Champ188

FLW has experienced three major incidents in less than a year. Not hardly rare.

Sub out the word "son" for "wife" and you'll have 90 percent of the reason I quit derby fishing. Got to be way too many numbnuts out there with steering wheels in their hands that I wasn't about to put Donna at the mercy of any longer. She held her on for years in pro-am events, making the Classic every year but one during a decade of fishing Central Pro-Am. But some of the worst rides she ever took were in Walmart BFL events, which are a branch of FLW. Too much youthful testosterone and lack of knowledge/skill where operating a high-speed bass rig is concerned.

I don't think there's been a better post in a very long time on all of Ozark Anglers than this one ... Darn. Well. Said.

If your wallet qualifies, you qualify.

I think you are wise to put in some time around Larry Gale and see what you can come up with. Back in my Central Pro-Am days, we usually had our March tournament up there every year. For at least the last 3-4 years, I ran from PB2 to the Nianguas every year because as someone mentioned earlier, there was slightly warmer water up there. If the water starts approaching 50, don't be afraid to slow-roll a spinnerbait around shallow wood and docks. I finished fourth in the CPA event up there one year doing just that, then Donna and I went back up there the next day in the CPA Team derby and finished third. Both sacks were over 20 pounds.

I can understand that. Fully. About time for you to head south, isn't it?

Dang, things are so bad that even Bo is throwing a Ned. Thanks for letting us know how you did. Gotta get better in the not-too-distant future. January in the Ozarks is just a dud of a month. Too cold to golf most days and if you CAN get out and fish, the silly things don't usually want to bite.

What are you sayin, Sprint? Huh? Huh? That maybe I need to chase more shad and lay off the bluegill and craws?

Yes, and biologists will tell you that is a great limitation of electrofishing surveys. They generally try to do it at night and in the late spring/early summer when the greatest number of fish are apt to be up shallow. Still, in my opinion, it only tells part of the story with LMB and hardly anything about the SM and spots. There just aren't a lot of tools available to do a reasonably accurate population density study for bass in a lake the size of Table Rock.

Great info, Phil.Thanks to both you and Shane for making it available.

Great report, Lance. Thanks for posting. Been wanting to make a couple of crappie runs myself but seems the low-wind days fall at times that I can't go. I'll get out there soon.

Same here Longball but otherwise love my Arachnids.

I think several factors play into LOZ being the great fishery that it is: 1. The water is fertile. Don't know if it's the leaky septic systems, the farmland runoff from the upper end or what, but most of the lake is stained from plankton year-round. And it's just chock full of shad. Always. 2. Sure, there are lots of revelers, but there's no Branson nearby and certainly no Johnny World (Big Cedar Lodge) on the lakeshore. A lot of people come to Table Rock to fish. 3. The aforementioned revelers make LOZ just about impossible to fish several months out of the year unless you go at night. Yeah, some of the hardcore guys go on out there in the summer, but not many. It reduces pressure on the fish. 4. LOZ does not get the national press that Table Rock does. It just ain't that pretty. And all of those boat docks make for some hard fishing for those who aren't skilled casters. Again, advantage to the fish.

There aren’t really any sizable towns around LOZ to put up the money. Wish there were ... TR has had about all the beating and publicity it can stand For awhile. Beaver has been fishing better than TR for a year now and that’s just not right.

Glowing or not, that was one of the funniest posts of that particular year. Classic.

Yep, it costs a pile to lure BASS into bringing the Classic into an area. Obviously, the Greenville and Tulsa chambers are willing to put up the money.

Pretty sure Hwy 12 will stay open too. I think it’s an AGFC ramp.

No one should ever, EVER fill their livewells with tap water. You've got chlorine, fluoride and Lord knows what else in there. Well water could be just as bad or worse. Like Bo said, get to the lake early enough to get your livewells situated. This is important in hot weather regardless of whether you catch them 1 or 100 feet deep. I doubt there are any here on the forum who fit into this category, but those who can't spare a few minutes to take care of "their" fish should just stay home. Because they aren't THEIR fish at all. They are OUR fish so we ALL have a stake in how they are treated.

It's a well-conducted derby and hopefully the March dates won't conflict with the spawn. We don't usually see many spawning fish in March.

Careful skeeter, that kind of rhetoric will get you labeled a hater. Trust me on that one.

My hat is off to you, Sprint. Good job of not caving to the cheater rig. Donna and I started off about 10 AM at the Cow Creek ramp and were back on the trailer there by 1:30 without a single bite to show for our efforts. Figured we go snag us a Blue Eye Burger and then go drop the Ranger back in the water at Eagle Rock. Well, the burger joint was closed (just like fishes' mouths) so we were relegated to snacks at Carr Lane, then on to Eagle Rock. Fished another 2-plus hours without a bite until Donna finally got a nibble on the varmint off a point. Had time to hit one more spot near the ramp, and lo and behold I found a little wad of fish and caught three in 10 minutes, all on the varmint, aka The Little Guy. Two were short spots and the third was a nice 16-inch keeper LM. We found water temps of 46-47 on the lower end and 41-43 up around Eagle Rock. Hang in there, guys. It'll get better. January is just a crappy month.

Good information from one who saw it from the inside most of his life. Thanks, Vernon.

Sorry indeed, Bo, but always a comfort to know they were ready to meet the Lord.

Wonderful looking bait. Ought to be deadly.

Really a long way to go in anything other than a Ranger. 😄