Quillback

They were eating the Keitech yesterday and there was some top water action too. I got a few shallow in one spot, but most of them I caught were out in 35 feet or more. Mostly spots but every once in a while I'd get a decent LM. They start biting at first light and keep going until 10 AM or so. Schooled up and chasing shad for the most part, but I've caught a few of those deep fish that were spitting out craw parts. The shad they are eating appear to be bigger this year on average. 3-4 inches long. The bass this year all seem to be very healthy too, they are all fat, they are eating well.

Talked to a buddy yesterday that said an acquaintance of his caught a 47 lb. striper a couple of days ago on a top water.

That looks tasty! I had a tick on me a couple of days ago, I hate those things!

Some great fish Lance, good to see you getting your clients into some. 10 dozen minnows per trip, wow! I hope you are getting a volume discount. 😃

Thanks for the trip my friend. It was a little tough out there today. Man it was cold early.

Nice fish! We were talking about Fork today when we were out on the lake, it can be tough at times from what I hear.

Nice! Did you keep any of the gills? Gill fillets are the best!

They say a fisherman goes through 4 stages in their fishing life: At first you just want to catch fish Then you want to catch a lot of fish Then you just want to catch big fish And the last phase, you're just happy to go fishing. Not hard and fast rules for sure, but I'm definitely in the last category, I'm happy to be out fishing and if a catch some big fish, that's a bonus. Yesterday I caught a few stripers in the 2-3 lb. range on top, small by striper standards, but they'll pull harder than any black bass of comparable size. Only thing they won't do is jump. But the best part of catching them is the way they explode on a top water. My biggest challenge this time of year is deciding where to go fishing. It's a great time of year to fish.

Best wishes for your spouse's surgery and recovery! It has been my experience that the top water striper bite ends anytime from mid-June to early July. I don't like that LB South ramp either.

Very nice! I was out there early today, caught 4 stripers between 2-3 lbs., a big white bass, and some dinky smallmouth. Mostly on top water. Bite shut down about 0730, I mean it shut down, and I left at 0915. Saw in the news yesterday they found the body of a ER Doctor from Cassville over by LB South. His car, wallet, cellphone were in Cassville but they found him, he'd been shot, over by LB South.

Fished with Dutch this morning, we launched early around 0515. We did some bank beating and fished a couple of gravel points to start and we picked some up on jigs, little swim baits and top water. Dutch caught a 2.5 lb. smallie which would be our big bass for the day. Our best bite was when we located some shad chasers off a cove entrance over deep water. We caught some of those on top and some on little swim baits. It was a bite every cast for a bit, but they eventually stopped biting and moved away. Had a couple of white bass attacks near the boat, Dutch caught a good one that was in that 2.5 lb. range, but the white bass were gone quickly to parts unknown before we ever could get into them. Later in the morning things shut down and we were off the water by 11 AM. We had 35 bass, 6 were keepers, a couple of white bass, and one keeper sized walleye. All fish were released. WT 74

The quit stocking hybrids a while back, something like 2013 was the last time they were stocked.

Lots of shad, they are everywhere in that area. They were spawning on the rocks next to the ramp.

Thanks for posting, I was about ready to leave. I'll have to get the golf balls to you next time.

Congrats on a good tourney! I'd like to fish that lake one of these days.

I have not heard anything from Steve, so I will take a trip to Campbell this afternoon.

Mike - We are canceling the tourney.

It is off.

Nice cooler of slabs! I agree, the weather has been weird all spring. Supposed to get down in the upper 40's early Sunday morning.

Thanks - I don't have a contact for SmithvilleSteve so hopefully he'll see this, I believe he is the only one that hasn't gotten the word.

OK, I'll PM or try and get a hold of Smithville Steve, M&M, Cheese and Magicwormman, and let them know.

It is a small group, I hate to cancel this close, but my feelings won't be hurt if we decide to call it off.

Well shoot, sorry to hear you won't make it.

I caught a big ol' bluegill yesterday on a Keitech. I may have to break out the redworms soon.

Dang, I won't be able to get over there for several days, shad will probably be done spawning by then. However they ought to move out in the lake once they are done and that could make for some good fishing.