skeeter

After searching for a place for a considerable amount of time in the Big Indian area we discovered there is no "hard and fast" rule based on msl elevation nor common sense as to the Corps "take line". It's pretty much where they say it is. For instance, we found two nice lots on top of a 28 foot high bluff (this was a measured 28' above normal pool of 915 msl) and luckily discovered one of the Corps' bronze and steel markers hammered into some exposed shelf rock. This was on TOP of the bluff exactly 175 feet back from the edge of the closest vertical drop. I wrote down the numbers you will find on these things, called the Corps office at the dam and the guy who answered the phone looked up the numbers and told us that in addition to that being (in our opinion) a ridiculous and extraordinary distance back from the edge of the bluff the area had been "re-zoned" by the Corps about five years ago which meant there was no chance of obtaining a vegetation modification permit allowing removal of anything under three inches in diameter. It seems there is a certain proximity to the Baxter Campground involved and they are trying (in their words) "to maintain a natural appearing shoreline for campground visitors". However, directly across Big Indian from the campground there are "mansions" built almost at water's edge. Plus a clear cut to the waterline area at an old resort that was sold off as individual cabins right down the shore from the campground. Some natural shoreline....what a crock ! Plus the Corps just completely re-vamped the Baxter campground ( not open yet ) spending almost a Million dollars and tearing the place up like you wouldn't believe. All in an effort to make it "friendly" for large RV's with hook-ups etc. and the hell with the family trying to save a buck and spend their vacation time in a tent. Also a crock ! You should also be aware that for about two or three shoreline miles either side of the Baxter Marina (on the same side of the lake ) you cannot have a new permit for a private dock. They don't want competition for the Marina owners but it is legal for the Marina to establish and lease "satellite docks" in that area so boat slip availability is very limited depending on space on those satellite docks.

Chanced across a pretty good website about the Asian Carp and control efforts. http://www.asiancarp.org/Wordpress/ If that 20 pound fish from Lake Calumet (scroll down on the map) wasn't a single fish it doesn't look good for the Great Lakes. You can net them in Rivers but not in a body of water the size of the Great Lakes. The obvious reason they are so thick in the Illinois R. is it carries all of Chicagoland's (hopefully treated) sewage down to the Mississippi and the microrganisms these things feed on would do well in that effluent. A buddy of mine from Chicago area called last night and told me about a 60 lb. Asian Carp some guy caught in a local lake up there just very recently. I'm trying to find a published report of this catch. I thought the darn things wouldn't take a hook, guess that's false. Yeah, sell them to China or I've often wondered about using them for fertilizer ? They are one heck of a lot cleaner from our waters than the catfish and tilapia being raised and exported here from SE Asia. This video I was sent explains it graphically plus the remnants of Viet Nam war era Agent Orange spraying are still present in those waters. http://www.vimeo.com/11817894

I hope you enjoy the new equipment. Be sure and register on Humminbird's website with model and serial numbers of new units. They often upgrade (for free !) their unit's software and you download the upgrade onto a SD card and then into your units. Specific directions are on the website and they must be followed to the letter. There is also an excellent newsgroup/forum on Yahoo news. Type in " http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sideimaging/ to find them and sign up. The technical experts from Johnson Outdoors (owners of Humminbird) answer questions from members and do so quickly.

Assuming you have a 24V setup with two 12V batteries on your troller ? I would say yes, to separate the two pumps one to each battery. However, not sure if they will only draw 12V since your batteries probably have a jumper between them to enable 24V. Wouldn't want you to burn out your pumps with 24V. There are members on here much better qualified than I to answer this.

The Spring(s) in Dogwood are the headwaters of the Baxter area Little Indian arm. Some times the copperheads are so thick back there you can smell them. They stink and remind me of something like hot metal or metal coming out of an acid bath. Very unpleasant and distinct odor.

Stickbaits = color definitely. Topwater = size and action, rarely color IMHO, unless it's a slow fished popper or the old devil's horse.

