dwiebenga

Did you place a mono backing on the spool. I was having the same issue, and I simply took about 10-12 yards of 17lb mono and used it as a backing form my braid. The problem was the line was simply spinning around the reel. The backing solved the problem for me.

40lb braid with a 7ft leader with 12lb fluorocarbon

10" Power Worm Green Pumpkin or Blue Fleck

My dad started me out fishing at Truman for crappie, and then I would spend hours on my grandparents' dock on Table Rock. I would always go down to TRL in the summer for a week. My grandfather, who was in pretty poor health, taught me as much as he could from his recliner chair. I could listen to him talk for hours about how to fish Table Rock. My mom and Grandmother still share great stories about my grandfather fishing, My Dad took me on a canoe trip to Canada for the first time in 1993. We have now been to Minnesota or Canada a dozen times. I also use to spend a month in Illinois with my other Grandmother. She would take me out to the local ponds or my Aunt and Uncle's private lake. I still think about those times, and I can't wait to start taking my kids on trips.

Happy Birthday!! Have a great day and year!!!

I have had my best success on McStick (Blue bandit, Norman Flake, and Green Chrome) and RC Sticks (Pro Blue). Match them up with 8-10lb line and you are good to go for the day.

Great Job! You guys make me jealous...it is snowing in Kansas City

That is very close...NOW I know were to get replacements

My favorite head was the try tungsten ike head, but they are discontinued, so I will let someone else chime in on the head. I love the ZOOM Shakey Head worm. I prefer watermelon red, green pumpkin, and Watermelon Candy. You get 20 worms in a bag, and they flat catch 'em!

I have had good luck with Pig Stickers. Al does a great job, and he is local too.

I would like to hear a seminar on Jig fishing throughout the year.

Happy Thanksgiving! Best Wishes to all during the season!

Pretty much had the lake to ourselves with deer hunting starting this weekend. Fishing was hard all weekend but my buddy, Jim and I got a few to make it at least interesting. We were hoping that the fish would push back into the creeks, but they were not there in any type of numbers. We tried to use the wind to our advantage and throw spinnerbaits (War Eagle Purple Shad and Mouse), but we only picked up 3 fish total our of about 250 casts. I tried to find a few drop shot fish, but due to the wind was unable to really stay on any points to locate fish. I was only able to land 2 fish out of about 4 bites on the drop shot all weekend. The fish would run up to it and do nothing or head deep. Most of the fish were about 20 feet down in 30-40 feet of water. Overall, our best bite was on a Pick Sticker Jig. We started fishing the fist 75-100 yards of the main lake points as they went into a cove or cut. The best ones had larger rock on them. I was putting the boat in 30 feet of water and throwing the jig to the bank and then dragging it back slowly. They were hitting hit about 10-15 feet of water. Most of the fish were healthy 13-16 inch fish. I think we landed about 15 fish on the jig. Overall we landed 25 fish, and we had to work for every bite. Good luck to you all! Dave

I throw my warts on 10lb fluorocarbon and I use a 6' Med. action Faclon Lowrider. Works great

Good plan, but also macke sure you have a drop shot or grub. I was down in September a couple years back, and the first morning I caught 4-5 on a FB jig right off the bat, and then they disappeared the rest of the weekend. Turned out they suspended in 25-30 feet over 40-50 feet and I was a novice who did not know how to get them. I would also bring along a few spinnerbaits and topwater too. JMHO. Best of luck and see you all in November!

When I was there two weeks ago. I put a depth range on at 28-32 feet of water and I kept the boat there all weekend. Easy to just look down at a color vs. depth numbers.

I have both. I like the lakemaster because of the color range select. I also like that I can raise and lower the lake too. I need to play with both more to see which one is best.

Just the "Great Plains" Chip. It is a good chip

We were tossing 3/16 oz darter head with a XPS Smoke/Purple Grub last weekend around Indian

Choctaw Bass looks similar to the Spotted Bass http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/05/08/newly-discovered-bass-species-to-be-top-target-for-anglers/

Only in Minnesota or Canada

Water was 55-57 degrees

Made a trip down with my brother on Friday night in the snow. We prepared for Saturday to be hard, but we made it work. Started about 8am at Indian Point on the point north of the Marina. I started throwing an RC STX in pro blue and hung a short Spot on the second cast. Then we switched over to a Smoke and Purple XPS 5" Grub on a 3/16 oz head for pretty much the rest of the day. I also received a nice surprise in a pocket I was throwing my STX into when I noticed a few fish cruising a bit shallower. I had a turtle swim up and grab the back hooks, and he tried to bit me on the release! Later in the day we pulled in to a bank just south of Point #1 that was protected from the wind and we went to work with our grubs. We sat in about 30' or approx. 2.5 casts from the bank. We caught about 15-20 fish off this bank alone. The last fish of the days was a rare Largemouth caught on the same bank. It was my brother's largest bass in his life. 22" 6.5lb fish. Today, we produced about the same pattern in the morning. Did really well on Indian Point itself with about 12 fish and the majority were Smallmouth. Overall, it was a great trip with my brother. Best baits: 5" XPS Grub (smoke/purple, smoke/black, and milky salt and peeper) and 3/16 oz head. We casted toward the bank counted to about 5 and then a slow steady retrieve with the rod at 10-11 clock position.

Thank you Bill, I will post and/or call with a report. Gonna be in the Dam area this year. My Grandma's friend is having bladder cancer surgery so they will not be in town.

Great pics! How will the crazy weather impact the fishing? I am going to be down this weekend.