Trav

I do beleive it has in part to do with the days growing longer. Sure water temp is a primary trigger but certain species of fish instinctively run with the sun. I have seen fall time Bass full of eggs in Lower Taney due to this same instinctive reaction to the length of daylight. Just an observation.

Fishing for paid memberships is "Spamming"

Much appreciated Jason

I was at Fork a couple years back in mid March. The wind beat us up big time and we were in a 21 foot bass boat. Be careful..it can get dangerous in a little boat. As far as winging it...I hear you there, in my opinion that is the only way to do it!!! Just remember to work the bait fish. They will get blown into the windy banks. Look for waves crashing into grass. Worked for us!! Good Luck

I have a 1983 14 foot deep-V aluminum SeaKing with 'breakaway tongue' style trailer. No gas motor but have a couple trolling motors I will be willing to let go with it. Solidly built....It is classed for gas motors up to 25HP. Best offer or trade takes it. All serious offers considered.

I wasn't offended..I have thick skin. It is rather amusing how things can be taken out of context on the net. I do however have a tendancy to fail to clarify every little detail. Maybe on purpose?...LOL Maybe I am old school...I think Roland Martin won 9 AOL titles using mono as well as many of the biggeest limits of bass tourneys (Pre 1990). History tells the truth and the future has yet to be told. I remember my Gramps before he passed away saying he had to be convinced in the 60's to go from the old nylon braid to the "new mono"...so technology has its frontlines. The market is just too big and I feel many weekend warriors tend to be intimidated by it. I want to say to them that it isn't the line that makes the fisherman.

I am a little dissappointed to see that plastics aren't allowed. I am not a big fan of feather jigs and I like to use bass baits for the browns. Grubs and sluggos are a big part of my trout arsenol. I will make do though. What is the call on rubber skirts?

I prefer mono for its diversity. AND the stretch. The stretch saves a lot of expensive lures when you have to use a retriever to get them back. Sure the hook set is slightly compromising but it is as strong as you need. Also, when you are flipping one moment, trolling the next, then span casting points as you drop shot deep cover, mono gives you the no brainer of spooling all your rigs with one type of line. I buy bulk and change my line about once a month...sometimes after every trip. I like a full spool on my spinning rigs. I wasn't saying there are not advantages to the "super lines"...just saying not enough to matter to "me". I think most people scratch their heads while looking at line when the tried and true simplicity of mono will suit most people's practicality. Fishing is supposed to be fun. Why think too much over the small stuff? My intention of this thread was not to create debate. Just expressing my experience.

What is the time and date? Do you know if I can pay the fee the morning of?

I am in Ozark as well. We should talk about hitting the water sometime. Trav

I will do it if I can. Just let me know when it is so I can get my admission fee in. I do know the next couple weeks will be a no go. My lady is having surgery on thursday. Also will be going to Toledo Bend for a week near the end of March or first of April. I will see if anyone here wants to buddy up with me. It has been quite a few years since I fished the upper. I do look forward to it. Even if I have to eat some crow with a slice of humble pie....hehe

Angling for a boat ride??? I own two boats so I guess I don't get where that is coming from. As far as being good....I am just another guy chasing fish. No better than anyone else. I do like to poke a lot of fun at fish tank fisheries though. Shoot me!!!!