With a load like twin aerators on constant run the cranking amps you quote really are inconsequential. A starter battery is designed to put out a quick burst of power ( cranking amp rating ) to spin your starter motor which has to overcome the compression in your cylinders when cranking over your engine unlike a deep cycle battery which is designed to provide a more steady supply of current right to the very end of the charge (hopefully). So the answer is yes, suggest you re-wire your aerator pumps (12V only) to your trolling motor battery and assume you have deep-cycle(s) there and not starters. Also agree with previous post that you charge your starter battery with a battery charger just like you do with your trollers and not rely on only your engine alternator to fully re-charge. It's also a very good idea in the heat of Summer to check your water level in your battery's cells more often. If low, add distilled water only.

Based on what I have seen while fishing in the area since '74 I'd say Copperheads are VERY common in the back end of Little Indian. Big Indian is a much more open valley and I haven't seen them as often there. Can't say I've ever seen or identified a Water Moccasin but others tell me they are around. If you are seeing snakes in the water, don't confuse the common brown water snake with a Copperhead. Those water snakes are very curious about you and your boat and will swim right up to you and sometimes try and climb up on your transom. On a more serious subject, there was a local fella' who lives right on Hwy. 13 badly bitten by what we think was a Timber Rattlesnake in Lampe about 10 days ago. The guy is still hospitalized receiving antivenom at $2600.00 per shot. Supposedly the snake had gotten in his living quarters located on the lower level of a building (walk-out basement). Timber Rattler is one snake you don't want to be bitten by due to their size, fang length and quantity of venom they can inject.

Gary, Respectfully, why would you spend more of your hard-earned money with the Company who will not repair your existing units and has pulled this cr#p on thousands of other anglers including myself ? They routinely "obsolete" and refuse to repair units we have spent hundred$ or even thousand$ on in an ill-advised effort to force you to buy new units from them. I do fully recognize and appreciate your need to save some bucks in this economy and understand the dilemma you find yourself in. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Reminds me of the old Charlie Brewer Slider Head "do nothing" rig. Anyone remember him ? Horizontally flat-headed jig with a short, small diameter worm rigged lengthwise on the hook shank. The light, flattened jighead made the worm sorta "sail" down but think the wacky rig would be better as the ends of the worm flutter as it falls imparting that fish-tempting motion ( you hope ) . Thanks for reminding me of this. Looking forward to Tuesday morning to run out and try it. Regarding earlier post about Whites. Seen small school in the Baxter Marina area but they are up and then down so fast you can't even cast to them.. Guess they can't tolerate that 89 degree surface temp. for long. Very limited early morning success with white buzzbait in surprisingly shallow water close to channel banks. The fish are actually warm to the touch as you release them. Almost all have hook holes in them.

Eight or ten years ago we were lucky enough to observe a nesting pair of Roadrunners (largest North American cuckoo) across from Pt. 20 as they were searching for food along the shore and then flying ( which they do quite well ) back to their well hidden nest slightly inland. They were making a lot of noise with very strange sounding calls back and forth between parents and the hungry fledglings in the nest. More of a squawking noise than anything. We, in SW MO, are at the extreme NE corner of their range and their numbers here are unfortunately on the decline due to habitat loss, not because of human activity for once, but because of the intrusion of the Eastern Red Cedar tree which is shading out the glades which are their preferred hunting area. Once the native glades are gone the fauna like lizards that need that open, Sunny space disappear too. Everywhere you look the cedar is taking over.

