ozarkgunner

Minnows on the bottom for cats... Minnows higher in the water for whites and black bass, crappie are everywhere. The fishing is best when the water is running.

Minnows on the bottom for cats... Minnows higher in the water for whites and black bass, crappie are everywhere. The fishing is best when the water is running.

I just have to brag. I got two does this weekend from the same stand within ten mins. of each other. This tops off my trip two weeks ago when I tagged out on Fall Turkeys (gun) with two toms. What a great weekend to hunt! I hope everyone else had good luck. DL 'em

You can catch anything and everything below the dam. I have had several trips where I have caught a limit of whites, crappie, catfish, and bass (I don't eat bass). My buddy got a huge wiper last time. The key is using the right bait and finding the edge of the heavy current. I don't like live bait, but Bagnell is one place I will, can, and do fish it. Buy about 5 dozen medium minnows and drift the edge of the current (if they are running) use a #4 gold hook and a riversplit shot (one that is totally round so it dosen't hang). Have fun. Watch your limit and throw back what you won't eat. It is very easy to go over the limit below bagnel (yes even 30 crappie). Tight lines! Ps. Shad sides work great for cats.

It's clearing up. I think you could gig now. The only problem is the hunting is sooooo good right now. My buddy and I bagged some dirty birds this weekend, so now it is time to spear some deer. Purchased a brand new sumitt climber last night... its like hunting from a lazy boy!

I'm going to try to head down once more this week. The fish are really stacking up and feeding before winter.

I took my personal best below Bagnel last night. A nice 30 lb.+ blue. It maxed out the 30 lb. scale I had. I have camera phones picture does anyone know how to post them? The odd thing is that we only caught two fish the whole night. I had been getting 50-100 small ones, but last night it was only two with one be the big boy. Landed her on 14lb. Stren on my GL3 medium rod. Heck of a good fight.

The cats were 1-3 lb.s with a 8lb. blue thrown in. Good eatings!

The fishing is HOT below the darn right now. I went out on Saturday and caught 100+ crappie on minnows with a limit of nice 8-10 inch fish. Switched over to cats are dark and limited out on them also (except for the flatheads). I'm using a boat and running up to the dam. Fishing was good with the both the water on and off. A lot of guys were catching limits of white bass, but I was too busy with other fish. PS. There were tons of people out that day. I know at least one or two of them are on the forum. It's not fair for me to share the information here for nothing in return so Please post your fishing results for others. It's a give and take type of operation.

Fished Friday night from 8pm-10pm. They weren't running a lot of water. Fishing was slow. 1 papermouth in 2 hours and had one large fish that broke my line. A few guys were catching some smalll cats, but overalll nobody seemed to be catching much of anything. LOTS of people on the bank.

I'm heading down tomarrow afternoon. I haven't tried on the flood gate side yet. The crappie were stacked up a little bit further down from the dam about halfway between the ramp and darn in the slow water. 10-12 feet deep. To be honest it was a white bass trip that turned into a crappie trip real quick!

That may very well be true, but because the rate was positive it means wages also had a slight raise to keep pace. People have sector shifted where they are spending thier dollars. I'm not saying the economy is good right now by any means, but it looks like we have a stronger than expected economy. Things can't get that much worse (short of $200 per/b oil). We had a major housing crisis, a credit crisis, oil and food inflation, and we still had some small growth. If oil comes down things will get much better, however if oil goes up anymore we are going to see Coal Gassification (turning coal into D2 fuel) make an entry into the energy market and that will drive oil prices down (as it's a perfect subsitute). The problem with alternative energy has been the cost compared to oil (which is cheap to "make"). Turning America's large coal reserves into liquid fuel is not that crazy of an idea. Germany ran thier airpanes on it during WWII and South Africa used it during there little "problem" 15 years ago. To see how it works go to http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4218251.html In the short term, it looks like times are going to be a little hard for a while (9 months) in the long term I think we are going to see energy solutions (or OPEC increase production) and from that real long term economic growth. I'm finishing up my doctorate in another field, so my economics are a little rusty, but I still keep a eye on the work markets. It's too bad they don't offer a Ph.d in smallmouth bass fishing.....! (heck I would even settle for a masters in crappie or trout!).

