FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Shoedog Puts the Hurt on Them!

(Thanks to the Shoedog for keeping us informed while I am slacking.  Tough job but somebody has to do it.)

I took my business partner, Jim, a fellow refugee from the frozen Northlands, to Fayette Co.to show him some real Texas bass fishing today. We got to the lake at sunrise and there were quite a few boats/trailers at the ramp. The wind was more S/SW than what the weatherman had indicated, but what else is new? It was a little rough going out as it always is when the wind comes across that lake from the S/SW at is really blowing. So we started on the long bank coming out on the left as we seem to do.

I had on the jerk bait d’jour- a purple backed, chartreuse sided, white belly Excalibur that I had been throwing since I lost the same color in a Smithwick Rogue. I had Jim throwing a KVD 2.5 Square bill cranker.

We caught a couple on the first pass, nothing special, but he caught a small one and I had a decent fish. We went out past the first point and headed back in and I had a real one smack the snot out of the jerk bait! It was a nice fish, my best in a while.

Jim caught another on the KVD, but it was not producing like it does sometimes and the wind was really blowing, having switched to the west like it was supposed to. I had him switch to a Rapala shallow running Shad Rap- the one with the square snout on it.  (Editor Note:  We have knocked them stupid on that several times.  Basically jerking it like a jerk bait. rl)  It is an easy bait for some one without quite as much experience to fish in winds and stays up out of the grass and weeds better than the crank bait.

Jim gets in on the act.

We caught them fairly regularly and as the front passed with just a little mist and the wind calmed some, we headed down lake.

I had a BIG bass inhale my jerk bait and break me off right at the boat. I am proud to say I don’t break off many fish- at least not like Mr. Redfishlaw- the hook settingest son of a gun you ever saw!  But this fish hit so hard and with so little line out- oh well. I usually have 15 pound line when throwing jerk baits, but I had strung 10 pound on for the clear water lakes in Arkansas and had not gone back to 15. Guess I better go out to the garage and do that as soon as I get done! I put on a 2 hook KVD jerk bait in blue back/silver belly and they were all over it and I had less treble hooks to deal with!

We keep telling ya, throw that jerkbait on Fayette, it works.

For a while, every fish we caught was on the back hook- they were a bit tentative and I lost 2 on 2 casts on one point. We got around the point and Jim caught 2 in a row- nice ones on the Shad Rap.

It was pretty steady then whole day- 2 or 3 fish here and there. A typical day at Fayette. We knocked off at 1:30 with just over 20 fish and one good one. I have a feeling that Jim will want me to take him back again! It is a good feeling when you reach the point that it doesn’t matter who is catching the fish in the boat- just being out there with friends and taking part in the doing is reward enough.

I was going to throw the umbrella rig some- I know it should work there with the shad forage base, but we were catching fish! I will go back on a day just for experimenting and do that. Fayette is a good place to experiment since we have confidence in the lake and the areas that hold fish and the overall population of bass.

Now it is time to get ready to hit the salt- it is topwater time of the year and I want to hit it hard.

(Nice report and it sure is nice to catch some fish who don’t get a chance to that often.  Thanks for the report.)

Travel Notes (No fishing or catching but travel is in our name.)

This is our last day out and the traffic reminded me what I did not like about living in Fort Worth, which as going over to Dallas for any reason.  Now where we lived allowed us to not have to do a lot of major travel while we were there.  We specifically moved near the Medical Center so the Boss did not have to drive much, and while I was still practicing law my drive was out in the morning and in in the afternoon, traffic was rarely a hassle.

Dallas is a whole other can of worms.  Traffic sucks here and a daily diet would drive me to drink, more.  But we had a great time at the game.  One thing that still drives me nuts is folks and their I Phones.  Why in the Sam Hell would you pay $75 for a ticket to a ball game and then spend the whole time on your phone?  What a waste.  I will always remember the small bar we came across in the jungle on an island in Panama.  No phones, not even the folks who worked there, no internet, no computers, nothing electronic specifically on purpose – just a place where folks actually talked to each other.  I know that is an old time thing and might date me, but we actually used to do that.

