abkeenan

I golf, bowl and fish......I must be all sorts of screwed up.

Thanks for chiming in and giving us a different perspective than the average Joe has.

I believe it already has if I looked at the lake levels correctly. It is almost identical to 2011 levels.

I have a PQ in the 5.2:1 ratio. Have had it for 3+ years and use it specifically and only for shallow to mid depth cranking. It's given me no troubles, casts a mile when you get it dialed in how you want it and nary ever a backlash. Really a solid reel especially when they are picked up on sale for $75 bucks. That said, I have a Lew's Speed Spool ($100 model but can find the newer LFS models for $79.99) in a low 5 ratio as well I use for deep cranking (DD22's, 10XD's, etc) and I will say it is smoother and the gears feel better on it. Not a knock on the PQ just think the Lew's just has a better build, fit and finish on it. Plus you mentioned you have hand issues and the Lew's LFS is also smaller and also is almost a full 2 ounces lighter. Figured I would give my 2 cents.

It's a Whopper Plopper'ers Dream pattern.

Good eye. Didn't even notice that. Had to be from 08 or 11 when that pic was taken. One would think the current situation looks just like it.

It's a fluid situation, with floating rumors I would imagine.

Topic of the night. Fishing for catfish in raging river currents. Good grief!

I just saw it on Facebook at it was posted 59 minutes ago. So within the last hour or two I would imagine is when that pic was snapped.

Was JUST about to post that. Saw that pic on Facebook. Unbelieveable. At least the fish at the Fish House will be as fresh as any restaurant has ever served. From the water to the fryer....literally.

It certainly appears that way the 3 or 4 years out of the last 8.

You won't beat the pricing on LEW's reels from Sportsman's Outfitters who have their own website and are a big Ebay seller as well. Usually a few bucks cheaper if you buy directly from their website.

Hahahahaha.

Yep. It may not work for everyone but it works for me. In the end that is what it is all about...working for YOU.

War Eagle, Most of the guys that I have seen throwing A-Rigs are using lighter wire hooks on a ball or darter jig head. Reason being that if/when you snag you are going to be able to pull it free and get the whole rig back with one straightened out hook. People get real fancy with painted jig heads that look real purdy but I don't think it makes any difference. Unpainted heads are cheaper and just as effective IMO. Can't go wrong with any 3-5" baits in shad patterns (white, smoke, silver flake, etc). I have uncles on Bull Shoals that do very well running 3 and 4" grubs as trailers. I know lots of guys like the Keitech Swing Impacts that are a boot tail ribbed body swimmer but those are pretty costly. Lots of guys also run ZOOM swimming flukes. I fish in Missouri 90% of the time thus you are only allowed 3 hooks so I throw a rig with 3 arms and 3 willow blades on those arms. I get them off Ebay (KC School'em is the name) for dirt cheap (about 4 or 5 bucks a rig) compared to others on the market. I load mine with 3 of the Storm Wild Eye Shad's in 3 or 4" which come pre-rigged with a hook that is pretty stout. I throw it on 20lb InvisX fluoro and have no problems pulling it off snags. Looks good in the water and if you lose one you are out about $8-10 bucks which is a lot better than some guys that have $30 invested on their umbrella rig. You WILL lose these eventually.

You da man Richy.

Nice report and congrats. Not too many 50+ fish days. Wish I could get down there and get in on that.

Cherry really hasn't done much since that incident happened. Hasn't been placing well on the Elite circuit.

Probably because the Walton's are businessmen and know that you are a bad/risky investment who would squander all of his recent fortune on Tackle Warehouse items within a matter of months, possibly hours.

That's fine. I have never fished Grand and only know from word of mouth and what I see on TV. So I'll take your word for it. But, during the 2013 Bassmaster Classic I know that the pattern was wiggle warts, jerkbaits and jigs.....sounds like the Table Rock Blue Plate Special. Only about 11 weeks til the 2016 Classic and hope it is as entertaining as that year at Grand. I believe that was the year of Ike cussed out a dog and Hank Cherry laid on the deck of his boat for 10 minutes after having a biggun' pull off.

Richy, Thanks for posting pics. Fish don't get much bigger than the one in that top pic in TR.

Isn't everyone in Arkansas related by blood? Surely we have a member here from the Natural State that is unnaturally related to a Walton.

I think a lot of people would be surprised on how well the Mag Wart does if they just gave it a try. Ask Brandon Palaniuk. He threw a Phantom Green Mag Wart in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic at Grand and took 2nd place that year. I bet he has one tied on again this year at Grand which has a similar bottom composition as Table Rock.

Maybe we should start an OAF movement stating that we are offended by the colors Rapala is spitting out. That is, after all, how REAL change comes about these days. Who want's to volunteer to smear poop fashioned in the Strike King logo to get this ball rolling?

I think the difference in size between a Mag Wart and a RK is negligible. I don't think an aggressive or hungry fish is going to be deterred from biting a bait since one is 1/4" longer and a whisker fatter than the other. The casting distance I have no doubts the SPRO is much better as casting systems in baits have improved vastly from the original Warts to new baits like the RK's. I would be willing to bet you put 2 guys in a boat and have one throwing a Mag Wart and the other a RK while on a crank bite and numbers are going to be neck and neck.