abkeenan

Yep. Life would be pretty boring if things just stayed the same and nobody tried something new.

Champ....playin' with fire there. Bound to get burned.

I respectfully disagree. I think they look awesome. Don't know how reliable they will be or how they run but they get an A+ on the aesthetics. More and more guys are all about the bling on the boats and their trucks hauling them around. Guys now try to buy trucks that match their boats color scheme so why not do it with the big motors? At least they are thinking out of the box and trying to make a dent in the Yammy's and Merc's that have the lions share of market on the back of bass rigs.

Nothing in Beardsley. Our place is there. Move along. Move along. Nothing to see. If you do happen to boat one of my pets in Beardsley tell them daddy will be down there in a few weeks.

Nicely put. Good info right there.

Haven't been down there in nearly a month but just based on basic seasonal patterns for Table Rock I would say work your way north of the 86 bridge towards the dam hitting long run out gravel points. Those types of locations are ALL OVER near the dam and towards KC. You will mostly be picking up smallmouth at nearly a 75% clip if I had to guess with the remainder being KY's. A random largemouth is caught here and there but for me it's a rarity on the gravel stuff. Put the boat in roughly 30ft of water and fan cast and you should pick them up anywhere from 5-35 feet (depending on how early you are out there as they move deeper as the sun gets up). If you can find gravel adjacent to a bluff end or shelf rock hit that too and should pick some there. Not sure what kind baits you are throwing but I'd have a jig, creature bait, topwater and finesse rig (ned, shakey, etc.) on the ready. They are probably getting on the dropshot and/or spoon at this point so if you have electronics and locate a pod on the graph try dropping something on their head and see if you don't get nipped. The vertical stuff you are probably looking anywhere from 30-60 feet of water with them suspended anywhere in that range. This time of year the in my experience the early bird truly gets the worm....be out there by around 5AM and fish til the water gnats run you off or it gets too hot. Good luck.

Dave what is up with the 7 rods on the deck? You know you are now a one trick pony these days with the Ned.

So much truth in that it makes me sick.

I have lots of friends in KC and the majority of them say that Oklahoma Joe's is even better than Arthur Bryant's. I haven't been there but it's on my list of "go to's". BBQ is my favorite style of food.

Hey now! What exactly is the matter with the STL? Although there is no comparison between KC BBQ and STL BBQ. Arthur Bryant's every time when leaving KC on I-70. What?! More insults? Dave is just mad that his little pansy Ned rigs won't work in the muddy currents of the mighty Mississippi.

Wow that is a pig gill Dave. Nice report. A little disappointed no pic of said Bass Slap to the face.

Gotta love the father-son hazing while fishing.

I highly doubt it. Low lifes like this more than likely have no job.

Also very true. Bought a Duckett Ghost rod to try out and should be arriving next week......that white is going to stick out like a sore thumb. I hide my stash in the furthest bowels of the basement and pray she doesn't go snooping. I'd like to think my wife does the same thing with her makeup, purses, shoes, etc. and that we are all square in the end.

Hahahaha! So true!

And x 2 on the post about keep an eye on Craigslist for your stuff. Might also try contacting the local pawn shops and let them know to maybe keep an eye out in case these creeps try to turn it in for quick cash.

That sucks magicworm. Sorry for your lost gear. We have a private 2 slip dock in Beardsley Branch and I carry ALL of my gear up every single trip in and out including taking the electronic units off as well. I leave nothing for these jerks to think about taking. It's a pain to drag all the gear up and down from the house (and I have A LOT OF GEAR) but it's worth the trouble not to have something like this happen to me. Nothing you can do about the stolen troller. That is just absurd that someone would have to take that on and off to keep thieves from stealing them. Anything that isn't nailed down they will take.....and apparently even stuff that is nailed/bolted down they will still take it. Unreal. Sorry again and hopefully your stuff makes it way back to you or these lowlife scum of the Earth get "repaid" for their morally corrupt way of life.

I will also mention that there is very good fishing in and around that spillway/moonshine beach area so if you wanted to get bit around there and then let the girls have their fun you are already centrally located for all of it.

There are quiet a few Islands around that area like Redsox suggested where people kayak or canoe to. I have even see people put up tents and stay overnight on some of the islands. Also there is Moonshine Beach not to far from Big Cedar past the dam that has a beach. It's located right next to the dam spillway and I am not sure if it is public or private but I believe it is public. Look for the Chateau on the Lake and you can't miss it.

Ya I wasn't speaking for those who have already purchased the annual COE pass. I was just saying going forward $30 year is a small fee to keep parks open, clean and well maintained is a good idea. Charging $4 per launch for visitors is a good in my estimation to help pay for things that need fixing. But I see what you are saying that both the State and COE is getting you from both ends.

I understand the argument about not wanting to pay but I think I would side with Bill. What is $35 bucks a year for an annual pass or $4 bucks a day for visitors in the grand scheme of things? Not a big deal and if that money is appropriated correctly (probably won't be since it's the government but that's another whole ball of wax and we won't go there) or used for maintenance and upkeep of the parks and ramps then I see that as money well spent. Sometimes you just gotta pay to play....this is one of those times.

Yup.

Yep. In my experience in the dam area around this time of year best to be out on the lake around 5:30am looking for fish activity on the surface. Fish will tell you where they are and most often times the bite only lasts til about 8AM at best. Sometimes it will last a little longer if there is cloud cover and usually once the sun gets up around 7AM the party is over and time to switch to sub surface crank or swimmer or a bottom contact bait in the same area.

I resent that!