At the Old Ball Game!

I watch the Gas Monkey Garage show so while we were here I wanted to stop in and eat at the Bar & Grill.  Let me tell you folks, they have it going on.  The place was packed and people kept pouring in the whole time we were there.  A band was about to play and the deck was full.  The place was bigger than I thought.

Been there, done that, and bought the T-Shirt.

The food could best be described as adequate bar food with nothing particularly spectacular.  The shop inside the restaurant was selling crap as fast as they could ring it up.  And the hats or shirts were all $5 – 10 over priced, and that was stopping no one.  It was a feeding frenzy in the store.  Apparently lots of folks like us were there, tourists who just wanted to see the place.  They are marketing geniuses who are making money faster than they can spend it.  And there was not a hot rod in sight.  Come on dudes, can’t park at least a couple out front?

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So I am back and will try to catch up on a couple of things.  I hoped to get the boat back today, but have not heard from them.  I was hoping to get in some bay fishing this weekend but it looks like that is not happening, dang it.  So what specifically is coming next is up in the air, but I know the Shoedog is ready for come topwater trout so a couple of days of that is coming pretty soon.  So it will be good to be back to the fishing.  Thanks to Shoedog for the contribution this week.  Keep stopping in and thanks for reading mystuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

(While I am out sloughing off in the big city the Shoedog is totting the note.)

Not Quite Villanova – but I Pulled it Out!

 I planned on a trip to Fayette Co. on Wedesday, but I couldn’t wait to hit the water, so I headed to Somerville today. I wanted to see if I could continue to find the bass there. I was on the water just after sunup and headed toward the areas that we have been having some luck this year so far.

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

I need to show you something that is truly a thing of beauty.  When you grow up in Iowa, and then move to Arkansas, there is a magic time of year when food of the Gods appears.  Early spring, wet and damp, find the right place and you are in business.  These came from Arkansas and were found this week.  They will continue to pop up moving north with the spring rains.

Nothing any better!

These are Morel Mushrooms.  If you have never seen or eaten them before you are missing out.  Places where they come up every year are more closely guarded than a hot fishing spot.  It happens fast and does not last long, but when it happens it is wonderful.  A true delicacy, I have been eating a few off and on most of my life.  Dipped in egg and flour then sautéed lightly in the fry pan, mmm good.  Add some fresh crappie filets and you have a dinner fit for a king.  I am not sure if they are ever found in Texas, but if they are folks sure do not talk about it.

**********************

I got this comment and a couple of more on Strike King.

“All good things eventually come to an end. By this time of the year I have heard something from the Strike King representative I deal with. I have emailed him twice in the last month and have not received a response.”

So sad for Strike King , Have they dropped you from promoting the products they have??
So sad for them if they did.

First anybody who has a screen name of catfish is welcome here anytime.  We love all fish here, and I especially like catfish at those all you can eat joints.  Hurts me even thinking about it!  Thanks for your comment and I guess I could go on promoting them without compensation, and in reality there will be a little of that anyway, I use their stuff.  So I will obviously miss them more than they will miss me. Guess it is time to look for another company to promote.

*********************

I got this comment from Trey on the new jig heads I scored in Arkansas.

I’m glad you brought home enough jig heads for all of us I’ll take 25, I have PayPal

I am afraid 100 jig heads won’t last me that long, much less the rest of you animals.  I did want to say that when I picked out the hooks I choose one with a smaller barb and fine wire, all to make setting the hook easier on longer casts with 8lb. fluoro.  So before I become the jig head king of the Coastal Bend lets see if I made the right hook choice.  I will try not to rub it in when I am smacking them around on the coast while the rest of you are working.  Sorry, just couldn’t resist.  Thanks for the comment.  And as a side note I read somewhere that the Blacks, the guides in the Baffin area, are coming out with a light jig head so watch for that.  They are the folks who got me fishing the 1/32.

***********************

And last I got this from Billy, one of my loyal readers.  I just did not know how loyal.