Got to chime in here on the snake issue. The far back end of Little Indian, which is what Dogwood Canyon Spring Creek flows into, has always been a Copperhead haven. There are so many of them back in there in certain years you can smell 'em. They have a distinctive sort of a metallic odor (best I can describe it) that is not at all pleasant. In the high water in 2008 you could run all the way up to the Hwy 86 bridge with your troller and they were everywhere. Guess they bred successfully. Our oldest Grandson, who is really good at identifying snakes, reported seeing three of them along the lakefront below our home. I'll have to load up the handgun with some shotshells since those things can be really territorial. Those Brown Watersnakes are just curious and always looking for a place to "haul out" of the water. They swim right up to you, if you make no sudden or threatening moves, and will check you out with a long stare. Often have to slap the water with the rod tip to make them leave. And they love to come over transoms especially the sloped back transom styles. Since the question about Threadfin Winter kill was addressed to Bill B., I'll let him respond. All I can say to Sportshop is you should have been here in Feb and March....We had some very fat Gulls.....

Had the usual crew down for the three day weekend and got out at 5 Sat. morning. Fished deep cove across from Pt.19 and no topwater action, period, on Spook or Fin. Couldn't raise a fish even that early. Small cold front went thru Fri. night and heavy dew falling soaked the boat. Switched to 3/8oz. War Eagle jig in MO Craw color with large Zoom Pumpkin trailer and started catching fish on chunk rock banks. Had one nice 6 & 1/2 (guesstimate) LM and several 16" K's and one nice 3 lb. or so SM. The fish were actually HOT in comparison with the air temps. when we released them. Reminded you of Fall fishing. Back out late Monday morning about 7ish and, on a tip from a buddy, went directly across the White from Saturday's trip over onto the flats. Again, no topwater, lot's and lot's of big gar and again switched to same jig and pig combo and started catching nice 17 to 18 in. SM in 10-12 ft thanks to nice cloud cover. The fifth, and largest of course, SM hit the jig directly under the boat and zoomed at flank speed to the surface not six inches from the gunwale of the boat clearing the water by a good foot or two at least ! Thought it was coming aboard and actually jumped back 'cause you don't want to be smacked by a fish with an exposed hook. Didn't have enough line out to control the high speed SM run and it jumped again throwing the jig and we laughed our "you know what's" off at both mine and the fish's antics but at least we all got to see the fish twice ! Also had some really nice bull bluegill on white with black spots and silver blade Rooster Tail the young man in the rear of the boat was throwing. Came in about 1 PM due to Battleship and Aircraft Carrier activity in main channel throwing wakes over the transom and gunwales.

If I'm throwing a Spook from the front of the boat and a lot of fish are missing it or following without striking the guy in the back usually picks up a fish ( maybe it's the same one, maybe not ?? ) on a blade of about the same color. Works pretty often but sometimes a Rat-L-Trap beats the blade. Many times just changing the rhythm or speed of the Spook or stopping and starting it erratically works too. If you're around structure like pole timber, try half-stepping it. Drives 'em nuts.

That gentleman is lucky to be alive without head or spinal injuries. He should be thanking his Maker. Watching his hands on the steering wheel in the one earlier pass trying to drive the boat out of the "chine walk" it was in is enough to convince me he did sorta know what he was doing but trying to cross that wake from astern at full trim up was just insane. Trimming down and slowing long before crossing the wake would have prevented a nasty accident. As regards Hydrotec, they are the best !!!!

Yep, yesterday morning they didn't seem to want anything on top that was moving much. Fished a redfin type wakebait and they wouldn't look at it if it was moving. Cast it, let it soak and then just twitch it and they slurped it. Not bedding fish but around docks and timbered channel bank ends out over 25 - 30 '. Had a 5 LM suck it down and I thought it was a bluegill the hit was so quiet. Switched to a baby bass pattern fluke and had fun with a bunch of 15-16 " K's in same locations. Had to let them run with it before setting hook.

Found that the Humminbird outlet store is selling 997c's for $1499.00 including dual beam, side imaging transducers. 998Csi combo with transducer for $1735.95. I heard there are pre-loaded maps on the 998 and an Ethernet connection that you won't get on the 997 and the 997 is being superseded by the 998 but some $$ savings may be worth it to you depending on what you are wanting. http://humminbird.factoryoutletstore.com/cat/1376/Humminbird-900-Series-Fishing-Systems.html They also offer extended warranties and free shipping on current orders.