I have been doing a lot of experimenting with line lately. Fluorocarbon…Mono…Braid. I have found that mono these days give the best presentation. Sure, it isn’t as strong and it has a little stretch but the mono of today has kept up with the new wave stuff as far as diameter if you stay below a 10 pound test. And if you change your line as often as I do then the cost will suit what you want. I am an exclusive spin cast guy and whatever you do, do not use braid with a spin cast reel. Braid is like dental floss cutting through a prison bar. If you don’t have ceramic runners on your reel and the eyes of your pole, you will see some serious wear. Fluorocarbon has the memory of an elephant. Really sucks when you are loose line finesse fishing. It is crap if you don’t want to change line every time the temp changes. It has some advantages but it is not worth the money if you only fish once a month. I fish a lot of tough cover and have only found slight advantages while using a spin cast with the stronger lines. Stick with the mono and you will not have to think twice as long as you retie often and shed abrasions. Just don’t buy into the hype you hear from the pros. Fad fishing only costs money which could be used for gas to get to the lake!!! Same thing goes for baits. But I will discuss those later. As far as color of line you are being hyped there as well. Green, blue, clear, and my craziest observation, “red”, are a load of crap. Unless the water is crystal, none of it matters. I mean think about it. Do we start thinking of what the line looks in the shade as well? It is dumb stuff. Let’s be real, Bass react to baits, they don’t look to see if an alien is dragging their food. I use clear to let me know how dirty my line is. That is all. To let me know when I need to shed off a few yards. And when it comes to brands you are being hyped there as well. Now, you don’t want to buy some off brand cheapo but the top of the line stuff like Stren or Berkley is pretty much the same stuff. The Bass Pro Excel is pretty good too if you have the chance to visit a Bass Pro shop to get it but I think Berkley makes it. Also, avoid the stuff of any brand that says it is “tuff duty”. It is coated with abrasion resistant crap that only limits the memory of the line. I do however will admit that those which suggest smooth casting or limp retrieve tend to be the better products if you have a tendency to add line often. All the same, your basic run of the mill line than says “original” will serve any purpose you want to use it for. It is after all better than the line your father and grandfather used and I am sure they had no problems with their line. This is not a debate. I am just being Trav and saying it as it is. You do what builds your confidence. For confidence is half the skill set of fishing. I am just saying what I have researched and giving the results I have found personally. “May success follow your every cast” –

I was going to say the same thing. It has happened to me as well. Try resting them in boiling water for about five minutes. I have found that when the bb is lodged it doesn't run true. If the heat doesn't work then drill a hole in it and fill the cavity with another bb. I have had some crazy results but don't take my word for it. "Experimentation is Fishing" - Al Linder

Right now you can consider Trav to be a gypsy. I do plan on hitting the Rock very regular but am having an affair with Pomme...she is sexy!! Right now I live a couple miles from Lake Springfeild but they won't allow my boat there because of the horse power. Speaking of Pomme....don't you hate those toothy critters when you finesse fish? Steel leaders are like wearing ten condoms...can't feel anything...wink

I will answer questions but to be honest my sights are set on different waters. I do however plan on hooking up with some guys who want to do some of those Lilly Landing tourneys....anyone willing to be with a high risk fisherman? Catch a limit and work the big baits for trophies? My plan there is to do it without ever loosing sight of the weigh in dock. Just to prove how easy it is to catch "put and take" fish. Hehe..OK...just so you know I haven't fished above cooper creek in 5 years...lol I like being an oxymoron

I am sorry if my report appeared as less than favorable. Taney is a great put and take fishery. I can't debate that. I would go so far as to say it is one of the best of its kind in the country. Talking bad of it is as distasteful as bad mouthing an ex girlfreind who did you no wrong. Yet...I stand by my convictions when it comes to the Lower end. I will be the first to say my opinions do not refer to the area above Bull Creek. Everyone knows I have never been too crazy about the skinny part of the lake. Too many tourists since its conception but tourism is what built its success. With that said I will be totally honest toward my reasoning. I am a deep water/offshore structure fisherman and I am not all that fond of bows. They are incindental catches to me. When it comes to trout I have adamently stated in the past that I seek large Browns only. As primarily a Bass man it suits my preffered style of angling. Watching the flood gates open and literally flushing away structure which took me decades to familiarize myself with has allowed my discouragement to lash out. Losing this advantage has stained my opinion of the Lower Taney. This is my Bad. And Mine alone. Seeing the beauty of the lake being taken over by competitve species, aquatic vegatation, pollution, development and tourists didn't help much either. I mean..we are talking about thirty years of devotion lost...no...eroded in a fell swoop. I must also admit that after spending three decades living on the lake, I have let these changes to my childhood stomping grounds to burn me out on even having any desire to fish it. To the point I have submitted to time, nature and the human anthill and chose to move my residence off the lake. As a fisherman I know I must adapt to succeed but like childhood lovers who have simply grown apart, I respectfully let the life of the relationship to move on to others who can appreciate it better. And it was not without emotion. My frustration caused me a few great freinds who live on the lake as I took a turn toward a bitterness that expanded beyond my known integrity. I think we all can agree that we feel and react in strange ways when what we are familiar with changes how you think of the world. Even if it is in your own head. Don't get me wrong, my lifetime experience with man made cold water fisheries has benefitted my abilities greatly and is what honed my skills I carry today. I do appreciate the challenges the Lower Taney provided. And not a single "native" Taney County man can argue the fact that the "monster" of the the Lower Taney can do nothing but make you a better fisherman. You won't find a more challenging body of water than the area below Bull Creek. For Bass or trout. I am not saying any other lake in the Ozarks hasn't felt similar changes. Just the ones I watched with this one has broken my heart. And obviously it is because of how close I felt to it. BUT Like childhood lovers who have simply grown apart...the lake and I will always be freinds and as time passes I will visit often and keep in touch in the future. And speaking of futures....I firmly beleive in Live and let live. Time apart will be good and when I return I will have Taney, not just the Lower, the whole lake will be my ally. For it taught me my own credence to others. Peace

