BilletHead

Big and small I like them all! BilletHead

Sometimes when you are in Rome (Jig Fest) you do as the Roman's do (spin and jig) . I give my buddies a ration of crap and they give it back. Wouldn't have it any other way Travis! BilletHead

You are not too many short and this is why we want a total of all of us at Jig Fest. You would of made the rest of us feel good, better if you wouldn't of told us your total , BilletHead

You all know if I quit jesting you something is wrong . Ham if I let you hold my fish to photograph I would be accused of becoming a microfisher, BilletHead

1 here in BilletHeadVille this morning. Long term recorded records is showing a change but we must remember on earth we have had multiple ice ages. Who really knows what the maker has for us in the future. He only knows. I may get a bit concerned if the snow birds begin to winter in the artic circle or waterfowl migrate north for the fall and winter. I for one am tired of the Winter, BilletHead

Travis, There are more that can answer better than me but here is my take. If you are going to be stationary swing some flies, buggers streamers. It will be fast. Use indicators in seams and eddies. Again depending on where you are set up mending will be critical to a natural drift. If boating indicator with deep flies a couple in tandem. Drift this rig along the side of the boat. Mend line to keep the drift the same as the boat. As far as weight shot off the bottom or up the line or weighted flies to get them down. Good luck buddy! BilletHead

Nice browns @Quillback! You know the total fish count if we knew it exactly of all of us OAF Jig Fest attendees is way up there. BilletHead

You have a great advantage John, See those big guys like Ham seem to make big fish look small. You my friend make your fish look like a monster and you didn't have to long arm it! Nice fish buddy. I heard a scream too but thought it was some wild Ozark hillbilly living like a recluse in those hills. Now I know it was you, mystery sound explained! PS remind me to let you pose with all the fish I catch so they look closer to your nice one, BilletHead

Unbelievable, You have come along way young apprentice BilletHead

Mine too, BilletHead

That's about what I did when we did ours but seared in a cast iron skillet, BilletHead

I like that pink blush on the pork. Looks juicy, BilletHead

Uh Oh, Someone may not be happy drawing me and my boat but it will be exciting, dangerous and fun . According to @JestersHK I may even lay down and take a nap while you are fishing. He would not believe I was just resting the back, BilletHead

I concur man. Ham is a fishing machine! BilletHead

I really hope so to Brett, Really enjoyed you telling us about your farming and farm. Interesting stuff especially about the cotton process and crop. BilletHead

There is more to fish and fisherman photos. Has to be "filler" to get the whole story and truth . How boring life would be without the real important stuff between fishing trips! BilletHead

You might see Smalliebigs Ham is not holding that fish with the long arm method and the nice fish your friend is holding is with full arm extension. Laid back Ham wouldn't want a party but someone should make him a plate of cookies , BilletHead

With some of the stuff happening in BilletHeadVille lately I felt pretty good getting to attend the Fest. I needed that and it gave me the reset I needed. Half the drive down was pretty scary. Left BilletHeadVille at 5 AM Thursday morning. We had some ice here at the house but I had no idea how much until I got off the dirt road to blacktop. Dang it was an ice rink and pulling the boat made the drive worse. Down I-49 South slowly hitting worse patches as I went, then onto I-44 towards Springfield it got even worse. What should of been a trip of just over an hour and a half turned into three hours plus to Springfield to pick up forum member Curtise for the rest of the trip down. After getting Curt loaded the trip went smooth after turning South on 65 as Ice was gone about Ozark. We hit the lodge and unloaded ready to fish. Some other forum members were already there. Had contacted Duane and Phil. They were fishing the upper part of the river so to try something different we tried another place Rim Shoals. Fished there awhile and then back to lodge for a sandwich to go then back on the water for rest of the day. We fished the rest of the day towards the bottom of the river. We caught a couple browns and many, many rainbows. Most of those smaller stockers but fun for sure, Off the water for good food and fellowship for the evening. Some planning for the next day. Duane pulled the short straw and got stuck with me. Felt pretty sorry for him but het you have to take what you get . Speaking of Duane the best part of the trip happened to me that evening too. I received something pretty special, You all may remember this post not too many days ago, Well this day I got a blessing with this gift. This fly tying bobbin will take its place on the BilletHead tying table to craft flies. Each time I set down in front of the vice I will remember this day. So up on day two Duane and I took out and began on the lower end. Lots of laughs and fishing and fishing stories were shared. It was a hoot. I watched the captain fishing master bust the fish right and left. Drift after drift. Browns, rainbows, smallmouth and we each landed a cutthroat that morning. Duane even got a micro bonus catch a logperch, Then it was down the hatch, Said it tasted like a cross between a sardine and walleye. Now we all have heard and some have even witnessed how talented Duane is. Well he said I need to do something at the back of the boat and maybe catch a fish while I am at it. Sure enough he did it, Fish on in one hand while the other hand was busy too 🤣. A couple of that mornings multiple fish, From one end to another we headed to town for a burger and then to the dam to finish up the day. Motored up and began to drift on first cast I popped a rainbow a few fish later Duane another brown more rainbows and more browns for Duane. This last Brown was a 22 1/4 really pretty fish. We really Hammed it up that afternoon. Duane had been studying the Ham technique. Got it downed pat and passed the secret info to me. We began to put the Ham to the fish. Like an Olympic event the rainbows fell to the reversal Ham and even to the full frontal Ham. Water was fast up top and drifts fast but fish landed and great day together with a friend. Back to lodge for more food and fellowship. Plans were again made for next morning. Some of us had commitments and myself had been watching the weather. Another storm on the way I did not want to drive back on crappy roads Sunday morning I made the call to fish yesterday morning and leave around noon. Curt was Ok with this so we finished our tip fishing together again. We fished the bottom again finding higher water conditions than previous days but caught a few more. Every time we drifted or motored by Phil and Duane and all the other Jig Fest guys in this area fish were being reeled in. Curt and I caught Smallmouth and rainbows. Then I struck a brown and gold spotted fish which turned out to be my personal best brown. He was long and lean 21 1/4 inch. Out of some wood and he tried to take me back into it but I won, I reached into the livewell for a drink and snack before the last run up the river and drift to find Duane's warm and fuzzy hat he had left in the boat. I put it on and instantly got that warm and fuzzy feeling. Then knowledge and enlightenment more feelings than my pea brain could comprehend my brain felt scrambled. With all my power I could muster I yanked it off. I knew right then the power that head gear held and knew I had to return it to its rightful owner. Mojo to the max. Off the river we got and packed up for trip home. Stopped by Lilly's Landin to return magic hat then to Curt's to drop him off. Back to BilletHeadVille and home. Good trip, good friends and good fishing. More guys I need to fish with down there hopefully next trip! BilletHead

And the BilletHead finally got the skunk off at Jig Fest, White river silver bullet, BilletHead

Dang! Here he goes again! BilletHead

Excellent JD! BilletHead

Sculpin Jig I think Pete, BilletHead

Great idea Pete. I will see if we can find one on the way down. Curtise can hold the goat out the truck window while I drive.

I am in the same boat (pun intended) for Thursday Phil. Planning on leaving early in the Am and trying to fish some also. All depends on if we can get mom transitioned over to skilled nursing for rehab. Oh how I need this trip so hoping to see you guys tomorrow! BilletHead

Post of the day! I love it. BilletHead