Amen, amen to all the above. If someone gave me a new Lowrance unit or I won one it would immediately be for sale and I wouldn't sell it to a good friend or relative and would thoroughly warn any buyer. From prior experience with two expensive Lowrance GPS units I can tell you their next move will be to "obsolete" your unit and refuse to repair it. You will probably be very happy moving to "the other side", I certainly am. Try searching eBay for your antenna. Also, try contacting Bass Pro outlet store in Springfield, I found an antenna there for my "obsolete" LCX-15MT in a mapping kit they were clearing out. I think mine was an LGC 2000.

Interesting question. Going back several years, the Winter of '77-'78 was far worse than '09-'10 with many coves and even some creek arms freezing over for the first time in TR's history. The water was incredibly clear and if a person walked out on an ice-free dock it looked like the bottom was littered with Silver Dollars which were dead Threadfin by the millions. When that Winter finally broke in late March with a 3" plus warm rain the Bass moved up almost overnight to wherever the warm run-off was entering the Lakes and went Banzai crazy on anything anglers threw that resembled a crawdad. Here and on Bull it was a fish on every cast or you were in the wrong area where the run-off hadn't warmed the water yet. Never saw anything like it and probably never will again. So, if the current year's Bass are hungry due to depleted numbers of Threadfin why aren't they eating crankbaits resembling crawdads ? Is it because of the huge "Rock snot" bloom this year that we can't fish those baits or ??? Heard some reports of success on Warts but very few. I've been in many areas where we just gave up throwing anything coming even close to the bottom out as deep as 15 feet due to "Rock snot" covering the baits. Maybe the fish just grew accustomed to being able to easily pick off dying Threadfin and if an angler throws something resembling that, adding in the defense of their bed territory, they just can't resist. Anyway, even for a less-than-good fisherman like myself it sure makes for fun time on the water.

Jason, Most everyone is having trouble with Ethanol in outboards, outdoor power equipment and some cars. Suggest you only purchase gas at on-the-water Marina's ( high priced ! ) or 91 Octane at any of the gas stations up and down HWY 13 like Ha-Bob's, Rapid Robert's etc, etc. 91 Octane does not have to contain the State mandated 10% devil's brew of Ethanol and neither does the gasoline sold at Marina's. Guarantee you will save yourself a lot of expensive mechanical grief if you can avoid Ethanol blended gas. It's one of the worst things our wonderful Government ever shoved down our throats.

Hey JimmyB, I see your posts on another local site. Here's a further suggestion. While you are visiting Marine Repair, ask the guys which brand of GPS/locater they recommend. In other words, don't just zero in on the brand your post mentioned. They haven't had the best reputation for quality and customer service in the past few years.

Best idea yet and should be easily visible from a distance on the water. Also, good idea about the rear truck window. Always ready to meet and jaw with fellow anglers. You meet some of the nicest people that way. I'll be over to the store shortly. Thanks for all your efforts on this.

Like Whackem said, 65 is fine. It is now four lane divided from Springfield, MO to Harrison, AR. And if you should choose option # 2 in one of the previous posts, you would want to turn East ( Oopsie !) on Highway 60, not West.

In my area around mid-lake the heaviest rain fell when the air temperature was in the middle Fifties. Then the cold front came through and temps fell into the Forties but the rain also quickly let up in intensity and then ended about 3-4 P.M. I think it would be worth the time and gas to explore the backs of coves with wet-weather creeks and full time creeks for warmer run off. Just hope Thurs. night's lower thirties don't hurt too much. Very heavy fog this morning ! Good luck !

After yesterday's 1.9 inches, measured at mid-lake, of warmer rain you're going to have to explore. The first mud-line would be from the extremely cold (34 to 38 degree) rain over the 20th/21st weekend. I'm thinking that cold water won't help much. Seems to me the trick will be to watch your temp. gauge and find the leading edge of the warmer run-off from the 25th downpour.