Champ188

5bites, for dragging a football jig, hula grub or Carolina rig, Donna and I always use 15-pound fluorocarbon, either Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon or Cabela's No-Vis 100% Fluorocarbon. I am 98% convinced at this point that the Cabela's line is every bit as good (and sensitive) as the Trilene for half the price.

Thumbs, Thumbs, Thumbs ... a dropshot in less than 5 feet of water? Is an intervention needed? A month ago you couldn't spell dropshot and now you can't put it down. I'm starting to worry about you, my friend! It's been said that dropshotting is like another activity toward which males are inclined ... we all do it in times of desperation but we don't talk about it.

I scratch my head when I read these reports stating something to the effect of "I was gonna go but it rained." Folks, for the most part, your best days on Table Rock will be the nastiest. By no means should you fish in a lightning storm --- get under a dock or off the water fast --- but don't be afraid of a little rain. Good rainsuits exist at all price points these days. Anytime the water temp starts trending downward into the low 80s as fall approaches, there will be a shallow spinnerbait bite somewhere. I usually start looking around main-lake points, throwing into a variety of depths until I locate the fish. Generally, I use a medium-fast retrieve and keep the bait in the top 5 feet of the water column. If the fish are around, they'll come up and get it. Dock corners get very good in the fall, too. You'll catch spots, including some big ol' footballs, on the outside corners and LM on the inside corners. Good luck out there. Looks like we may have some early fall fishing this year.

And herein lies a critical lesson, folks ... never ever EVER splash your boat without spinnerbaits on board. Specifically, War Eagle spinnerbaits.

I fish on nearly all game days, thanks to the advent of DVR.

Good report, QB. Glad you got out. Were the fish in 20 feet or less?

Shallow blade and crank bite is coming before too long. I just hate that.

And football. Hogs football. NFL football. Any kind of football except that abomination them furriners play with the round ball that ain't even real football.

This is not the LMB virus. The biologist has already identified it as an oxygen problem caused by a fragmented thermocline. Just remains to be seen how serious it gets. Hopefully we'll have an early fall and get things headed back in the right direction.

You hit on something that a lot of people miss. I'm as serious about my fishing as anyone and work at it on and off the water, but I don't miss the opportunity these days to pause and watch the wildlife around me. It's just part of the whole experience for me.

That's a heck of a nice job, Brad. Should give you years of enjoyment.

I think they call that one The Foxhole. Thanks, folks. I'll be here all week.

With the oxygen problems/fish kill we are experiencing right now, I would question the practice of bringing healthy fish from the dam area into that environment. One more dead fish is too many.

As I understand it, there is a shoreline management plan for every Corps lake. Stockton has docks, just not as many as other lakes. Probably the population, as you suggested. LOZ is not a Corps lake. It is owned by the Amerens power company, so it's a totally different animal.

Bottom line is it's not about the fish.

I was already thinking, hey I hope no one thinks that was us. LOL

Nope, been 3 weeks or more since I've been on the Rock. Besides the fact that I would never get on plane inside a no-wake buoy, Donna would knock a knot on my head if I did, and rightfully so.

Bad news. Interesting about the thermocline and insufficient oxygen to support fish life below 20 feet.

A baseball to the noggin. This may explain a lot.

By dang Jerry, a catch like that should've earned ya a free jersey. Name on the back and all that. You know, like the pros.

If calling others a "white trash redneck conservative" (illustration or not) isn't throwing stones, I don't know what is.

Agreed in full on every word, especially the relative importance of stripers vs. black bass when compared to the larger issues this nation is facing. Beaver does have significant populations of both stripers and black bass, and I'm sure that's not likely to change anytime soon, if ever. Selfishly, I wish the stripers weren't there because I do believe the black bass fishing would be stronger. But that's irrelevant because they are there and black bass anglers, including myself, are not the lake's only angling user group. As for tournaments, I'm not the big supporter that I used to be. I remember the days when tournament anglers policed themselves, i.e. when the occasional jackass drew complaints from other anglers --- especially the recreational, non-tournament group --- the old guard among the tournament guys would let him know that rude or unsportsmanlike behavior toward anyone on the lake would NOT be tolerated. This in itself created a more sportsmanlike atmosphere around derbies. Today, the jackasses seem to have grown in number until self-policing is no longer effective. I still believe they are outnumbered by the courteous guys/gals, but there is enough of them that their presence is felt way too often and way too strongly. As has been discussed many times on OAF, courtesy and respect have become endangered species everywhere --- on the roads, on the lake, in the stores, just about anywhere you want to go. Sadly, we have a generation of young adults with far too big a percentage of entitled, selfish and downright rude brats. And some of them are driving bass boats and fishing in tournaments. Onward, folks.

The Ned is a tool just like any other lure. None should be used exclusively.

Nice work. Goes to show just how much confidence and determination can pay off in tough times.

Certainly not in my opinion. Others may differ.