Champ188

*T* you are exactly right. It would be nice if all 6-pound test lines (or any other size) were uniform in diameter, but they just aren't. That's why the IGFA requires that anglers submit a section of line for verification when confirming world line-class records. The fact remains that Maxima and PLine are top-shelf monofilaments. You just need to "buy down" a size to enjoy the full benefits of the smaller diameter.

I obviously took your brevity for something it was not meant to be. Onward.

No disrespect intended for the Woolly Bugger, ness. Coulda pulled the names of a dozen other flies outta the air ... Parachute Adams, Zebra Midge, etc. My not-so-well-made point was this ... you'll spend more on flyfishing gear than I will because that's your passion. Mine is different. But I don't go on the flyfishing forums and make comments like "$27? Nope." To me, your comment came off as condescending. If that wasn't the intent, I apologize for taking exception to it.

LOL ... good stuff

That's all I'm sporting for.

I think you're right about the number of limits. My thinking is just try to make sure we have 5 each day, even if some (or all) of them are spots.

Thanks, J-Doc. I used to fish the river end a lot ... both the White and War Eagle arms ... but got away from it last few years. The lake really tends to fish small up there at times. May make a jaunt up there, though, and see what's going on.

You can come to Beaver and help me practice for the Everett year-ender Sept. 6-7. They're biting good there. I promise. Really. I do.

I'd like to think he might go missing if he tried to play golf in this neck of the woods.

Glad to hear it, dblades. Hope the little hot spell that's coming on now isn't an indication of a late summer. I've seen some awfully hot Septembers. Ready for those fall cool fronts to start rolling in.

Thank God for golf (at least until some entitled, self-absorbed, can't-play-a-lick, slow-death azzhat gets in front of me, making me wonder if my blood pressure wouldn't be less if I was out on the lake dodging that lovely group of entitled, self-absorbed ..... ).

"Never leave fish biting." Easier said than done.

Gotta love Walters. Pike you can eat.

I repeat: To each his own. There is no prejudice in that statement. You're the one who seems to disapprove of spending $27 or even $14 "on a single lure, much less a bunch of them." So I think the prejudice is on your side of the fence ... against bass fishermen. Good lord, will fall fishing never get here so we can have something to talk about here rather than snipe at each other?

I'll let others more knowledgable about such things answer the camping questions, but I have one observation and one suggestion. First, be darn careful out there in July in a small aluminum boat. Even on weekdays, the ski and wakeboat crowd can swamp you in a hurry. And don't think they won't be out early in the morning ... daybreak and sunset have gotten to be very popular times with some of them. Second, since you're a year out from your trip, you might give some serious thought to putting some money back to hire a guide. Even if just for a half-day outing, you'd make some lifetime memories of this trip with your dad. Fishing Table Rock is generally darn tough in July, even for us locals. You'd be wise to seek out some expert help. I would suggest you consider Bill Babler of White River Outfitters, who moderates this forum. His reputation as a top-shelf guide extends far and wide.

Duo Realis are $13; Megabass X-Plose are $23 and up, depending on where you get them ($27 by the time you add tax and shipping).

My current "lineup" includes: • 6-pound BPS Excel mono for shaky head and drop shot • 8-pound Maxima or P-Line mono for jerk baits (on medium power casting gear) • 10-pound P-Line mono for middle to deep crank baits • 10-pound Trilene 100% FC for finesse jigs (although experimenting with Cabela's 100% FC and liking it so far) • 12-pound P-Line mono for Flukes and floating worms in spring • 15-pound Trilene 100% FC (or Cabela's) for football jig, hula grub, C-rig (10-pound FC leader), jigs around docks, spoons or flipping anything in the bushes • 17-pound P-Line mono for all topwaters, spinnerbaits or square bills

Nor would most of us bass guys pay a dime for a Woolly Bugger. To each his own.

If you're gonna pick one of those guys to study, Martens is a good one. Especially for those of us who are limited to fishing a couple or three lakes year-round. For the most part, the Elite Series visits the nation's best fisheries at prime times. That means there's usually a reaction bite available, so power fishing pretty much rules the roost. The derbies start early in the year in the South, moving northward, so for several stops the guys are targeting fish in some stage of the spawn. Then it's on to Chickamauga-Nick-a-jack or some other ledge fishing haven. That's fine. Not criticizing the process at all. But for us here on these beautiful White River lakes, other than the 2-3 months our fish are in the spawning phases, power fishing often isn't an option. There are times when even an Eakins-style finesse jig is a bit on the macho side. So it's not a bad idea for anyone to spool up the spinning gear with some fresh 6-pound string (flavor of your choice) and rig up a drop shot, shaky head or a Varmint. Martens has a lifetime reservation in the top 10 of the Angler of the Year standings, and often resides in the top three. From my view, it's because (1) he's a student of the fish first, (2) he can finesse fish like nobody's business, and (3) he doesn't waste a single second of the day fumbling around or digging for tackle, etc. He's over-the-top O/C when it comes to organization. Of course, he could save himself even more time to fish if he'd stop whining and arguing with others about being on his spots, but that's another issue entirely. I'm just saying, there are times when I could leave the spinning rods at home entirely and never miss them. But there are a lot more times when I've learned to save the day (and save face at the weigh-in) by downsizing and paying close attention to detail. More power --- or finesse --- to ya, J-Doc.

I think it was a combination of the two, 5bites. Perhaps the cleaner water allowed the gobies to thrive, which in turn fed the smallmouth boom. At any rate, whatever happened was a very good thing.

Those of you who think line size doesn't matter please continue to think that way. Especially if we're fishing the same tournaments.

I know for sure they're in the Arkansas River from Oklahoma on down to south Arkansas, where the river empties into the Mississippi. They've been there at least since the mid-90s. As a rule, the river is clearer than before but fishing quality hasn't changed a great deal. The spotted bass are doing better than before the mussels, apparently because of the clearer water.

J-Doc, you bring up a good point about using lighter fluorocarbon lines for spinning gear. I had a tour pro tell me a few years back that he wont go below 8-pound test with FC because of its lack of stretch/tendency to break on the hookset. I experienced this problem with 10-pound test on baitcasting gear back in the early years of FC lines but I have since lightened the power/action of my rods to allow for the low-stretch characteristic of FC lines. I have also tempered my hookset to allow for the fact that with today's hooks, you just don't need to jerk like a maniac anymore. My next experiment is going to be trying some 6-pound FC on my spinning rods and see how my number of bites compares with using 6-pound mono. Thanks for the testimony about the Invis-X.

c This is logical and common-sensical thinking. You gotta pick your battles and purging the world of illegal trotlines probably isn't the most prudent choice, especially where one's health and welfare is concerned. However, many of those from waypoints north of here can't seem to help themselves. They just gotta enlighten us poor ol' hillbillies.

He did, he did