Champ188

Donna and I made our first casts about 8 a.m. Sunday and put it back on the trailer at 12:30. In between, we caught 17 with 7 keepers. All but two were largemouths and all were caught within a 5-mile stretch of the Kings River. Some were out on the main river and others were inside pockets. Either way, 45-degree banks with big rock were most productive. Jig, crank bait and stickbait all contributed. These two were a double we had on our first spot.

In Missouri, people born in 1984 or after must successfully pass a boater education course and carry proof of it in order to lawfully operate any motorized vessel. In Arkansas, the year of birth is 1986.

Just sayin, increased boat traffic in the spring is a fact of life.

You have to keep an open mind and adjust to the conditions. Boat traffic is an unpleasant reality of spring fishing. How you deal with it determines whether your trip is successful or not.

Yes, there's a jig bite. Donna's been catching them on a 3/8 Pig Sticker in green pumpkin.

I would bet that you're right about location over lure. I just throw what I'm confident will get me a bite when I get around one. Chances are, those fish would've hit a Megabass, McStick, Rogue, Shadow Rap, X-Rap, Strike KIng or any number of other stickbaits. Regardless, the RC STX replicates a Megabass Vision 110 pretty well for a fraction of the price.

Beautiful fish. Love those big spots. Bad job on the camera angle. I'm onto your stuff now. LOL

I saw a few guys catching some crappie Sunday in the creeks and bigger pockets off the Kings River. Most were fishing jigs around visible wood in 15-25 feet of water. Not sure how deep they were going with their jigs but most of the fish I saw them catch were throwbacks.

Wish our Walmart would stock them but I usually get them at Hook Line & Sinker or end up ordering them. I keep myself stocked up on the colors that treat me best.

Have fun over there, Gabe. Looks like the jackpot weights have been picking up. Might want to take you some Rock Crawlers along, too. Bet that phantom brown or red craw would flat catch them.

Herringbone Chartreuse, Pro Blue, Black Stardust Shad, Purple Flash.

Probably work for that, too, as long as it doesn't cause the bait to roll or run off keel.

As you well know, Ham, a lot of it has to do with what you believe in. The McStick is probably a better quality bait. But at $9 each, I don't mind replacing an STX every few trips.

PRADCO bought Norman. Luck-E-Strike, formerly of Cassville, MO, sold out to True North Enterprises of Geneva, IL, in 2014. http://swtimes.com/business/norman-lures-acquired-pradco-outdoor-brands http://www.cassville-democrat.com/story/2115314.html

I can see it making a fine buzz bait trailer hook.

Extra weight and drag of the blade would probably kill the action of the Redfin, or at least affect it enough to negate any advantage it might add.

There are other McSticks hanging on the wall in the garage. But I have a lot more RC STX's.

Dang brown fish crashing a crappie party? Have they no manners?

For crappie, I have a 10-foot medium action spinning outfit spooled with 6-pound mono. I'll clip a weighted styrofoam cork on the line however many feet I choose up from my Arkie Lures Shineee Hineee jig and fling away. With this long rod, I can cast my jig with the cork 15 feet up the line. Same basic deal as the float n fly.

I have an entire box (16) McSticks and I do catch fish on them. But the RC STX is a much closer knockoff of the Megabass and if forced to choose between the two, I'd take the RC STX hands down.

Water temp was 47-49, therefore only 3-5 seconds between pauses. Jerk bait is a Luck-E-Strike RC STX. It's a pretty darn good Megabass Vision 110 knockoff. Another bonus is the $9 price tag. I'm gonna pay whatever it takes to catch fish and I do own some Megabass baits, but in this case, I can honestly say this bait works every bit as well as the Vision 110 for me.

Rolled into Eagle Rock at 10:15 Tuesday morning. Had a little delay in getting started, though. I had run the oil tank low on the 225 Pro XS on Sunday, but didn't think much of it at the time. Just poured in a gallon when I got home and figured all was good. When I got to the ramp Tuesday, it kept throwing an oil pump failure code to the Smartcraft gauge. Pulled it back out of the water and went up to Bruton Marine at Golden, where the very accommodating older fellow explained that the reserve tank on the side of the engine had to be completely full, which is was not. After buying another gallon of oil, going back to the lake, filling the little reserve tank and bleeding out the air, I made my first cast at 11:58 a.m. First spot I stopped produced a short K on the Rock Crawler and another lost fish about the same size. Next area seemed to be a dud until I finally hit the sweet spot. Caught another Rock Crawler fish, then picked up the stick bait and it was on. This spot produced a total of 11 fish over the next hour-and-a-half, including a 4-pound LM and some thumper K's. All came on the jerk stick. Fished half a dozen more areas before quitting at 5:15 with 21 total fish and five keepers that would go 13-14 pounds. I can tell you this ... it got colder as the afternoon went on with that wind blowing steady 15-20 mph gusting to 30 mph and temps right around 40. Bite seemed to tail off around 4:00.

Pretty good day, all things considered. Bite has gotten tougher in the White for me. Having to really move and shake to find/catch em.

Well said, Sprint.

We'll always have Grand. (Or Paris).