Have a couple of those Bagley lures for you.
Let me know how I can get them to you.

An email is on the way to you.  You did not have to do that but it sure is appreciated.  So let’s see, if all 10,000 of the rest of you who visit here most months drop me a bait or two I should have enough to last at least until next year!  But seriously Billy, you have been a loyal reader and I appreciate that more than you know.  Looks like we need to get that trip together we have been talking about.  Thanks again.

*********************

I have been taking it easy the last few days.  Since I had all my stuff out it was time to go through what is 3 tackle containing 15 boxes and multiple bags of assorted tackle.  Replacing trebles. tying feathers on the back of different topwaters (More on that to come.), putting things in the right places, making spinnerbaits, and getting the right reels on the right rods with the right line weight.  And with 7 dedicated freshwater rods and reels and 4 dedicated saltwater sets that I regularly use there is always something needing fixed.

One thing I see quite a bit is folks with 4 rods in the boat changing baits using the same rod.  Each one has a weight and a purpose, and keeping them organized with the right bait on that action and line weight reduces having to change baits.  And in the new BASS PRO catalog they now have a rod with a twist end to keep track of the line size you put on the reel.  Look for other companies to come out with this, which is sure nice if you have lots of different rods and reels.

*********************

So what is next?  It is a Ranger game.  We like baseball live and have not been to a Ranger game in quite a while.  A little baseball, maybe a burger and brew at the Gas Monkey Bar and Grill, and who knows, maybe a small contribution to the Native American coffers.  Our return will coincide with the return of the flats boat from the shop.  Then let the fishing begin.  Topwater time is here and I may actually fish some this weekend.  Have to see if the boat makes it done before the weekend.  And any comments or reports you have let us know, and we will be waiting for Shoedog’s Fayette report in the next day or two.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

Bagley

The best balsa baits on the market.

I want to thank Don Hultstrand, President of Bagley Bait Company, for helping me out in the balsa minnow department.  I was in Arkansas when a few baits arrived here at the house and I can not wait to use them.  Looking at the weather for the week it looks like Wednesday will be a cloudy and not to breezy, a great topwater day.  And the hat will make me an even bigger fashion icon, just ask my wife.  She just really loves the fact I wear the same fishing stuff over and over.  And I promised to share some  more information of their company and their products soon, they have an interesting story.  So thanks again Don.

*******************

Strike King

All good things eventually come to an end.  By this time of the year I have heard something from the Strike King representative I deal with.  I have emailed him twice in the last month and have not received a response.  It is safe to say I have been ex-communicated.  I do want to thank them for the support the last few years and I promoted them the best I could.  They make a great line of baits that I used 40 years ago, and will continue to use.  So now I am a free agent.

*****************

In-Fisherman

In-Fisherman magazine is the top multi-species freshwater fishing magazine.  Not your typical outdoor magazine, they really do provide solid information on catching fish you will not find anywhere else.  I have read it off and on for years and this year Clyde sent me a subscription.  Thanks.  But here is the reason I bring it up.

They published a little burb on a study done in an Ontario lake on bass fishing.  To simplify – They took a bunch of intermediate level fisherman, gave them 6 different color senkos (2 bright and 4 natural/dark), had them all rotate colors during the day at specific times, and simply cast it out and let it sink, the reel it back.  There must have been a bunch of folks as they caught over 100 bass.

The punch line – Amost every single bass, like all but 1, hit it on the fall.  But the big point – There was almost no difference in the number of bass caught on any color!  The only real difference was the longer fish came on the 2 bright color lures, and they were bright.  So I may have missed a fact or 2 but you get the point.  So think about those brighter colors when you buy your next bag of plastics.  Of all things as I type this I am watching Jim Linder of the famous fishing Linders flipping a bright yellow senko under docks, it works.  And if you want real freshwater fishing information In-Fisherman is the best.

