Quillback

Thursday looks to be low 30's getting into the upper 40's with moderate wind. Big cool down on the way next week, so may be my last chance to get out for a while.

Ordered my copy today. Came across this video of an interview with the authors which gave me a better sense of what the book was about. Sense of Community | On the River, A History of the Ozarks Float Trip | PBS

That's a great year of fishing! I may get out Thursday to get my first fish of 2025. It will likely be a smallmouth.

Dutch and I launched at 0700 into the fog. It was one of those days where we got a bite or two here and there, we were never on a bunch of them. Ned rigs were our best baits, a couple of swim bait fish and at the end of the day we fished cranks on about 1/2 mile of bank and caught a couple of smallmouth. We ended up with 18 bass and a walleye that was just short of being kept. 3 keeper bass and Dutch had big fish honors with one of those tank spots that was in the 2.5 to 3 lb. range. We got blown off the lake about noon, it was really windy. Quite a few other boats out today. WT 50-51

When I was out a couple of days ago I was marking suspended fish that I was having trouble catching. The F&F might have gotten them. I have some F&F stuff, I need to drag it out and fish it.

Those fish are fat! I bet they pull like tanks.

That's some good fishing!

Targa, that is a great day catching crappie on this lake! Congrats!

Cloudy, misty day with no wind early and a bit of wind later. Took this pic of the mist on the mountain: Caught some fish on the Ned rig and some on a 3.3 swimbait. I caught 17 bass with 3 keepers, which is OK, but I felt I should've had a better day. I was around fish but had a tough time getting them to bite and to top it off lost several fish with a couple feeling like they were good fish. There were quite a few fish chasing shad on top, but they were scattered. If I was close enough to get to them before they moved away I could get them to bite the swimbait. Ned fish were on the rocky banks with a few on a rocky ledge coming off a point. The spots are eating good, getting real fat. WT 51

Nice fish!

I would definitely eat some.

Rick was asking, so here it is. I won't bring any food, but I'll bring cups, plastic utensils, and plates. I am happy to bring cooking oil if there is a fish fry.

I second that motion.

I'm firmly in the match my line to the presentation camp. Lighter stuff, I tend to use lighter line for ease of casting and distance. I don't fish flies on gin clear streams however. When I used to fish back country lakes in Washington, some of those lakes the water was as clear as air, I'd throw spoons on 6 lb. mono. You couldn't see the fish, but as I retrieved the spoon one would come streaking from 50 feet away like an arrow shot out of a bow to get that spoon. Those fish were relatively unpressured and that may be a factor too.

Was doing a little research on bass in Taney and came across this almost 20 year old thread. Might be an interesting option at Taneyfest to fish lower lake for bass and trout with jerkbaits. Hor far is it from Phil's place to the bass waters?

Was out in Oklahoma a few weeks ago, trucks going the other way on HWY 60 hauling turbine blades, those blades are big.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas! Temps around here are forecast to be in the 60's next weekend, so if you get some fishing gifts it will be a good time to get out and fish.

Yeah I have no sympathy for the guy. I'd make a rug out of it myself. Or a hat like this dude. Imagine showing up at a PETA conference wearing this hat.

Could be a mean, it has a faint lateral line.

Did the hole jumper land the fish?

A great day to be out, a bit brisk however. I caught a few of your fishes' brethren on Beaver lake.