gitnby

Funny you should mention that! I tried it yesterday, and it was much easier to cast. Fished it with and without the spinnerbait yesterday from 1-4:30PM. Not one hit! One fish on a FB jig, and that was it. Where did my fish go? Tried chunk rock, bluff ends and some long points.

Would agree that prices aren't what they used to be! A 10 X 24 on our dock just sold for $22,500 with a lift. No lot or home nearby. These slips are accessed by a 1/2 acre gravel parking lot,have large lockers, swim deck, electric, filtered water from the well, and a great view of the bridge. And on some weekends, a great view on the swim deck!

The pointer only has 3 hooks(trebles) with 9 hook points. I guess they figure you can realistically only catch one fish per hook,treble or not?

I guess it depends on what your financial situation is, which, obviously we won't discuss on here. Personally, I wouldn't break them up unless I really needed the money, or I was getting a premium price for the lot. Lakefront lots with a slip are still a premium, but the market is pretty soft right now. I now have 3 slips (one is in my Son's name). We paid $15,000 for the first one that came with the house in 2004.(lift included) Bought another one in 2005 for $16,000.(no lift) Those are both 10 X 24's. Bought the third one in 2008, which is also a 10 X 24, for $26,000. That was pretty much the peak of the market, I think, but I wanted it. I extended it to a 10 x 28. We just recently refinanced, and so I called our agent to ask her about recent appraisals on lakefront homes. Some lenders will consider slips in the appraisal, so I asked her about our slips. She told me that 10 X 24's on good community docks were going for anywhere from $18-25k and 10x28's up to 30k. The first thing I would do is check with other slip owners on your dock to see if they are interested. Also, check with any neighbors near your lot. You didn't say if the dock has a parking lot. That's a must if you're selling it without adjacent property.

For that kind of $$, I would think you could get 2 decent combos? Some good sales right now at BPS and other places. Tell her that all of your buddies on the forum would laugh at you if you only had one! Or, tell her that there is not one rig that can work with all of the different methods. I know some will disagree with me, but unless you're a guide or a tournament dude, a good $200 rig (or even less)will perform well and should last for a good while with proper care. Mr Babler and others can give you good recommendations on the right pairing of rod and reel, I'm sure.

I'm using green. Not sure it matters? I would throw it out and let it sink for about 3-5 seconds and then jerk it slightly to get the blades turning. When I threw it without the spinnerbait in the middle, it seemed harder to control the speed and depth? Will keep experimenting. Thinking of trying a single Colorado blade short-arm. I love the thump-thump of that blade on the retrieve and the way it helicopters on the pause. The possibilities with this thing are endless. You could put all spinnerbaits, or all crankbaits, lizards, whatever? I never got close to any thing busting on top, but I'm thinking this thing would be awesome for whites or blacks that were doing so. What's weird to me is that the bass will even get close to this thing? Fished this lake for 40+ years and always had the mindset of light line, subtle presentations, etc. because of the clear water. The water is really clear right now, but they still nail this thing?

Maybe I would have done as well or better with just a spinnerbait? Maybe it was just a good bite today? Certainly wouldn't have won much with my best 5. But, like the float n fly last year, I love trying new stuff! And any way that you catch fish, it's a good time!

I was thinking about somehow shortening the middle wire with the spinnerbait on it. The way I have it rigged, the spinnerbait lags behind the other baits because it is slightly longer, and maybe that's why they keep hitting it instead of the ones with hooks? Also, make sure you use a spinnerbait with the closed eye, or clothespin-type line attachment. If not, you could try tying the spinner bait to the snap swivel with braid, so it won't slide down the arm.

According to the latest announcement from MO. Conservation, the A-rig is legal as long as there are no more than 3 hooks in aggregate. Here's a solution: The rigs I got were from pigsticker. I snipped off one of the 5 wires right below the leadhead. Arranged 3 of the wires with baits on 1/4 jig heads(with hooks) in a circle around the middle wire. Been using either white grubs, albino shad swimming fluke jrs or twin tail chompers in a variety of colors. On the middle wire, I attached an old 3/8 oz dbl willow leaf spinnerbait and snapped the hook off of it. Perfectly legal, and the spinnerbait gives the rig a nice lift and is easier to keep moving at a constant pace. I would deadstick it around pole timber or other structure and the spinnerbait flutters and gives off a good flash. I'm throwing it on an old flippin stick with an even older Garcia reel and 80 lb braid. This bait is for real men! It's like casting a bowling ball! After a while, I got the hang of it, and was using arms and shoulders instead of wrists, and it was much easier. Now for some results. I decided to commit to this crazy rig and fished it exclusively yesterday and today. Late afternoon Friday, I caught 12 in 2 1/2 hours, 4 keeps, with one around 4 lbs. Had several hits that jarred the rod, but no hook-up, so I assume they were trying to eat the spinnerbait. Today, I didn't get out until 10 AM, and had to head back in at 2 to watch the Mizzou game. 17 bass, 6 keepers (5 Kentucks), and again, several strikes on the spinnerbait. Had doubles twice, but no keepers on either double? Caught them on windy banks halfway back in creeks/coves with chunk rock, and several on both sides of sloping bluff ends. Only got hung up once that caused me any stress, but I finally straightened the hooks. Gotta have a glove handy to grab that braid. If you try pulling it with the rod, you'll either break the rod or bury the line in the spool, which is no fun. Will be back out on Wednesday. Can't wait!