I figured that's what I was going to do also. My brothers lives in Dallas so I'm going to send dealers an email down there.......... Maybe I can buy a new boat and have it's first trip be on lake fork. Summer is NEVER a good time to buy a boat, but maybe with the economy hurting right now I can get a good deal. I mainly want the boat before duck season. I have a fishing boat now and I just wanting a combo boat.

Most people don't think of calling 911 for game violations, but the dispatch is linked to MDC. If you would call 911 for a rear ender I would call them for someone who is breaking the game laws. Trust me they will send someone quicker then the gamethief number. Don't be scared to call them, it's what it's there for. If a medical or something comes in they will put you on hold.

Do you ever get any brown trout on the Trotlines? I have always wanted to run a line with minnows using 15lbs. test on lower Tanney to try to catch a pig brown. I figured you could get into a mess of trout using med. minnows on a trotline if you used mono for the hook lines.

You can almost always catch the sunfish on the sandy bottoms. They hang out there on the ROCK. I like using a small fly--- no bait cost and tons of action! Take a kid and they will have a blast catching bait on poppers with a P tail droper. It's an easy way to bait the lines and teach the kids to flyfish.

I'm thinking the 300 hp 2 strokes days are numbered. Who will pay for the gas @ $4 per gal.? I would rather fish more and pay less / go slower! I bet some the resorts are feeling the pain just in the gas to get there let alone the cost to gas up the fishing rigs.

I run jugs from time to time. Set the Bluegill 2-3 feet below the jugs and let them drift over flats or even in the main channel. Big cats will come up to the surface at night. Remember you have to label your lines/ jugs and you must be in sight of jug lines at all times. No more leaving jugs overnight like in the olden days. On limb lines I set the bluegill 1 inch in the water so they splash all night. Big flatheads love to grab them right on the top. This year at the ROCK is going to be great for cats. I grew up fishing the IP area and have several good cat points. The fishing is better up the James River arm.

I like to use shrimp for catfish bait. They have several advantages. 1. They are easy to reuse. 2. They are cheap -- 50-100 for 3.99 at walmart. 3. They resist bluegills and stay on in the current. 4. Your hands stay clean. 5. You can throw a frozen bag in the livewell and have them ready if needed. My question for everyone is if they use raw or cooked shrimp? I have had luck with both and even let them "cook" in the sun.

We have all been hurting with gas prices so high. I think the introduction of the 4 stoke outboard has really been a blessing. While prompted for enviromental reasons, the 50% (up to) better fuel economy is making the trip to the lake a litte easier. Now if my truck just got 50% more mpg! Four strokes are heavy and require some tune ups, but at $4 per gallon I think they are the only way to go nowadays! Anybody think gas prices will make bass boats return to the size of latter years (150hp 17ft) or are the lakes simply too crowded?

If you don't mind me asking who did you buy from? There isn't a dealer in Springfield is there?

I'm thinking about buy an 18 foot xpress boat in cammo with a yammie 115 hp four stroke on it. This is a link to the boat... It's the H18 camo. http://www.reynoldsracingmarine.com/xpress.htm They want $11,880 for the boat and trailer w/o motor---- I haven't check with local dealers yet just kinda surfing the web right now. I figured 18,500-19,000 would take it w motor. It will need a 65 lbs. trolling motor upgrade and a better fishing finder-- (maybe an extra $900). Tell me what you guys think. I like to duck hunt and fish so this seems the best of both worlds!

As much as I hate the crowds of people.... I still want them to be safe. The water and derbis conditions are ripe for a deadly Memorial Day weekend.

I fish Sage for fly rods.... but I love LOOMIS spinning and baitcasting (gl3 or glx) ..... However, I think they have gone downhill just a bit after changing ownership. Phil do you stock high dollar baitcasters? I would rather buy from you than from the huge store in SPF that pushes thier own brand which is made in China. Any bussiness owner on the forum should run a sale for the stimulus checks... spend us out of this thing.... Kinda like WW2......

It sounds like I need to head down there after all! Thanks for the info!