Quillback

This morning I head over to Cabelas. Needed to get some quality lightweight raingear. I am tired of the cheap gear that I always get that falls apart after about 2 uses. They also are running a sale and I have a $20 discount coupon, and they have the rain gear in the size I wear in stock. I get there, try on the gear, it fits, I am ready to head to the cashier, then I think, since I am here I might as well check out the fishing gear department. I tell myself - "YOU ARE JUST GOING TO LOOK AND YOU WILL NOT PURCHASE ANY TACKLE!" I see DOUBLE WHOPPERS for sale on a row end. Not only do they have them, but they have the two colors I want, Loon and Powder. Resolution to not purchase any tackle goes pffffftttttt - and I grab a Loon and a Powder. I now have them, they will get used.

I did not make the annual crappie trip with my uncle to Sardis this year, but in the past we usually go in mid-July. It is always hotter than the dickens, but the crappie will bite those Bandits.

The worthless Wal-mart near me doesn't have those smoked sardines. Champ must have seen this thread and got over there before I did and cleaned them out.

Interesting read on pig traps. http://feralhogs.tamu.edu/files/2010/05/CorralTraps.pdf

Aren't very many in NW Arkansas, I have yet to see wild pig one. Seem to be more of a problem in central Arkansas around the agricultural areas. Watched an Outdoor Arkansas show about a year ago that featured the AGFC's efforts to control them. Those fence type traps they set out for them have to be circular, if not, those genius pigs will all crowd up into a corner and some of them will climb on the backs of the others and get over the fence and escape.

LOL!

Yep, still a brown. Can't see all of the tail, but from what I can see there are no spots on it.

I might be going over to Wally World later today. If they have them, I will buy them and try them.

Just looking at the pre-season rankings and Arkansas schedule. Going to be some fun games to watch, and I think the Hogs will play well enough this year to be competitive and maybe pull off an upset or two. They are going to TCU (#20) September 10, I like the fact that they are playing a good team early on the schedule this year. Should be a good game to see what they are made of this year. They have Bama (#1) and LSU (#5) coming to Fayetteville - I wouldn't be surprised to see them upset one of these teams. They are at Mizzou this year, could be a tough one. I'll be happy if the Hawgs finish in the top 25. Having lived for close to 20 years in Washington, I also follow UW and WA State from a distance. Both are ranked in the SI top 25 pre-season rankings. Those 2 teams haven't been in the top 25 together since about the early 90's, especially WA State.

Looks like a brown in the last 2 pics. A quick way to tell the difference between a brown and a rainbow, is that bows will almost always have spots on their tails, and browns do not.

Vienna sausage and Triscuits are a match made in heaven.

I don't know if Indian creek, which is sort of near the dam, has running water this time of year. That's about the only one I can think of in that area, but over on the east side of the lake there might be others.

I put the real worms and bobbers away (for the most part) and started bass fishing with lures when I was about 12, that would be about 1969. We were living in Massachusetts at the time. My dad had a 12" Appleby john boat that we paddled to get where we were going and sculled to move the boat around instead of using a trolling motor. There are lots of car topper type lakes and ponds in Mass, and back then there was very few bass fishermen out there. We primarily threw floating, jointed Rebel minnows to the bank or weed edges and twitched them on top. Sometimes we might fish a Jitterbug or Hula Popper. Every once in a while we'd drag Johnson Silver spoons with a pork frog trailer over lily pads. Threw worms a bit, but not much, I do remember the Crème worms. I also remember throwing Shyster and Mepps spinners early in the spring. I knew nothing about jigs, drop shots, Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, and all of the other techniques I fish for bass with now. I enjoyed bass fishing then and still enjoy it now, but things sure have changed.

I have a Rat or two, just never fished them that much as the Dog Walker and Plopper were working so well earlier this year. I have to set aside some time for it once the TW bite gets going again, seems like it's a bait that ought to draw in a few big bites.

Dadgummit! Champ beat me to them once again.

I think that's about as good as it gets for daytime bass fishing this time of year. Congrats on a good trip!

You're free to join the "White River Gang". The initiation is somewhat embarrassing - it involves running naked through the BPS Springfield store yelling "RELEASE ALL BASS". All I am going to say is that I have seen the results of "Maximum sustainable yield" policies in Washington state. Granted that involved steelhead and salmon which are certainly more finicky than smallmouth to manage, but the MSY policy was a long term disaster. MSY is a phrase that biologists need to just drop from their vocabulary. It is not a good guiding principal to manage wild life populations of any type.

Loved Skynyrd back in the day, but if I hear "Gimmee 3 steps" whatever device it is on gets turned off.

I don't even like fresh tamales, something about that cornmeal on the outside that just doesn't taste right to me.

Same for my merc setup, and there is an additional trim switch at the bow.

Everyone's a critic...

Now you're talking...

Yeah, it is closer and the daytime bite right now for me really isn't much better on TR. Indian creek arm is very scenic, not much development, and there is just all kinds of good looking cover to fish. Things could set up for a good fall bite in that area with all the shad that are there. In the words of Ah-nuld: "I'll be back."

Wesley's Vee "W". A wake bait made out of Balsa. No hot dog trailer needed.

Always liked Johnny Cash. If you can do a self portrait of yourself with a song, he did it here when he covered this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt1Pwfnh5pc