I was hurling large leads about 75 yards into the water coming through Keystone dam. I had a fly tied above the weight. Didn't know you can dropshot stripers, did you? Neither did I. That was before the term became common. Based on that experience, it would require a very powerful fly rod with LOTS of backing on the reel to last through the first run or two. As much water as they running through or over all the dams on the White and North Fork right now, the current below all the dams would be brisk right now. The other members that have fished ocean fish might have advice for you on a fly setup that would have a chance on a twenty or thirty pound striper in current. Good luck.

Booker T. Jones/William Bell: "Born under a bad sign I been down since I begin to crawl If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all" Take your pick - Booker T., Albert King, Jimi Hendrix, Cream. All good, all boat owners

I hope everyone realizes my tongue was firmly in cheek when I commented on the "good color." I tend to stick with variations of green, brown, and black for jigs and bottom plastics on clear lakes. I often change from watermelon/red to watermelon/black to pumpkin/something to smoke/blue all in one morning. I caught the few fish I caught on the brown. I didn't get a hit on the others. I just couldn't find the combination for anything other than scattered smallish fish. As for the bait companies, I don't fear for them. With the number of jigs I break off on 8# and 10# line, someone is making a fortune.

Fished the points at the mouths of the Roaring River and Panther Creek this morning. Had two fish on a chug bug, both from under log laydowns and coaxed to come out with little twitches. Caught 3 on chompers cinnamon/purple fleck. Bill didn't post his Wednesday report until after I went out so I didn't know the good color had changed. None of the above were any size. I found fish trolling, but didn't land any with size. 26 feet down was the magic depth. One 16" walleye and three more bass. I did get rocked with good strikes twice. Both felt like good fish, but both were with me for only a few seconds. When you troll deep, a certain number of hook ups are cheek or gill locations. Same as with topwater. As a result, a certain number pull off. Today, it was the big fish pulling off. BTW, it is officially hot out there.

I will speak only for myself. After all, my opinion is mine. Others are entitled to theirs unless it is wrong. I catch and release bass. I love to fish for them, but I don't eat them. My decision not to eat them is based on culinary reasons, not ethics. I catch and release trout, except sometimes I will keep one or two for a single meal. Even then, I am choosy. I try to find fish with color to their flesh as evidenced by their external color. Fish that have been in the river/lake for some time taste better. I usually keep trout in the one per person size range. I keep and eat legal size walleye. They are delicious done any one of several ways. I keep only what I can eat without freezing. My ethics dictate that I not keep or kill what I will not eat and eat soon. I suppose the only glitch in my ethics is that I fish for fish I have no intention of eating. I can live with that moral dilemma.

Trav: Some of us are still trying to make it into the teens. My best is 11. I'm jealous of you.

North Carolina is famous for its mustard and vinegar based sauce. I discovered it several years ago. Try this for a fix: North Carolina Yellow BBQ Sauce Source: Believe it or not, I got this off the internet and then adjusted it. INGREDIENTS: 1.5 cups prepared yellow mustard ½ cup packed brown sugar ¾ cup cider vinegar ¾ cup beer 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1.5 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature 1.5 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring ½ teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce, or to taste METHOD: 1. In a heavy non-reactive saucepan, stir together the mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, and beer. Season with chili powder and black, white, and cayenne peppers. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and cook for about 20 minutes. DO NOT BOIL, or you will scorch the sugar and peppers. 2. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, butter, and liquid smoke. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. Taste, and season with hot sauce to your liking. Pour into an airtight jar, and refrigerate for overnight to allow flavors to blend. The vinegar taste may be a little strong until the sauce completely cools.

I drive an 18' Xpress center console in tan with a 90 HP Yamaha. Not exactly your garden variety BPS product. I have always admired Skeeters, Rangers, and Basscats, but the way I fish and the budget I have made the aluminium a good choice. The center console gives me more room when I fall down. The Lund I saw today was driven by an older gentleman and was parked on a small point on a flat fishing what I assume were crawlers. In fact, there were several boats fishing that flat. (As you go upstream from Rock Creek's mouth, the flat I refer to is on the right and the channel bends right toward Panther Creek. Owl is on the left.)

I have only seen one brown that size being caught. A teen age girl fishing with a Gastons guide caught a 26 pound fish on a salmon egg in six generators of water. I floated down with them to watch the show. The guide did a great job and the fight only took five or ten minutes. The girl wanted to release the fish, but it went belly up and could not be revived. It seems a shame that the heroic size fish are so vulnerable. It would break my heart to have to kill a fish like that. Still, I am glad Rick caught the fish. I can imagine the story twenty years from now.