steveearle

Casting: G Loomis IMX MBR 782 (6'6"M) Shimano Chronarch 50MG 8 lb. Maxima Mono Spinning: G Loomis GLX SJR 782 (6'6"M Spinning) Shimano Sensilite 1500MG (Magnesium Stradid-Japan (JDM version) 6 lb. Trilene 100% Fluor. If you are breaking line there is a problem. There should really be ZERO hookset....just lean into them and tighten the line (sometimes this is hard to avoid if the fish really takes off and startles you). 8lb. mono that is limp/semi-limp is perfect. With floruo I check the diameter. 6 lb Trilene is .010, whereas 8 lb. Seaguar is .009. Going up to a 10lb. line would not hurt alot once the water is in the upper 40's+ and you are working the bait faster and getting as deep is not as much of a concern. My set up is mostly for LOZ in 38-45 degree water.....

Is that 10 gaddys and 2 greenheads?

Don-- After throwing the Megabass for a long time I realized it is easier to wrap the suspend strip around the rear trable (or even the middle). Just when you think the dot/strip is never going to come of the bottom of the bait....it does...Just a quick tip if you ever have that problem....To anyone that has not thrown them you have to add some weight just to get them to suspend...Most are "slow floaters."

Since you mentioned them, the Cumara is a great rod. After finding a quality rod you like, look at the warranty-this is why I began to fish Loomis rods years ago-because of the ease of warranty claims. Not only are the Cumaras really nice rods, but you can exchange them over the counter if you break them. When I began to fish Loomis about 10 years ago, their were very few comparable rods....however, many rod companies have began to play in the $150.00+ rod category and the quality of these other companies' rods have really gone up. I believe there are more quality rods in that $100-$200 price range than there have ever been---once again this brings me back to what I said--CHECK THE WARRANTY! On the reel side, Shimano is the way to go....(although after owning only Shimano for a long time, I did pick up a bunch of the Abu Revo Premiers after the discontinued the original model and came out with the 2010 model. I picked up about 6 of these at an average of $135 from various places and they have been nice so far).....

Go in the fly shop (not sure which 1 of the 2) and look at the pics of the smallies they caught last year when the warmer water was coming in from the Rock. Several pigs with one I believe that was 6-8......I have caught one under the dam on a count down Rapala in January about 20 years ago....

Yep.

No one mentioned John was an FLW Tour pro and won the FLW Championship in 2002...($260,000)...He is also the one who broke his neck on a ferry cable practicing for an FLW tournament 2 years later...ring a bell...just an FYI

I have a bout 30 of the original 3/4 oz. Jewel FB Jigs with the wire guard...All are brown/purple...Will sell for $1.00 each plus shipping if you take them all. E-mail searle21@charter.net

Floated the James on Monday from Cox Ford to JRO Campground (thanks for the tip...Gary at JRO was great...). Caught about 15-20 bass, 1/2 smallies, 1/2 spots), which seemed pretty slow. Caught a couple of goggle eye and 2 small whites. I had bass on a Zoom finesse worm, a Bass Pro Tender tube, a small spinnerbait, and topwater including a Cultiva Gobo Pop and a small Yellow Magic. I missed a bunch of fish on the spinnerbait and the poppers. It was my first James float and I feel a little more familiar now. I think my fishing was affected by not knowing the length of the float plus I did not bring a watch, plus Ihad my dad with me...I did not want to go too slow b/c 11.4 miles is a ways. I think I fished some stuff too fast. As soon as we put in I had a good smallie, a good spot, and my dad lost what I think was a good samllie (he had that problem a few times). Anyway, after that I thought we were going to crush em but then we hit some dead water, etc....We also got caught in the storm and I paddled fast through some sweet holes that I now regret....Anyway, it was a good time and I think the next time I will do much better....I did see some cool things that I did not think that I would......... 1. About a half-mile into the float (I was standing up as we used the 17' aluminum from JRO) I had a 4 lb plus walleye swim by the boat...Did not think there were any that far up. I saw one other confirmed walleye, but aftet talking to Gary and him confirming there are a ton in there due to stocking all the way up to Y bridge, I think I saw at least a half dozen, but did not want to sound stupid making the claim. 2. I did not know the whites were that far up. I used to fish them during the spawning run when I was going to school at SMSU but they did not seem to go very far above Blunk.... 3. I saw more channel cat than I ever thought I would on a float. I saw 3 or 4 stragglers just swimming along and then we pulled up on a sycamore blow down and were watching a school of large (all 10-20+ lb) carp hang under the tree and when we got to the end, a school of 5 or so channels blew out the end, inlcuding a 5+ lber... 4. If I never see another gizzard shad, creek chub, redhorse, hognose, or any kind of sucker it will be too soon. Unbelieveable what and how many you see while standing up... Finally, after a long 11+ miles and no big fish, I caught a 17 1/2" smallie on my last cast of the day less than 100 yards from the campgroung...kind of funny.

