Champ188

If this moisture pattern continues, just wait til winter. We're gonna hafta see if we can trade some kind of redneck/hillbilly equipment to the Yanks up north for some snowplows.

OK, I realize I'm answering my own question here but for those who are interested, there's a winter series team derby Saturday out of Ahoy's. Hours are 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Entry fee $100, optional big bass $20 and no membership fee. It's run by Teri Pierce. For those of us who lack the ambition to chase four-leggers around the woods, let's go fishin!

Anyone know the specifics on the winter series derby Saturday at Ahoy's? Thanks in advance for any info.

Edwin, I have to echo Wayne's suggestion on looking at the Johnny Morris Signature spinning reel. I bought one last spring and it's fabulous. It's the only non-Shimano reel I own but again, it's been a darn fine reel so far.

Hey Whack em, Donna and I are doing great. Getting geared up for the Central Pro-Am championship at Bull Shoals. We do have tentative plans to be at TR on Sunday for the Beezley benefit derby. Haven't been on the lake since first of August but hopefully we can keep from embarassing ourselves. LOL To answer the question about zebra mussels, they're hard-shelled little creatures and attach themselves to everything like barnacles. They'll cut your line in a heartbeat. I remember them well from my days of living down in central Arkansas and seeing them invade the Arkansas River.

Just a quick comment on fluorocarbon ... I've had breakoff issues with Seaguar and recently tried both Trilene and P-Line 100% carbon. Loved them both, especially the Trilene.

Gnat, not doubting you one bit but very strange. I've used nothing but Curados for the past 10 years or more and have never had that happen. I own a bunch of the old green 200s and two of the new silver ones. That really does suck. I hope Shimano makes it right.

Glad to hear of that shallow shelf-rock pattern, Bill. I know what that should mean on the other end of the lake. Look forward to checking it out soon, but Donna and I are off early in the morning for Stockton and the CPA team championship derby. We've had some decent practice runs up there and are really looking forward to it. Fish are where I like them to be and doing what I like them to do. Hope to have good things to report next Monday.

Don't let the siren song woo you Techo. Stay away! You'll be glad you did.

Hi praise, but no doubt well deserved. Bill obviously truly loves the sport and is more than willing to go the extra mile to share his knowledge with others. Side note about my first time to meet him: I was down in my back that afternoon, as I am from time to time, so my wife (DonnaG on this forum) was about to tote our day's catch up the hill at Ahoy's to weigh them in. Bill came along about that time, took the bag from her and carried it for her. A gentleman, indeed.

Actually, the striper bite is just as good or better on a dark night. As for depths, 10-15 feet on the flats is plenty of water.

Welcome, Nick. Good to have you.

May sound crazy, but the striper bite in October is awesome at night. Throw a Super Spook or a big lipless crank bait like a Super Spot. Big Rat-L-Trap will work, too, but I like the Super Spot because it has one big knocker in it and makes a different sound. Color isn't really critical on either one but I tend to believe that dark colors provide a better silhouette. Can of black spray paint will work wonders. Doesn't have to be a fancy paint job. Any of the flats between Coppermine and the dam can be good. The stripers follow the shad up onto the flats and night and munch on 'em. Coppermine Lodge would be a good place to consider staying. They have their own launch ramp and a pretty good dock if you want to keep your boat in the water. Just a suggestion.

Capt. D, I'm with Joe. Don't let a couple of numbnuts run you off. You contribute much to this forum and like Joe said, it's appreciated by 99% of the folks here. Heck, make that 100%. The few numbnuts that troll by and try to spoil things don't count. As for the rest of us, we'd hate to see you go.

Actually, last name spelling is Tormanen.

Did he say Paul Dallas or Paul Torminen?

I didn't know him but have seen many like him pass on. Sad when they must go, indeed. We should all be thankful that Blackie was able to spend his last days doing what he loved ... fishing.

Translation of the above: 1) I'm too immature to express my misguided feelings above the level of a 5-year-old. 2) I have no fishing skills and greatly envy those who do, especially those who are able to make their living at it. 3) In fact, I'm so consumed with envy of pros and guides that I wish they didn't exist so I didn't have to see them doing what I wish I could.

Eric, your question goes straight to the point I was trying to make earlier. It's a character issue. For those of us with a work ethic, winning on someone else's (a guide) pattern or fish would seem empty. For others, they see no difference as long as they win. I also suspect that the latter group are far more interested in the money than the sport itself, so since they have little or no fishing skills, hassling guides for free info is their only shot at winning.

Thanks much for the kind words, Bill. Too generous perhaps, but I'll take it. And frankly, I'm darn glad I don't have to tangle with you in derbies on a regular basis. In my mind, you're as tough as they come on Table Rock and I doubt you'd be a pushover elsewhere. Like Bill, I will gladly share whatever information I have on TR or elsewhere with anyone who wants to PM me providing we're not fishing the same derby. And even if we are, I don't mind sharing a general pattern. But I work a LOT of hours between my regular and secondary jobs and I'm not willing to divulge everything that I've given up sleep for and spent precious time and hard-earned money to learn just to help someone who isn't willing to help themselves. Hope that makes sense.

Not that laziness hasn't always existed, but in my opinion, it's at epidemic stage these days. Too many folks want everything for nothing. In this case, they want to know where the fish are but they don't want to put forth any effort to find them. They just want to be holding the winner's check when the derby is said and done and it really doesn't matter how they get it, short of cheating. Sense of accomplishment means nothing. A true fisherman takes a big portion of his enjoyment from hunting the fish, figuring out how to catch them, formulating a detailed plan and then executing that plan perfectly on derby day. The ones Bill speaks of are just as happy to win by letting a guide (or anyone else) do all the work for them and then taking all the glory for themselves. I'll say this ... if I was good enough (and obviously I'm not by my weak showing in CPA last weekend) to locate a single hump where I could catch 18 keepers, I'd be ashamed to admit I was too dadgum lazy to take what I already knew to the next level and improve on the size. Just for the record, I didn't call or privately message anyone prior to last weekend's CPA derby. I read all the posts here and elsewhere, then put in five days of practice over a three-week period and never got much going. So be it. I'm not a good deep water fisherman and tend to struggle when that's the pattern, but my time of year is coming soon and I fully expect to be back in the check line. Meanwhile, I'll WORK on becoming better at deep fishing. Thanks to the guides for all the info posted here. And to those who want more for free, try getting your lazy a** out on the lake and doing things the respectable way.

RiverRat, not sure when you were at Eagle Rock last but I went all the way to Holiday Island on Sunday and it was no better up there. In fact, the traffic was worse due to the fact that there were just as many big wave-makers with idiots/turds behind the wheel and less water because the lake width is less up there. I'm with Techo, let's attack where they breed.

Ditto on the congrats. Fished both CPA events myself and you won't find conditions much tougher in terms of boat traffic. What a zoo out there.

Capt. D, I can't believe you just caused me to go out to my garage, take spoons off my pegboard and put them in my boat. Leaving early in the morning for CPA this weekend on TR. Lawd help me if it comes down to me having to jerk a spoon but after two frustrating days last weekend, I just might try it. As always, thanks for the thorough and FREE report.

Rangerman, I've had that same thing happen twice in my life ... with the line levitating off the water and my rod audibly buzzing. Scary stuff indeed. I was much younger both times and won't allow that ever to happen again.