Quillback

For sure a great day - heck I'd be happy just to catch one of those smallies pictured above.

The backs of all of those hollers in the Indian creek arm can hold whites at the right time in the spring. It's just so darn hard to predict when they'll be there. Best times to look are after a rain when there is water coming in the backs of those coves.

I've been thinking about this the last couple of days and exchanged a few emails with folks. Probably will keep this one at Eagle Rock, which I realize is out of some folks range. We had a pretty good turn out, and I don't want to relocate to make the tourney bigger as far as having more people, just for the sake of making it bigger. And we'll probably lose some of the upper end crowd if we were to move mid-lake. Makes it a long drive for me also. So pencil in next year, mid-March time frame, back at Eagle Rock for round 2. I won't file the paper work until the end of this year, and I'll update everyone at that point as to the exact date. You never know, someone may put on an OA tourney on the lower end later this year.

I saw a video (I think it was Hook & Look) where several smallies were going after a crayfish, they'd knock it around trying to avoid the claws, it went on for about a minute until one of them was able to come in from behind and eat it.

Nice, those are some great fish!

Good to see you and the boy get into them. 15 crappie is a good outing on the Rock.

Haven't used one yet, but maybe for my next battery. Make sure your charger is compatible for AGM batteries.

What area of the lake would you fish? I ask that because there is some access at Big M and Viney for bank fishing. And in the spring, early summer, and fall a person has a reasonable chance at a bass or two from the bank. If those are areas that you would want to fish, I can go into more detail in a PM, just don't want to type a bunch of stuff if those areas are not somewhere you would fish. I can't help you on the lower lake as I don't fish up there.

I'd like to see at least 1120.

Yeah it usually slows down considerably over there this time of the year, but the fishing remains good. Seems I saw somewhere that there is yet another tournament over there this coming Saturday.

Things are changing fast - top water fish already. I fished one of the Bella Vista lakes today and saw a couple of swirls on top. Did not try a top water however.

Beautiful fish, congrats!

Just imagine trying to put a pontoon boat on a trailer in those conditions.

Thanks for the report! Looks like time to have a grub tied on.

Interesting photos - I doubt I'll be in Springfield that weekend, but if I am, I would stop by and check out your work.

Awesome!

I have to stop looking at this thread, too much good food.

Check out this video of some nasty ramp conditions: http://www.clarionledger.com/videos/sports/2015/03/14/24756599/

Great video Phil! Here's a couple of still shots. Things really came together yesterday, Phil and Bill brought a ton of food, really good food I might add. Bill's wife Becky made a great chili mac, best I ever had. RPS made some mean wings. Donna's potato salad was great and the big bucket of it that she brought emptied out fast. When I got there at 0630, Robert (Muddy Water) already had a canvas overhead set up that kept us dry through the morning rain, and thanks to his wife Karen for her help also. Some great deserts were contributed, thanks to all of you that added to the buffet! And thanks Ketchup and his wife for bringing some fold-out tables - they were needed to set up all that food! Thanks to Bo (Nutech), Dave (Dtrs5kprs) and the folks from Lew's for the great tackle gifts. And I believe Phil put Duckydoty in charge of providing the trophy. Very nice looking trophy, and congrats to Kbilb for the win! As far as the fishing: The water was on the rise the whole day, came up over a foot on Saturday alone. Reports were that the backs of the coves were fairly muddied up from runoff. Quite a bit of small debris in the water. Steady rain throughout much of the morning. I heard water temps were around 46-47 degrees. Most of the folks reported anywhere from 5 -10 fish caught, with a keeper or two on average, Big fish were tough to come by. I heard of fish being caught on Jerk baits, jigs, the Ned, and a couple of Wart fish.

I thought we would see a 5 lber or two. Also this was a no A-rig tourney, which makes it a bit tougher to get those big fish.

I made a cast with it, really throws that 1/16th out there. I don't have any bait casting rods that I would even attempt that with. Very light and sensitive, I could count the rocks in the gravel as dragged the Ned over it. I think that rod would be a hoot to catch TR bass with.

HAHA, just kidding! I took some photos, if they are any good I'll post them tomorrow. Kind of beat right now. A 2.9 won it, fishing was tough. I had a great time, met lots of good people, ate some good food.

No.

Thanks Tim - I think it would be great to give one paint job to the winner and add one to the drawing.

I purposefully chose a date where Alex would not be available. Bigguns seem to banzai charge his baits.