Champ188

Some are out there grinding and figuring out how to catch them; others are are waiting in the wings for free advice or to move in when the real fisherman leaves a spot. It's fishing's version of the working man and the welfare bum.

It was a vague reference to the all-too-common question a couple of years ago "What's a Ned rig?" Don't let these guys pick on you, Hammer. Tell 'em where to stick it. LOL

It was probably Stephen Turner. He's a personal trainer at Fayetteville Athletic Club and loves the extreme outdoor sports. That was probably a stand-up paddleboard he had tethered to him. It's crazy the physical things he's capable of.

What's a tube? Is it anything like a Ned rig?

Too bad there aren't more people in the world with as much ambition as that little bass had.

Donna and I got off to a late start Saturday (9 a.m.) but made up for it by fishing until dark. Spent 6.5 hours of that time in the Kings with just one keeper to show for it. Pretty much threw the tackle store at them ... spinnerbait, topwater, crank bait and jig, and several varieties of each. Caught lots of dinks ... about 30 on the day. Came back down to the Shell Knob area around 3:30 and got on a decent jig bite but still, only one 15-incher. Just can't seem to get on that program of catching a boatload of keepers every time out.

Thanks for the report JWT and welcome to the forum. Agreed on the little LM's.

Well done, indeed. What a specimen. Not even gonna ask how hard it pulled. They are aptly named. LOL

Like you said, I'm sure someone caught em. At least you had enough small ones to keep things interesting.

Well said, Ham. Bill is definitely in his comfort zone where most of us aren't ... way out there.

Lightning storm = time to get under the biggest boat dock around and take a nap.

Plug nailed it ... if it matters to the guy throwing it, it matters. All of us fish better when we believe in what we're throwing. As for what the fish think, no one can say definitively either way because none of us have ever talked to one.

Looks like the Kings bite is on. Will find out Friday.

Best kind of fishing day. Donna and I will be on the next pond over unless I decide to go to Grand.

Lots of fish up there. Tie on a Bandit 200 series crank bait in chartreuse rootbeer or green speckled craw, a 3/8-ounce War Eagle spot remover spinnerbait and a brown or PBJ finesse jig with a green pumpkin Lil Critter Craw trailer. Oh, there's the Ned rig thingy, too. Might want to tie on one of those. Then go fishing. Bluff ends, big rock-to-gravel transition areas, points of all descriptions. You'll catch em.

Do you wear Spandex and a Tour de France jersey?

Hey Jerry, I'm looking for one of the old Odyssey White Hot Two-Ball putters. Let me know if you have one.

Congrats to you, too, RogueAgent. Nice job.

Ham, you are welcome to disagree with me anytime. About anything. The interaction is what makes this place the information mill that it is. None of us know everything, and that goes double for me. I just act like it sometimes.

I have the Monkey Butt color. A friend gave it to me. I don't think it was by accident that he picked that color. Regardless, they like it. Anything resembling shad should work. It's generally a fast-moving reaction bait, meaning color is not a key consideration.

That's a beautiful buck. Nice job.

Second place/big bass in your first tournament is pretty darn good. Glad it was a positive experience. You guys may have started something you can't finish. LOL Tournament fishing and golf are both known to get in a guy's (or gal's) blood and never let go.

That's a nice walleye trip. Not often a guy catches 5 in one day from Table Rock. The keeper spots are trained not to bite anytime they see a measuring board.

Nice day! Did you guys win?

I read a book by I believe a retired fisheries biologist in Texas who has spent most of his life chasing and catching giants. He believes that 80% of trophy bass only come shallow to spawn and otherwise spend their entire lives cruising the offshore depths. If they do come shallow, it's usually at night and only for a brief time to feed. That leaves a small percentage of big bass in the shallows, but it explains why a guy like me who makes his hay fishing skinny water catches a lot of fish and plenty of keepers but not so many really big fish. My big ones tend to come in the winter when I'm fishing jerk baits off bluff ends and along 45-degree banks with immediate deep-water access.