Champ188

Thanks for the Monday morning laugh, Bill. Would love to see the property owner's expression when he mows down that fence line and finds a shiny new War Eagle blade hanging on his fence.

LOL!!!!!!

FYI guys, that float-n-fly comment was an inside joke. Babler and Beck have been bashing them on Table Rock with it, including a 27-pound sack a couple of weekends ago. Figured I'd try to talk him into trying it at LOZ. Mike, gonna be a shootout this weekend, I believe. Looking forward to catching 'em up in the dirt for a change, the way I like it.

Donna and I fished Friday and found a fairly decent dock bite on jigs and also caught a couple dragging gravel points with a fb jig and a grub. Caught several keepers and since we were practicing for AIA on Saturday, we left each area immediately after catching a keeper. On Saturday, we fished the same stuff a lot harder and more thoroughly. I cannot 100% say that I had a bite all day. Donna had two for-sure bites and missed em both. If you get around some fish, better milk it for all it's worth. Like dtrs5kprs says, they GOTTA move up sometime. We're off to LOZ early in the morning for five hopefully glorious days. Might even make a little Central Pro-Am cash while we're at it.

Been favoring the Yum twin tails myself for jig trailers. They swim great, are tough as leather and are reasonably priced.

Or you can come on the forum first, see what Babler has so kindly posted and save yourself some time searching for the pattern.

Larry Gale ramp was in fine shape a week ago Sunday. I'm sure it still is.

I heard they're chompin' a float-n-fly close to Drake Harbor at Warsaw.

Bless you for having the patience and taking the time to take your boy fishing. Even at 50 now, I can't express how grateful I am that my dad did the same. He could've gone fishin with his buddies, and occasionally he did. But for the most part, from the time I was old enough to tag along, I was his favorite fishing buddy. It led to a lifetime love of the sport.

Thanks much, Rangerman. I'm the lucky one by far ... lucky she puts up with me.

10-4 rangerman, no problem at all. I did note that you said "some" and appreciate that. Hey, you're exactly right in that there are some real egotistical jackasses out there among tournament fishermen and I'm as put off by them as anyone. You and I obviously agree on releasing the LM and SM and eating some of the K's. Also enjoy eating the occasional walleye. Looking forward to being at Bull Shoals for a week in May. When we were there that time last year, we couldn't beat the 17 7/8-inch "Walters" off our grubs and finesse worms. They were all over the lake, from the dam on up, seemingly on every point. Hoping a bunch of those have grown at least 1/8 inch in the past year. Will definitely be packing the ol' fillet knife and some quart bags.

Hey rangerman, for the record ... I do not look down my nose at you or any other angler for keeping a mess of fish to eat. It's very seldom that my freezer is without a bag or two of bass fillets. I've spoken my mind several times on this site about how all of the management tools and regulations in the world do absolutely no good without some harvest. Not saying I'm right or wrong about the stripers or that anyone else is. We're all entitled to our opinions. Mine just happens to be I hope they don't stock any more of them.

One more vote for Rapala.

We'll be there Friday-Sunday, Denny. I think we decided to stay and just fish for fun Sunday. Have to check with Donna on that. Anyway, we'll get together Friday or Saturday night. Maybe we can have a hootenanny at the lodge.

I'm no biologist either but I do know this to be a fact: Tournament weights are lighter and overall per-hour catch rates for LM, spotted and smallmouth bass are lower in lakes that have big populations of stripers. In my opinion, this is because shad are not as plentiful. Again, it is a fact that north Arkansas' two primary striper lakes — Beaver and Norfork — consistently produce lighter winning tournament weights than Table Rock. Same goes for Bull Shoals, although not quite as noticeably, perhaps because the striper population isn't as dense as on Beaver and Norfork.

All great info, fozzype. Thanks for providing some depth on the issue. Bottom line: Can't grow fish in sterile water. No nutrients = no food chain. Thanks again.

(417) 779-4301 or www.baxterboatdock.com

A taxidermist in favor of stripers — imagine that!

I grew up around lakes where stripers were introduced 30 years ago (Ouachita and Hamilton in Hot Springs, AR). I live near one now (Beaver). In my not-so-humble opinion, they belong in the ocean where God put them. Aside from decimating the shad supply, they are for the most part nearly impossible for the recreational angler to catch. I have guide friends who chase them, and "chase" is a very literal term. These fish run in huge schools and often move miles in a day's time. The weekend fisherman who was so excited about these big brutes being stocked soon learns that without very good electronics and a lot of luck, his chances of getting on them is not very good. Around Hot Springs and at Beaver, except for a few dedicated locals, about the only successful striper fishermen are the guides. Meanwhile, the price to be paid is reduced populations of other gamefish — namely the native bass species and crappie. I believe the primary reason for this is reduced forage, but crappie being open-water fish will often find themselves in the company of stripers. I do not believe that striper prey on native bass because they just don't occupy the same waters much of the time. But they will eat their share of crappie. As for putting them in Table Rock, MDC folks are smarter than that. They aren't about to take this gold mine of a lake that's pulling in literally every nationwide bass tournament circuit on a yearly basis and mess it up. I'd bet the farm on that.

I remember when I could fish half the night or more and work the next day. Not no mo.

You make a good point there, Denny. Maybe KVD IS Beck, or vice versa.

Babler-Beck should be takin him on an instructional guide trip after last Sunday.

Nice day, pal. What was the water temp up there?

7.95

I know, dtrs5kprs. LOL. But i'm done with derbies for awhile on TR. Headed for LOZ as time allows the next 2-3 weeks. Looking forward to a good dirty-water spring blade bite up there.