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Reflections on the Trip

As I recover from the drive yesterday, and the general effects of fishing hard for a week, there is a couple of points that kind of wrap up the trip.  Clyde has been extolling the virtues and effectiveness of the Alabama Rig and he was sure right.  Between the 3 of us we probably threw at least 6 different kinds and brands.  Small to big, one thing became real apparent –  The A Rigs that had the blades on the shafts were superior.

We also had one totally tear up, bending the wires sooner or later resulted in breakage.  Shoedog’s went from 5 arms to 3 as they broke off and then failed.  So we picked up a couple with titanium wire, and though it was jerkbait the last day, I threw it a little and it pulled a little harder due to the flex of the titanium wires.  I think a reel like an Ambassador 5500C3 would be perfect.  5.3 to 1 so you could grind it out, it would be a better choice than the little 10 bearing reels.  And as a rule a slower retrieve worked best.

One thing that seemed to make no difference, weird in that very clear water, was how you tied it on.  Clyde was throwing 50lb  grey braid and tied directly to the A rig.  I tied a fluorocarbon leader on my braid, and neither seemed to affect the fish.   You also need a little heavier rod.  If you fish anywhere there is not a lot of grass and cover try an Alabama Rig, it is a fun way to catch bass.

It sure was fun to catch 5 or 6 species a day.  The type of fishing this trip might be referred to as junk fishing.  Be it the A Rig or the jerkbait, they both catch most anything that swims.  We only specifically targeted a certain species a couple of times, basically we fished for anything that would bite in classic pre-spawn areas.  That plan actually worked out pretty well.  Nothing like a big striper on one bite, then a crappie, then a bass, it was just fun fishing this trip.

And last, I told you I was happy to find the spinnerbait bodies that I used for years and I can not wait to sit down and make them just the way I like it.  And I can guarantee that they will not see the Canada trip.  Those toothy critters make mince meat out of spinnerbaits.

But what I really liked was what Jerry had done to the store.  From the outside you would never know that it is one of the best tackle stores in the country.  He not only has anything you need to catch all the fish available in North Arkansas, he has a complete line of lure making stuff.  From molds to parts, hooks to feathers, his selection is one of the best, and I mean best I have ever seen.  And he pours tons of jig heads so I found the one I liked, then picked out the hook and had him pour me 100 in 1/32 ounce with a fine wire.  They will be awesome for wading and soft plastics.  And the best thing, 100 was $28, find that in a store anywhere!  Can’t wait to use them.

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That will do it for today.  I am still recovering from the trip and drive home.  It won’t be long before I drag my old butt back out on the water.  I finally got most of the tackle back in shape, and I am about to go out and see what shape the Carolina Skiff is in.  The Mako is in the shop for annual maintenance and should be done this week.  So hopefully it will be back on the hitch again and off to the Gulf.  The winds will finally begin to subside on the Gulf and my favorite topwater time of year is here.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

Fish Catching Travel

Click on the logo above and see all the cool stuff for 2016.

The best balsa baits on the market.

Weather

55/68   Cloudy with scattered showers becoming severe in the afternoon.  Heavy rain possible – 100% chance.  Wind 10 -15mph.  (They were right on.)

Solunar Time

•   Best Times  4:03A – 6:03A
•                         4:28P – 6:28P
•  Good Time   10:16A – 12:16P

We knew no matter what the rain was coming so we got out on the water right after daylight hoping to get in a half day.  And it was exactly that.

One thing that I really enjoy is trying to figure out when we are somewhere we do not usually fish is what to do, were to do it, and what to use, and what is often the most important question, in what to order to do it in.  The morning fishing is still slow, and we probably made a mistake by heading back in a creek to see if we could catch some whites and stripers.  They were there, but the bite was slow.  As usual we put 5 in the boat as it headed towards noon.  It was a small walleye, largemouth, Kentucky, white bass, and another whooper bluegill.

One of several really big bluegills I have caught this week.

It was just as it has been, and we knew the big bite was coming as noon approached.  The question was would the rain hold off so we could get after them.  So a little before noon it was time to see if we  could put a few bass in the boat.  It was getting cloudier and windier, and it looked like it was going to be good, as long as there was no lightning we would fish rain or not.

