Don House

Not Pomme, but look at Phil and Bills video on LOZ I guess they are eating well up there!! Good luck, I can hear the grease poping now... Don

T1365, you are right on the money!! It is all in what you can afford and feel comfortable with.. I was lucky I learned my units from the best, I was trained by the humminbird guys. Then really took that and grew with it.. But I'm also a computer geek by trade so it came very easy to me. I'm like you I have used both units and like them both, but Humminbird has shown me the best 2-D and SI view that I have ever seen and I have seen them all, my favorite 2-D was the old PinPoint, unreal realtime views.. These New Humminbird units works just like those but now in color and alot more defined screens.. As for the Side Imaging my first three weeks on the lake with my 987 Side Imaging Unit back in 05, I found just about every brush pile and rock pile that just about all of the guides have placed out there on Table Rock, "Sorry Phil Stone, but I won't give them out.. " and finding new deep water trees has been unreal, you don' t just find one you find all of them on a point! Your a CCM team guy give me a ring and someday next year we can go out and play with these.. Good Fishing Don

TFW, well the Platinum maps are really nice, but you need to move up to the units that I use.. 997 and 1197 units.. And really are made for chart plotters.. The sat overviews are really neat to play with. Say you are coming into a port and have never been there, the overview will give you detailed information and a sat view of the opening at that port.. Seen them working last year at a boat show, really cool.. Now unless you are planning on fishing just about every lake in the US and inland waterways the Gold will be more than you know what to do with. But if you have the money go for it.. Now the Garmin may use the platinum chips but they are know for there Plotting and GPS, but not know for there Sonar... Humminbird and Lorwance will give you a better shot at both.. Here is what Humminbird say's abou tthe gold mapping Nav's.. Navionics Gold and HotMaps Premium is a huge library of electronic cartography on easy-to-use plug and play memory cards or preloaded on select models. You get paper chart detail, including bottom contours, structure, reefs, and drop-offs that will help you catch more fish. For coastal and Great Lakes anglers there’s navigational data, including spot soundings, buoys, beacons and more. Other features include a wreck and diving database, tide and current data and user-selectable depth contours. For the inland angler, HotMaps Premium includes data on more than 8,000 North American lakes including exclusive high-definition surveys. Choice is yours, units do go up alot in price to run these maps the 997cSI starts at retail 2200.00 for the NVB and 1197cSI retail for 3100.00 with the NVB.. And that is only the Gold, Platinum is extra... Well take my advice go look at all units, see which one you feel will work the best for you.. Then go for it.. Good Fishing and Good Luck find what you are looking for.. Don

TFW, if you purchase the NVB product it Includes internal GPS receiver and Navionics Gold & HotMaps Premium Charts pre-loaded. That will be more than you will want to use!! And save you a few bucks in the long run... Good Luck Don

Trolling. here are the specs for the Humminbird Unit.. Match these to your other units.. Humminbird is way out in the front on these type units.. Retail cost is 850.00, but you can find it cheaper on line.. I take it that you are wanting verical 2-d style fishing requirments?? I have used this unit and it is very nice for the money. Easy to read and understand, plus tons of help on line and with support. Now for a little more you can aslo have the Side Imaging on this unit.. It is called the 797c2SI NVB... The Garmin is a nice but really not that good for the money, but next in line I would look at the Lorwance models.. Maybe one of the guys on here can give you more information on the Lorwance Unit.. Humminbird 787csi NVB Display 5.0" diagonal 640V x 480H 256 Color TFT Cartography Navionics Compatible Memory Waypoints: 3,000 Routes: 50 Tracks: 50 w/20,000 points each Sonar DualBeam PLUS 200 kHz / 20˚ @ -10db 83 kHz / 60˚ @ -10db Depth: 1500 ft. Power Output 500 Watts (RMS) 4000 Watts (Peak-to-Peak) GPS Features 16 Channel GPS Trackplotting Chartplotting GPS Speed Navionics Value Bundle Network Modules WeatherSense (optional) Wireless Sonar Link (optional) CannonLink (optional) InterLink (optional) ADVANCED SONAR FEATURES Freeze Frame with ability to Mark Structure on Sonar Instant Image Update Real Time Sonar RTS Window Selective Fish ID Sonar Echo Enhancement Sonar Recording Sonar Snapshot Split Screen Zoom TrueArch Technology Wide Narrow Cone Split Screen USER-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY Custom Digital Readout Selection Custom View Selections Large Digits View Quick Disconnect Mounting System Selectable Background Temperature Alarm Triplog X Press Menu System Good Luck hope you find what you are looking for.. Don

None that I know of at all.. Don't even think the marinas have then.. Pretty much on your own down here.. But a cheap propain heater and go for it.. Good Fishing Capt. Don

I was on the main lake today and the Jig bite is really slowing down to only a few from last week of 3-4 limits. But that is the main lake creeks... Below 50 degrees jig that spoon right in the middle of the creek arms, or even maybe a stickbait.. Don

I think 8:30 to 4:30pm... Good luck Don

WOW.. go figure.. In Branson to boot.. Just like the Hooker ring they caught a day or so ago.. Never would have thought it in Branson.. I guess leaving the big city to get away from that type of stuff was just a hopeful thought! Good Fishing Everyone Don

Thanks Phil... I stand corrected... Now we all know.. Don

Go to the Dewey Short Center at the DAM and ask the staff at the main desk.. Not too sure but I did once a few years ago and I had to repay the 30 dollars.. But that was at the Old 86 Ramp and no Computers.. Now they are all linked up together they should be able to bring up your account to see that you paid it.. Please let us know what happens it would be good to know.. Thanks Don

