BilletHead Posted March 3, 2019 Posted March 3, 2019 With some of the stuff happening in BilletHeadVille lately I felt pretty good getting to attend the Fest. I needed that and it gave me the reset I needed. Half the drive down was pretty scary. Left BilletHeadVille at 5 AM Thursday morning. We had some ice here at the house but I had no idea how much until I got off the dirt road to blacktop. Dang it was an ice rink and pulling the boat made the drive worse. Down I-49 South slowly hitting worse patches as I went, then onto I-44 towards Springfield it got even worse. What should of been a trip of just over an hour and a half turned into three hours plus to Springfield to pick up forum member Curtise for the rest of the trip down. After getting Curt loaded the trip went smooth after turning South on 65 as Ice was gone about Ozark. We hit the lodge and unloaded ready to fish. Some other forum members were already there. Had contacted Duane and Phil. They were fishing the upper part of the river so to try something different we tried another place Rim Shoals. Fished there awhile and then back to lodge for a sandwich to go then back on the water for rest of the day. We fished the rest of the day towards the bottom of the river. We caught a couple browns and many, many rainbows. Most of those smaller stockers but fun for sure, Off the water for good food and fellowship for the evening. Some planning for the next day. Duane pulled the short straw and got stuck with me. Felt pretty sorry for him but het you have to take what you get . Speaking of Duane the best part of the trip happened to me that evening too. I received something pretty special, You all may remember this post not too many days ago, Well this day I got a blessing with this gift. This fly tying bobbin will take its place on the BilletHead tying table to craft flies. Each time I set down in front of the vice I will remember this day. So up on day two Duane and I took out and began on the lower end. Lots of laughs and fishing and fishing stories were shared. It was a hoot. I watched the captain fishing master bust the fish right and left. Drift after drift. Browns, rainbows, smallmouth and we each landed a cutthroat that morning. Duane even got a micro bonus catch a logperch, Then it was down the hatch, Said it tasted like a cross between a sardine and walleye. Now we all have heard and some have even witnessed how talented Duane is. Well he said I need to do something at the back of the boat and maybe catch a fish while I am at it. Sure enough he did it, Fish on in one hand while the other hand was busy too 🤣. A couple of that mornings multiple fish, From one end to another we headed to town for a burger and then to the dam to finish up the day. Motored up and began to drift on first cast I popped a rainbow a few fish later Duane another brown more rainbows and more browns for Duane. This last Brown was a 22 1/4 really pretty fish. We really Hammed it up that afternoon. Duane had been studying the Ham technique. Got it downed pat and passed the secret info to me. We began to put the Ham to the fish. Like an Olympic event the rainbows fell to the reversal Ham and even to the full frontal Ham. Water was fast up top and drifts fast but fish landed and great day together with a friend. Back to lodge for more food and fellowship. Plans were again made for next morning. Some of us had commitments and myself had been watching the weather. Another storm on the way I did not want to drive back on crappy roads Sunday morning I made the call to fish yesterday morning and leave around noon. Curt was Ok with this so we finished our tip fishing together again. We fished the bottom again finding higher water conditions than previous days but caught a few more. Every time we drifted or motored by Phil and Duane and all the other Jig Fest guys in this area fish were being reeled in. Curt and I caught Smallmouth and rainbows. Then I struck a brown and gold spotted fish which turned out to be my personal best brown. He was long and lean 21 1/4 inch. Out of some wood and he tried to take me back into it but I won, I reached into the livewell for a drink and snack before the last run up the river and drift to find Duane's warm and fuzzy hat he had left in the boat. I put it on and instantly got that warm and fuzzy feeling. Then knowledge and enlightenment more feelings than my pea brain could comprehend my brain felt scrambled. With all my power I could muster I yanked it off. I knew right then the power that head gear held and knew I had to return it to its rightful owner. Mojo to the max. Off the river we got and packed up for trip home. Stopped by Lilly's Landin to return magic hat then to Curt's to drop him off. Back to BilletHeadVille and home. Good trip, good friends and good fishing. More guys I need to fish with down there hopefully next trip! BilletHead Terrierman, Daryk Campbell Sr, laker67 and 15 others 14 3 1 "We have met the enemy and it is us", Pogo If you compete with your fellow anglers, you become their competitor, If you help them you become their friend" Lefty Kreh " Never display your knowledge, you only share it" Lefty Kreh "Eat more bass and there will be more room for walleye to grow!" BilletHead " One thing in life is for sure. If you are careful you can straddle the barbed wire fence but make one mistake and you will be hurting" BilletHead P.S. "May your fences be short or hope you have long legs" BilletHead
Terrierman Posted March 3, 2019 Posted March 3, 2019 Just beautiful man. BilletHead and Daryk Campbell Sr 1 1
liphunter Posted March 3, 2019 Posted March 3, 2019 Great report Billethead! BilletHead 1 Luck is where preparation meets opportunity...... Or you could just flip a coin???