As the water temp has dropped and the fish have backed off it finally sunk in my pea brain where we needed to concentrate.  So it was out of the back of the creek to coves near the main lake.  Normally we find small bass and crappies in the back of coves this time of year, but they are just not there.  So where to look?

Talk about good eating, to bad this one went back.

With the bass and crappies fat, full of eggs, and ready to spawn, but not in the back ends, they had to be staging in those coves waiting for the water temps to edge towards 60 degrees to hit the beds.  So it was time to concentrate on the areas where the deeper water swings in by the bank and gives them a place to hold and wait for the warming to come.  So we hit a cove, using jerkbait, and Shoedog hooked and had a walleye pull off, then caught the one above.

He then missed another bite, and then caught a big fat Kentucky.  We were so excited we might have established the first semblance of a pattern this week that he threw it back before we got a picture, but it was a fatty and the biggest we have caught yet.  Then it happened, big ass lightning, and the storm was coming over the hill.  Our buddy Clyde texted us from work and said it was ugly in town so we headed to the ramp and we just got the boat on the trailer when it hit.

The rest of the day it poured.  Over the years rain like that has been the best, or the worst thing that ever happened.  The air temp was in the low 60’s so we will see tomorrow what effect it had.  That is one thing that is easy to ascertain, we will drive to the back of a couple of pockets and a creek and go to the runoff and check the water temp.  When the lake is in this state it will either suck them in to the runoff, or finish them off and the bite will really suck.  When they do migrate to the warmer water in the runoff it is nothing short of awesome.  We will see.

There was one really cool thing today, a turkey extravaganza.  A couple of turkeys were gobbling on a ridge and we saw 2 fly the back of the creek when a couple of big gobblers came out on the flat and started strutting.  A bunch of hens showed up and were running all over the place.  Really an awesome show.  I never have started hunting them because I need another outdoor hobby like I need another hole in my head.

When we left we stopped at a little tackle store about a mile from the tackle store I ran from 74 – 76 prior to guiding.  Jerry has owned that store off and on for over 50 years.  We were shooting the breeze about the tackle business when I mentioned I worked for Tad’s Fishin’ Machine Lure company  in the 70’s and we made tons of spinnerbaits.  My favorite spinnerbait of all time was the Buzz King.  We made it after Rick Garlough, one of our locals, won a major BASS tourney on Bull Shoals with it. When they folded I bought around a 100 poured heads and made my own baits until they were gone.  And then of all things he said I have some wires with painted and poured head in the back.  I almost fell over, and there they were, the Buzz Kings.  Those things were at least 40 years old and maybe older.  Who knows, I may have made them.  So I talked him out of a dozen and I am in lure heaven.  Now that is crazy.

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Aren’t you tired of fishing yet. We are tired of seeing all the pictures !!!!!  Had to give you a rash of stuff !!!!!!! I love those days of catching many fish.  Safe travels. Trying to make it to Coleto this year has been rough. I will make it.

joe

I am not tired of fishing, I will rest when I am dead!  This trip has been every other day, which means tomorrow we should kill them.  It keeps me fishing.  As usual thanks for your comments.

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Tomorrow we will be back at it.  It will be interesting to see what the rain has done, but it really does not matter, we are fishin’.  I will fish tomorrow and Friday, then Fayetteville to see the parents and home Saturday.  Funny how a week seems like a long time, and then it is almost over.  Like the passing of days in our lives a week seems like a long time, but it is the blink of an eye.  So tired or not it is time for the push to the end.  And I am sure on the way home Canada plans will be on my mind.  And I really will be needing a dose of salt.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

(Sorry if the editing and spelling is worse than usual, it is tough to get it done after fishing all day, but I am not complaining.)

 Fish Catching Travel

Can’t wait to try KVD’s new Tournament Buzzbait.

Weather + Solunar Times  –  Not a clue today, to tired to look it up this morning, we just went fishing!

The best balsa baits on the market.

