Kramr

Good going! Personally prefer not to catch blue gill (even big ones) only because they tear up my worms so I have to keep re-baiting. Gonna try using Gulp crawlers next week along with the real deal. Maybe they will hold up better than live worms. Got a great deal on them at Gander Mt. during their going-out-of-business sale. Something like 60 - 70% off. Also got a sweet deal on the Trokar slow death hooks. Was there the last weekend they were opened and there was a ton of them hanging there. They normally sell for $6 for 9 hooks. I got them for 90% off so they were 60 cents a box. I took all that they had. Guy standing next to me said he saw them and didn't know what they were for. I guess that was everyone's reaction. What were you using when you caught the crappie?

I wouldn't change it, it will blow over. Besides, the national anthem has a long history of people using the song to protest.

Looks like my kind of tournament! The fun kind. Wish I could be around for it, unfortunately we won't arrive until the following Monday.

Have you done any troubleshooting? There's usually a list of things on the Humminbird website to try. What kind of symptoms are you getting?

I'd like to know too.

http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/outdoors/2015/06/10/otters-may-cute-playful-pose-threat-fishing/28765869/

Sound like a pretty darned good day to me.

Hiring a guide is a great idea. Learned most of my walleye tactics from Jim Worley who guides on Bull Shoals.

Have to buy a couple and give them a try, thanks!

Found this link comparing striped, hybrid, and white bass. Think a lot of people mis-identify these fish. https://www.arkansasstripers.com/identification-white-bass-striped-bass-hybrid-bass.htm

Sounds like you had it covered so not sure what the problem was. I know the last time we were there which was late spring, we were only catching walleye early and late in the evening around points in 12 to 18 feet of water.

I would try in and around brush piles for crappie this time of year.

Surprised you weren't picking up some crappie with the flicker shad. You might want to also try the Bandit 300 series in Mad Cow. Is it just me or has the price of Bandit lures gone up?

I know they have been stocking walleye yearly for awhile now. What other species of fish get stocked? I'm just wondering here. Is it possible the yearly walleye stocking has had an effect on the shad population which would reduce the food available to other shad eating species.

Funny how those pictures used to inspire awe in me, now only disgust.

Phil, how do you know who your MDC fisheries biologist is?

Not sure about shock survey but they do a trap net survey every year I think. https://fishing.mdc.mo.gov/reports/stockton-lake

I guess I was trying to get clarification on what species he thinks is declining. All species or just certain ones.

My go to technique is bottom bouncing using a slow death hook with half a crawler. Seems to be the most consistent method for me. Any of those tactics should work if used correctly.

Just curious, how do you know the fishing pressure has increased? Any certain species of fish or just in general? What are you basing it on?

Depends on what you mean by "big". I'm sure Stockton has big walleyes, you just need to know where they hang out. We were at Norfork Lake a few weeks ago and caught our limit of 18" plus walleye. Some even hitting 20". Bulls Shoals is supposed to have big walleyes. Personally my goal is to catch "legal" size walleye to eat.

Obviously not having to work for free! Are you catching any walleye and at what depths?

Thanks Jeremy! I will be sure to email you.

Barring any unforeseen rain, what is the max daily amount that can now be released? And by max daily amount I mean in inches/feet that the lake can drop.

Jeremy, Looks like you guys did a great job on clean up. And the numbers of fish is very encouraging. Good to see that there is such a good population especially the walleye! I noticed that the lake levels aren't dropping and have even come back up the last week. Is flooding still such an issue that they can't drop the lake any faster?