Had good luck with the X-Rap (Green something or other color?) last Winter and early Spring. Got on the McStick and did okay, too, but to me they are too light and I tend to overwork them. But the 2 biggest fish I caught last year were both on an old BTS (you figure it out)silver and black rogue with some solder wrapped around the hook shanks,and some of that golf club weighted tape on the belly for added weight. If this Rogue was human, he might be old enough to vote?

Wow! She was only your wife from 10 AM till 2 PM? Were you married to Kim Kardashian?

I was all excited to see Bill's report! Decided to try the same pattern mid-lake. Went out sunday at the crack and fished till 10:30 AM. No topwater action first thing like I thought there might be. Didn't see any bustin. Fished the chunk rock up Fisher and Schooner creeks and got nothin on the blade or wart. 1 small K on the shakey head. Went back out to the points and worked the FB jig. 2 smallies, 1 barely 15".Couldn't find any schools of shad in their normal hangouts? Water up here is very clear! 63-64+ Was going to head up the James, but needed to cut the grass, and some other yard work before the rain that was forecast. Still, it was good to be out. saw several bald eagles, and the loons were out in force. (the birds, not the weekend pleasure boaters) I only saw maybe 3 or 4 other bass boats the whole morning? I guess everyone was up in Aunt's creek catchin Bill's fish?

We voted! You need to take that boat out right this very minute! Seriously, I think this weekend might be the start of a decent Fall bite? With the front moving through and the rain forecast for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, I'm thinking it's gonna break loose a bit. Premonition or wishful thinking? But I'm gonna predict a topwater and Spinnerbait bite for Saturday and into Sunday and Monday.

Since I don't fish tournaments any more, I don't have a real strong feeling either way on this issue. I have owned my own bass boat(s) since 1982, and I am fully aware of the costs, hassles of owning and operating one. To the amateurs: Going in, you should know that you might draw a guy who is a total AZZ-HOLE. But, you might get to see some serious tournament fishing up-close and maybe learn something? $50-$100 for gas money is not a big price to pay for that. If your goal is to compete with the pros, forget it! Don't complain about not getting a clean shot at the "good spots" and don't criticize the pro's judgement on where and how to fish. To the pros: Please don't complain about how much your boat, gas & oil, travel, entry fees, etc. cost you! The return on your investment should be the pleasure and privelege of fishing, and the possibility of winning some nice $$ or a new rig, not how much gas money you get from co-anglers. My suggestion would be that these tournaments pay off a prize amount for the top 10 co-anglers based on pounds caught by their pros the day they fished with them, and add that to their own total. And on top of the regular pro pay-out, have a separate pay-out for the top 10 pros whose co-anglers had the highest combined weight? It would add some spice to the tourney, I think, and maybe create a little more cooperative attitude?

On a bad day of fishin, I wish I was playin golf! On a bad day of golf, I wish I was fishin! As the song says: "It's too hot to fish, too hot for golf, and too cold at home"

Of all the professional sports, I have always thought that fisherman and golfers were truly the classiest pros. For the most part, these guys and gals are good folks who are fan-friendly, as opposed to the tattoo-covered punks who fail drug tests, have criminal records and beat women. (NFL, NBA, MLB) Both golf and fishing require a keen mental edge, and while fitness is important, not all of the top performers are pure athletes. (Craig and Kevin Stadler and John Daly come to mind, as do David Fritts, Woo Daves and others on the BASS tour) But, as we have seen in 2 previous posts about the Central Open and the PAA tournament, bass fishing has a few "characters". Roland Martin has always been known as a primadonna, and the recent post confirms that. Tommy Biffle has had his share of "issues", one of which I documented in my earlier post. Iaconelli rubs some people the wrong way, and while he's a pretty good guy, Rick Clunn is one strange bird. In golf, you have John Daly, who has been an embarassment to the PGA tour. A buddy of mine, who was on the PGA tour several years ago, said that Hale Irwin was a jerk, and very few players liked him. All in all, though, the "bad guys" are a very small percentage of either sport.