I booked Cox to Galena with JRO for Monday morning. I'll let you know.......

Foudn that website earlier today and was leaning that way...was going to ask then which section is the best fishing float but it looks like you look care of that. Any bite that I should look for (bigger baits). I usually use small craws and shakey heads. Any topwater, buzzbaits, jig, or spinnerbait bite or is it too hot and slow moving...Thanks for the help

Heading down to Ahrrison area in North Ark for the weekend (Sat.-Tues) to visit relatives and thinking about taking my dad on a James River Float. Very familiar with the area but have never floated. My buddy used to use Highway Y Floats (if that is right). He said the guy sold it and not sure what;s going on...Looking for anames and phone #s of float places and the best stretch to float..Any help would be appreciated......Thanks..Steve

I have 1500+ yards left on a 2000yd. spool of Trilene 100% Fluorcarbon spool. Looking to get $80 shipped. I simply bought some 6 and like this more than the 8 for what I use it for. It is .011 diamter so it is larger than say Seaguar. It is more like 10lb. Seaguar. Please e-mail searle21@charter.net or call me at 314-607-6849. It St. Louis/St. CHarles County area if you want to work a deal for delivery to avoid shipping...Thanks....

What I meant by TRock being the "best lake" is that it is the best black bass fishery. The walleye, stripers, whites, crappie, etc. most likely goes to other lakes and I should have qualified the statement. I was strictly talking about the black bass (LM, spots, and SM)-- I don't think this is arguable.......My point was (or question was) do the stripers offset the food chain enough to affect the black bass fishery or is TRock's superiority to Bull, Beaver, and Norfork (if you count it as part of the chain) just a matter of cover, structure, habitat, food sources, etc.

You know, the hybrids or stripers would be a fun thing, HOWEVER, something that I have been talking about lately is the fact that Table Rock is far and away the best lake on the White River chain, and just happens to be the one with close to zero stripers. Do you think this is coincidence?

Most likely a striper that came over Beaver Dam, with its relatively low flood control level. To my knowledge, there are no hybrids in the white river chain. Am I wrong?

3rd fish definitley looks like a meanmouth

Coming down for the July 4th weekend to do some drop-shotting. Staying on the water (Emerald Point by State Park) so may do some night fishing. All the night fishing I have done on the Rock over the years has been April/May. Any advice (besides look out for the crazy boat renters that run a boat once very 2 years.)

Its all about the paint job, skin or replica. Take a guess which is which (skin/replica)? Not much light...might try more pics. Its dark and rainy outside. 8-1, 7-7, 12-8 hybrid by Paul Kantor south of St. Louis

THe word "good" kills that statement. I have never seen a good one or one that would be good for an extended period. One idea would be a spinning reel with relatively light braid to avoid loops, used with a loose drag. Just get her to flip the bail by hand not with the real handle. My $.02......

Hopefully you were "culling" by just keeping the bigger ones and throwing the little ones back immediatlely and not replacing the ones already in the livewell with bigger ones....that is illegal! Sounds fun though

You guys know that most of the fish you are catching using other methods (not looking at them) are most likely on beds as well, right? You can always take mid-April thru mid-May off if you are really concerned.....or April 1 thru June 1 to make sure their are no early spawners or fry guarders....Studies have shown time and time again that fishing during the spawning season and little or zero affect on the population or the fishing quality, especially on a lake like TRock. Now, if you dont like sight fishing or think it is not fun, then that is fine....as far as talking "ethics" you better re-think your argument. Most people that are negative about sight fishing are usually frustrated by not being proficient, have an unnecessary guilty concsience, or are making assumptions that are just ignorant of the facts..... ....those shaky head, C-rig, and jig fish are most likely spawners.

www.landbigfish.com is really good. As far as selection on colors, etc. they cannot be beat becasue they will drop ship straight from the manufacturer if they don't have the item in stock. Check it out. I found them a couple of years ago while looking for Megabass stuff...

I fish nearly all Loomis and settled on the Shakey Head 821 for drop shotting. It is on the light side but I am using 15lb spiderwire with a 6' fluorcarbon leader. When using staight fluoro for drop shotting or shakey heading, I am using the 782 (6'6" med) GLX spinning rod for a little more backbone...