Quillback

Fowl, same as what Ham says, they just load up, or a tick, and when it's a tick, sometimes it will go slack. I pretty much go by the theory of since I'm fishing deep, anything that feels squirrely is a bite. But that will lead to me setting the hook on a deep tree every once in a while.

Welcome to NW Arkansas! I'm a transplant myself, been here about 8 years now. Spent part of my life living in the Boston area. I don't know how it works for renters, but I think you can get an ID card to fish the lakes and access the amenities. Fishing gets tough about the time you'll get here, becomes either a late evening night thing or very early in the AM for a few hours. The BV lakes, though private, receive quite a bit of pressure, in spite of that, they can be fairly good and contain some sizeable bass. Feel free to PM me if you have some questions.

Speaking of kids and night fishing - My nephew was visiting us here in Bella Vista about 5 or 6 years ago, he was around 12 at the time. It was in August and he wanted to bass fish, so we went over to one of the lakes in the evening. If got dark, but the fish were biting so we kept fishing, he, in what I thought was kind of in a joking manner, said something about whether or not "Jason" might be out at night and would he come after us? I laughed it off, and made some comment about we should keep an eye out for him and get the heck out of there if he showed up. We fished down the bank a bit and came to a house that had no lights on, 2 story, a bit run down, kind of creepy looking at least in the eyes of a 12 year old. Right then some kind of pump came on in or outside of that house and made some kind of periodic thumping noise. My nephew asked "What is that?". Not thinking too much about it, I said it might be Jason! Well that freaked him out, he wanted to leave NOW. So we left. He was glad when we got back to the truck and were on our way. He's getting close to 18 now, and I still like to tease him about the night Jason came after us.

Come on November...

My neighbor was up on that end yesterday, he says there is still a bit of a top water bite, but it appears to be tailing off. They caught 2 stripers yesterday. It's an early bite and doesn't last long. As far as boat traffic, it will get crazy later in the morning, usually starting about 10-11 AM. LB South is a more sheltered ramp, LB North is exposed to the main lake wakes and wind.

Norwood is a beautiful little lake, but tough to get a bass that weighs over a pound out of it.

Saw my neighbor drive by about 10 AM this morning, he came over and told me to come see the striper he caught. 35 lbs., massive fish. He and his son also had a 5 lber. Caught it in the point one area on a 4" Storm Wildeye shad. He thinks the striper top water activity is winding down, water temps are getting warm. He and his son had a great spring as far as stripers.

Rough estimate is about a foot per second.

I've got a milk run, just checking different spots, also looking for surface activity or shad be-bopping around. I don't like to chug across a spot I may fish with the big motor running and the graph pinging away. Are you going to fish the Ned at night? If so, it will be interesting to hear how you do.

I didn't watch the game, might have to tune in the next one.

Before I forget, I have to give a shout out to Huntest (the other Dave) for clueing me into the Keitech - thanks buddy!

Sorry, you caught me in the middle of editing. All done now.

Launched early once again, first fish of the day was a nice smallie a toad over 3 lbs. that I caught on a Yozuri pencil popper. Light spinning rod and 6 lb. test, took a while to get it in the boat. Got a few more on the Yozuri, then that top water bite stopped after about a half hour. Threw a square bill for a bit, nothing doing, nothing on the c-rig worm either. Saw some fish popping shad around a dock that extends out to the depths, sat in 60 FOW and slow rolled a Keitech deep, picked up several fish, one nice spot that I measured at just over 17 inches. I was letting the Keitech drop about 20 feet then slow rolling it in, with periodic stops to let it drop. keeping it deep. I started point hopping after that. Picked up a few here and there on the Yozuri. Pulled up on a rocky point that had deep trees on it. Set the boat in 50-70 FOW and slow rolled the Keitech deep, first cast was a 3 lb. Large mouth. And then it was on. Caught a bunch on the Keitech rolling it over deep trees, just a bunch of 14-16" fat spots, with a large mouth mixed in every once in a while. I think I had about 20 keepers today, and a bunch of other fish. Bite shut off at 1130. 3.8 Keitech (white) on a 1/4 head. Water temp 80-82.

Looks like a walleye lure - don't have them in my stash.

I was expecting a Johnny Cash song. Good to see your fishing is on.

Well except for the property requirement, I could agree.

I think there's some Drop Shot going on now, seen a couple of guys out working the deep ends of the gravel. I'm trying to hold off on it for now and fish other stuff while it still works.

I hear you on that, I'm going to get out as much as I can for the next week or two, and then start dialing it back a bit.

Launched at dawn and fished until noon. Air temp was 54 when I launched and close to 84 when I left. Had a very brief early top water bite, caught several short spots on a 90 Plopper before it quit. Started throwing a Carolina rig around with a black Trick Worm, and got some scattered fish on it off gravel points and in a pocket near a point. The c-rig fish were shallow, anywhere from 5 - 10 feet deep. Later in the morning I switched to a green pumpkin worm and got a few on it. About 10 AM there started to be a little breeze, so I worked a square bill in and around flooded buck brush, picked a few more up doing that, and lost a nice large mouth that jumped and tossed the SB. Every once in a while I would work a black/blue 3/8 oz jig with a black twin tail trailer, and had a few grab that also. Caught several smallies on the jig. Caught a little north of 20 bass, 3 or 4 being keeper sized. Also caught a coupe of 17" walleye. I brought ice with me with the intent of keeping any keeper sized wallies, but I think the keepers sensed that I had ice in the boat and stayed away. Water is still a stained green, but may have cleared just a bit in the last couple of days. Temps were 78-80.

Well things sure have slowed down. Water is a heavily stained green color from Roaring river down to past point 23. At least that's as far as I roamed today. I don't know if it is some kind of algae bloom, plankton bloom, runoff, or all of the above. Anyway, caught about 20 black bass, but mostly short fish, only 2 keepers. Top water was slow, caught most of them on c-rigged Zoom UV Speed Craws and a few on jigs. Fished mostly gravel points and a few rocky banks. I might try beating the bushes with squarebills and jigs if this water stays stained and the level remains at 917. Water temp - 77.

Sorry to hear that, hopefully your recovery is still in progress and things will improve. I am going to have to get one myself, sure not looking forward to it.

They are originals I am sure, may not fish any better, but you can get some $$$ for them depending on the color and condition.

That is some great fishing!

Dang, I watched a G3 Sportsman show about a year ago where they were rabbit hunting on a SW MO conservation area. I guess that would have been illegal.

Man, as that 4 minute power play was just about over I was thinking to myself that the Sharks were done, then they scored. Sharks face another 'Must Win' in game 4.