Champ188

I want to emphasize that I'm not advocating keeping fish every time out. Far from it. But with harvest-based management plans, you can't have results if there is zero harvest.

I think Sam is right on. I'm both a tournament and recreational fisherman who spends 100-plus days a year on the water. For the most part, all of my fish are released. However, a couple of times a year, Donna and I will keep a mess of spots (Kentucky) bass to eat, usually from Beaver Lake, where they are more than plentiful and there is a 12-inch minimum length limit. I've brought this up before but will say again, we pay the MDC and AGFC biologists darn good money to formulate management plans for bass and other species in Missouri and Arkansas. Without fail, those plans are centered around length and creel limits. If EVERYONE releases every bass they catch, then those limits are meaningless and the management plans may as well have never been formulated. Personally, and I'm no biologist, I believe all trophy bass should be released in the interest of advancing the gene pool. Otherwise, I believe there has to be SOME harvest in order to balance the bass population with the forage base.

Thanks for the update indeed, Bill. Gave some thought to trying those SM last Saturday during a team derby but decided against because of no wind and no clouds. Struggled upriver, too. In my opinion, the shallow bite just isn't going to happen until we break out of this high pressure cycle of cloudless skies and flat water. Wouldn't hurt for the surface temp to dip into the mid-60s as well.

I'd have cut the darn thing, but then I'm still in my younger days compared to denjac.

Bill, couldn't agree more on the Yum double-tail grub trailers over Yamamoto. The legs don't stick together either. Also, if any of you guys use double tails on the back of finesse (Eakins style) jigs, you might also consider Zoom's Creepy Crawler double tail. It has a slimmer profile than other double tails and does a great job on that smaller jig.

BillP, Yes, nearly all tournaments delay takeoff for fog. But on Table Rock, seems the area around Kim City bridge typically clears earlier than much of the rest of the lake, particularly in the river arms.

Good to have you back from the Great North, Mr. Bill. You were missed.

20 hours straight? Heck, congrats are in order just on completing that marathon. You're a lot tougher than me, pal.

Bill, might try a Baby Chug Bug. Gotta throw em on a spinning rod though coz they're so small and light.

BassAssasin, most definitely yes on the time of year. Fall fishing is some of the absolute best. Also agree with Capt. Don on seeking out the websites and picking the guide that best appeals to you. I'm familiar with most of them and friends with quite a few also, so I won't single one out. But pick one, get in the boat, listen to everything they say because it's the gospel and have a great time.

Big Cow or Little Cow?

Hey Ealy, here's a tip for ya ... go to basspro.com, locate their mop jigs, select color and quantity and proceed to checkout.

Popular weekend already ... Central Pro-Am is on Lake of the Ozarks, and Anglers in Action is on Table Rock that Saturday and on LOZ that Sunday.

3inonegod, you've been a member since May 2009 and have a total of 19 posts. Doesn't sound like you're sharing much info yourself.

Great that you helped out the guy and his kids, Bob. And I wouldn't worry about offending a certain someone by sending the info in a PM. He likes to bounce around from forum to forum making noise.

Thanks, J.E. Looks like Donna and I aren't gonna make it to Norfork for the team championship. I'm just not up to it yet. Good luck to you and Troy. I'm saving up my strength for the pro-am championship at Grand. Been looking forward to that one ever since they announced the site.

The Navy pretty much cuts operations by half immediately after Labor Day, then continues to scale back as the weather cools.

Those are sweet words indeed, Techo. Seems every summer gets longer and the lake more jammed with the party crowd. Told Donna during a recent August tournament day that I wished it was 16 degrees and snowing. On second thought, let's enjoy some good fall fishing first. I'm ready for those magnum spots to start getting on the dock corners where you risk having a rod/reel knocked out of your hands by running a spinnerbait just under the corner on the dock.

Watch it, J.E. I don't know who you're calling an "old man" anyway. Yesterday, a week to the day after having part of a kidney carved out, I stumbled out onto the dock at one of our Bella Vista lakes and promptly caught myself a bass. So there. Ain't many "old men" can do that!

Doc pretty much released me to fish if I feel like it. Haven't reached the point yet to where I've felt strong enough, but might try a few hours tomorrow on one of our local lakes here in Bella Vista. Again guys, thanks so much for the thoughts, prayers and advice.

Guys, A few weeks back, several of you wished me well and offered your thoughts and prayers for my Aug. 25 surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my left kidney. The surgery was a complete success and the doc was able to save 75-90 percent of the kidney. Just wanted to say thank you so much for your cares and concern. Great fishing to each and every one of you as the much-anticipated fall season approaches.

Wow, so many thoughts, prayers, well wishes, offers of help ... I don't know how to begin to express my gratitude, so maybe simplest is best ... THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH! I'm not much of an internet socialite, but I seriously doubt that many group sites have the reality behind them that ours does. Actually, I'd go so far to say that OA folks are real-life friends first and internet chat pals second. Anyway, I'm up and around. Started out stumbling around the halls of the hospital in Tulsa on Thursday and have progressed to pretty much getting up and down whenever I want here at the house since Friday evening. Biggest issue has been shaking off the side effects of anesthesia ... low to mid-grade fever, chills, dizziness, nausea. That's getting better daily, too. Anyway, ready to start thinkin about fishing again. Donna and I have the CPA team championship (if I'm up to it) the weekend after Labor Day on Norfork. Not figuring on making any long boat rides and bouncing things around but from where we take off at Henderson, looks like there are several good creek arms nearby. Then the CPA pro-am championship is Oct. 2-3 at Grand (sorry Denny about that being on top of the Homer Sloan - really wanted to fish that one with you). So I have plenty of incentive to be getting in the best fishing shape possible as soon as possible. Again, thank you so much for the outpouring of kindness and concern during this time. I'm not amazed because of that's the kind of folks you are, but I'm very humbled and grateful.

That Friday morning bite was something else but it sure wasn't there Saturday and Sunday. Actually, caught a ton of nonkeepers swimming a grub in the same areas Saturday morning but by Sunday there wasn't even a grub bite remaining. Just a sign of things to come, though, soon as the weather and water temps cool down a bit.

Guido and Dion might have been here looking for some fish for the big Professional Anglers Association derby coming up first week of October. I think the lake goes off limits to them around Sept. 15.

I can do a 7:15 mile in my truck.