Quillback

PUP = Physically Unable to Phish. MUP = Mentally Unstable Phisherman.

I picked up a pair of Meindls last fall, wore them as my fishing boot, they are light (3.2lbs. per pair), waterproof (well I would not use them as waders) and warm. You can get them with different liners. I got the 400 gram, never had a problem with getting cold while fishing last winter. Granted, if it is below freezing I don't go, so I don't know how they would do in extreme cold. Cabelas usually will put them on sale periodically. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Meindl-Mens-Gram-Ultralight-trade-Hunter-Boots/1394676.uts?searchPath=%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FcategoryId%3D734095080%26CQ_search%3Dmeindl%26CQ_st%3Db

Nice 'eye! How was the action on that Deps? Does it wake easily?

Shook pretty good at my house for about a minute. Dishes rattling, neighborhood dogs barking. I've felt a few while living on the west coast, but usually they were short duration. Guess they are all different.

Yeah, you have to be careful you don't back into one of those house boats they have docked over there.

That is one big wally - congrats!

Rolled out of the Big M launch about 0615, went up lake a ways and worked a chunky rock bank that merged into a gravel point. Threw a Yum Might Bug, Texas rigged right up on the bank, dragging and hopping it back - caught several bass doing that, with a couple of keepers. That bite died off once the sun got over the hill, so did some different stuff, threw a shaky head for a bit, picked up a short, threw a buzz bait, picked up another short, then tossed a DD22, while paralleling some windy banks. DD22 also got me a short, and a miss on one that might have gone 2 lbs. that jumped and threw it. Decided it was time to drop shot some gravel banks. Didn't do much on the first bank I tried, but found some off another bank. It wasn't hot fishing, but steady, mostly spots, with one keeper LM on the drop shot. Boat traffic started getting crazy, so I left at 1230. They were still biting when I left, but it was just getting silly out there. Not that I was surprised, nice Friday before labor day weekend, you know it is going to get busy. Fish were mainly round 30 feet deep. I have been using a Missile Baits Fuse 4.4 in color "Purple-Ish" as my drop shot bait of choice lately, they seem to like it. It is made out of very buoyant plastic, which is nice as the spots are pretty feisty this time of year and almost always throw the bait. That Fuse will be just laying there on top the water, pick it up and use it again. That Fuse, cut down a little, might make a good winter bait on a certain finesse type jig head. We'll see. Caught 20, with half a dozen keepers, none over 2.5 lbs. Came into the Big M ramp, couple of MDC Warden trucks were parked there, one with an empty trailer. They came in right as I backed my trailer down. Got checked, fortunately my papers were in order. Big M ramp has been repositioned and is useable once more. Water temps were 82-83, water is still a bit murky.

I got a laugh out of Pepe's story. Just doesn't make any sense to me to go on a bass fishing vacation with your "friends" and end up in a high dollar fish off.

I thought Champ usually fishes Table Rock?

I saw those pics on Bass Blaster. That smallie is ridiculously fat.

That is pretty neat, good luck and let us know how you do.

Was this taken BEFORE you loaded up your cart?

I'm with you on that. I would like to see all coves marked no wake. It stinks for us fishermen to have to idle all the way back, but I would pay that price to keep the wakes out.

Good deal! I am going to start bringing MD with me and ice, even though I release all fish. But, I will do it for the bleeders. If I'm going to talk the talk, I gotta walk the walk.

I'm with you, bring it on! Number of pleasure boats out there should start dropping off once Labor Day is over. It's all good.

Maybe make that as part of the tourney rules during the summer, every boat has to have a bag of ice, some rejuvenate, and instructions on use.

I did not say all tourneys are bad. Absolutely there are some that do a great jo of taking care of their fish. And my hat is off to those that do. Just trying to understand how you could be against regulation changes that could help fish survival - I'm not talking about shutting down tourneys at all.

Good stuff Dan, thanks for the report.

Good stuff. Fish appear to be schooling now in the main lake. When you find them, like you did, it can lead to some fast and furious fishing.

Yeah, the entrance to Mill Creek (the one across from the mouth of the Kings), it's like a downhill ski slalom course to get between the buoys on your way in.

. Enforcement will be a huge problem without buoys. People can take the ticket to court and argue that they were not within a 100 feet. How can the LEO prove that they were unless there is a point of reference that shows where the 100' line is?

Thanks for the report 196, sounds like you had some great fishing. Sorry to hear about the dead fish. Donna pretty much sums up my feelings on the subject. Might not hurt to shoot an email to MDC, let them know what you see, not that I expect any enforcement action, as I don't know if any laws were broken, but there may need to be some regulation changes needed for summer tournaments. Fish kills like this aren't good for any of us, whether you are a fun or tourney fisherman. This is just wasteful and avoidable.

Ouch, that will cause wallet pain.

From what I have seen on the upper end of the lake, there are some shallow large mouth that might bite a top water. You've got to commit to it and work for those shallow fish. You might find some schoolers out in deep water, maybe off the end of docks that are over deep water.

Some of the other folks that have experience with spin jigs would have to chime in on that. About the only one I have thrown is a Road Runner that have the small Colorado type blade. Never have fished a Road Runner for the schoolers, but I bet it might work, especially as the shad they were feeding on were pretty small, one inch or so.