DADAKOTA

Definitely not what I wanted to hear. Guess there is no need to throw in my stickbaits

Heading for the lake this weekend and would love to know the water clarity and temp around the 47 mm. Time to add some crappie beds.

I'd guess someone may have stepped onto our dock without permission at some point in time, but I personally am not aware of it. Is there really a problem with folks hanging out or fishing on docks that they do not have permission? Are they talking about the guy who steps on a dock to get a lure that is snagged? Thieves are going to steal regardless of the laws.

Betting alcohol was involved

Those motors don't like props spinning in air.

Been fishing Jackson County tourneys.

Part of your decision should be based on how much use the unit will get, if you only fish shallow, etc. No need to break the bank on a unit that is only going to get used 4-5 times per year. If you only fish shallow water you don't need much of a unit other than depth and temp. If the unit will be used all the time and you fish the entire water column, fish deep brushpiles, need GPS, etc. then I'd spend the money on a really good unit.

To get the slow death rig to spin you need to be going at least .7 mph. When I run a bouncer I usually bounce it off the bottom with a drop of the rod to verify I am close to the bottom. I do not have it constantly on bottom and have reduced my hangups considerably. You can add a couple beads, clevis and spinner to your slow death rig. I also use a 1/4 oz. roadrunner with half a crawler as well. Cabelas has the best price on bouncers. I concentrate on main lake points, transitions on channel banks, and flats typically in 18-22 feet. Sometimes they are in the 14 foot range. A lot depends on wind, cloud cover, etc. Have also gone to the backs of the creeks and found them on the last channel bank. Pay attention to where the shad are located and have a great time.

My goal in hiring a guide is to learn new techniques, lures, ways to rig live bait, and gain a better understanding of the fish and the body of water. Why were we fishing a certain spot? What are the walleye and crappie doing at that time of year and the rest of the year? What structure, cover, bottom composition, and forage are they feeding on? I was hoping to observe and learn about side imaging and down imaging. What am I seeing on the screen? I hire guides to learn and increase my fishing knowledge about a particular specie of fish and/or new body of water. Catching fish is a bonus. I know there are days the fish win. If I just wanted to eat fish it would be way cheaper to go to the store. I expect the guide to be professional and have a clean, well organized boat that does not leak. I expect his equipment to be in good working order and that he know how to use his electronics and trolling motor. I'd expect him to have clean, functioning livewells. Since the guide provides the bait, I'd expect that he actually have more than 6-8 live minnows and plenty of crawlers. If fishing brushpiles, I'd expect them to be way pointed or their location known through fishing them often. I don't like to hear that its around here somewhere, or there used to be a brushpile here, or when my buddy gets out here he can locate it for us. I'd expect to fish more than 3 spots in a half day trip. I'd expect to move along when a given spot does not produce after 30 minutes or so. I have been on 2 guide trips on Stockton in 30 years. I have learned more information from this site than both of those trips combined. In reality time on the water is the best teacher of all.

JR no longer guides. After talking at length with him I wish he was still in the business as I'd love to have him guide me. I have made 2 guide trips on Stockton lake for walleye with 2 different guides. No keeper walleye were caught on either trip. Learned nothing new as both guides utilized jig and crawler and concentrated on main lake points. Trolled flats with crankbaits after the points didn't produce. Both methods and locations were things I already do. Disappointed to say the least.

Thought you left Aggressor?

Do I get to pick the lake and date to fish?

I use AbrazX fluoro in 15. Has the diameter of 10# mono.

Ya'll remember the Big Wag worms? Absolute killer dirty water bait.

One would think that people would use common sense and have some respect for folks whose property they could damage.

To find bushes at LOZ you got to be in the very backs of the creeks I'd guess.

Love the late fall through early spring stickbait bite. I see the pros catching stickbait fish year round. Anyone play the stick during the summer?

I'd be fishing brushpiles with a big worm or a jig. Other than that a topwater early and late.

My buddy was at Stockton over the weekend and said that you couldn't keep the drum off of his walleye rigs. Are they getting over populated?

Not condoning the whole "poking the bear" thing. No need for that. I too am C&R but don't belittle those who like a fish taco. MDC does a great job of monitoring the fish populations and setting the appropriate bag limits. How many of the C&R have mounted fish on the wall. I have none, and would have a replica made if I finally caught one worthy of the wall like a 7 pound smallie. Why is dtrs5kprs a more competent authority on the health of the fish population at TR than the MDC? He states, "Dangerous part is that folks get influenced by what they see, and could pick up the behavior. Especially young folks, people new to the sport, folks who started with no one to mentor them on stewardship." I was taught to fish by my father. When he grew up in Wisconsin, fishing put food on the table. Bass were a trash fish that you threw back or gave away. When I learned to fish, we caught fish for the table, but we were taught to only take what you needed for a meal (within the daily limit). I don't need to fish to eat, but I sure enjoy eating freshly caught crappie. I am C&R on bass by my choice, but I don't knock someone who takes fish for their table. Guess I didn't pick up my Dad's behavior. Keeping some spots for dinner is not a gateway for everyone to keep every fish they catch and decimate the population.

The Rock is a premier bass lake. Apparently those who keep bass for dinner are not hurting the population. Love to hear your responses to my other questions.

Wow. Nothing worse than fishermen turning on each other. So let me get this straight. The C&R guys can't stand the knifers eating bass. C&R is the only way to go to protect the resource. So the C&R team doesn't eat fish? If they do would they not be hypocrites? Do the C&R folks release all the crappie, walleye, bluegill, and catfish they catch? Or is it only the almighty bass? Before you get your panties in a wad, I am a tournament fisherman and practice C&R on 99% of the bass I catch. I think crappie, walleye, and gills eat better so those are the species I catch for the pan. With that said, I do not have a problem with someone catching Kentuckies to be released in grease. They pay the same fees, sales taxes, etc. that I do and as long as they are legally harvesting their fish within the limits established by MDC that is their choice. There are probably more released fish that die every year on Table Rock and feed no one than this fella catches and eats. We all enjoy fishing no need for a brawl.

Wow. Hadn't been on for a few days and this was the first post I read. I am shocked. Never met Jim but had been pm'ing a bit lately. What a truly nice man. Sure wish I'd have given him a call last time I was at the lake as he had instructed. Wished we could have gotten our schedules together and fished. I truly enjoyed his posts. There will be a hole in the Stockton forum. God Bless ya Jim. Prayers for his family and friends.

Fished Stockton many years ago when the buck brush was several feet under water. Hammered the bass on salt and pepper sluggos. Twitch it down and watch them eat it.

Not sure what the big argument is about. If you want to use the Ned then do it. If you don't then don't. Who cares if someone likes it or hates it? Chevy or Ford? No one wins the argument. Some of ya just have the need to believe that only your opinion matters. Ned is just another tool in the box. Use it or don't.Seems like some testosterone poisoning around here.