gitnby

If you're extremely interested in knowing the surface water temp in an area of the lake that you have never fished, and probably never will................. If you open a PM from CHAMP188 BEFORE the one you got from Kate Upton.......................... If you go get the mail, and you grab the Cabela's catalog to take with you to the john instead of the one from Victoria's Secret............

-If you think that getting a 'good buzz on' refers to fishing a skirted metal topwater bait........u might be an OAF member? -If your favorite kind of rap is rip-rap...........u might be an OAF member? -If you prefer a creek channel over the Playboy channel........................u might be an OAF member? -If you're fishing with your wife or girlfriend and and you would rather get a keeper than to keep her..............u might be an OAF member? -If you get suspenders for Christmas, and you hope they're Megabass, not something to hold your pants up........u might be an OAF member? -If your definition of "tying one on" refers to a Whopper Plopper, and not a night on the town.......u might be an OAF member? -If you would rather cast with your broken arm than get a cast put ON your broken arm......u might be an OAF member? -If you refer to your private parts as your 'lower unit'................u might be an OAF member? -If you think the term 'High BP' means the prices at Bass Pro....................u might be an OAF member? -If you think 'a good BM' is the way to describe an exciting BassMasters Tournament.....................u might be an OAF member? -If you see a button that says "I like Ike" and you immediately think of Mike Iaconelli, not DDE.............u might be an OAF member? -If you hear the name Nixon, and you immediately think of Larry, not Richard or Jay...............u might be an OAF member? -If you think that having a lot of old Warts is a GOOD thing.............................u might be an OAF member? -If you think peer pressure is too many people fishing under a bridge.................u might be an OAF member? -If you would rather get on plane than get on a plane.....................u might be an OAF member? -If your rainsuit cost more than the suit you wore at your wedding..........................u might be an OAF member? -If you think "Flip" Wilson was the guy who first used a 9' pole to get a lure into tight spots...................u might be an OAF member? -If you thought Patsy Cline was Gary's Mom..............................u might be an OAF member? -If your wife says you should trim down, and you think she's talking about the angle of your outboard.................u might be an OAF member? -If you learned more about geography from fishing (Jimmy Houston, Kentucky Bass, Alabama rig, Carolina rig,Texas rig) than you learned in high school .... u might be an OAF member? Let's hear some more!

100 foot power poles wouldn't have reached bottom where I was fishin! And the Hugger would be a bad idea while they're workin on the bridge. Between the noise & vibration from the rivet remover and the falling debris, I wanted to be ag-ile and mo -bile!

No, if I had a jersey on, I would have said I actually landed the fish, and it was closer to 6 pounds, but I forgot to take a picture!

I didn't say WHICH pier! or which side of the pier, or what time of day,or which spoon, or what I was wearing at the time?

I had one on a spoon last week that I never got into the boat, and I'm sure it was pushin 4#. Might be the biggest I've ever seen on this lake? Funny thing is, he hit it right after the drop, in no more than 6-8 FOW next to a bridge pier.

Thanks for the explanation! For a minute there, I thought maybe you switched political parties?

http://www.scout.com/outdoors/wired2fish/story/1617754-potential-world-record-spotted-bass-caught

If given the choice, I would rather have a Big Johnson!

Be careful what you wish for on your Christmas list? Johnny Morris heard this song and look what happened? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQPjKSVe1tQ He bought 3 boat companies!

Are you saying that these 3 guys leaving Ranger is a form of 'cutting payroll expense'? Do we know how much they were making? Did they get severance or buyouts? Did any or all of them already hold stock and make money on the sale to BP? Not near enough info to assume that JM's goal is just to cut payroll expense? And, even if it is, is it possible that they don't need these 3 guys anymore with all of the brands now all under the flagship company? I have nothing against any of these guys, I'm sure they are good people! I'm guessing none of them are hurting financially? But, such is life in corporate America. High risk, high reward!

