Quillback

Thanks for the report, I need to start doing the deep grub thing myself.

I always used Wheaties for carp bait. Grab a handful, close your fist, dip your fist in the water and pull it right out and the Wheaties will just be damp enough you can mold them into a ball over a treble hook. Quick and easy and carp like it.

There is a Loch Lomond map and you can pick it up at the POA office, it ain't free BTW but I forget what it is priced at. They were supposed to come out with maps of some of the other lakes, but I haven't heard of any others, as far as I know Loch Lomond it the one and only.

Caught close to 20 black bass today, but not one keeper. Mainly 12-14" spots and a couple of smallies. Most came on a t-rigged Zoom Ultravibe Speed craw, a few on a Shakeyhead with a trick worm, and a couple on a wakebait. Morning was slow, things started picking up in the afternoon. Water temps in the AM were around 59, but were close to 62 when I left. For some reason there is a bunch of moss on the bottom in the point 23 area. Lots of it also in the buckbrush in the backs of the coves. Most of the beds I saw did not have fish on them, but there were males cruising in the area nearby. Quite a bit of shad back in the coves and pockets.

Hey F&F, are the crappie spawned out that you are catching? Just curious as to whether or not the crappie spawn is over.

I agree it's not a good effort at explaining a complex process.

Yeah I believe he said zooplankton, which feed on phytoplankton as I understand things. Clear water indicates less phytoplankton which would not be good for zooplankton populations.

I beg to differ with the article, he's saying that increased plankton growth will lead to clear water, that's, as I understand things, just flat incorrect. Good plankton growth tends to reduce water clarity, reduced water clarity tends to restrict algae growth. Increased plankton levels tend to support the entire food chain and lead to better fishing. Super clear water is not fertile and not good for the fishery long term. A lake with a healthy zooplankton population will be greenish in color, not clear. In other words, clear water is an indication of very low plankton levels.

Kjackson, aren't you in Eureka Springs? If so, here's a dealer in MO that is probably as close to you as going to Rogers, they are a G3 and Yamaha dealer. I have no idea about this dealer's service reputation. http://www.fishingworld.com/vDealers/MO/TriLakesMarineSales/

Been a while since Reese has won an Elite event, congrats to him! Aaron Martens finished 2nd. It's the eleventh time he has finished second in an Elite event. http://www.bassmaster.com/news/skeet-sets-sights-aoy

Very nice! Thanks for the report, I need to start fishing grubs more often.

I made some up the other day using the split ring, bell sinker, worm hook method. I just haven't fished them. I complicate the process by dipping the sinkers in black paint, dunno if that is necessary, but it might matter in clear water.

4 Lb. smallie, that's awesome! I am jealous.

Excellent, Looks like a future fish fry!

Didn't say anything about it in the article. It's a chunk of land that runs north from Indian Creek on Beaver almost to Garfield.

Trophy, I haven't fished for them in about 3 years, panfish that is. I don't know If I'll do it this year, I just spend too much time bass fishing. A couple of years ago Darrell had shocked up some fish and had them in a washtub by the Windsor dam for some school kids that were there for a field trip. He had some BIG redears, I think one of them was 14", probably weighed 1.5 lbs. They are in there, but those big redears are tough to figure out, I can only catch them early in the spring.

Article did not say, just said they would have hunting regs out in 2014. And the only place I have seen a turkey on Beaver (I've heard gobbles in the hills from time to time) was back in Indian Creek one spring day about 5 years ago. Big old gobbler was out strutting away not far from the bank.

This area is located on the upper reaches of the Indian Creek arm of Beaver lake, running along 3 miles of shoreline totaling 1,375 acres. It is owned now by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and was funded by the 1/8 percent conservation sales tax. Hunting seasons for the area to be announced in 2014. No camping or off road vehicles allowed. The commission is going to vote on final approval to acquire an additional 351 acres in August. The AGFC is also acquiring 220 acres adjacent to the site. Total area will be 1,952 acres when the additional purchases are finished.

Survey is on the AGFC website. It does have a question as to whether you support changing new rule proposal to remove length limits on spotted bass (remove the current 12" limit). If approved you will be able to keep spots no matter what the length. http://www.agfc.com/Pages/default.aspx

Too bad, I think I would have enjoyed reading it (even though I'm a bass fisherman). Sometimes people get a little too thin-skinned.

Good old Sitka, made a few trips up there in the 90's. Always came home with a load of halibut and salmon. I wonder how the salmon fishing is holding up in Sitka? It the timing was right we caught a buttload of silvers in the 10-12 lb. range, with an occasional King thrown in. One concern I have is getting the fish back here still frozen.

When I was on Table Rock a couple of days ago, some of the males were locked down on their beds, I could move the boat right over them and they would stay on the bed, I'm thinking those guys were staying like that because they were guarding eggs.

If BPS had prices that matched Tackle Warehouse and free shipping at $50 I'd probably buy a lot more stuff from BPS. BPS does a better job, IMO, of keeping stuff in stock. I've gone to TW's site quite a few times to buy something only to find out it is out of stock, they do have a good backorder policy, TW that is, but usually when I'm buying something I want it NOW. TW also has a wider range of products when it comes to bass stuff, and does a better job of getting new products on the shelves.

I never have smoked white bass or panfish, I have smoked trout and they were pretty tasty but not good as salmon. I did not bring my Little Chief out here either. inside was covered in a layer of that brown, oily smoke residue. Carp are supposed to be good smoked, but I'd want to try some before investing in all the smoking stuff.

I would say this about any pro who runs a boat in a tourney, but I always take their recommendations with a grain of salt, because the top guys, KVD being an example, get a new boat at least once a year. So it's hard for me to trust their recommendations, I'd rather hear what people say that have owned a particular brand of boat for several years and have no sponsorship to uphold. I think one thing Nitro could do to improve their image (if you think it needs improvement), is get testimonials from long-term Nitro owners who are happy with the construction and durability of their boats. When I was researching boats a year ago, I read and talked to many owners of the brand I eventually purchased you were impressed by the construction of the boat, features, and commitment to service. I'm sorry to say, I just did not get that from the Nitro brand. I'm not meaning to bash Nitro at all, but I am saying that Nitro has an image problem that they just can't seem to get out from under.