Champ188

Chris, we couldn't have asked for better treatment. They were great.

Thanks again, all.

Goes to show the days that seem perfect aren't always that. Glad you salvaged the day with the Senko. Nice recovery.

Thanks for all the compliments, guys. Really looking forward to picking it up Tuesday. About the dual console, it's not going to be one for long. The extra console is coming out and Donna wants it out more than me. She honestly prefers the room over what protection the second console provides.

My mistake on the Z8 last year. First prize was a Z9 the first year the tournament was held. I know that because it was won by a friend of mine, Brady Meredith.

Mark, the obvious translation of your comments is, "We'll hold the darn tournament wherever we want and if you don't like it, don't fish it." That mentality is oh so typical of Bass Pro Shops in general and is one reason that many people are very glad that Cabela's came to NW Arkansas and not BPS. Dennis and GNS made a valid point in that it would be nice if the weigh-in was more centrally located on the lake, particularly for the river fishermen. Yours is valid, too, in that BPS now owns Gages Marina. But your tone comes across as rather condescending. Also, how is it that downsizing the grand prize from a Z9 to a Z8 is upping the payout? Good luck with the event. Hope lots of fish are caught.

Yup, after a great partnership of many years, I dumped her. No, boys. Donna is not on the market. But the old Champ is available thru Anglers Port Marine in Warsaw. Donna and I henceforth will be skidding the waters of Table Rock and surrounding venues in a new Ranger. I know, Bill. At best, it's a middle-class boat with a low-end ride and a top-end price. But we'll manage somehow. Everyone stop and say hello if the chance arises.

Since winter has apparently been canceled this year, we should do that sometime soon.

Pretty rig, Chief. And welcome to the forum.

Techo, no post by you is "butting in." Good to hear from you.

What you do is take all of those waypoints and fish everywhere BUT there and you just might have a pretty good day.

Patrick, I am presently looking to sell my 2004 Champion 188 Elite. It's a 19-foot boat that rides like a 20-footer. Motor is a 2004 Mercury Optimax 200. In the past year, I've added a full set of new factory-original seats ($1,100) and just six weeks ago put a brand new MotorGuide Tour 82 trolling motor on it ($1,200). Both graphs also were purchased within the past 2 years and are Lowrance HDS 5's, one of which has GPS. The rig is sitting on a tandem-axle trailer with brakes. Carpet is good. Being the Elite model, it has all of the extras. This boat already knows Table Rock very well. Asking $17,000 firm. Here are a couple of pics.

Thanks F&F, will keep that in mind.

Great report, Fanatic. Nice to know that things are darn near identical in all three primary river arms (James, White and Kings). Gotta be steep and deep.

Funny how every time we think humanity has gone down the crapper for good, someone comes along and does something like sharing the crappie hole to restore our faith. Neat story, Sam. And you hit the nail on the head with your opening remark about all of us getting along regardless of our particular interest in fishing. Let's save our live ammo for the numbnutz recreational boaters and jet skiers instead of wasting it on each other.

Thanks Quill, we worked long and hard for 'em. They're still schooled up. We'd go an hour without catching one then hit a pack of 'em and catch 4-6 pretty quick. Enjoyed the day but doggone it I'm ready for one of those good ol' dark, windy, chunk-and-wind a spinnerbait from daylight to dark deals. Gotta be coming soon. We had a warm fall like this 4-5 years ago and just when I thought there wouldn't be a blade bite that year, they got on it around the first of December and chomped it til Christmas.

No wind + bright skies on The Rock = darn tough.

My hat is off to you, Ryan. That is truly taking the high road.

Hey Jacob, small world. Glad me and Donna weren't holding hands or doing some other embarassing monkeyshine. We fished til about noon when the big cold front and rain hit then I sissied out and suggested we call it. Donna didn't put up much of a fight. Glad you caught some. That's a darn good point you were fishing. Some good smallmouth get up on that gravel in early spring. Been known to catch some myself off of it and the one on the other side by the marina docks, at least til the marina dude comes out and runs us off.

Me and Donna did Big M on Sunday and found things about the same. We beat out a small derby limit (that being WE because running the trolling motor in gusts up to 40 mph has to count for something) but nothing to write home about. Donna caught all five keeps along with a fair number of shorts on 3/8-ounce jig on banks 45 degrees and steeper. Silly shad just will NOT seem to move into the creeks or pockets this fall, so no reason for the bass to do so either. Like op79 said, it's surprising to see them staying out in the big water suspended but by gosh that's where they are. Dang near every fish Donna caught was suspended 10-15 feet deep on nearly vertical rock. All of our keepers were spots except for one pretty good LM. As for the big dummy on the front, besides keeping his size 14 on the tm pedal, he was determined to force-feed em a spinner bait or buzz bait. Didn't work. Didn't care. Fun to watch Miss Donna whack em on the jig.

Nice report indeed, dwiebenga. Thanks for sharing. Glad you guys were able to crack the code and capture some of the slippery little devils.

F and F, I used the term "rules" loosely in reference to the unwritten rules that we all should follow regarding giving each other space on the lake. That goes for recreational and tournament anglers alike. And both groups have more than their share of ignorant and inconsiderate people.

Bill Jr., go fishing just like you normally would. The fact that you took time to ask this question shows that you are a considerate person ... maybe overly so in this age of overt rudeness on land and sea alike. Feathers and Fins, your indictment of tournament anglers is completely unfair. I am both a recreational angler and a tournament fisherman and I can assure you, I have been the victim of more than my share of blatant rudeness at the hands of recreational anglers just as often or more than by tournament fishermen. It's an epidemic that knows no boundaries. Some are ignorant of the rules, some are too ignorant to learn the rules and some just flat don't frackin' care .... if you are on their spot, they'll try to push you off. Stupidity and disregard for others are equal opportunity afflictions in today's society.

Don't fall out of the tree.

Just what I thought (hoped) was about to happen. Sounds like they're making a big move shallow.