Right on...as far as a petty cash fund....I am cool with gassing my boat if you tow it...wink

Thanks Paul. I have to get the hydraulic tilt fixed on my boat....then I will be up and running. I say we start by choosing which lake to begin. I have already got a bit of a start on maps of the Rock and Pomme. Then as the water temps start to climb we just go at it like we are killing rats. For the immediate future we will just scribble notations on a map of locations which may be of any interest. Then as our crew gets together to collaborate/fish we exchange scribbles. It is really that simple.

Stockton wont be worth your trouble until we get some serious sun. The bass shut down and group in the main lake. If you must...look for timber grouped tight on sunny days. Just make sure they are near open water.

The key is water temp!!! Find coves with 55 or better and fish the gravel areas near the mouths. They will be hovering in 20 to 30 foot of water in a prespawn stage. Lots of big smallies with this tactic.

Pomme is a jewel in the ruff. If the bass aren't hitting there is so much more. Look for humps where the depth goes from 30 to 15 feet in the main body. The best ones are up the Lindley arm. darn good walleye this time of year.

The k docks area is yet another subject to flood debate. Upper Bull Shoals is accustomed to the high water due to it's use as a holding tank for rain. Yet it is used to it to an extent. I would however avoid the main body including the k dock area most of the year. If you like the upper lake , stick to beaver and the area from powersite down to swan creek. Granted, there is fish but the best bet is going to be a couple miles south of k docks.

Try searching the archives. I have discussed Lower Taney bass extensively. In fact...most of what you need to know about Lower Taney I have expressed more than once. I will give an update. Ever since they opened the gates at the dam the lake has gone through a drastic change. It has radically effected the big trout population but this has benefited the natural fish in the lake. Many of the fish which came over the dam has added to populations in the creeks but the lake itself has and will continue to adapt to the reconstruction of the channels caused by the floods. Right now, Lower Taney is basically a relic of what it was and the Bass have taken advantage of the lack of big trout. The first to rule it's change was the white bass. They have thrived the past two years. Of course they adapt to cold water fisheries much better than the natural species. The biggest threat to the Lower Taney is the invasive species. Both in fish and aquatic vegatation. There are huge schools of three pound shad, coontail chokes the coves and the white carp has ruined most of the natural spawning areas of Bull Creek. In my opinion, the Lower Taney has only the cold water keeping it from being overtaken by those elements. Of course my opinion is tainted by the days of old. Where big brownies hover cover that is no longer there and the creeks gave shelter to Largemouth Bass. Sorry if I sound pesimistic but the secret is gone. The floods will for years have its ramifications on Taney when it comes to natural fishes and the put and take fishery of big bows and browns have to start over. Being a cold water fishery it will take years for it to be a predictable body of water again. And we have man to blame mostly. I mean...think about it...it is a man made object keeping it cold and killing the natural resources(food) needed to reestablish the fishing. I have moved off the lake. As a bass man I wouldn't waste my time on it for at least another three years. If you want "put and take" trout then it will continue to be the lake's prowess as a fish tank. Other than that...plan your bass trips for lakes that have benifited from the floods. Table Rock is going to be the big ticket for the next decade. The Rock is a tough fishery due to its depth and size but it is chuck full of bass spawned during the high water. If you catch a dozen 10 inchers this summer you can credit the high water for that population.

