Big Thank You

[Bill Babler]

Kind of got crossways on my trip this morning. Becky had booked it and I will tell you she is the best, but forgot to tell the folks, I might not be the best choice if you want to Butcher a Smallmouth.

These folks were here 15 years ago, and said their guide filleted for them about 1 dozen Smallmouth bass up to about 13 inches. I Told them that was illegal then and is now, and for that matter, even if they were keepers, we just don't kill that type of fish any more.

This is only the second time this has happened to me in the last 18 yrs. with the misunderstanding, and Capt. Don, came to the rescue. Saw Donnie at the ramp and he put me on a very nice set of White's. Just the ticket for my Seafood Loving Crew. Put 16 nice whites in the box in about 2 hrs. of great action. These were not so much chasers, and it was not my method, but Capt. Don's, so I won't go further on location or methods.

When the White's were no longer available, we swam a grub, and caught 7 very nice Smallmouth, keeping the boat in about 25 and throwing in on flat gravel. We were at least two casts off the bank, and I know that is hard to make yourself do, but at the dam, it is a necessary evil.

Dam area is still mossy, and on slick water very, very tough. You got to resort to some very tricky methods to do very well, if you can't find the White's. There was no topwater bass action that I could find, and we were out by 5:30 AM.

By the way, I would guess Don and his guests from the looks of them probably caught in excess of 50 whites, maybe more, I know he had 3 guys, at times it looked like a Chinese Fire Drill in his rig.

Thanks again Don.

[Champ188]

Kudos to Capt. D for pitching in like that and to you for standing your ground on not butchering the SM. Sounds like everyone got what they wanted.

[snakem]

Bill sorry bout the sj. thing.But BOY did i find them today on the fin,LM. and Ky. Stayed on them for about 1.45 hr.What a blast.They were just feeding there braines out.Blowing up every were for that long.Whith the cloud cover of and on, it was awsome.

Snakem Out.

[Sam]

It sounds like that trip worked out great, Bill. I think there are a lot of people who don't fish much but maybe fished as kids like I did. Fishing these rivers back in the 1950's, most folks kept and ate anything that was "big enough to clean". Things have changed for the better now, and people just need to learn.

We got into surfacing whites too last week - that's a lot of fun. Running to the first boil I told my partner "Man, those whites are TINY", because three-inchers were coming clear out of the water and I thought they were white bass. Turned out that the three-inchers were shad, with big white bass after them.

Hey, I'm onto a new trick this year that you might want to tell your white bass-eating clients about. I've tried all kinds of suggestions in the past for making big white bass filets taste less fishy - cutting off the red meat, or soaking them in salt water, beer, or whatever, and got so-so results. A guy in St. Louis on another forum told me to soak them in 7-Up for two hours before breading and frying, and we tried that. It was good and it took the fishy taste out, but the filets were kind of sweet from the sugar in the 7-Up.

So instead of that we've started soaking big white bass filets in CLUB SODA for two hours before breading and frying. That's just carbonated water, and when that's done you can't tell white bass from crappie filets when they're side-by-side on a plate. They're so good I've quit throwing the big ones back now.

[Don House]

Kind of got crossways on my trip this morning. Becky had booked it and I will tell you she is the best, but forgot to tell the folks, I might not be the best choice if you want to Butcher a Smallmouth.

These folks were here 15 years ago, and said their guide filleted for them about 1 dozen Smallmouth bass up to about 13 inches. I Told them that was illegal then and is now, and for that matter, even if they were keepers, we just don't kill that type of fish any more.

This is only the second time this has happened to me in the last 18 yrs. with the misunderstanding, and Capt. Don, came to the rescue. Saw Donnie at the ramp and he put me on a very nice set of White's. Just the ticket for my Seafood Loving Crew. Put 16 nice whites in the box in about 2 hrs. of great action. These were not so much chasers, and it was not my method, but Capt. Don's, so I won't go further on location or methods.

When the White's were no longer available, we swam a grub, and caught 7 very nice Smallmouth, keeping the boat in about 25 and throwing in on flat gravel. We were at least two casts off the bank, and I know that is hard to make yourself do, but at the dam, it is a necessary evil.

Dam area is still mossy, and on slick water very, very tough. You got to resort to some very tricky methods to do very well, if you can't find the White's. There was no topwater bass action that I could find, and we were out by 5:30 AM.

By the way, I would guess Don and his guests from the looks of them probably caught in excess of 50 whites, maybe more, I know he had 3 guys, at times it looked like a Chinese Fire Drill in his rig.

Thanks again Don.

Mr. B you are welcome. but the real thanks needs to go to Troy Gregg he put me on these guys last night and we were just in the right place at the right time this morning.. Glad everything worked out for everyone.. Ya those boys could fish we had seven triples and a few over 2.5 pounds.. It was a fast and fun time.. Have one more trip in the morning and then a few days off for rest, after my morning trip I will speak up about the hows and where's for everyone else to enjoy... Have a great Night and Good Fishing Everyone..

Capt. D

[Bill Babler]

Donnie, I thanked Troy at the ramp. What a real gentlemen. He kept moving out of the way so both your's and my clients would be on the fish. Again, really appreciate it. I have fished all over the country, and have never seen the respect the guides here have for each other, it is just wonderful. Everyone of us wants the others guides clients to do well. Troy gets great marks in my book for today.

Sam, we did throw the bigger fish back, only had 4 in that 2 pound plus range, but chunked them back, thinking they would be fishy. Will try your 7UP method. Should I add a splash of Crown Royal to it? I think that might make anything better.

Great morning on the water, when it really was not that good. Only was, because of the other people we had on the water.

Good Luck, and God Bless you all.

[Chunk Rock]

Thumbs up for these first class guides,,always giving top notch reports,,on a truly remarkable lake. ><{{{(*>

[gdh]

i fished with troy in a pouring rain and your right he is a good guy and i will go out again. " he's a real pro in my book "

[Sam]

Sam, we did throw the bigger fish back, only had 4 in that 2 pound plus range, but chunked them back, thinking they would be fishy. Will try your 7UP method.

Not 7-Up, soak the filets in Club Soda (or Seltzer Water, same thing) for two hours before breading and frying. You'll be surprised how good they are.

[techo]

Capt House has spent time and advice on me too. He has went way out of his way to help me when I thought about getting sponsors, way out of his way to make sure i was on fish when I took our preacher out and sort of out of his way to help before a torunament with some advice. If you want to know about Hummingbirds he will talk until your ears fall off!

I really enjoy this forum. I lived quite a few places, but never a place where people are so willing to help each other.