FRENZEL

Update.. Started up by Andys in a thick fog this morning. Water was perfectly still and clear. Began with a jig and float but my clients were struggling with the take. I kept downsizing the line but realized later on a short cast that these fish were hitting the jigs repeatedly and the indicator was not even budging. We gave it a while but could only get hook ups on the heavy takes. A good sight fisherman could have hammered them. In that still water you gotta watch the jig.. The indicator is just to float it. ..Ended up going back to the bait fishin again.. It was good again...looked like everyone was picking up a few below.. Anyone got anything good to add? Haven't seen any huge trout pics lately.. Well recent ones anyway.

If you got to fish Bull Shoals often you would not say by far and away. Nevermind .......... THere are no fish in Bull Shoals. All the good spawns and lack of fishing pressure has depleted the fish populations.

I have been out bait,spinning and fly fishing and the one thing I can say is if that water is still and clear be sure you downsize that line. Bait fishing has been great for me with crawlers and the typical stuff. I have taken it down to 2lb maxima while the water is still and clear. Upstream you will need the 2lb if you are casting jigs with your spinning gear. Maxima is ok but Fluorocarbon is worth the money as you can watch these fish swim up and see your line before rejection. Micros are also still working well. Now if they have some water moving or there is enough wind then the line is not nearly as much an issue.

If you do it right the person administering the weggie ends up with just an elastic band in their hand and the recipient can't use his but seat for 5 trips.

The circle hooks work great night fishing with the crappie lights. IF you are using live bait. Net some shad crack open a beverage and let them hook themselves pulling the line taught.

They don't mind 8lb green and I would reccomend it or you will lose some on really hard strikes. I have come to love the suspenders as you can kill it when you get one that really wants it and keeps missing. gold/black rainbow or silver/black. Husky jerks , X-raps, Rogues. The floating rapalas work well too but I like the suspenders personally. If you make it out of the trophy area give a fluke a try.. Good Luck.

35 feet down maybe its 75

Only the smart guys fish at night! It really is a lot nicer down there though. I forgot to mention that the water started out really colored and foggy by Andy's but they bit better down where it got clearer. At least for me. I need to report more but I only have internet access over at the resort.

Didn't see many recent daytime reports. So...I was out through the meat of the day yesterday and I must say I would rather be down there on these hot days than baking up on Table rock. The trout were biting good too. On float from andys down to fall creek we spent 4 hours with only brief slow periods. I had 4 folks out and kept the 2 on the channel side with 1/80th sculpin colored jigs 4 foot down or a zebra midge . The guys on the shoal/shallow side were getting hammered on the 1/8th oz in a dk moss or sculpin color. Chasers on nearly every cast . Had to switch the small stuff to 2lb Maxima. Made a definite difference. The wind is your friend as well. I hope everyone else that braves the heat fares as well.

Man the little ones will hurt ya just as bad as the big ones! Lets hit a river for some wade fishing if this heat keeps up.

Here is a picture of one that I am doing for myself. I am pretty pleased although it is keeping me up late I keep finding little things to change.. Next comes the base. I may do some for a few clients but man it is time consuming.

Mine were definitely Kentuckys.. Had 2 in the boat and several to boatside. The fattys. 3lb'ers. I am sure there were a few whites mixed in because there were a few of those poppin boiling frenzies. I was just always outta range on those. It had been a while since I caught a few good kentuckies though. Was nice to get em on top. Of course not as nice as the big smallies on top but almost.

I had them knocking the spook 3 feet out of the water yesterday morning.. It is almost like the most violent strikes don't produce good hookups. And I found some of the missing Kentuckies out in 25 feet of water yesterday. They ate that topwater but I could not get them to hit a thing after they went down... Then came the wind and I couldn't stay over em. Just hovering at 18 to 20 feet 5 feet off the bottom.

The thing with cig butts is that smokers can smoke a pack or 2 a day. You don't drink 2 cases of mt. dew a day and throw all those cans in the water. You don't break or lose 20 floats. I have come to ask my clients to put butts in an empty can or bottle. Takes no more time. It is no different from wadding up a piece of paper and tossing it out.

Last week on sat there were thousands of those little crappie. A school large enough to cover the ramp and the complete underside of the courtesy dock.. Never seen anything like it. You would think that 2 years from now ought to be awesome.. Lots of smaller whites too. Hope they make a comeback to what I remember in my college days.

MrCold, Bill is right... Although certain times of the year I find myself frequenting the secondaries more. The #'s bites come on the main lake.(If that makes sense?) Through the meat of the day and the majority of the season it will get you bit. It really depends on what you are looking for species wise.

Jockey... Key points.. You are admittedly new to fishing.. So even with a guide, you are not guaranteed ..It is fishing not catching. Then you say some guys (tournament fishing) = not new to fishing, did well after a trip. Surprised? Different arms of this lake fish differently on any given day. Hell one hour can make a world of difference. One point to the next... etc. So you are most likey comparing apples and corned beef. I really can't say that I personally know a guide that DOES NOT care if the folks they take out catch a fish. Guides make their living doing this and even though there are certain guides who I really have no time for, I would not badmouth them on a public forum. Just plain wrong. And I have never ever heard anyone have a bad trip with Bill Beck. Even if the fish are not cooperating he is one of the nicest gentlemen you will meet. The man is a bass catching machine! We can take you where we know the fish are but making them bite and the client put a hook through the lip does not happen every time. A lot of these guys have spent 300 days on the water for decades straight. Guiding is not something you can just go do because you like to fish. It is a constant learning experience every day you are on the water. It takes personality and a LOT of patience. Troutfitter.. I would say call a few of the guides and talk to them over the phone. You can probably get a feel for what you will be in for. Ask a lot of questions. If it sounds like you are getting a generic response then there you have it. The better ones will give you the time of day and try to make your trip the most pleasurable it can be.. Some guides fish mostly bass, some mostly trout, and some a combination of anyting that will bite. There is also the difference in boats. A lot depends on what kind of fisherman you are.

I would say closer to 8 if it was not spawned out.

I'll second that tough comment. I know some of the fish were caught drifting out in the current but only one of ours. The rest of them came out of any eddie or creekmouth we could sit still in.

CONGRATS!

SUNDAY>>>>>>>>>>>>We started the day drifting the entire upper lake from the wire clear to fall creek. One full float yielded only 3 rainbows and a couple swing and misses. One on an egg pattern, one on a 1/8 sculpin jig and one dragging a small crankbait. At fall creek we switched to bait mode. Best was a minnow and a gulp or power egg. 2 fish in the next half mile.. Picked up and headed to downtown. The best water was from 65bridge down past the landing. Slow for us.. Our boat 15 fish give or take. Everyone else about the same. Wind blowing directly against the current made for a hard bit detection on the drift. High water after the trip had us wading at Cooper creek ramp. May change gears tomorrow.

White capped Rollers.. Trollin motor spent half the time out of the water. Well till it died

couple of toads! I disn't fair quite as well this morning.! We had to quit by 10 and the wind was just coming on! Blah figures!

Oh geez LOOK OUT!

Oh! I like that one even better!