I have never heard back from the PAA since their initial response. Here's the string of emails I sent: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Randy, Still no response? So it seems that you guys really don't care, do you? I'll be posting this email thread on the local Table Rock forum. Very disappointing! -----Original Message----- From: gitnby To: randy <randy@fishpaa.com> Sent: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 9:06 am Subject: Re: Tommy Biffle Adrenaline or no, he had a chance to correct his mistake twice! 1. After pulling up from on-plane at high speed and swerving to avoid the other boat, he should have apologized to them, and gone back around Point 7. 2. He definitely saw my boat fishing right in front of the opening, which, by the way was maybe 6 ' wide. as he was coming through, he could have shouted out an apology and explanation for his actions. Instead, he tried to give me a lame excuse that he thought we were "fishing over there"? Along with the other participant who ran aground, this is a big, black eye for your organization and for Professional fisherman in general. It is the amateur fisherman that these sponsors are catering to. Without our dollars being spent on equipment, these guys wouldn't have the opportunity to make a living doing what they love! I am curious to hear what Mr Biffle has to say about this, and hope that his observer gives a clear account of the incident. -----Original Message----- From: Randy <randy@fishpaa.com> To: gitnby Sent: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 7:39 am Subject: Re: Tommy Biffle Thanks for your email. Our Anglers are required to display professionalism and courtesy while on the water. From your account, it sounds as though Tommy could have used better judgement. I'm sure his adrenaline was pumping as he headed to his first spot. Certainly, that is not a good excuse, simply a reason as to why it occurred. I will be talking with Tommy and his observer for the day, in order to get a complete account of what happened. I am sorry the two sons witnessed a Professional Angler using judgement that could have been better. Respectfully, Randy Knight Tournament Director - PAA Sent from my iPhone On Jun 26, 2011, at 7:55 PM, gitnby wrote: Tommy Biffle PAA Tournament Table Rock Lake June 25, 2011 Around 6:30 AM on Saturday, I was fishing with my Son on the North Side of the small "cut-thru" created by the high water on Pt 7. Not more than a long cast away on the South side of the opening, another guy was fishing with his small Son. Here comes Biffle in his Larew's special, running full-out headed for the opening. The sky was clear and the morning light was strong. At the last minute, he realized there were 2 boats in his path, swerved and almost ran ashore,cut back the engine , but then proceeded on his original right through the opening less than a boat length in front of us! I threw up my hands and said, "What the heck"? He mumbled something like, "I thought you were fishing over there" Not sure what that was supposed to mean? He turned around, gunned it and ran down the lake. No apology, nothing! I have NEVER in my 40+ years of fishing Table Rock or any Lake, seen anything so outrageous! He could have gone around PT 7, but by cutting through he maybe saved 20 seconds? Instead, he nearly caused a terrible accident, and wrecked the fishing for 2 boats. It was a dangerous and irresponsible act!

I'm sure someone on here will chime in with a recommendation for a good prop repair shop, and approximate cost. But, I would offer this advice. 1. Don't run the boat until you get the prop repaired. Even at lower RPM's, you can really mess up your biggest investment; your motor. 2. Don't expect that someone can do it while you wait. A repair like that can take days or weeks if the guy is backed up. Of course, emergency repair can be done, but you'll undoubtedly pay more. Just my 2 cents!

Fished Sunday morning with topwater, shakey head and FB jig with 6 fish, only 2 keepers, both barely 15". Came in for lunch and saw 2 good-sized bass hanging out on back corners of my dock in about 8 FOW. Went back out that afternoon and got 7 fish, 4 keeps(biggest right at 4 lbs) in 3 hours from about 2 PM until 5. I was throwin a 1/2 oz silver and bronze,double willow-leaf with white skirt around shallow docks with shade. I woould throw past dock and pause it at the corners and then slow-roll it back. Most of them hit either on the pause, or 2 or 3 turns after.

Yikes! That's gotta be painful!

Caught this nice one on Sunday on a FB jig in 25' off some pole timber. I believe I caught this same fella earlier this year about 100 yards away on a brush hog in early July? I have nicknamed him "snub-nose". Weighed him both times, and was within 3 oz, but didn't measure length or girth either time. I know it's tough from the pictures, but just for fun, I would love to hear guesses on the weight. (the fish's, not mine) For perspective, I'm 73" long, my girth is substantial, and I weigh about 240.

Norman's Top Dollar is also a good choice on a spinning outfit. Especially when we are seeing these smaller shad and minnows here lately. It can be worked in a number of different ways and in my mind is easier to use than a Baby spook. Still love the old Redfin, though! Have always caught bigger fish on it than any other topwater on the Rock.

I agree! I see them all the time on the shoreline by the house.

Here's the correct link. The one posted above is from last year. It is this Saturday from 1-5. http://www.aquapalooza.com/Page.aspx/pageid/9277/eventId/135428/view/detail/Heartland-Events.aspx I would recommend a jerk bait if you wanna catch a limit! Or, at least have several strands of beads, Mardi Gras style!

Are you fishin the brush hogs rigged Texas-style, C-rig or on the shakey head? I've caught a few good ones at night on a 3/8 jig with baby brush hog trailer or a brush hog on a c-rig.