Meager Report

[rps]

I was back on the water for the first time in a month today. I put the new boat in the water yesterday and today was the first fishing trip.

I avoided a skunk, but the mess of fish I caught would not have filled a mason jar. The only decent fish I had on pulled off before I could get a look at it. I did run into Bullitt. He was bottom bouncing the Devil's Backbone and catching many small fish and some trees. He told me he had a 25 or 26 inch walleye in the box. Someone else's fish is the best report I can give.

The new boat is really great, although I have discovered my first "fiddle with it." The location of the seat at the tiller is placed for people who buy the 40 or 50 horse motors with regular tiller handles. The longer handles that come on a 75 horse Etec hits your waist and the seat on turns to port, and the arm, wrist, tiller, shoulder leverage is all wrong. I removed the seat from the base and moved to the bench behind it. Now very comfortable and much better boat control. I will remove the base or move it.

The state water patrol was on the job, too. I was pulled over for no numbers. He told me in Missouri you must display a temporary registration until you formally register your boat. Arkansas doesn't issue these. He was nice enough to only give me a warning and told me to carry it until I get the boat registered and numbered. I resisted the urge to ask him where I would display the temporary since I don't have a windshield.

The orange dots were proudly displayed.

[powerdive]

rps--new boat sounds like fun. Congrats! Might see you out there tomorrow, prolly near the mouth of RR--look for a tiller Sylvan with both bowmount and transom mount motors and a trolling bag off the bow eye. Will either be bouncing or pulling cranks. BTW, bullitt doesn't post here.

[BrianS]

Are there any bushes in the water over there? If so that's where the fish are (hint hint)

[rps]

Thought I'd add to this one for Sunday's report. The report does not deserve its own thread. Babler says there is an early morning top water bite over deep water trees. I believe him, but I have gone two mornings now with zero fish in the boat on top water. Spooks, Gunfish, wake baits - nada. Yesterday I had a little one swipe at a spook, but no hook up. Today I didn't get that.

I decided to try and find some walleye. The freezer is empty and I have a yen. I bounced spinners for five hours. Several spotted bass, one a keeper, and one walleye that did not quite measure. I dragged water from 5 to 25 feet deep in locations that have paid off in the past.

Only highlight of the day was meeting powerdive in person. It is nice to put a face with a name.

[powerdive]

Ditto--nice to meet you, rps. Sweet boat you've got there! May loads of large walleyes come over the sides in her time.

OK, bass too.

[gitnby]

Fished Sat and Sun from 6 Am - 10 Am each day.

Throwin Redfin Sat at first light and ran into some nice whites. Wanted to quit and look for green fish, but was havin too much fun!

Worked Fish Doctor and had 4 keepers and about 15 shorts. 3 of the keeps were on the outside edge of flooded bushes on main lake gravel. Other one was on a grub on gravel flat.

Sunday, Redfin again, found some nice whites again, but this time I quit and moved on. Found more surfacing fish and they ate the Redfin for 15 minutes. Couple of chunky spots and 1 keeper smallie which was hooked up with his little brother? First time I've caught a double smallie!

A few more shorts on the rig and a grub and one miss on a huge smack on the FB jig.

Decent action, but nothin to really brag about.

[Spinnaker]

rps: Regarding your new boat, what do you have? I fish out of a red 16.5 lund with a 50 Yamaha, tiller. I usually fish from 86 to point six. In April I caught a walleye or two on crank baits near the dam while fishing for bass! I have not taken the time to fish for walleye on TR because I am a bass nut, but walleye are my favorite to eat. What's your best lure/bait for walleye on TR?

[Bill Babler]

RPS, check out the pic's of todays topwater catches on my website. www.whiteriveroutfitters.com To lazy to repost all of them here this time. Will on the next batch. Chris Tetrick had about 30 topwater fish this morning including some very nice white bass. Bill Beck had about the same as Chris.

On our Corporate deal on Saturday, Tim Paige's clients had over 60 topwater fish up to a great 4 pound LM. Did not give anyone a lie detector test, but his clients were just grinning from "Ear to Ear." I saw so many pic's that the 60 number was probably right on.

Today, I saw almost all the fish we caught. Really one of the best ways to find them, is just to drive till you see them working and slam on the brakes and start winging. I will tell you I saw boats drive right thru huge swirls of fish. I just ran over into their boat wakes several times and thumped them. Guess they had bigger ones else where.

Couple of times today, we were in over 150 ft. catching topwater fish. Most however came on long points or cove mouths.