I just can't resist weighing in on this one! I don't know JM personally, although I did meet him many, many years ago! His Dad and my Dad were both members of the old "Baron's" club in Springfield, and my Sister went to High School with Johnny. Ironically, John Q & Charles O'Reilly were in that same organization, and my Dad is always saying he was 'in tall cotton' being around those guys. Johhny worked his butt off to build that organization with a passion that most normal people would not understand! Many people I know that DO know JM well say he is a very gracious and caring guy? whatever? What he does with HIS company and HIS money is totally up to HIM! I don't agree with all of his decisions, but then, he has never asked for my opinion! He has provided a huge boon to the economy in SW Missouri with all of of his ventures, and for that, I am thankful, as Springfield is my hometown. The question seems to be, "How much is enough?" The same question could be asked about Stan Kroenke and several others. While most of us are motivated to achieve subsistence and a comfortable retirement, others find another gear and go well beyond that! It becomes a race to live up to their legacy, which then takes over their psyche. People around them feed this need and they actually become a caricature of themself. I don't know if that is what has happened to JM, but I have seen it happen to another person who I do know very well. It's easy to say what we would do if we were in that person's position. But, we are not, so don't judge. In any case, let capitalism work it's magic. Mis-managed, greedy companies that make inferior products eventually go away. Which is what should have happened to the companies WE bailed out! In case you can't tell, I am a business owner. I started a business with a home-equity loan 18 years ago. Been through 4 recessions in my business life, 2 as a business owner, and 2 as an employeee. I have been lucky enough to have received a good public school education, and am blessed with a supportive wife and family. Would I trade places with Johnny Morris? Checkbooks, maybe, but not lives! The problem with this country is too many folks worrying about what others have and what they don't, and they won't get off their rears to do something about it! It's much easier to protest and complain until someone gives you something just to shut you up. Ask my kids how that plan worked out for them when they were younger. Now, they are both successful adults that don't want or need Daddy's help!

Didn't get out until 11 am due to a business deal taking a little longer than expected. threw WP a bit, no takers. found a windy bank I like and tried WW and SB, with no luck. came around the bend, and hit a calm bank with Ned, and caught several smallies, including 2 decent ones. Wind on the main lake was whipping! tried several other spots with a few here and there, but no more keeps.

Yep. I almost always have a Wiggle wart tied on. I don't know why I don't use it more? Two of my three biggest bass were caught on it.

Will try to do some fishing Wednesday through Saturday this week. Look at this long-range forecast for KC: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/l/USMO0468:1:US Thursday (Thanksgiving looks like a wash-out?) although temps won't be bad? Wednesday might be the best day with steady temps and overcast skies? Friday & Saturday the cooler temps settle in. I'm curious to hear some thoughts on how you would attack the lake based on this forecast and recent reports and experience. I'm thinking that I'll start off Wednesday with TW and SB in pockets and chunk rock banks in back of creeks and work my way out. After that, maybe FB jig on some gravel points at the drop off? Of course, I like to follow the wind, so concentrate on wind-blown areas. If none of that works, then hunker down on the graph and find some deeper fish with the spoon. In front of docks, bluff ends and deep drops on channel swings. With the cold moving in on Friday, that could all change? Some fish will get tight, and others will use the temp drop to move up? I won't bore you with the rest of my plan, but it seems that the past few weeks, the fish have been totally unpredictable, which is why adjustments are the key! I read reports of 2 guys fishing the approximate same area with totally different results? Assuming the same proficiency of anglers, it is weird to see the fish doing the exact opposite of what us 'seasoned' guys expect? (ie.,TW bite on calm sunny days, spoon bite in 10 FOW?, etc) Anyway, we ALL do it! We look at the forecast and rig up accordingly. Let's hear you thoughts !

I have the full set of that stuff, and it IS amazing! When I add a skull cap, and some good gloves, I am never cold on the water!

I was in a silly mood after the Mizzou win last night! BTW, I won't be talking to you the week of the Mizzou-Hogs game. That game could get ugly?

Plus the bigger line will slow the fall, which may be why you're not getting them hooked? They might be missing it a bit as it falls so quickly, and they're not inhaling it?

"Gulls just wanna have fu-un"

I hope that Blue Heron isn't a member of this forum, or Champ188 would be all over him for eating a keeper! :)

Caught this one today on a Mini-Crusader. Pretty fish, and gave me a nice fight, but what's up with the black lips? Don't recall seeing that before?

With the new drone delivery service at Amazon, you could put in your order while you're on the ramp, and have your Whopper Plopper delivered right to your boat!

That's about all I need? Like you, I rarely go more than 3 miles either side of 13 bridge! And since I have a slip with a lift, I really don't even need horse & buggy, except for romantic rides down Joe Bald Road!

Onliest way I know to fish it that shallow would be to let it fall and pump it back to boat? Flutter-type spoon would be best, I would think? A slab-type would be tough to control!

That's a darn shame! I still would be interested in knowing how many bass die from the knife versus from a gut-hook or poor handling. Since live bait is not allowed, tourneys seldom have gut-hook issues, but I have seen the floaters on Monday morning after a big tournament. I'm sure these fishermen don't want that to happen, but it is just part of the deal! Not blaming tournaments, but it only stands to reason that on any given weekend, there are probably more quality bass caught by tourney competitors than by all of us amateurs put together? Not sure there is any reliable way to come up with a number, but my guess is that the 'net effect' (see what I did there?) on the fishery is negative because of the pure number of fishermen as opposed to just by the ones that keep and eat? As for me, I don't know of anyone who keeps bass to eat. And, I don't want to know them!