Alright…here is my plan. Bear with me fellas…this will be quite the read…..those of you accustomed to my writings shouldn’t be surprised. In fact, I am hoping to stir intrigue. The plan is to put in more time on Ozark lakes than any other individual. Make every shoreline and gravel hump as familiar to me as the freckles on my arm. The idea is this…If you know the specifics of a body of water then the fish will eventually be the byproduct of the geographical knowledge. Then when I have it all mapped out…. share everything I have learned. Much like I did as I spent my childhood on Lower Taney but extended to every lake in the region. When I first formulated this concept, I had initially thought it would be something to add a little purpose behind my passion, a personal mission so to speak, a lifelong trek to most but I want it in fast forward. Yet, the more I weighed it out, the more it became evident I can’t do it right by myself. I am a smart guy but a man has to know his limitations. We all know about good intentions and to blame nothing other than life’s details, I have had this initiative sitting on the sidelines for a couple years as progress inches along. It has been a series of time consuming incidents littering my journey to the boat ramps. And finding the right “partner in crime” has eluded me. You know how hard it is to find a friend who has nothing better to do but fish all the time? Haha….Just because I am a dork who makes fishing his main objective to live don’t mean anyone else has the same drive. I recruited a brother and my father into this process but it has been frustrating to establish reliable regularity. Am I the only one willing to risk careers and marriages for the cause? OK. Maybe I am a bit extreme. I have been told I have an addiction to feed. To this I say…screw it… “My name is Trav and I am a fishaholic. KVD!!! Pass me those Lucky Strikes!” Jokes aside, I came to one conclusion. I will need to join forces with a group of like minded individuals to properly achieve my goals. It can be done if I form a coalition, a posse, a gang of Partners. Not only to lesson the burden of its expense but also to have more than one perspective toward the goal while not monopolizing more time than one individual can tolerate. The old saying, “two minds are better than one” fits like a glove and several minds in collaboration can map every lake inch by inch, log by log, bush by bush, the old fashion way, no GPS, just landmarks and mile markers to describe territory. We buy maps and take notes. Then we fish together and cross reference our maps. Not just once a month but weekly or even daily to achieve rapid advancement to our higher education. I want to hit this like a full time job. Is anyone hearing me here? Trav is doing what he does best, rallying troops for the call to duty. This isn’t a cause for the timid either. I want a band of bass brothers willing to sacrifice. Time is money boys and this journey will take time. If you’re not able to commit, I don’t want you to take the trip. It is all good if you can’t. You can always sit on the sidelines and wait here to hear the news from my crew. I want a few (dozen?) good men who will take what we document and share it with the masses. That is the mission here. To gang bang a body of water to find and use every geographical advantage it has. This concept is not focused on lures and tactics. It isn’t focused on fish behavior or even seasonal spawn cycles. It isn’t oriented on fish so much as it is about the lakes. The idea is based on the fact if we know the lakes then the fishing will naturally fall into place. For it is pattern fishing that gains success. And you can’t pattern fish without knowing the lakes. It is a proven theory. I have done the playbook with the Lower Taney so I know it is half the game. It is what I used to my advantage to be one of the best guides on Lake Gatun in Panama for three years. Even if the fish kick you an unexpected onside kick at the start of the second half, you will be able to play the field better by knowing where the red zone is. It is this concept that gave Roland Martin nine AOL titles and it is exactly what pros like KVD do to this day. Our mission is to collect this data and give the topography to establish a playbook for others who don’t have the time to dedicate their lives as we do to the sport. Now I say “playbook” as if it is a blueprint to guaranteed success. This is far from the truth. We all know you still have to go out there and earn the fish. What we are providing to the Ozark public isn’t going to compromise our own games. Fishing is a skill set…not a map. I have fished all over and Ozark waters contain so much diversity it creates an exceptionally difficult terrain to understand. To collect this type of information will give us the little edge for establishing patterns. There is nothing less and nothing more important than geography. Alright….there is my game plan in a nutshell. I have come out of the woodwork to see who is going to join my army. All we have to do is take this agenda off the internet and practice it with conviction. Is anyone with me? We can go from lake to lake. I have a plan. It isn’t a difficult. Just time consuming. And Time is truly on my side. Is it on yours as well?