Quillback

Well if you're getting 10" gills in Table Rock, then that's pretty good for gills around here. There's redear in Table Rock too, I have caught a couple bass fishing that were decent sized but they weren't over 9". I don't know of anyone that fishes Table Rock that is a redear specialist, I bet there are a few people that are, but it is certainly an untapped resource.

Never heard of any of those people, are they doctors?

About mid October I'll start sign up sheet so we can get a handle on numbers, I'm about 80% in unless there is some kind of huge COVID outbreak.

Well it is looking like we'll be doing the 2nd weekend of December, which seems to work for everyone.

I can't catch goggle eye.

Last Friday I awoke to a sore throat. It stayed with me a couple of days and by Sunday had turned into a dry cough, but not a real bad cough. Since Monday I've had some congestion and a bit of a cough. However I haven't felt really sick, it's been more of an annoyance than anything. Of course I had to wonder if maybe I had a mild case of COVID, so yesterday I drove over to a nearby clinic that does walk in COVID testing and today i got the results back and I tested negative. So I guess it was just a cold. First time I've been sick in about 10 years and in spite of wearing the mask when out in public, frequent hand washing with sanitizer and minimal contact with people I still got a virus. Just wasn't the one. Unless the test is wrong.... nah, that could never happen. 😄 On the local news a couple of days ago they reported they tested the inmates and staff at the Benton CO jail. 50 inmates and 5 staff tested positive - not a one had any symptoms.

Once the weather gets cold, the fishing gets better and the annoying summer people go away. Hang in there. 😁

OK, in the name of fairness I'll remove the above 3 posts. Political is political whether nice or not. I would've moved this to the politics thread but the OP is a new member looking for some fishing advice.

Great fish! The Newport gauge was at 19 a few days ago, but has dropped to 15 and I believe once it hits 14 or maybe 12 they'll start running water again, FWIW, the Corps works in mysterious ways, and that's my best guess.

I'd like to fish those strip pits one of these days, it's a bit of a haul from here, and it is not someplace I want to tow the fiberglass boat, so I haven't done it. I really need to get a yak and start exploring some of those lakes and some of the smaller ones in this area. Lately I've been fishing Loch Lomond here in Bella Vista, Lomond has changed the last few years and what has changed is that milfoil has become widespread. It's happened in the last few years, and has pretty much taken over the lake. It's mostly good news so far. The good - The bass and shad populations have exploded. We have a lakes department that keeps the milfoil under control, they have a mower that they can run over the top of that stuff and that keeps it from growing to the top and they'll do some spot spraying with copper sulfate at times to kill it off if it gets on the ramps or docks. They do a good job of managing the growth but yet leaving enough in to provide quality habitat. The bad - I love to fish bottom dragging stuff for bass, doesn't work too well in milfoil. I had a 40+ bass day this Thursday, they are chasing shad on top and I've been throwing a 1/4 oz Kastmaster at them which is the same size as the shad they are chasing. No monsters, but plenty of fish in the 2-3 lb. range which are a hoot on light spinning tackle. I like to tweak Kastmasters, I paint the flat side white, put a snap on the front and replace the treble (the one that comes the 1/4 oz Kastmaster is possibly the worst treble manufactured on this planet) with a #6 Owner treble that comes dressed with that mylar stuff. Work it so it stays near the top, use a herky-jerky type retrieve, and pause it for a half second or so every 10 feet. A lot of strikes come on that pause. The Kastmasters will work on the big lakes too, I've caught bass on Table Rock with them. So that's what I have been up to. Once this weekend is over I plan to start getting back on Table Rock and Beaver, September is a tough month for me on the big lakes but I also like to challenge myself with tough fishing and if you get a good fish when things are tough it gives me a better feeling of accomplishment. So good luck out there and let us know how you do.

A new state record Paddlefish was confirmed this week! James Johnson was on a guided fishing trip, visiting from Minnesota when he caught the 118 pound, 9 ounce giant on Beaver Lake! Mr. Johnson and his friend were fishing for Striped Bass when he caught the Paddlefish on a trailer jig on August 27, 2020. This record breaking catch measured in at over 5-feet at 69 inches of total length and had an impressive girth of 44 inches! The fish was weighed and verified by AGFC Biologists and the application was approved and signed by the Chief of Fisheries. The previous state record was caught in 2015, weighing 105 pounds.

Last night the local weather dude was talking about the potential for some unusually cold weather starting late next week. Coincidence?

Clicked on the link and it appears to be deleted, but anyway sorry to hear there was a fish kill, hope it wasn't too bad.

Feider would be a good source for fishing Mille Lacs, he's from Minnesota, probably has fished that lake a lot.

It's a hatchery fish, put in the lake to provide something for people to enjoy catching. That fish accomplished the mission. More browns will get stocked, a few will get huge and hopefully someone catches them before they die of old age.

Yes, very nice looking ride.

Yeah it is what I use too. I'll usually bring a few extra spinning reels with the leader attached as I try and avoid tying that knot on the water. As far as fishing a drop shot, I usually fish it vertically, I look for fish near the bottom in 20-30 FOW and when I see some I'll either drop it straight down or cast if out a short distance and it fall, it's not unusual for fish to hit it on the drop.

They work best for me starting pre-spawn until late summer. Hard to beat a Keitech, downside to them is that they are fragile, but I've never seen another bait out fish them. I like a jighead with a short shank hook, leaves more body free to kick. I like to pause the bait during the retrieve, let it fall, it will often get followers to bite. Edit: Keitechs kick real well on the fall, some swimbaits just won't kick that easily unless you fish them fast. Test them out by letting it fall near the boat where you can see it and look to see how well it kicks. Great bait for bass, walleye, stripers, hybrids and whites. I'll usually go with a match the hatch approach as far as size. When fall rolls around I don't get as many bites on them, spoons start to work better for me for shad chasers. Early spring I'll throw them right up on the bank, once post spawn sets in I'm out looking for suspended schools off deep water near cove mouths or off the bank on gravel points.

Berkley ran out of stock on these at a bad time, they are missing a lot of potential sales.

Yeah Magic Eraser is basically a very fine grit sandpaper, I would not use it.

Never been myself either, but if you do a search on Mille Lacs fall fishing I bet you'll get a few videos to watch.

2nd Weekend of December? I'm not sure yet if I will attend this year depending on Covid conditions. I'm going to wait until it gets closer to make a decision.

During my working days I looked forward to three day weekends, now that I am retired not so much. Get off my lake!!! LOL.

There can be massive schools of 6 lb smallies boiling all day on top and I still will not be on the lake that weekend.