J-Doc

Yep. It was like this... "Oh...this is a boat stopper. Get the net Jason!" "Sure....what net?" "In the rod locker" "OK......where...I don't see a net?" " The big gold handle....that says FRABILL!" "Ohhh...... :-) Landed it and it was celebration time. Stuck it on the Golden rule and its tail went off the ruler. I said..."Scott....you need a bigger golden rule!!" Lol!

We were. Its hard work realing in big fish from 140ft! Lol!

Glad we found that disconnected wiring harness. Had a lot of fun and learned a ton!! Thanks Scott for taking me out. So trolling is still fishing. You have to know what to do and where to fish and what to throw, etc. Its just a different presentation. An effective one at that! Here are some of the quality bass and some of the crappie we got as well as my keeper white bass. We didn't take photos of the tiny tiny bass that was as big as the bait itself!! Lol!

FYI... Academy Sports has Excise marine batteries on sale for $59 with a $10 mail in rebate. A 750 deep cycle cranking amp and a 1,000 cranking amp starter battery. Heck of a deal. Excide is designed by the same guy who started Optima batteries. I have heard many great things about Excide batteries. I picked up one tonight. Couldn't pass it up. Replaced my "Neverstart" with this one. :-) Oh and H20 crankbaits are just $2.99....

I saw a ton of shallow carp last weekend in the Monte Ne area. Those are some freak-nasty mating fish! Lol! Splashing around violently in 6-8" of water like two lucha libre wrestlers! I saw lots of fish on shallow ledges. Some were crappie I think but they weren't biting at the time. I suspect they want something really really fast to go by them and a reaction strike is in order if they aren't actively feeding. I hioe to make it out myself in the morning before all the "annual rift-raft" crowd shows up. Still debating on location. Monte Ne or Rocky B...

You're thinking.......... You sure you're OK??? Lol!

At least you got out on the water and caught some fish. That's exciting enough to me. Wish I had gone.

At least you got out on the water and caught some fish. That's exciting enough to me. Wish I had gone.

It was a victim of some insect. I noticed it last year. There was a big limb that died due to the insect. I was about to prune the tree and cut it back a bit. Not an issue now. My neighbor came today and hauled all of it away for free! I haven't watched the news much. I can't watch it when they are talking about families loosing everything and watching/hearing about kids getting killed. I can't take it. Its more than I can handle.

What I will be messing with over the weekend instead of fishing. :-( A neighbor claims he wants the tree and will come get it for free. He either had too many beers before the storm or he really wants some free firewood. Lol!

My neighborhood made the news. One tree on a house. My tree is "gone" literally and I don't make the news. Lol! We lost our pool and our fence in backyard is laying down......because the pool took it out. And I was just about to fill it with water too. Just my luck.... Hey.....at least the boat is dry and safe! :-) Priorities man! Lol!

Some local stations claim ethanol free. I don't believe that anymore after testing their fuel. I tested the station across from Frisco Park and it tested positive for ethanol. Fishinwrench told me a simple test. Take a straight container (no curves in glass) and poor in fuel. Make a mark on container or measure. Add in some water. Mix up real good and let settle. Then ee-measure. If ethanol present, your fuel will be lower than measured originally because the ethanol will have bonded/attracted to the water molecules....thus seemingly less fuel. I measured about 10% less fuel. ...thus 10% ethanol. I use Marine Stabil. That's all I can do. All my new fuel line and gaskets are ethanol compliant from the rebuild.

I will definately want to watch the master-troller in action!

Its like they hate us anglers! Lol! I'm surprised you didn't show them how bad the Beast (joes boat) can do donuts in the cove! Hahaha!!

npierceuark and I ventured out Saturday morning and while we did not troll.............I'm really starting to think long and hard about it. LOL! F&F is about to convince me that it's a necessary thing. We did find several big balls of fish in the middle of the channel in coves between the Horseshoe Bend and Hickory Creek area. By the size of the arches and the amount of them, I'm pretty sure they were whites. I read a report online that the whites were staging on flats and feeding early and late. We found water as warm as 75 in the back of Monte Ne so I was completely shocked at how fast the water has warmed up in just 1-2 weeks. It's gone from low 60's to mid 70's in just 2 weeks or less. I think the white bass spawn is long gone now and they have moved back up into main lake and by the end of the month, they will be all the way back towards Cliffty. Oh and npierceuark kicked my butt at 5-1 on crappie. Used live minnows on bobbers and some free-lined. I'm new at crappie fishing and slow and steady wins out against trying to throw multiple baits. :-) We found a few wads of crappie but they were very picky. You had to drop the bait in front of them and they would hit it on the fall. Otherwise, they were very slow to bite. Looking back, I think we should have tried small crappie crankbaits. Probably would have worked.

I will definitely give that a try. I looked on Google Earth over the previous year data and Wikipedia as well and I think I have pinpoint locations on the retaining wall and the amphitheater. I thought I found it when I idled over it but the picture wasn't as clear as I thought it would be. I should have switched over from 455 to 800khz and that would have cleaned it up a bit. Next time I'm out there, I'm going to make it a point to spend a little time graphing that area. I learned a whole lot about the Monte Ne history. Odd place really. It tried to become like Hot Springs but it was too isolated from larger cities.

Masters Degree in Rudeness with a Minor in Ignorance. We were pulling up to the small dock at Horseshoe Bend to load and there was a party barge with only driver and 1 passenger leaving the dock. The driver cuts back in front of the dock and the ramp at full throttle as if to get on plane (like a barge can get on plane). Thus he churned up the water so much that it was difficult to ease up to the dock to allow my buddy to get out of the boat to grab the truck. Why would you depart from the dock, swing around, and gun-it to full throttle? WHO DOES THAT!!??!! Oh.......he does. So throw in deck boats and oversized/over-horsepowered party barges into the Masters Degree category.

I couldn't help myself! Lol!! He knows I meant it in good fun/comradery.

So the striper top water bite is picking up? I hate it when someone cuts you off. Just rude.

I looked for that bridge today. Was going to fish it. My lake map marks a spot you described but either the map is wrong or its not there any more. I did find the retaining wall for the pyramid. If you look at Google Earth in Jan 2006, you can clearly see it. I think I found some of the amphitheater as well. Was going to fish it but it was time to head back. I'm going to make an effort and scout that area specifically to see if I can get some cool screen shots next time I'm out there in that area

(paraphrased & adapted Tombstone quote) "Don't mind us.......we're just jealous....that's all"

Now that's funny right there! I can see him singing to himself... "Me wants a fish-i-o... Wife's got to cook it O! I use tha Flick-er shads, I catch fish by the gads. Oh me so good-i-o, I cant’ help myself-i-o” Or something about like that! LOL!

OK, I was way off where I thought it was. I thought it was to the left of the current ramp and back into the cove a bit where the old building still stands. Thanks guys! I have to try scanning this one day.

What year was it that the water was so low and you could see the ruins? I wonder if Google maps has that recorded for that year.......that would be the image I need! LOL!

Can anyone point out on Google Maps where the amphitheater is located (under water that is)? We took my father-in-law to Monte Ne Chicken Inn (oh soo good!) and we were telling him about the history at Monte Ne. I thought I had an idea of where it's located but I've never seen it when the water was low. I was thinking of testing the new structure scan sonar next time I'm near Monte Ne cove.