Champ188

That's one reason I've pretty much given up fishing the pro-am format. For starters, my strength is fishing shallow, knowing my targets and fishing them carefully and thoroughly. I like to cover a lot of water and when fishing alone, I keep the boat pretty close to the bank. I've had to do that in pro-am tournaments in the past and never did extremely well because I felt like a heel for keeping my back-seater cut off all day. I like for the person with me to catch fish, even in derbies, which was pretty evident a few years back when my partner won the co-angler division of that year's BFL stop on Table Rock. I probably could've caught a few more myself if I hadn't been generous enough to let him have more than his fair shot at the fish. But this guy was new to tournament fishing and I wanted him to have a good day. And did he ever. Not patting myself on the back at all. Just saying, pro-am events can be a bad deal for both the boater and non-boater, provided the boater has enough of a conscience to feel bad about pigeon-holing his partner all day.

That's another thing about that big Plopper. It's like throwing a baked potato.

Nice job, littlejasper. Always more fun when you make some money.

Very pretty fish.

He's a friend of mine down here in Arkansas, Larry.

Can't believe that dang ol' Georgia bank beater won. In fact, I think most of the top finishers were fishing shallow. Go figure.

If you're gonna do that, I think I'd throw a Whopper Plopper. You've got more/better hooks.

I'm in.

He's got some really nice spots there but that cranker is a Wiggle Wart, not a Rock Crawler.

Nice of you to quit fishing and let him have a wide berth to catch all he could. I had a co-angler do that once when I was doing very well in a Central Pro-Am derby. I've also been on the other end of things, including one year in the CPA championship at Lake of the Ozarks. I put my rods up at 1 p.m. the last day and spent the last two hours getting my co-angler (an awesome guy) his limit so he could make a check. What goes around comes around, and I like to pay it forward when I can.

There's enough of a shallow bite --- always is once the water temp dips to around 70 --- up in the rivers to catch 10-12 pounds a day if you know what to look for. And I'm not talking about dirty water way up the KIngs or James. I'm talking mid-White River arm on up to Holiday Island. I'm just not sure there are any big bites to be had doing that. Gonna have to cool down more for that to happen.

I'm 56 years old and a lifelong Razorback fanatic, but there will be no more Hogs avatars for me until we have a new athletic director who doesn't support student-athletes disrespecting our country and all the vets who gave everything up to and including their lives so these brats could go to college free and play basketball.

They were a little more generous with their give-aways a few years back. Donna got one of those nice hoodies for the cost of shipping and it has held up well. Last time I bought a rod I didn't even bother sending in for a silly T-shirt. I think the shipping was almost $10. To heck with that.

It's up to you to contact them about your free stuff. They aren't real aggressive in promoting it. So if you still have your receipt, go to this website below and find the qualifying promo item for the combo that you bought. Might be a hat, T-shirt, etc. I think you can also download the form or you might even be able to submit everything online. http://www.lews.com/productpromos.php

Might try photoshopping a shirt on him next time

Whaaaaaaaaaat? I thought that meant you could add them to your jersey. And if you got a hoodie, too, they get prime positioning on said jersey.

That's a nice hour of fishing. Love the Walter on topwater. Never pulled that one off myself but I've caught a few real shallow on spinnerbaits. That Vixen is one darn fine bait.

Nice bunch of fish. Congrats on a great day!

I hope all goes well for you, Jim. If it gets real tough, might not hurt to throw a Ned Rig around some.

I'm with you on the Custom Pro Speed Stick Lite series. The Custom Speed Sticks are good rods, too. All well under $200 each.

A fine job, indeed. Thanks for the pics! Oh, and some fine-looking furry fellows you have there.

The Jack Emmitt Memorial Tournament was held this past Saturday out of Mill Creek. Doubt they floated all the way over to the mouth of Fisher Creek from the weigh-in but if they used a release boat, it could be some of their fish.

More unbridled awesomeness from our resident tekky dude.

This is about the sneakiest attempt yet at concealing a humdrum fishing report.

Dadgummit 96, now you've done it. Two weeks from now it'll be 27 degrees for a high and the water temperature will have plummeted 20 degrees, sending every fish in the lake into grand mal seizures .