Laker67 is right on the money... Head and tail must be attached while on the water of Taneycomo. That is why I will not filet the trout.. Just not worth the fine to me.. I will center cut the trout and place 4 per bag for my client with a tag with name and address. Anyway the way it was exlained to me that the heads had to be on for transport anyplace in the state of MO, that was from a MDC agent at Bennett Springs.. Anyway there is always someone, even worst a Guide, If anyone he should know better.. Good Fishing Don

T, go out and have some fun for the rest fo us.. Should get some wind and warmer weather, have a good time.. Good Fishing and Break In Don

Gone Fishing well Dang, sorry about the wrong name, my bad!! Anyway I was glad to meet you. And Yes the Big Blue Tanker Paid off in the snow, just ask PStone he really liked the windshield and the way it took on the big waves, nice and dry. The only thing that was wet was our hands from culling fish.. Once again it was a pleasure to meet you and hope to see you next year for a re-match... Good Fishing anf Happy Holidays Don

Techo, did not even know about it myself until the day of the tournament.. They would like to get this started and I'm sure they would love to have you and anyone else that will give the time and the use of the boat to take these kids fishing.. Will post when they tell us more.. Good Fishing Don

Fishrman, Well we need the water temp to drop alittle bit more, we are still looking at mid 50's in the creek arms. Fish are still holding shallow but the move will be here soon I would think. By Christmas last year we started to really catch some great fish right in the middle of the creek arms hanging in the deep trees all on spoons. So just keep looking, I have already found alot of shad hanging out in the middle of the creek arms, but it still seems these fish are really feeding on the crawfish as of now. Give it a couple of more cold nights and let that water temp drop and it will be on.. Also for now start flipping spoons in these same docks in deeper water, these are the same docks that we are catching fish with jigs right now. So get ready it's not far off. Good Fishing Don

Well 30 degrees and snow with 20 MPH winds started off the day on Sunday, Good Job to Gone Fishing and his partner (Had to fix it GF) for a 14 plus pound bag with a 4.10 kicker to take the win and big bass, Even with boat troubles they still pull it off on Sunday. Just about everyone came in with limits of fish which ranged from 14 to 9 pounds. 2nd place goes to Eric Prey and his senior student with a nice 13 pound bag. Most talked about fish coming on Blades, warts, and the jigs. In my boat we went threw 4 limits of fish all on Jigs in the docks in the larger feeder creeks with a total of 11.14, not bad but just could not get the big bite with our best fish at 3.25 Black. Fish were holding in the 15 - 25 foot range right in the dock stalls all over from Old 86 ramp to Kimberling City. Slow crawling through the brush in and around the deeper docks was the key to get the bite for us. These docks had to be on a 45 degree bank with larger chunk rock. Color of the jig did not seem to matter as we were bit on both of my favorite colors of PB&J and Watermelon Cotton Candy in all sizes. All in all really fun and pretty day fishing in the snow, fish kept everyone busy so the cold just did not matter. Looks like this group will have another tournament in the spring for these students in April of 2009. Maybe we can get some more of the Big Sticks and Guides out there to give alittle time and take out these great students for a day on the water. When more information comes in Eric and I will post it. For me I'm done for the year, time to get to work on some of the Honey Do List and get ready for my show season this Winter. Everyone Have a Great Holiday Season and good luck to everyone in the up comming Tournaments this next weekend. Good Fishing Everyone Capt. Don

Man James those fish are really on the jig big time!! It is alot of fun for sure.. Hope its holds together for you till next weekend.. Good Luck to you.. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Fishrman, pretty close to the same thing in the DAM area.. Fish are just eating that crawfish looking bait.. Glad you had some fun Happy T-Day Don

Edwin, everything is pretty much the same all over the lake.. I have heard that the crankbait bite is on up around the James River area anything in crawfish colors, brown, orange or green craw.. If no wind then go to the jig.. Good Luck and have some fun.. Don

Oh man!! Cold and Windy sounds like a great wart day!!! Can't be any colder than last saturday!! Let's go fish!! Don

Sorry, missed part of that last one.. Yes Warts in the wind big time!!!! Good Fishing Don

Best fish in the major creek arms... Just go in about 1/2 way back and get to work... Good Fishing Don

Well Guy's and Gal's The rock is really on, or I just had one great day on the water.. High Blue Bird Skys and little to no wind Made it alot of fun for me.. Fished from 12:00pm to 4:00pm, I had to take out the Big Blue Tanker after having some work done to it to test it out before my trips this weekend and really glad I did. Over 25 fish all Keepers, 50% Spots and 50% Smallies and really nice size to them, just really depends on where you were fishing.. All on 45 degree banks with larger rock... And of course all on the 3/4 ounce football Jig in PB&J colors with a speed craw in green pumpkin, nothing different. Tried wiggle wart, but just had to pickup the jig again.. Depth was all over the place but still shallow for this lake and time frame 15 - 35 feet on the bottom. Some came with a tick but some came as just the good old heavy feeling.. Man you gotta love these days.. Get out and give it a try, looks like Turkey day will be just as nice.. Have fun I have to go on the other side and chase those sliver guys.. Don't eat too much!!! Good Fishing Everyone and Happy Thanksgiving Capt. Don

Everyone I called to see about this one.. Little tournament to help with the seniors grad project.. Open to anyone at the Old 86 Hwy Ramp, you can fish alone if you like, $50.00 entry fee per boat. 7:00am to 3:00pm.. Like Eric Said what else to you have to do??? Good Fishing Capt. Don