Quillback

Ebare calls it a smallmouth, looks like a meanmouth to me. Whatever it is, it is a good one! Ebare lands huge 7-pound smallmouth in Bassmaster Classic | Classic Highlights | B.A.S.S. Video Hub

Cool, always fun to get out and fish!

Harps grocery store sells walleye (fillets) from time to time, $13/lb. last time I saw it. Tribes in the north harvest walleye and there may be a commercial fishery too. Seems I heard that once walleye fry get past the stage where they are feeding on plankton, then they require live fish to eat and if they don't have something like minnows to eat, then they eat each other.

Pretty fish, I have jealousy.

There is a "National Youth Association" tourney on Table Rock at the end of the month. Regatta listings are showing 300 boats, but I doubt there will be that many. Middle school and high school kids. Probably supplied with everything by parents or other adults. Nothing wrong with it, but different than it was for my generation.

Immature male chinook salmon that returned to the rivers are called "Jacks". The only place I have heard walleye called jack salmon is around here, but I don't know if anyone uses that name for walleye nowadays. Here's what AI thinks: The term "jack salmon" originated as a culinary term in the early 20th-century Midwestern United States, specifically St. Louis and Cincinnati, where it was used to market Pacific whiting (a small hake) as a cheap alternative to true salmon, with usage dating back to at least the 1920s. It also referred to small, early-returning male salmon.

MDC and partners improve fish habitat at Table Rock Lake Recent efforts increased shoreline fishing opportunities and replenished existing brush piles. BRANSON, Mo. – Fish are enjoying new habitat after state and federal officials strategically placed trees and brush piles at Table Rock Lake. Brush piles provide good spawning habitat in spring for fish and shelter for smaller fish hiding from predators. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently collaborated with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to enhance fish habitat near Table Rock Lake State Park near Branson. Approximately 50 cedar trees were strategically placed along the shoreline in 13 different locations. The project focused on improving bank access for anglers within park boundaries. Most of the trees were submerged in less than 20 feet of water to create vital habitat for fish in shallow areas. This new fish habitat can easily be targeted from shore, increasing fishing opportunities for bank anglers. MDC staff also worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to replenish 41 existing brush piles and build six new brush piles in the Kings River Arm and the Big Indian Creek Arm of Table Rock Lake this winter. Anglers can find the locations of these and other fish habitat structures on the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov/fishing/where-fish or on the free MDC MO Fishing app at mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/mobile-apps/mo-fishing.

Predicted low of 19 Sunday night, 21 Monday night. Then the following Thursday through Sunday, predicted highs in the mid-80's.

Campground and Habitat Upgrades on Norfork Lake - Bennett's Bayou Early last month, biologists in north central Arkansas partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and AGFC staff from across the state to enhance fish habitat in the Bennett’s Bayou arm of Norfork Lake. Our focus was twofold: improving campground aesthetics at the USACE Gamaliel Campground while enhancing shoreline fishing opportunities, and refreshing existing underwater brush piles in the area. The joint effort began at the campground, where we, USACE, selectively cut trees to open up the canopy around several campsites. This work not only improves the overall camping experience, but also gives campers much easier access to shoreline angling, including a brush pile in close proximity to the bank (NF 0117). A mix of cedars and hardwoods from the campground and the surrounding area were cut and pulled out into the lake, then sunk on existing brush pile sites in the Bennett’s Bayou Arm. The dense cedar branches provide immediate, tight cover for baitfish and ambush predators, while the sturdy hardwoods will offer long-lasting structure for fish like crappie, bass, and Walleye. By refreshing these existing sites with fresh woody debris, we ensure they remain highly productive ecosystems and should provide valuable cover for the upcoming crappie spawn. If you don’t already have the existing brush pile coordinates on your unit, you can find downloadable coordinates for the brush pile locations on our Fish Attractors page. This project highlights the continued importance of inter-agency teamwork in keeping our lakes healthy and maintaining Arkansas as a premier fishing destination. Norfork Habitat Project Map Sinking a Hardwood Tree in Norfork Lake Sinking a Cedar Tree in Norfork Lake

Just got this email from AGFC. Trophy Walleye Lurking in Arkansas Rivers Biologists teamed up in February and March to sample Walleye in streams and rivers across north-central and eastern Arkansas. Using boat electrofishing gear, Walleye were collected from the Spring River, Eleven Point River, and the lower White River near Batesville. Biologists measured each fish for length and weight and collected a small tissue sample as part of a statewide effort to better understand the Walleye's genetic diversity and distribution across Arkansas. Although anglers often associate Walleye fishing with large, deep reservoirs, these rivers hold some true trophies. A few of the Walleye collected measured around 30 inches and weighed over 8 pounds. The largest was a female from the White River near Batesville, measuring 30 inches and tipping the scales at 11 pounds. With trophies like these cruising our rivers, now is the perfect time to grab a rod and get on the water!

Classic starts in less than 2 days. Snuck up on me.

Seems like there are more pear this year than ever. They are all over the place.

Don't forget the shoot a deer out of the kitchen window. That is definitely frowned upon in my town.

Planted asparagus a couple of years ago and this will be the first year I can harvest some. Got a couple of skinny shoots that have popped out of the ground in the last couple of days, not enough to harvest, but should I cut them or let them go hoping they will get bigger?

Lake Fork this past weekend. The ol' lead stuffing trick.

Great fish, congrats!

I have enough bait casters so I don't need to get another one, but I like to try out new stuff. Had a serious backlash a week ago, cast a spinner bait and it broke off about halfway through the cast. Big ol' professional backlash was the result. I don't know if that can be prevented even with this new reel. Fairly expensive too, there are some good bait casters out there in that price range.

I saw these mentioned in a bass fishing email blast I get, so looked to see if there are any reviews. You set the spool tension knob and that's it and cast away. No thumbing needed (so is the claim), it has an "automatic thumb". Svivlo Draken ONE Baitcaster Review: Is This Really a Backlash-Free Reel?

Saw this in the 2021 management plan: Evaluation: Conduct an access creel survey every five years to evaluate Walleye angler effort, catch, harvest, and attitudes toward management. Evaluation: Conduct age and gill net evaluation every fifth year on Beaver Lake to ensure good growth.

Seems a little early, but maybe not. Always like to see them.

Tiger is neat looking.

The "A" and "C" are haplotypes. I have never heard of a haplotype until reading that article. I did a search on haplotype and good grief, there is a lot of reading material on that subject. Too much for me to absorb. Does not seem to indicate a separate species.

I don't know, you'd think they would interbreed.

Yes, you'd think they'd work together on this.

Beaver Tailwater Popular report - 2025_MS.pdf - Google Drive