Quillback

Thanks for the report! Looks like time to have a grub tied on.

Interesting photos - I doubt I'll be in Springfield that weekend, but if I am, I would stop by and check out your work.

Awesome!

I have to stop looking at this thread, too much good food.

Check out this video of some nasty ramp conditions: http://www.clarionledger.com/videos/sports/2015/03/14/24756599/

Great video Phil! Here's a couple of still shots. Things really came together yesterday, Phil and Bill brought a ton of food, really good food I might add. Bill's wife Becky made a great chili mac, best I ever had. RPS made some mean wings. Donna's potato salad was great and the big bucket of it that she brought emptied out fast. When I got there at 0630, Robert (Muddy Water) already had a canvas overhead set up that kept us dry through the morning rain, and thanks to his wife Karen for her help also. Some great deserts were contributed, thanks to all of you that added to the buffet! And thanks Ketchup and his wife for bringing some fold-out tables - they were needed to set up all that food! Thanks to Bo (Nutech), Dave (Dtrs5kprs) and the folks from Lew's for the great tackle gifts. And I believe Phil put Duckydoty in charge of providing the trophy. Very nice looking trophy, and congrats to Kbilb for the win! As far as the fishing: The water was on the rise the whole day, came up over a foot on Saturday alone. Reports were that the backs of the coves were fairly muddied up from runoff. Quite a bit of small debris in the water. Steady rain throughout much of the morning. I heard water temps were around 46-47 degrees. Most of the folks reported anywhere from 5 -10 fish caught, with a keeper or two on average, Big fish were tough to come by. I heard of fish being caught on Jerk baits, jigs, the Ned, and a couple of Wart fish.

I thought we would see a 5 lber or two. Also this was a no A-rig tourney, which makes it a bit tougher to get those big fish.

I made a cast with it, really throws that 1/16th out there. I don't have any bait casting rods that I would even attempt that with. Very light and sensitive, I could count the rocks in the gravel as dragged the Ned over it. I think that rod would be a hoot to catch TR bass with.

HAHA, just kidding! I took some photos, if they are any good I'll post them tomorrow. Kind of beat right now. A 2.9 won it, fishing was tough. I had a great time, met lots of good people, ate some good food.

No.

Thanks Tim - I think it would be great to give one paint job to the winner and add one to the drawing.

I purposefully chose a date where Alex would not be available. Bigguns seem to banzai charge his baits.

First off, I would like to thank Dtrs5kprs (Dave) and Merc1997 (Bo) for their very generous donation of fishing tackle for this tournament. Winner will receive a bag of Nutech jigs, a Ned Starter kit, and the Trophy. Nutech jig bag Ned kit We also have 4 more Ned kits - at the weigh in we will have a drawing for those kits. Bo has given me a large bag of Nutech jigs. I'm about 95% sure we have enough to give everybody a jig. See me before the tourney starts so I can record your name and give you a jig. Again, thanks Bo and Dave!

Kentucky beat the heck out of the Hawgs also. Just have to hope someone upsets Kentucky.

That's fine 5bites if your wife comes in later. Basically we start at 0730 and end at 3 PM. If people get a late start or come in early that is fine. If you want to weigh a big bass to win the trophy (and some goodie bags), then you must be back by 3 PM.

We'll still do it, may have to stand around and wait for the fog to lift. Looks like there might be some rain early, but it's possible that may get rid of the fog. If you are late for the take off, you can still be part of the tourney, so don't feel like you have to rush if it is foggy in the morning. Just be back at Eagle Rock by 3 PM for the weigh in.

Good deal, nice to see a jerk bait bite.

Yes it does, saw a fishing show featuring him, one of those Basspro shows I think. He was fishing Kentucky lake late winter and catching them on cranks. He did a good job on that show.

That's a big trout, congrats. I have caught one trout in TR and that also came on a Ned rig.

Those cranks have potential!

Way to go Ivey!

Excellent! I hope you have a great week of fishing. You'll have to show me that rod at the derby.

Come on down and join us. We are going to be at the Eagle Rock ramp.

A news blurb from AGFC: SPRINGDALE – The White River arm of Beaver Lake is a well-established walleye hot spot during the early spring. Last week, it gained some extra attention when Springdale angler Jessie Wilkes hooked into a paddlefish that topped the century mark and shattered the state record. Wilkes and his fishing buddy, Richard Wynne, were trolling Walleye Runner crankbaits on 30-pound-test line in search of some eating-size walleye when one rod bowed under the weight of the giant fish. The paddlefish had been snagged in its side, which is not uncommon for the species. Regional Fisheries Supervisor Jon Stein said, “Paddlefish strain plankton from the water using their gillrakers and rarely hit a lure, so most that are caught are either intentionally snagged below dams, caught by commercial anglers in nets or are foul-hooked by anglers after other species like Mr. Wilkes’ fish.” The fish was weighed on certified scales and measured 105 pounds. It was 65 inches long from the tip of the tail to the tip of the nose. The previous state record, caught from Beaver Lake in 2007, weighed 102 pounds, 8 ounces. Stein said the paddlefish likely was the result of stockings that took place in the late 1990s from the Mammoth Spring National Fish Hatchery. The species was stocked in the lake five years during the 1990s, once in 2000 and once in 2008. “The paddlefish from that stocking are 15 years old and older, so most are likely over 60 pounds by now. But this is the largest I’ve ever seen.”

Well after reading Bill's report, I know what I did wrong. Should've fished deep trees all day, I did for part of the day and caught all of the 8 bass that I caught around trees, 15-30 feet deep. I thought I might find some fish moving into pre-spawn holding areas, and fished quite a few of that kind of structure, but never got a bite on the pre-spawn stuff. The fish I caught all came on the Ned, I briefly threw a float and fly and a Menace grub, but no bites on either of those. Got checked by the MDC wardens on the water today - that was a first. They were courteous and friendly, checked my license, wished me good luck, and they were off and on their way. Water temps were anywhere from 43-46.