Quillback

For me, after top water, square bill bite is the next best as far as having fun.

I hope so, the fish I have been catching are too far down for the Wart to reach. That being said, I have not been going back in coves and working the banks, but have seen plenty of people doing that, so who knows, could be a bite on cranks somewhere. Usually there will be a bite on Shad Raps too, the small #5 size, I'd like to see a couple of warm sunny days and that might happen.

Sorry to hear about the wrist. Did you get any fishing in while you were down there? Something I forgot to mention, a lot of the fish had craw antennae sticking out of their gullet, maybe a sign that the craws are out moving around. Should be good news for us bottom draggers.

My first time out since January 31, either because of bad weather or stuff going on in life, I haven't had an opportunity to get out until today. Nice morning, little to no breeze, temps started out at around 32 and gradually warmed up to the mid 50's. Water temp was 44-46 with a bit of a stain. Launched about 0700 and started fishing a long rocky underwater ledge working a 110 +1. Fished it for 30 minutes or so, caught a couple of 14" spots on the +1, but as I was fishing I was watching the depth finder and seeing a bass on the bottom here and there. Just wasn't catching them fast enough on the JB, so fell back on the Ned rig. First cast on the Ned, I caught a keeper spot. Thought I was on to some hot fishing with it, but it wasn't hot, however there were bites to be had. Worked the rock ledges, points and chunk banks, in the 20-30 foot range, and caught another 13 bass on the Ned, with 8 of them being keepers. A couple of them were really solid spots. Used a black Nutech crappie jig for my Ned rig, I have been using a chartreuse head last month and felt it gave me a better chance at catching smallies. And I did not catch a smallie today on the black head, did catch a mean mouth, but maybe there is something to smallies liking that chartreuse head. Guess I will have to continue with my 'research'. Lots of people fishing today, 8 rigs in the Big M lot when I left and lots of boats running up and down the channel. This post has been promoted to an article

HAHA, good strategy. You: "I sure wish I could get a new boat!" Wife: "Honey, so do I, but you really don't need one, you have a perfectly good boat now." You: "Well I could probably get by if I just had one of those Livescope things." (Said while shedding a few fake tears). Wife: "Oh, I can't stand to see you suffer, we'll get you that Livescope thing."

There's some truth to that, but if the other guy has the stuff to find them and you don't, you're going to be at a disadvantage. If this Livescope is as good as advertised, not only can you find the fish, but you can find the right fish. Garmin has to be loving this.

Have not seen those planes, but there are a couple of airstrips within a few miles of Big M. Always see a plane or two taking off/ landing every time I go fishing.

It hit 13 here, which is cold enough.

SEDAGIVE!!?? Abby Normal

Let me introduce you to my little friend.

I watched a little bit of live coverage in the 1st period, Defoe's first 6 fish went 19 lbs. and he had a big lead, thought it was a done deal. But I guess not. I read that in a 20 minute span in the 3rd period, Wheeler caught 7 bass that went 22 lbs.

It's an awesome movie - I read somewhere that when Slim Pickens was doing his role that he never knew the film was going to be a comedy.

efe: We have many beautiful piñatas for your birthday celebration, each one filled with little surprises! El Guapo: How many piñatas? Jefe: Many piñatas, many! El Guapo: Jefe, would you say I have a plethora of piñatas? Jefe: A what? El Guapo: A plethora. Jefe: Oh yes, El Guapo. You have a plethora. El Guapo: Jefe, what is a plethora? Jefe: Why, El Guapo? El Guapo: Well, you just told me that I had a plethora, and I would just like to know if you know what it means to have a plethora. I would not like to think that someone would tell someone else he has a plethora, and then find out that that person has no idea what it means to have a plethora. Jefe: El Guapo, I know that I, Jefe, do not have your superior intellect and education, but could it be that once again, you are angry at something else, and are looking to take it out on me?

Lucky Day: In a way, all of us has an El Guapo to face. For some, shyness might be their El Guapo. For others, a lack of education might be their El Guapo. For us, El Guapo is a big, dangerous man who wants to kill us. But as sure as my name is Lucky Day, the people of Santa Poco can conquer their own personal El Guapo, who also happens to be *the actual* El Guapo!

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the War Room!" “Well boys, we've got three engines out, we've got more holes in us than a horse trader's mule, the radio's gone and we're leaking fuel and if we was flying any lower, why we'd need sleigh bells on this thing... But we've got one thing on those Ruskies… At this height, why they might harpoon us, but they dang sure ain't gonna spot us on no radar screen!”

No Patriarchs for me either, I have a couple of Supreme XT's and my one complaint with them is they have a sort of flange deal welded onto the spool that is part of the drag clicker. That flange will wear off as it has for me. When that happens, you now have a silent drag. So if I was looking at a Patriarch, I'd take the spool off to see if it has the drag deal on it. Other than that, I would expect it to be a great reel. I do have a Stradic FL, Landbigfish had a great sale on them a couple of months ago, picked one up and I think it is a great reel, very smooth, light, casts well, and it is just a well machined, well put together product. I believe the only difference in the C-14 and the FL is that the C-14 has a lighter body and is about an ounce lighter overall. I have read where the older Shimanos had a problem where they got wet and the drag stops functioning. New models have a sealed drag, so I hope it doesn't happen to mine. FL and the C14 have what they call a "long-stroke" spool, which I take to mean it's a long, somewhat narrow spool. Supposedly it helps with casting distance. I believe that it does, but don't know how that would compare to the Pflueger. However, I have a 3000 size FL and it has a narrow spool for that sized reel and it looks more like a 2000 size to me. You may have good reasons for wanting a 1000 sized reel, but if you go the Shimano route, I'd get the 3000, better line management and pickup than you'll get from a 1000. And one more thing, and this could be a big one - the Shimanos do not have an anti-reverse on/off switch. So no back reeling. I like it myself as I never do any back reeling and don't have to worry about accidentally flipping the switch over and not noticing it until I went to set the hook, or lift something off a snag.

That is a nice perch for sure, lived part of my life in perch country and any perch 12" or better is a heckuva perch. Very tasty fish, I've had walleye and perch together and thought the perch was a little better.

Medical facilities are top notch IMO, when I had my knee replacement done, I really had nothing to complain about. Mercy has just finished adding a 6 story expansion to their facility, and unfortunately I have been over there a lot the last week as my mom's companion had a heart incident, needed to get a pace maker installed, and also is dealing with a partially collapsed lung. He's 88 years old so this has been very tough on him. Anyway, the staff over there have been doing all they can do for him and we hope we can bring him home any day now.

Not an expert on the lake real estate, but yes it is like TR in that you can find homes on the lake, or near the lake with dock slips. When the weather gets a little warmer, be glad to take you out for some fishing and we can cruise around and check things out if you like.

Well glad to see Harvey Horne finished in the money, last year, his rookie year, was a tough one for him. I'm dead last in our league, very aggravating, I don't even know why I am typing right now, the heck with it, time to feed the dog.

Do you know what charges they could face? I'm curious as to what, if any, legal ramifications there are to abandoning a dog. I have never heard of anyone being charged with it.

Glad to hear things worked out for the dog. Facebook vengeance might be worse than what they could face from the law.

Man did I pick a bunch of losers. 41st place is my highest place. I never do well on these FL tourneys.

Yeah Wrench it does make a person wonder what the heck is going on. I did look at how much power Beaver generates at the max, and it looks to be close to 60 MWH. I compared that to the Dalles dam on the Columbia river, that dam can generate 2,000 MWH, so in comparison Beaver is pretty small when it comes to power generation.

Now going to be a 3 day tourney. My tie breaker is now just a little on the high side.