Quillback

As far as the gills, I don't know if they are bedding quite yet, but they are up shallow. You should be able to get the young'un on some gills throwing a red worm or cricket about 2-3 feet below a cork on any quiet cove bank that has sun.

Wow, that is some high water. Did not get as much rain up here in northern Benton County.

Looks like we're headed for 917, if it stays there for a while, it should be good for fry survival.

That's a big fish, congrats!

Graph is moving up and to the right, would not surprise me to see 1125. Tornado watch has just been issued.

Great stuff, good to see ya'll had a good time!

That's some good fishing, thanks for the report!

Sorry to hear of his passing. He and I always bantered back and forth in the sports forum about KC QB Alex Smith.

Slather some scent on it and it might be a catfish catcher at night. I don't night fish anymore myself, except I will get out a couple of hours before light on the local Bella Vista lakes during the summer. When I do that I like to go big and hunt big fish with big worms, jigs, or swing jigs with creatures. But, may have to throw the Ned around this summer just for kicks to see what happens.

Man, that is some funny stuff.

I didn't realize that tourney was this weekend. Thanks for the heads up.

Good to see the Fin is working!

Thanks for the report, that's some good fishing.

Saw this on the AFC website. It pertains to Greers Ferry, but you can see the similarities to any Corps lake. GREERS FERRY – What is going on with the fish in Greers Ferry Lake? That’s a question Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is getting from concerned anglers over the past year. We know that historically low water years result in a reduction in productivity in lakes such as Greers Ferry Lake. High water years increase the nutrients in the lake through increased runoff and inundation of terrestrial vegetation. As the flooded vegetation decomposes, nutrients are released into the water column. The nutrients made available are akin to putting fertilizer on your yard or garden. As the lake temperatures warm above 60 degrees, phytoplankton and zooplankton begin to bloom prolifically. These blooms are what cause the water to have a stained or dingy look. These microscopic plants and animals are the base of the aquatic food chain. The AGFC can artificially induce these productive blooms on our smaller, Commission-owned lakes through fertilization. Fertilizing a lake the size of Greers Ferry Lake is cost prohibitive and there are limitations due to its use as a municipal water supply. This puts the AGFC and Corps of Engineers at the mercy of the weather in trying to maintain adequate lake levels for good fish production. In reviewing the hydrograph for the past 16 years there have had high water events on Greers Ferry Lake in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2011 where the lake stayed up in the flood pool until at least July 1. In fact, 2008 (+23 ft.) and 2011 (+18 ft.) were the highest water levels on record with water levels in the flood pool well beyond July 1. This means there’s only had been one high water year in the past seven years. For a high water year to be truly effective it needs to stay up at least 60 days post spawn, or about July 1. The longer the water stays in the flood pool, the more it benefits the lake. Gizzard and threadfin shad are the dominate forage species in the lake. Threadfin shad seem to be preferred since their maximum size is about 6-inches. Much research has been conducted concerning fish diets and most predators (black bass, walleye, crappie, hybrids) prefer 2 to 4-inch shad, due to the size of their mouth. Since both shad species feed entirely on plankton, they are especially sensitive to plankton densities. The more nutrients available result in better plankton blooms which results in better growth and production of shad. The stronger shad population results in better growth, reproduction and condition for predators such as largemouth bass, crappie, hybrid striped bass and walleye. If high water levels occur every three years in the spring and early summer, sport fish populations remain plentiful. Unfortunately that is impossible to control. The management tools the AGFC uses on Greers Ferry Lake are: stocking, creel and length limits, and manipulation of habitat. The Corps of Engineers reservoir operating guide does not allow lake elevations to stay in the flood pool very long, unless they are forced by downstream flooding due to their Congressional mandate for flood control and the negative effects if has on their facilities around the lake. AGFC fisheries biologists have spent considerable time on the lake this winter and spring conducting gillnet sampling and electrofishing. They have taken all three black bass species (largemouth, spotted and smallmouth) to the AGFC fish pathologist for a complete health analysis including viral swabs for the presence of largemouth bass virus. Data for age and growth were collected over the past year for walleye, hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, spotted bass and smallmouth bass. This data is currently being processed and analyzed. Biologists will be able to compare the growth data to records to determine if low water years are significantly affecting growth. They are also in the process of developing models that predict shad densities based on the hydrograph of Greers Ferry Lake. Preliminary results indicate that there is a relationship between lake elevation and shad production. Once all of the data is analyzed, a report will be written documenting the impact of the low water years on the game species. In addition to documenting game species abundance, biologists have anecdotally noticed that threadfin shad are virtually nonexistent. This is likely due to the cold winters the state has experienced the last couple of years. Threadfin shad are a subtropical and southern temperate fish preferring warm waters. Water temperatures in the low 40s can cause significant mortalities in threadfin shad populations. In smaller lakes the entire threadfin population can die. Threadfin shad may still exist in Greers Ferry Lake, but their abundance appears to be very low.

Good deal. That bite in front of the bushes is a fun one to fish.

There's a retired fellow that launches out of Emerald Beach, he fishes just about every day. Saw him fishing a gravel point.

That top water bite sounds like it is real close to breaking out.

Truly nothing but dumb luck. I think if you fish that durned Ned enough you'll catch just about everything that swims in TR.

Thanks Jon for posting the link.

I was thinking the same thing, tail fin is in great shape, doesn't look like it recently came out of a hatchery.

When I first started fishing the Ned, I had the same issues with missing fish. It's hard to get over that feel a bite, set the hook right away mind set. If I do that, there's a good chance that I'll miss the fish. I've trained myself to let them hold it for a second, get some pressure on the rod tip, then set the hook. I use 6# Invisx, but a lot of guys like braid. Also, if you miss a bite, don't reel it in and recast, just let it drop, oftentimes the fish will come back for it.

You did the right thing, and I'd do the same. But, it's fun to think of possible retaliation, like firing up the big motor, cruising by them at maximum wake generating speed, then stopping about 50 yards in front of them and saying, "Sorry but I'm fishing for fun." Again, I would never actually do that, but fun to think about.

I might go over to Windsor this afternoon if the weather is decent. Or maybe tomorrow morning.

I hope you changed some the lyrics: I fall to pieces Each time a bass breaks my line...

Nope, but I did think about it. I bet a fluke could get them also.