Enjoyed The Good Weather

[rps]

I went out today. Really loved being on the water in January.

I saw three deer swim across the lake, but only after they were challenged by Canadian geese. I watched the largest beaver I've seen in a long time just above Beaver town. I watched three different bald eagles soar and one of them dived to fish. I clapped and cheered as fund raisers from Eureka Springs held their annual Polar Bear plunge off the point at Holiday Island.

What I did not see was a fish in the boat.

My plan was to find out if the walleye had moved upriver in prespawn mode. I learned either they had not or that I did not know how to fish for them. I tried jerk baits, very slow warts, small jigs with minnow plastics, and harness rigged plastic leeches.

I loved being out, but I hope others had better luck.

[Martin]

Always good to hear a rps report.... I was ready to go all day in the lower lake....First this came up.... Then, that came up...Then I had to run an errand for the little woman...Then I had to care for the new dogs (ie: keep them from killing chickens)...then...well, you get the picture. All I really did in the way of fishing was put a few gallons of gas in the boat at the dock.....Maybe tomorrow early, before it gets cold and rainy.....?

Thanks for keeping me in the lower lake rps.....lol

[rps]

So you say now, but you know sometime before the end of March you will say to yourself, "You know, I really wish I were closer to the upper end.

[innova]

Hope you don't mind but I am going to piggy back my report on yours.

Put in at Holiday Island Marina around 11:00 AM (Be Careful water is so low a number of trailers were falling off the back of the ramp launching/loading).

Fished between Holiday Island and a few miles above the town of Beaver.

Water temp showed between 43/44 degrees. A lot of people on the water for January but it was a beautiful day.

Caught 5 non-keeper Walleye largest 13 inches, 2 largemouth biggest 17 inches, 1 Kentucky 11 inches.

Caught all my fish between 1:00 PM and 2:30PM, thought I had them figured out then it stopped just as quick as it started.

Boat was sitting in the middle of the channel in 16 to 18 feet of water, casting toward the trees.

Actually I didn't figure them out, got to give credit to the guy in the Stratos for catching fish next to me as I trolled by, otherwise I probably would have zeroed for the day.

All my fish came on a green pumpkin senko or zoom green pumpkin meathead worm rigged on a drop shot fished from the trees to the middle of the channel.

[Quillback]

Is there a launch in the town of Beaver? The map I have shows one, but I looked around a couple of years ago and did not see it. I know about that ramp on Holiday island but to get there I have to cross that long one lane wooden bridge.

[rps]

There is a launch there - in fact two. One for normal pool and one for low water like now. To reach the latter, you drive across the exposed river rock flat. From April on, there is a fee, but no one mans the booth this time of year.