Col Ron

Stein, this is weird, but I think you will find and answer if you google -day labor, mountain home Arkansas. You also might want to call in to KTLO (radio) trading post and tell them what you need on the air.

Rob, Yes I cut out the cheeks. Two nice little pieces of meat. The stars are in line guys, it's going to happen, and I hope they play the White Sox in the World Series, it will bring the house down. KC will due.

This is THE YEAR!!!

Johnsfolly: Colonel, Illinois State Police. Not military.

28"

Just thought I would add a little optimism to a slow start for the walleye season. I, like most of you, was expecting a great spring with the consistently normal water level for a change. That didn't happen. The good news is they are finally starting to feed. I got this girl in 33 feet of water. Bouncing a crawler. Unfortunately, one of her gill plates broke where the hook was lodged. There was no way she would have made it-died in the live well. Hopefully, things will start to really pick up with next weeks warm weather.

Agree, a great gentleman who fought for the area in the political arena. I was fortunate to know the man, his heart was in the right place.

Ham, I told you, you could put in at Browns Beach, it is real tough now. So shallow, to take out, I was about two car lengths into the water. Also, sorry, I am out for next week, just got a full day booking. Some other time. Ron

Let me say that it is not the Lake, it is the tournament participants. With a good size tournament, people participating come from a long way to fish Bull. I don't know who or where the jerk you ran into, resides. He could be from anywhere. Not the lakes fault.

Make sense Mike, thanks. I have two trips scheduled for this week which I canceled/ postponed for two more weeks. In for another week of unstable cool weather, which probably won't help anything.

Been guiding on the river, didn't have too much time to report. The walleyes are not showing up. I thought by the end of April we would be in good shape, but it is a struggle out there. We are still paying for our cold winter. When they are not on the graphs, don't waste your time. Night fishing is productive, we will just have to wait a couple more weeks and hopefully things will make a big turn. They should be on the feed now or a week or so ago. Temp. 60 degrees.

Beth: I am going out today with a client for walleye, I will give you a report, hopefully by this evening. I am guiding Saturday and Sunday and I too, have an eye on the Sunday forecast. I don't go by either one of your weather reports you mentioned. The weather in the lower end of Bull is totally different than Table Rock/ Branson/ or Springfield. You need to use the weather channel app on the computer and put in Lakeview, Arkansas and go by that. On Saturday afternoon, you should be able to click hour by hour forecast for Sunday,,,,normally, it is pretty acurate, normally. Generally, the walleye are only showing up at night or early evening on the points with stick baits. I am going to try to break that trend today. Gorgeous day with low winds expected. Col Ron www.colonelronguide.com

Ham, always a pleasure to read your report. Last week, I went out for two, two hour cruises, looking for walleye hooks. The only site of fish were at 40 feet of water. I thought we were two weeks behind, no longer know where we are at. The temps, as you reported, are on the rise but the fish are not showing up. Mid to late April should be decent, but this is not a normal year. Hopefully, it will turn and turn quickly, Col Ron www.colonelronguide.com

Nice try Ham, you will get'em.

Good comments guys, but to someone in a rented prop boat, in 2000 cfs, be prepared to buy a prop when you come back, guaranteed. Ham, jet is great, I can't handle it with my hearing and guiding with the loud noise. Going to put oars on the boat, maybe then I can handle the jet to run up and down. The shoals in a Raven in 2000 cfs is not good idea. Raven's run about 6" deeper than most river boats. Even with that, if you have not been on the river, and they are running "25" or 2000cfs, it is a receipe for disaster for a prop.

Jonbo, I agree with Ham, there is always somewhere to wade unless they are letting 4,000cfs go, then you are very limited. If you are going over to the Norfork, compare the predicted projection the night before and plan your day. Having said that, the last month has really been unreliable with their predictions, there has been no minimum flow on the White for about two months, what they are doing is anyones guess. By the way, minimum flow, as definded around 700 to 800 cfs is not suppose to occur in the winter, according to the ACE. During the colder winter months, we are suppose to go back to zero generation. If you have any questions, email ACE, a gentleman from Little Rock will probably call you to answer your questions. I have found out that they do not put anything in writing. As far as renting a boat, that's fine, but if you don't know the river and they are running 2,000 to 2,500 cfs/ not a good idea. www.colonelronguide.com

Laker, I agree with you, I am not talking about Paul's fish, that's why I started a new topic. Paul is a great fisherman, knows how to fish day or night. Chumming was mentioned in the other thread, and questions were raised if it was legal or not. Just trying to clear things up after checking with F&G.

Trigg, I am not suggesting anything about Paul and the fish he or his client caught.

Exactly Quillback.

After reading several previous posts, I would like to set the record straight. I talked to Fish and Game who confirmed that chumming with corn is legal outside of the catch and release area by the B.S. dam. As a guide, I am embarrassed that other guides & fisherman take gallons of corn containers, or several 12oz cans of corn, out there and chum fishing areas. It is unfortunate, extremely bad for the fish, not to mention taking the fishing out of fishing. Until the Game and Fishing Department wake up and set the same standards for chumming for corn in the C & R area for the rest of the river, this disgraceful conduct will go on. Chumming should be outlawed, Period... We need to cherish this resource. The people who chum will not change their lazy ways. That's why we have to make laws to ban unethical behavior. Anyone looking for a guide, choose one who cares about our precious resource,,,,PLEASE.

Morgan: Copper John's is on the White River has nice places/ cabins 20 feet from the river. By that time, you should be able to walk out your cabin and wade right in front of the resort. Ryan and Libby are great people, good prices too. The resort is between the State Park and Gaston's. Fly and tackle shop is at the entrance of the resort. Col Ron Guide www.colronguide.com

Greasy B I am glad you are optomistic, I am also. I must say you are a little off base on one thing and truly I am not trying to start an argument. Unfortunately, many, many fisher-people and lazy guides still chum with corn. I wish it was outlawed. I have seen guides take catering size cans of corn in their boat with clients and come back with empty cans. It is disgusting, kills fish and irresponsible. I guide and won't allow it in my boat.

Thanks bfishn, good information.

The big problem with all of the discussion is that we have no direct input from the corp. I email the corp regularly and a gentleman calls me back and answers my questions, which were posted on Jimmy Ts website and information here also. They are always agreeable to answer questions. The problem I have is their public relations and the flow of information. The corp never sends me back an email, it is all verbal.... It would certainly be welcomed if they would have a Q & A website (maybe they do and I don't know it) where they answered questions and explained why they do what they do. I know the minimum flow has been under study and plans made for the new power pool for years/ extensive expenses to build all the ramps up etc. It sure would be nice to have a detailed explanation as to why, why now, what the corp hopes to accomplish and the effect on the lake and the river fishery. Wayne, CF, and others, I agree with you. Bull is the retainer lake for the system which we have no control over. For those of us who love to fish I hope it all works out. If we would have had our normal August, I believe we would have had a better handle on what the future looks holds.

Pink seems to be working well also.