Quillback

8 lb. steelhead is about average, the guide is not pulling your leg. I haven't fished the Salmon, but used to fish for steelies when I lived in Washington state. Lots of fun, but challenging to catch, especially on a fly. Probably going to be lots of other fishermen when the fishing is prime.

One was supposedly spotted (by several people) on the West side of Bella Vista just recently. I am skeptical, but I guess it is possible.

I picked a couple up but also have yet to fish them. They look deadly. Debating whether or not to hang a willow blade from the bottom hook hanger.

At my age you have to do this stuff just to maintain.

7 weeks ago was the surgery. I have been religious about the therapy, the therapists measured my range of motion and it is what it should be. I'm doing fine Plug, thanks for your concern and I will continue to grind out the therapy exercises. We've got several fitness centers here in Bella Vista, they are well stocked with different exercise machines, I've been doing leg presses, hamstring curls, riding the stationary bike, and doing balance exercises with a BOSU ball. I have also been walking the dog about a mile a day. It's all coming together but it takes time.

LOL!

Hey Mike - The knee held up pretty well, it gets uncomfortable sitting with it bent, so I periodically have to stand up and fish for a while. 4 hours of fishing yesterday was enough. Overall it is coming along fine, the surgeon and the therapists claim that I am ahead of the curve as far as recovery.

Welcome!

Well my new knee felt good enough for me to get my boat and do some fishing, first time out in 8 weeks. I stayed local and fished one of the Bella Vista lakes. Fishing was a bit slow, worked quite a few spots with the Ned and jerk bait and only put 3 one pounders in the boat in about 3 hours fishing. I was fishing my way back to the ramp and noticed some fish hanging around some brush in about 15 feet of water. Put the Ned on them and caught 4 or 5 in a row, got the last one in the boat and got careless, grabbed the line with my left hand, reaching over to lip the fish with my right, that Ned popped out and buried itself in the side of my right pinky finger. Didn't feel a thing when it went it, but when I looked at it, it was way in past the barb. Tried tugging it out and pushing it through and that hook was not budging. Well put the boat on the trailer, drove home, put the boat in the garage and headed for the ER here in Bella Vista. Fortunately it was not very busy and after about a 10 minute wait the doctor came in, told me that he had removed a few hooks in his time (you like to hear that), numbed it up, pushed it out, clipped of the point, with the barb, and pulled it out. No big deal, except the bill was $550, but I was only on the hook for $150 deductible. Still an expensive lesson. When the doc clipped off the end of the hook he said - "That's a good hook" - so I guess Dave's Ned heads are now Doctor approved.

That's a good day Smalls, congrats!

Getting hammered. Wouldn't be surprised to see a few rigs out there on Saturday with the warm weather forecast, but nothing going on today.

The fish are calling your name, get back out there!

Pic gives it away, anyone who bass fishes these lakes will know which one it is. HLS might see an uptick in Flash Mob Jr. and 110 sales. Just out of curiosity I might drive over there today or tomorrow to see how many rigs are there.

I would be more impressed if they got them on the Ned. That's lake Windsor, it can give up some good fish especially this time of year until the spawn is over.

LOL, for sure.

Evolution Baits Grassburner. $24.99, if these were $6.99 I would have 4 of them on the way right now. Sure looks like it has potential.

Looks like a great trip. Terrain reminds me of central Washington.

Very nice!

Beautiful fish! That's something I want to do at least once in my life, catch a redfish.

I remember when the A-rig craze hit the Ozarks, I believe that was about 6-7 years ago. That first year it was stupid easy to get fish on it, I personally saw a couple of six+ lbers caught on it, and some pretty good best 5 fish bags. And there wasn't much science to it, toss it around some deep trees and you'd catch bass. It caught some big walleye too, according to one of the retirees I talk to that lives over at Eagle Rock. Nowadays from what I hear, you gotta work that A-rig to catch fish, the easy days are over. Personally, I don't fish it, just not something I like to fish, but I am not mad at anyone who does. I got a kick out of Bill's statement that: "You also like any other bait have to throw it where they are, you throw it where they are not, they will not just mysteriously be there. "

Thanks for the clarification, Moguy. I am wondering if they have just 6 boats that they rotate through these events.

They may have fished two teams on day 1, one out of Glaize, one out of Gravois. They have done that in past events, fished 2 teams on one day.

Little Sugar was up a bit yesterday, which is good as it was getting pretty low.

Yep saw Watson on that LOZO promotion ad, he does get a lot of exposure. He's got that type of personality that gets attention.