Quillback

Fished two days in a row. Monday - Left late in the morning expecting fog early, got to the lake at 9 AM and it was still foggy, which kept me around Big M for a while. I haven't had much luck lately around Big M and Monday was no better, couldn't get a bite or find any fish. Fog finally lifted and down the lake I went. Never got on them down there either, got a few, ended up with 11 bass, 2 keepers. Caught nine of the on the Ned rig, fished off points, rocky banks. Wind picked up in the early afternoon, so I worked a Deep Little N off a couple of banks and caught a couple of bass on it, one being a keeper largemouth. Headed home at 2:30 PM. Tuesday - Got to the lake early, no fog in the forecast and the forecast was correct. Left the launch at 7 AM and headed downstream. My favorite rocky point had fish. Saw a few swirls on top, so started off with a 2.8 keitech and quickly caught a keeper largemouth and a keeper smallmouth. The fish lost interest in the Keitech, so I switched out to a Ned and picked up another 5 fish, four being keepers on the Ned, dragging it on the bottom in 10-20 FOW. That was it for the bite off that point, bounced around to a couple of other points, picked up one here and there, but no more than that at each location. Decided to fish a bluff, started picking up spots on that bluff, casting the Ned to the bank and stair stepping it down the until it got down to 30 feet or so, then bring it in and repeat, moving down the bluff. Had a good bite, picked up 10 spots, a couple of them were keepers. Probably should've just stayed on the bluff, but I wanted to try and get another smallmouth or two, so left the bluff and hit some more points and rocky banks. Caught a 12" smallie and a few more spots, but never picked up a good smallie. Called it quits at 12:45 PM. 21 bass, 8 keepers. WT - 53 Three amigos

Well if you're only going to get one, that is the one to get, beauty of a smallmouth!

I'd be too embarrassed to call the cops. The guy didn't want to wade through shin deep water to get to the bank? Sheesh...

Several years ago I caught a 6 lb. bass on a jig on Black Friday, probably my best Black Friday memory. About 10 years ago we went over to my uncles place in Collierville TN for Thanksgiving. My uncle wanted to go to BPS on Black Friday (this was before they moved to the Pyramid), so having nothing better to do, I went with him. We went pretty early in the AM, anyway we got there and I could not believe how packed that place was. Literally shoulder to shoulder with people. Checkout lines were something like 30 people deep. I'll never do that again.

Tried any dock shooting? Haven't myself, but looks like it isn't too difficult.

Hey you were going to release him anyway. Pretty cool to get one to the boat and get a good look at it.

Saw this on another forum, pretty interesting. Reinforces the notion that if you're out on the water, especially on cold water, wear a life jacket!

I have converted over to braid, but I still chicken out and use a leader. And yes it is a great improvement in sensitivity and hook setting. I'm sold on braid now, at least for certain applications. So what brand of high viz yellow are you using? I tried a couple of brands and the yellow coloring would wash right out after a day of use. I picked up some Seaguar Smackdown high viz green and it is much better at holding it's color, hasn't washed out after a few uses.

Yeah, have to remember to clean it off one of these days.

Hit the road a little later in the morning than I usually do, thinking that when I got to Big M, sun would out, fog would be burned off, and it would be at least above freezing. Got there about 9 AM and it was foggy and 30 degrees. 😃 Well I was there, so might as well get the boat in the water and start. Pretty much was a Ned fishing day for me. Fished it slow and fairly deep near or on the bottom. Never was hot fishing, but could get a bite or two here and there. Mostly off steep rocky banks or rocky points. Most fish were in 10-20 FOW, but I did catch one spot in 35 FOW off a bluff, had several hookups off that bluff spot, but only got one in the boat. Caught one spot on a Pointer 78. Water right by Big M was fairly clear, 3 feet of viz maybe, going down stream in the point 23 area and it was pea soup green. Didn't seem to faze the fish, I think it might have been better in the murkier water. Caught 14 bass, one small walleye. 5 of the bass were keepers, 3 of the keepers were smallies. Not too many people on the water on deer opener morning. WT 52-55

Beaver being high is not a bad thing. Ramps and parks are still useable. High water provide more cover for the fish.

Talked to someone that was out there yesterday, water is stained but fishable.

I just ordered up a beer and sat down at the bar When some guy walked in an' said who owns this car With the peace sign the mag wheels and four on the floor Well he looked at me and I damn near died And I decided that I'd jus wait outside So I layed a dollar on the bar and headed for the door Jes' when I thought I'd get outta there with my skin These five big dude come strollin' in With this one old drunk chick and some fella with green teeth An' I was almost to the door when the biggest one Said you tip your hat to this lady son An' when I did all that hair fell out from underneath Now the last thing I wanted was to get into a fight In Sumner Missouri on a Saturday night 'Specially when there was three of them and only one of me

My guess is that they'll do well here. Just about any chain restaurant does well here as long as it is in a reasonable location.

Ok you made me look it up. Looks like quite the operation .

Same here, I was always a move down the bank guy, now when I catch a bass I'll fish that area thoroughly.

Really sorry to hear you won't make it John.

I've always thought Millwood lake would be fun to fish, it's big, around 30,000 acres, but from what I have read, has quite a bit of shallow cover - trees and vegetation - to fish. Might be a bit outside of your range however, it's near Texarkana. Bois D'Arc is nearby, 5,000 acres, so you'd have a couple of options. No idea on lodging, but I bet a little internet searching and you'll get some options. And like Ham says, lots of options in eastern OK.

Hook, Line and Sinker in Rogers will often have printed fliers about tournaments. Don't know if they have them for every tournament, but every time I go in there I see some.

Some good fishing, how often do you get out there and never see another boat? Very cold here in Bella Vista this morning with a pretty stiff wind out of the north. Nice full moon that is just setting above the horizon to the west.

Yep, If you and Donna aren't out there it must be REALLY cold.

I agree, the west is a neat place. Even on days the fishing is tough, you're usually in some great scenery.

Sorry to hear you did not get into them, sounds like they have lock jaw. Does look like from the graph images that they were chasing the shad. Lots of water moving if the mudline is down at Big M, it hardly ever gets muddy there.

Well I watched it, interesting to see what they were doing. A lot of white baits early, white jigs/trailers, white spinner bait (Martens), white buzz baits and white top waters. Martens finished up catching off shore spotted bass on a drop shot in clear water, while runner up Montgomery finished up fishing the dirty water flipping cover.