Daryk Campbell Sr Posted March 3, 2019 Posted March 3, 2019 Love all the 'filler'. You really made me laugh, and the good details made me feel as if I was there. Sounds like a great time was had by all. Happy to hear you all were safe. JestersHK and BilletHead 1 1 Money is just ink and paper, worthless until it switches hands, and worthless again until the next transaction. (me) I am the master of my unspoken words, and the slave to those that should have remained unsaid. (unknown)
JestersHK Posted March 3, 2019 Posted March 3, 2019 The fishing was excellent, but the filler was really the best part... Daryk Campbell Sr and BilletHead 1 1
BilletHead Posted March 3, 2019 Author Posted March 3, 2019 42 minutes ago, Daryk Campbell Sr said: Love all the 'filler'. You really made me laugh, and the good details made me feel as if I was there. Sounds like a great time was had by all. Happy to hear you all were safe. 19 minutes ago, JestersHK said: The fishing was excellent, but the filler was really the best part... There is more to fish and fisherman photos. Has to be "filler" to get the whole story and truth . How boring life would be without the real important stuff between fishing trips! BilletHead snagged in outlet 3, JestersHK and Daryk Campbell Sr 3 "We have met the enemy and it is us", Pogo If you compete with your fellow anglers, you become their competitor, If you help them you become their friend" Lefty Kreh " Never display your knowledge, you only share it" Lefty Kreh "Eat more bass and there will be more room for walleye to grow!" BilletHead " One thing in life is for sure. If you are careful you can straddle the barbed wire fence but make one mistake and you will be hurting" BilletHead P.S. "May your fences be short or hope you have long legs" BilletHead
LittleRedFisherman Posted March 3, 2019 Posted March 3, 2019 Great report. Hope we can fish together one day Marty! JestersHK, Terrierman and BilletHead 3 There's no such thing, as a bad day fishing!
BilletHead Posted March 3, 2019 Author Posted March 3, 2019 15 minutes ago, LittleRedFisherman said: Great report. Hope we can fish together one day Marty! I really hope so to Brett, Really enjoyed you telling us about your farming and farm. Interesting stuff especially about the cotton process and crop. BilletHead Terrierman and JestersHK 2 "We have met the enemy and it is us", Pogo If you compete with your fellow anglers, you become their competitor, If you help them you become their friend" Lefty Kreh " Never display your knowledge, you only share it" Lefty Kreh "Eat more bass and there will be more room for walleye to grow!" BilletHead " One thing in life is for sure. If you are careful you can straddle the barbed wire fence but make one mistake and you will be hurting" BilletHead P.S. "May your fences be short or hope you have long legs" BilletHead
Quillback Posted March 3, 2019 Posted March 3, 2019 I am thinking that next time we can do a draw names out of a hat to match boaters with non-boaters. Have a little fun with it. JestersHK, Phil Lilley, BilletHead and 2 others 5
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