Champ188

Congrats on the new rig, rps. Look forward to seeing pics.

5bites, the Ford Model T was fine. But visionaries wanted faster transportation with more creature comforts. Thank goodness coz I really like my 4WD GMC crew cab. Wooden 14-foot V-bottoms were fine at one time. But thankfully people like Forrest Wood were thinking ahead, so now we have the modern bass boat. Again, vision. You've stated several times on here that you won't go anywhere without your gun, and that you won't even fish a tournament if they won't let you carry your gun. You're fine right now, right? So why carry a gun? Wait, are you looking ahead and anticipating that something could happen? Yes, we have some great fisheries around our part of the country, including Table Rock. But there's nothing wrong with kicking around some ideas that might make them better. That's all anyone is doing here.

No, that is actually a PBJ-colored Ned. Something about the way the light struck it made it look funny. I promise, it's PBJ. I would NOT lie about such things. By the way, here's a pic of Super Dave doing his thing Tuesday. Watched this guy fish for a couple of hours and it's impressive. He's as efficient and thorough as anyone I ever shared a boat with, including quite a few BASS pros.

I assume you mean close harvest, not fishing. You can catch them, but they have to be immediately released.

I'm lost.

Or currrent wife.

I found the same scenario up around Kimberling City, only I was too bullheaded to stop throwing the winding baits as soon as you. I did catch end up catching a fair number of fish on The Varmint, but I had visions of catching them other ways considering the cloud cover and wind. Didn't happen. This lake is notable for the fish looking down on days they should be looking up.

Yes, closing bass fishing while other species remained open would be impossible at best. Requiring their immediate release for a couple of months would be incredibly simple and seemingly a boon to the fishery.

We're not in Kansas anymore! Oh wait, yes you are!!!! Did you put your Power Poles down to keep from blowing away?

I will bed fish a few hours a year for pleasure but not in a derby because I will not cart a fish away from its bed. Personal choice. Not an indictment of anyone who does. Like others above have stated, I've watched many times as a fish I just caught and carefully released returned promptly to its nest. As far as things being fine like they are, I'm with DADAKOTA. Why be content with the status quo when through some improved management practices, things might be tons better?

Love it.

Sunday was a bit of a challenge all over the lake. Donna and I struggled to get many keeper bites. That will happen when you have 400-plus tournament boats and a bunch more recreational fishermen out there pounding on them for a couple of days straight.

Sad to see, for sure. Not only were those fish lost but everything they might have spawned.

Good day, Nitro. One question ... is your wife in the witness protection program?

Some fine eatin' right there. Good job, Muddy.

Hang in there, Fozzype. I feel your pain and have known it personally way more often than I'd like to admit. There are some very good suggestions above. Four tournaments in two weekends is a lot for anyone. Might want to slow down a bit on those, get back to the basics and enjoy God's handiwork all around you. I bet things will fall in place sooner than later.

Why is it that Yanks all seem to kinda look alike?

You got that right, Plug. Just like the A-rig ... makes heroes out of zeroes.

Well said, Dan. I particularly agree about keeping in mind why we fish to begin with ... to relax and enjoy everything God has created for us and entrusted us to take care of.

Bo did not say Table Rock would ever become Lake Fork with supplemental stocking. What he said is that even with all of the intense pressure that Fork gets, it churns out lunker after lunker IN PART because Texas Parks & Wildlife stocks it. I believe his point was that if stocking can keep Fork's bass population in prime condition, it could also help at Table Rock. And there's also the little matter that your opinion is diminished in my eyes by the fact that you said not too long ago right here on this forum that you've killed every keeper bass you've ever caught out of Table Rock for the last umpteen years. And that's just MY opinion.

For all the years that I worked for the statewide newspaper in Arkansas and covered AGFC meetings, I'd like to have a dollar for every time I heard "We have to do what the general fishing/hunting public wants." The only definition I was ever able to come up with for "general fishing/hunting public" was any user group other than the one I was identifying with at the moment. Game and Fish directors in most states seem to love to hide behind that line of poop. I'll give Texas credit where credit is due ... they sure seem to have the best interest of their fisheries at heart and they had one heckuva fisheries director in old Durocher for a lot of years. He nor none of his people were afraid to make decisions that might not please everyone. As we all know, when multiple user groups are involved, you're never gonna please everyone. But it seems to me that bass --- and certainly the state's bellcowt bass fishery, Table Rock --- has gotten very little attention for a number of years. All things laid on the Table, my No. 1 interest isn't more revenue for the area, it's catching more bass every time I go fishing! But Bo does make a great point about the revenue. If trout produce more revenue than bass statewide, I'd sure like to see some figures to prove it. Yet a TON more taxpayer/license buyer money is spent on trout than bass. The things we're talking about in this thread --- other than supplemental stocking --- would cost absolutely nothing to implement. Arkansas bass fishermen organized in the Hot Springs area and managed to get the ear of the AGFC and see some changes made in striper stocking, bass stocking, regulations and other things. The group was/is called the Arkansas Black Bass Coalition. There's no reason that something similar couldn't be organized here.

I like the way you think.

Interesting and rather obvious once you take a close look at the fish. I caught a similar natural cross from TR a few years back. MDC verified it from a photo I sent them.

Heck, Johnny owns everything else in that part of the lake ... he's probably negotiating a deal for the fish, too.

I'd guess 4.5 to 5 pounds. Darn sure a nice fish.