Quillback

I agree Beaver is the worst black bass lake compared to Bull or TR, but is it due to habitat or striper predation? Every fisheries bio I've heard talk about stripers and black bass will tell you that they have little or no effect on black bass populations. Has anyone cleaned a striper and found a black bass in it's stomach? Just curious. Ouchita has stripers but yet has a healthy black bass fishery. But I can see the other side of the argument, if Bull is fishing well for black bass why risk screwing it up with stripers.

Brauer found an offshore shelf in the river that held fish, as far as I could tell he stayed there all 4 days. I don't have a problem with that or what he did, but that's the first time I've seen an Elite event where one of the guys got upset with someone getting too close. I'm sure it happens quite a bit, but I don't know that there's any hard and fast rules about what is too close.

There's some US records that are questionable, both the LM and SM records are controversial.

Last year on the AR river Elite tourney, Denny Brauer got upset that J. Van Dam had moved close to his area, It looked to me VDam was at least 100yds. away, but Brauer was upset. They seem to have an unwritten rule in the Elite series about other anglers getting too close.

You folks might find this link interesting: http://bringbackbobwhites.org/

I'm happy to hear he is staying.

What was the biggest bass weighed in?

Yeah, don't be to specific, I can read maps.

Yep, if you pull up your marker buoy and move off, then to me it's an indication you're done with that spot, and it's possible other anglers may see that and move in. It's that time of year when it gets crowded out there, no use in getting upset with people that are "too close". If you're a good angler, not saying that you aren't, you'll still catch your fish even with others close by.

This initiative, sponsored by a group called Sportsmen2010 would lower the excise tax from 1/8 of a percent to 1/14 of a percent. BUT it will remove the AGFC from the agencies receiving a portion of the revenue from it. In other words AGFC funding will get slashed. Sneaky move to name themselves Sportsmen2010. I will not sign a petition for this, and if the initiative makes it to the ballot, I will vote "NO". You may feel differently about this, but don't let the name "Sportsmen2010" fool you into thinking this is a pro-sportsmen initiative - it is most definitely NOT.

Never heard of it, is it a brand of stinkbait?

I should add, that I was walking the dam on Loch Lomond yesterday, the spitoon (pontoon boat) hatch has begun. Must have been a 1/2 dozen spitoons towing inflatables, or aimlessly going around in large circles creating wakes. With all the wave action, you could take your dirty laundry down to the dam, put some detergent on the clothes, lay them on the rocks at the water line and the waves created by the wakes would clean your clothes for you.

It's not even Memorial weekend yet and it sounds like it is getting crazy out there. Temps are predicted to be in the 90's later this week, next weekend (Memorial Day) is probably going to be nuts! I'm thankful I can fish during the week when it's only about half crazy.

Thank you sir for the tip on he back of Big M cove.

68 Lbs., if it's confirmed, is massive! I remember when the old WORLD record was 71 lbs. and that stood for years, but was recently broken (can't remember what the new world record is). You'd have to think, if there are still fish swimming from that stocking that in a year or two it may be possible for Bull to produce a world record.

Jeb and I ventured out early and fished the runouts and flats in the Big M area. Topwater bite was good early and even later in the morning we'd pick up a stray fish or two on top. Picked up some on the Pig Sticker jig in the green/orange color that Bill recommends and got a few c-rigging small plastic craws. We finished at 1 PM and maybe had boated 35 fish, majority 12-14" spots. We got a few barely keeper sized spots, SM's and LM's, but nothing over 16". Can't find the big fish bite in that area, we know they are there as we got some nice fish on the A-rig this winter, but they're hiding from us now. Still had lots of fun with these fish on light tackle, especially the early topwater bite. Lots of shad over by the Viney launch.

That does sound tasty, maters and walleye!

Yeah my plants are from Wally World. Like Eric's they're 3 feet tall at least. All due to the warm spring, last year it was so cold and wet they weren't growing worth a hoot. I'm worried we're going to have another long hot summer which will screw things up.

I tried to start some broccoli from seed a few years ago in August, hoping to get broccoli through the fall at least. They came up, but the dang bugs chowed down the plants. Might try again this year.

Only thing I don't like about garlic scents is that it makes ME hungry.

Here's an article on "strolling", legal in the Elite series, not really trolling, but darn close to it. Seems it would be a good walleye tactic also when the wallies are hitting cranks. http://www.bassmaster.com/news/long-lining-crankbait

Pujols: .195 BA 1 HR 11 RBI Beltran .299 BA 12 HR 31 RBI I'm sure Albert will get it together eventually, but he's struggling. Cards front office is looking like a bunch of baseball Einsteins.

Picked my first mater this AM, came off an Early Girl bush variety set in a container. Took a gamble and planted it in March when we had that 80 degree weather. Usually don't get my first one until late June.

I need to read that Truman book, he's one of those presidents that gains stature as time goes on.

We'll have to have an OA fish fry, I volunteer F&F to supply the fillets. Nice job on the fish!