Quillback

Well as of right now I have 15 staying (that is assuming you bring 4 people with you) with one more possible. River Villa can comfortably hold 7, with one person sleeping on the futon in the living room - I have stayed on that futon before and it is nice and comfy. So with 7 in the Villa, that leaves 8, possibly 9 in the Cedar Gables which will work. So Rick if you put your crew in the Villa, assuming there are 5 of you, then we need to add 2 volunteers to have it done.

I liken it to borrowing money to play high stakes poker. You might be an excellent poker player, but you're going to be playing against guys who are all excellent players themselves. And if you win, you've got to use some of your winnings to pay your backers. Of course there is the sponsor thing, but the big sponsor money isn't going to show up unless you are successful.

A pro who was a rookie on the Elite series lives near me. I spoke to him a couple of years ago about going pro, he qualified two years ago, but wasn't financially set to join the tour then. He thought he had someone lined up to help out with the finances but that fell through. But he did fish the tour this year, so he must have gotten things worked out. He didn't do too well unfortunately, don't know if he will be back next year or not, haven't talked to him. This summer I was waiting at one of the Bella Vista lakes for my fishing partner to arrive, couple of young guys pull up in a new pickup and launch a full sized bass boat. I was talking to the kid in the boat while his buddy was parking the truck - couple of high school kids, the guy parking the truck was the high school bass fishing champ. I'm assuming it was the old man's truck and boat, but times sure have changed since I was in high school. Not saying it's a bad change, but it is a change.

Sounds outstanding! Whoever is bringing the buns, please bring a bunch of hot dog buns too please. Don't know about you guys but I like to put some grated cheese and chopped onion on top of the chili dog - I can sign up to bring that stuff.

It really blew here in Bella Vista yesterday, but started out calm like you saw. Glad to see you got into them, some nice fish there.

Brett's catfish was excellent last year, rumor has it the bream was pretty good too.

Man you aren't kidding, tons of pressure. October has always been a funky month for me on this lake, I don't have any answers, except to go out and fish and enjoy the fish I catch, even if I don't catch that many.

There could be something to this - On October 9th I saw a guy at the Big M ramp that was wearing an MFL referee jersey.

OK, let's get this rolling. Thursday night - Eric is BBQ'ing pulled pork. We'll need some side dishes. Someone should bring some buns also. Friday night fish fry. Brett and Richard are providing the fish. I will bring the oil, if I remember right we need 7 gallons of vegetable oil? I think Brett makes hush puppies. I plan on bringing ketchup, cole slaw, tartar sauce, and sriracha sauce. I think Les did the taters last year, but unfortunately he won't be here this year, so we need someone to volunteer for taters or fries. Saturday night - Nothing so far, open to ideas. Breakfast - If someone wants to cook something, that is great, if not we'll have to get by on granola bars, pastries and coffee. I'll bring coffee and filters. Lunches - Seems like most of us stay out on the river, but it wouldn't hurt to have some bread and lunch meat available in case folks want to drop in for a lunch break.

Booked the lodging today. Cedar Gables and the River Villa. The River Villa has been modified a bit since last year, another bathroom was added and the room that had 4 bunk beds in it now had only a queen sized bed. There are a total of 6 beds and one futon in the TV room. So room for 7. I have us at 13 staying (a couple of people are not confirmed). At 13 the total comes to $139 per person. Probably should toss in a tip also. As always, cash or checks only. I am calling dibs on the first bedroom on the right at Cedar, still have the dog and that is a good place to keep him. So we've got it Thursday night 12/12 through leaving on Sunday morning 12/15.

I've had a knee replacement, which wasn't too bad and I am glad I did it. I've always heard that shoulder surgery/replacement is much worse from a therapy standpoint as it is just flat out painful. I took the opioids for about 6 days - they play heck with a persons digestive process, so I quit taking them as soon as I could. Even after only six days I had some withdrawal symptoms, I got ittchy spots and it would move around - it would be my elbow, then move to my leg and so on. It was annoying, lasted for a couple of days. I just don't see the "recreational" benefits of opioids, I didn't like anything about them. Hope your wife does well!

I feel your jig pain, I've had several solid thumps, but I can't stick them.

That's just great - I spent 3 years taking Spanish in high school, what a waste of time.

