Donna G

Didn't get to test it on the water, but did wear it golfing today. lol I've had the Under Armour Infrared skull cap since last year. It's definitely amazing. I can ditch all the other headgear except this skull cap and a hoodie. I had fits keeping my head, face and neck warm without all the bulk until now. I gathered up all the Cabela's gift cards I got last Christmas and bought two bottoms, one top and glove liners on sale recently. I'm pumped.

I've seen one swallow an adult bream. He kept taking drinks of water and then pointing his bill to the sky, letting the water wash the fish down. It was fascinating to see the big knot in that long neck slowly move down the pipe. It took a bit, but he got 'er dun.

Last couple of weekends we / Champ188 mostly, have tried to force feed them something higher in the water column. First outing was cloudy and windy. Following trip was predominantly blue and wind was flaky. Blow awhile and die off and blow some more. Both trips we ended up having to fish a finesse jig to get bit at all and it wasn't a barn burner then. Crazy. Today was probably one of the worst days we've had on the Rock for as long as I can remember. Finally ended up with a dozen or so with two keepers. The keepers were quality, though. Spot 2-1/2 lbs and a bonus LM 3-1/2lbs. Caught the crap out of goggle-eye, one with a keeper bass nipping at his tail. Lol

Thank you. Can't wait. Sick of the hot water. Bring on some cool fall mornings. No, I'm sorry, I don't. While we ran a Champion for years, we finally traded the ol' girl on a Ranger. We always enjoyed the Champion derby, but haven't kept up with the schedule the last couple of years.

lol - true. We'd had issues for quite awhile with the front graphs turning off in rough water. When Champ found the source of this morning's aggravation, it fixed the original problem, too.

Thanks, SplitG2. I haven't been on the water in awhile. It was an enjoyable time with my best friend and fishing buddy.

Launched at Mill Creek about 7 a.m. We were the only trailer in the parking lot. Around a dozen when we left. Had electrical system issues - nothing on the dash worked. No graphs, horns, pumps. Champ188 figured it out (loose connection), but caused a later start than we planned. We went as far down as Cow Creek and as far up as Point 16. Since it was daylight and no wind at the time, we mostly stuck with FB and finesse jigs and shaky heads. Water temp 83 degrees. We ended up with six brownies and one spot. No keepers. I had two about the size of the one in the pic and those were the beasts of the day. Didn't see anything on the graph below 25'. Caught most of ours in less water than that. Targeted long shallow gravel points and checked out a few docks. Caught the one in the picture dragging a 3/8 oz War Eagle Pond Scum Perch finesse jig with a Yamamoto twin-tailed grub between the front corners of two docks. Most of the fish just pecked at the bait, but this one took it on a full head of steam. The other 'big' fish came on a hand-poured finesse worm of Magicwormman's. Got quite a few bites on one in an interesting green color. Looked like green pumpkin, but had a blue tint in the water. Champ caught the skunk-buster on a strawberry finesse worm from Magicwormman. It was really tough for us and when the recreational boat traffic started picking up, we put it on the trailer at 1:30 and headed to Harter House to load up on meat. Swung by Blue Eye and had the best dang good ol' burger either of us ever had at Blue Eye Burgers. Juicy and fresh with hot, well-seasoned fries.

That little fish fought like a 2lb brownie on 6lb line. I was shocked when I saw what it was. I guess when they are as wide as they are long it causes a lot of drag in the water. lol

Why thank you, kind sir. Not sure why I married such an old man. It seemed exciting when I said "I do" twenty-one years ago.

Thank you. Sorry about that. Guess we're all different. Concerning the shopping - ugh. Only place I'm interested in shopping is Cabela's and Academy (for golf stuff). No BPS near us.

Champ and I had the pleasure of knowing him well. When Champ was still with the newspaper, JD would give him a weekly fishing report for the outdoor sports section. Although he was living with his son Jeff and his family at that time, he was always in the know with what was happening on the lake. We made several visits to Jeff's place nearby the resort and spent hours visiting with JD. It never failed to be a treat. When he knew we were on a fishing trip, he'd sometimes call and with that unmistakable voice say, "Donna, this is JD. Are you catching 'em?" His old bait collection was amazing. It took up an entire wall in the lower level of Jeff's house. The baits were mounted and made a great display. He could tell you a story about each one.

i assure you he can spell after 35 years in journalism - can spell and think circles around plenty of folks. Oh, and he knows his fish and fishing. He fished with the big boys in B.A.S.S. back in the day and has been in the boat with all the greats covering Classics as a sports reporter. He has written for Bassmaster magazine more than once, was the editor of Fishin' Magazine and Outdoors in the Ozarks. What? You never make a typo?

Don't forget 10lb flatheads.

No bench seat in our boat and that was MY life jacket Champ stole for his pillow. I wanted to get back to fishing too bad to sleep anyway. Wandered around the slips with my Ned rod. Some little bites, but I was really surprised at how few, and that I didn't hook up.

I wouldn't put it past him. lol

We weren't out Monday. I swear, we did not touch your lug nuts. We were working Monday. We golfed Saturday and went to TR Sunday.

We got a late start, not splashing the boat as Lurch says on MLF, until 9-9:30 a.m. There was a major Ned rigging operation going on before takeoff and later we had to wait out a fairly strong storm. Champ napped while I walked around the dock trying to catch some Nedders. Had 26 total with 6 keepers. No size to any of them really. Mix of LM, SM and spots. Most had not spawned yet. Saw a few on beds in the backs of pockets, but we couldn't get a lot of love on topwater or blade in those areas. Champ took us to some gravel points and we put up everything except the Ned. Sitting in 25-40 fow and throwing up into 15-20 fow. Most of our fish came on the Ned.

There's a legend they tell in this here parts of a ghostly fisherman who's very, very protective of Aunt's Creek. I bet he's the one that loosened your lug nuts. It was probably a warning, like the creepy crawly spooky ones you hear in the wee hours of the morning ... nothing to see here, move along followed by maniacal laughter and old trailer chains clanking.

Has the easy bite started? Lol. Good advice, guys, and good for you, jtram, for seeking to expand your skills.

Thanks, Chris. They don't have to take it seriously to make memories. My youngest brother (and my dad) took plenty of naps in that ol' flat bottom while my other brother and I were fishing. Looks like a good time was had by all. Great pics.

Pretty sure I saw the Blue Point version in True Value at Kimberling City. If not Blue Point, then something very similiar. Almost bought them.

Kudos to you Denjac and you are spot on ... sometimes it really doesn't matter. My Daddy passed way too soon when I was only 27. I still cherish the memories made when he took me fishing as a child. I'm definitely not the writer in the family, that's Champ188's talent, but I contributed the attached column to the now-defunct Central Pro-Am print version of Fishin' Magazine in 2009. I haven't looked at this column in a long time but nothing has changed - I cried when I wrote it. I cry every time I read it. Happy and sad all at once. Dads and Moms, never, ever pass up an opportunity to take your families fishing. CPA Column Daddy's Girl Final.pdf

That helped me, too. I hooked several deep keeping a slack line. Now, I still keep a slack line but check it frequently. Have been lucky enough not to gut hook any since I started doing this.

Why not? . It'd be a twist on the float-and-fly. I'm personally considering testing Sea-Foam denture adhesive pads instead of the glue. You trim them to fit anyway. (Poor Champ and that glue fight.) The adhesive is meant to work while eating and drinking. Maybe it will work for dunking, too. Lol