Quillback

Long range forecast is calling for 60 next Monday in NW Arkansas.

Yellow perch are tasty.

In JF's backyard. @Johnsfolly The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recognizes Thomas Dembeck Jr. of Hydes as the new state record holder for yellow perch – Perca flavescens – in the Chesapeake division. Dembeck caught the 2.3-pound, 16-inch fish on February 7 while fishing in the tidal waters of the lower Susquehanna River. He was deep jigging in about 50 feet of water using a double-jig rig, which consisted of two small 1-inch plastic paddletails on ⅛-ounce leadheads rigged on dropper loops above a 1-ounce sinker. He was using a light spinning rod with ten-pound test braided line. Dembeck’s catch bested the long-standing record of 2.2 pounds, caught by Niles Pethel on November 21, 1979. The fish was weighed on a certified scale at Gibby’s Seafood in Lutherville, and the species was confirmed by DNR recreational fisheries coordinator Erik Zlokovitz. Dembeck has fished for yellow perch since the 1960s and catching a state record fish has been a lifetime pursuit. On the day he caught the record, he had been catching mostly small yellow perch. When he felt a slightly heavier weight on his line, he first thought it was just a double-header of two small fish. “I was nonchalantly reeling the fish towards the surface and even took time to watch an eagle fly by,” Dembeck said. When he looked down, he saw a perch that looked like a big “yellow submarine” and yelled for his friend Lee Haile to net the fish. Haile, the state record for chain pickerel holder in the nontidal division, realized they might have a state record yellow perch in the boat. After approximating the fish’s weight on a hand scale, they took it to a certified scale for an official weight. The Department of Natural Resources maintains state records for sport fish in four divisions: Atlantic, Chesapeake, Nontidal, and Invasive. Anglers who think they have a potential record catch should download and complete a state record application and call 443-569-1398. The department recommends the fish be immersed in ice water to preserve its weight until it can be checked, confirmed, and certified.

Forecast is for a low of zero degrees next Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Brrrrrr...

Fishing lure stamps. Freshwater Fishing Lures Stamps To Be Issued March 13 - Newsroom - About.usps.com

32 degrees here, but the precip was south of us, supposed to get some rain tonight, hopefully no ice in it.

Fish are funny when it comes to noise. A couple of months ago I had tied my boat up to the Big M dock, fired up the motor to let it warm up. A couple of bass came up on top chasing shad and I caught a couple on top casting from the boat with the motor running.

Did a bit of a spin too. Well done! 👍

Good question. I may send MDC an email to see if I can get anything more specific on these redears.

Hopefully you can make it over here. Copied this out of the MDC Table Rock annual prospects. Interesting about the redears. I need to get out and find them, I bet they are virtually unfished for in the Upper White. For experienced bluegill anglers, Table Rock Lake can provide quality fishing. Good numbers of quality sized fish in the 7"- 9" range exist. The best time to catch bluegill is late May through early July. Look for gravel areas, points, and pockets in 10-20 feet of water. Fish on the bottom with live crickets or worms with light tackle. Redear sunfish are also present, especially in the James River and Upper White River Arms. In spring 2024 electrofishing surveys, 73% of the redear sunfish captured were greater than 9” and 11% were greater than 11”.

I did get to enjoy some fried turkey, which was excellent!

Looks to be a pretty elusive species to add to your list.

I set up a league for us. OzarkAnglers. PM me for the password. No entry fee, but if AB comes along, he can manage that part.

It's not a bunch of picky eaters for sure. Yes, there was a lot of food made, but there was a lot consumed. If you spend all day fishing, then you miss out on some food. Came back in for a fried crappie lunch Saturday, but too late, it was gone. Thought I could fall back on Phil's brisket, but no, it was gone. Don't fall for the "we made too much food" story. If you're not there when it comes out of the fryer, grill, or pot, then you are out of luck.

BELLA VISTA -- OZ Trails announced plans for the first chairlift-served downhill mountain-bike park at the junction of Bella Vista and Bentonville along U.S. 71, according a Tuesday news release from Runway Group. The OZ Trails Bike Park will feature over 2o miles of gravity trails. Construction starts this spring, according to the release. The development integrates a "state-of-the-art" Poma-Leitner high-speed chairlift system, providing year-round lift access for riders across all skill levels, the release states. The facility will connect with the existing OZ Trails network, which showcases the region's distinctive Ozark terrain, according to the release. "The OZ Trails Bike Park represents a pivotal moment for outdoor recreation in Bella Vista," Bella Vista Mayor John Flynn said in the release. "With direct access to the Razorback Greenway and the Little Sugar Trail System, the park's position at the crossroads of existing trail networks makes it a central hub, strengthening Bella Vista's position as a key destination for world-class cycling infrastructure." OZ Trails describes itself as Northwest Arkansas' signature trail system, "a world-class network that showcases the distinctive terrain of the Ozarks terrain while connecting communities throughout the region," the release states.

It's dark at 0600, of course since you arise around noon, you wouldn't know. 😃

I need to get one of these "water-letter-outers'.

I like the 2nd breakfast option. I'll be out fishing at 0800. So, 0800 for first breakfast. 1000 for 2nd breakfast. Rob likes to cook, he could make the food for 2nd breakfast.

Omelets - Ham, Swiss cheese, and mushrooms. Top it with some fresh salsa.

One day only, it's 43 this morning.

Didn't know we had an anadromous shad. Little fish, epic journey: Arkansas biologists track 650-mile migration of Alabama shad • Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

Fishing for black bass should be excellent in 2025. Largemouth bass are plentiful throughout the lake as a result of the high lake levels in past years. An abundant year class of largemouth bass was produced in 2020 and the majority of these fish reached the minimum length limit of 15” in spring 2024. Quality largemouth bass are present in the lake as well. The percentage of largemouth bass greater than or equal to 15” was 31% throughout the reservoir during the spring 2024 electrofishing surveys. These surveys also revealed an abundance of spotted bass in the 11”-14” range, with four percent of the spotted bass captured in the spring surveys exceeding the minimum length limit of 15”. Smallmouth bass fishing should be good in 2025 with good numbers of keeper size fish available. Table Rock Lake | Missouri Department of Conservation

The fun with all the food is getting to sample so many things. If I can find it, I have a good spaghetti sauce with meatballs recipe. Add some garlic bread and real parmesan cheese. And if there are leftover meatballs, then meatball subs for lunch.

Dutch with big fish of the day. Tenp. was 78 at my house this afternoon.