I am fairly intense with my fishing whether it be for bass or bluegills. I don't see myself fishing any more intensely in a tourney, but I would probably fish differently than I do "fun fishing". And If I really wanted to compete in a tourney, I'd spend more time prior to, looking for fish. Not fishing, but finding fish, noting the location, then moving on. Of course, that would lead to more burning of the petrol.

I am an early morning guy myself and I do believe there is a bite to be had early right now. Later in the day if the wind picks up I think that can produce a bite too. These bluebird type days where there is no wind at all, I think you're better off getting out early.

I have to admit that if I was on the ground, under a truck and one of those things came after ,me, I'd be a little freaked out too. It was a big spider.

Good job on finding and catching the elusive White river yellow perch. Makes me wonder how well they will do in the White, hopefully not too well as they can get over populated. Thinking back to when I lived in Massachusetts, I can't remember there being any of them in the swifter trout type streams, but sluggish rivers like the Charles had bunches of them.

Yep. hang in there Oneshot!

Glad you can make it - Friday night fry sounds like a plan. The guys apparently loved your bream fillets last year as they were gone by the time I got back.

First time I have seen a "Wart Hawg".

Thanks for the info, been thinking about breaking out the Ned.

Kind of an inspiration for my title. And that is now an OLD song, I think it came out when I was in high school. @Johnsfolly

Had a close encounter today, thought Vernon would enjoy this. @vernon This afternoon I went out for a walk at one of the parks here in Bella Vista. It has an out of service access road that goes uphill at a fairly steep incline, leads to the top of an earthen dam that backs up a lake called Loch Lomond. I will do about 3 miles and will walk up and down that hill a few times to get my heart going. There's a gravel road that runs the length of the dam, maybe about a 1/2 mile in length. I'll walk it to one end then back to the other end. The tire tracks are gravel with some old blacktop, there's grass in the middle of the road and about a 10 foot strip on each side. The sides and side strips are kept mowed, but on the lake side of the dam it is chunk rock with weedy type vegetation and on the land side of the dam it is basically a steep slope covered with thick, weedy growth. So I am walking the dam today and see a big spider cross the track in front of me. I would get close to it as I want to check it out and the darn thing would come after me, it would kind of hop a few inches at a time coming towards my foot. I have never seen a spider that aggressive before. It did let me get close enough to get a good look at it, and darned if it didn't have some baby spiders riding on its back. Never seen this before, so when I got home I did a search on "spiders with babies on back" and it turns out it was a wolf spider. According to the experts it is the only spider in the US that carries its babies around like that. I didn't squash it, couldn't kill a mama with her babies, and I had some respect for a critter that would take on something that outweighs it probably about 10,000 times. So now about the snake - I start walking down the trail again, and maybe get about 100 yards, hear something move in the grass, look down and a bit to my right and see a snake dart into the weeds. It couldn't have been more than a couple of feet from my leg when it seemed to almost jump up and zip into the weeds. I only got about a 1 second look at it, but I am convinced it was a cottonmouth. Had that fat body with a skinny short tail section and the skin coloration those things have. And it was a good sized one, I'm guessing at least 3 feet long and bulky. I was fortunate it didn't go for my leg, because I never saw it until it took off. And it was pretty cool today, I think it was about 60 degrees when I saw that snake, but it sure didn't act sluggish at all. It must've been out in the short grass sunning itself until I came along. I have spend a lot of time outdoors and have seen some venomous snakes, but never have I had one that close to me (that I know of) where I thought it could've got me if it had wanted to. One more step and I would've been within inches.

It would not surprise me at all, I used to do good this time of year.

Here's what I have for a roster. Looks like probably 11 confirmed for lodging with a couple of possibles. Couple of regulars I haven't heard from yet and I will reach out to. Looks like we will again need the two lodges. Myself - Staying Phil and guest - probably staying N9BOW - staying off site Daryk Campbell SR - Staying Jester HK and Brandon FMC staying John's Folly - Possibly staying GotMuddy - Staying Little Red - Staying Terrierman +2 possibly 4 - all staying Ham - Staying off site Wounded One - Staying off site Seth - Staying Zigjigman - Staying Total cost of the lodging for both places is 1800, which with 11 stayers works out to $163 each. I'm sure we'll get a few more, but that's where it is at right now.