Quillback

Someone on BBC claims to have seen them launching at Ouachita.

Thanks for the report!

Spawn seems to stretch out for quite a bit for the largemouth. Back in mid April I caught some spawned out smallies and spots, and a few largemouth that had looked like they were spawned out. My speculation, at least for the upper White arm, is that the smalls and spots are probably done spawning for the most part.

AHA! You slipped up and named the cove! I am heading out to the garage and hooking up the boat...

For sure, Kings river has bluff notches that are just full of drift wood.

Never fished it myself, but was told that some government agency introduced a non-native fly that ate the grass in the lake, ate it all. Once the grass was gone the fishing went downhill. Saw the AGFC call-in show just a few weeks ago, AGFC says that the grass it starting to recover.

Ouchita maybe? I'd like to see them fish that lake, not an easy one from what I understand.

Mangy? Here's a pic of myself I took this morning, as you can see, I take great care of my hair.

I know it well, easy to spend a few bucks there. Speaking a take and bake, they have really good stuffed salmon rolls.

Thanks for the report! Can you please do one of those Google maps overheads and draw a circle around ABK's dock? I haven't fished up there, but in case I go, I want to know where the good spots are.

Saw this in today's paper. The National Weather Service expects the White River to crest at 36.5 feet in Des Arc on Wednesday. Flood stage there is 24 feet. If the river reaches the expected height, it will be the third-highest recorded in its history, only bested by the 39.4-foot mark set on May 7, 2011, and the 37.3-foot reading measured on Feb. 2, 1949. Once the White River crests in Des Arc, it will remain at that level for several days before beginning a very slow decline, said meteorologist Dennis Cavanaugh of the National Weather Service in North Little Rock. Because the Mississippi River is rising, he said, drainage from the Arkansas River into the Mississippi River will be slow. The White River runs into the Arkansas River.

Something I saw in today's paper, lower White is flooding, could be one of the reasons they aren't releasing water. The National Weather Service expects the White River to crest at 36.5 feet in Des Arc on Wednesday. Flood stage there is 24 feet. If the river reaches the expected height, it will be the third-highest recorded in its history, only bested by the 39.4-foot mark set on May 7, 2011, and the 37.3-foot reading measured on Feb. 2, 1949. Once the White River crests in Des Arc, it will remain at that level for several days before beginning a very slow decline, said meteorologist Dennis Cavanaugh of the National Weather Service in North Little Rock. Because the Mississippi River is rising, he said, drainage from the Arkansas River into the Mississippi River will be slow. The White River runs into the Arkansas River.

Seems in the past it was always Bull that acted as the catch basin. Maybe it is up pretty high too? Maybe they are concerned about downstream water levels in the lower White and Mississippi?

From what I have been reading, the COE is required to operate these reservoirs according to Congressional law that was established sometime in the past. When that was, I don't know. But it seems to me that it may be time to reexamine those rules and see if they make sense in todays world. The alternative is to sit back, and as RPS says, hope we get lucky. Branson area continues to grow, NW Arkansas is projected to add another 200,000 people by the year 2050. We need to make sure these impoundments are managed in a way that accounts for that growth.

Reminds me of the Star Trek episode "Trouble with Tribbles".

It's the launching part, especially if I am by myself. I like having a useable courtesy dock. I love to fish, but not if I have to go above and beyond the call of duty to get into the water. I can fish here in BV, or go over to Beaver where it sounds like the ramps are useable.

I've seen Big M COE ramp when the water was this high, basically the parking lot is under water. I have seen people launch from the road that leads into the parking lot and park their rigs alongside the road. Now it is also possible they may close the road that leads to the ramp. Hard to say without going down there and taking a look, but I don't plan on launching there anytime soon.

Yeah A-Mart has had a bad year, I think last year was a bit of a struggle for him also. Year before last he won AOY and seemed to always be a threat. Sure hard to say what is up with him.

Heck, I never even heard of the guy before he won this one. I took what I thought were safe choices - Evers, Hackney, Powroznik, I guess I'll have to start swinging for the fences now, being conservative hasn't worked, picking guys with good history hasn't worked - I am running out of strategies.

Yeah just a bit outside my range. Not too mention I'd have to pull my boat past all the construction going on the interstate. Pretty lake however, I'd fish it some if it was closer.

I have not fished Ft Smith in several years. AGFC has been stocking walleye fingerlings there - looks like you found one that grew up.

POA membership not required, this is the 2nd one they have had. I have not been to it myself, so don't know anymore than the info given below. Fishing Derby Lake Avalon will host a kids fishing event on May 27. The upper end of the lake will be blocked off and stocked with channel catfish. Local children between the ages of 3 and 15 are welcome to participate. POA Membership is not necessary. Parents do not need a license, but must not aid children in reeling in fish. Participants must provide their own bait and tackle. The Kids Fishing Derby will be held at Lake Avalon on May 27 from 8 a.m. - noon.

They need to tear up that book and write a new one. I don't have the answers, but they really need to take a look at what looks to be a repeating sequence of events and come up with a plan to handle it. Things change, you have to change your procedures.

You'd think Z-man would have a couple of those guys sponsored, but I haven't seen it. I was watching the Fox Southwest fishing report show a couple of weeks ago, and the host was fishing TR, they fished the "Ned rig" but used that Gene Larew Ned bait, I forget what it is called, I believe it is Inch Worm. They caught fish on it. Randy Howell was doing some shameless plugging of his sponsors gear in the lastest MLF. It was bad. He stuck to his sponsors baits a little too long and it cost him.

Watched Major League Fishing yesterday, Mark Rose jumped out to a huge lead, Kevin Short was quite a ways behind and he broke out........The Ned rig! He cut the Strike King version of the Z-man bait. He did well with it, quite a few smallies in the 2-3 lb. range, but he just could not catch Rose and came up "short" (I had to say it). I thought he fished it a bit fast, but then again it worked for him.