Alabama Rig Heaven

As I said yesterday, hope springs eternal.  Well today it was not a matter of hope, it was making the right decisions at the right time.  The wind was supposed to blow 10 -15 out of the SE, and it got started right away and never really got below 15.  It was still cool, and the water temp has now dropped to around 50, approximately a 5 -7 degree drop since we got here.  The result of that is the fish have backed off somewhat from the springtime pre-spawn, and it has made it a little tougher than it might be.  But today worked out just fine.

Nice chunky largemouth today.  Things are looking up!  The Alabama Rig is the ticket.

With the bite still being in the afternoon I made a decision that we should go back to Float Creek for the day.  There is a bank in there that Shoedog’s daughter caught a good one off so we hit it, and put a couple in the boat.  From there we kept hunting and pecking and around noon Shoedog had 6 or 7 in the boat and I think I had one.  Over the 20 years I guided here Float was one of the major creeks I knew every inch of, and as it warmed up I called on the years of experience.  So we went to do what I knew we should do, where we should do it, and it worked like a charm.

A nice hybrid and one of a bunch of good white bass.  Great fighters.

In the early spring on these highland lakes the fish and the shad all head to the warmest water, which is usually the back end of flat creeks.   And to catch those early pre-spawn largemouth and post spawn whites, hybrids, and stripers go to the flattest banks with sun on them.  We pulled up on the first point and it was game on.  For the next 5 hours we fished the Alabama rigs in water from a couple of feet deep out to about 10 feet.  And excuse my French, but they were knocking the shit out of it.

A small striper (notice no broken lines), one of 4 or 5 I caught today.  We just keep whackin’ em.

Reeling them at moderate speed they just kept coming.  Often 2 or 3 bites at a time, it was just plain awesome.  We did notice that the A Rig with the added blades was a little better than the plain wire.  And after catching all the above the bass started.  In one stretch we caught 7 or 8.   I caught whites, stripers, hybrids, largemouth, smallmouth, and Kentuckies, to almost complete a major Norfork slam.  Shoedog did not catch a Kentucky, but all the rest and a nice crappie.  It was just a fish catching travel good time.

Broken lines tell you it is a hybrid and not a striper.  Shoedog with a smallmouth.

It is impossible to say how many we caught, but it was easily in the 30’s, most really nice solid fish.  Spring time in the Ozarks is such a good time to fish.  The weather plays a big role, but with a little thought and adaptation you can put fish in the boat.  The bass here are ready to hit the beds, a warming trend and this next moon and they will be hot at it.  The Bassmasters will be here in April and I promise you it will be a killing.

And this trip is a perfect example of why when we go we try to stay at least 4 days, and a week if possible.  I know everyone can not do that, but this trip we have had a tough day, then killed them, then tough, and then whacked them.  Staying as long as possible keeps you from being screwed by the weather.

I am starting to feel it now.  My hands are trashed, my back is tired, face wind burned, all the hazards of being outdoors in early spring weather.  And I could not be happier.  Tomorrow it may rain by early afternoon so we will try to get out real early in case.  So keep stopping in, we are not done yet, and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

 Fish Catching Travel

Can’t wait to try KVD’s new Tournament Buzzbait.

Weather

66/38   Monday 0 % precip  Plentiful sunshine. High 66F. Winds light and variable.

Solunar  Times

• Best Times:   2:21A – 4:21A
•                          2:44P – 4:44P
• Good Time:    8:32A – 10:32A   (There may be a light morning bite but neither boat has found one yet)

The best balsa baits on the market.

Well there is only one word to describe today’s fishing, SUCKED.  After yesterdays cold front the water cooled even further.  Then we had no wind, I mean not a hint.  Hard for me to complain when the wind does not blow living in Texas, but here it is a problem. Unlike the last couple of days there was little surface activity.  These deep clear highland impoundments can really get tough, and it did today.

We could see stuff on the locator at 20 – 30 feet, and they were not coming up.  It clearly moved the rest of the fish out of the pockets and flat coves, and try as we might we could not get them going.  We did catch fish, Shoedog maybe 4 or 5, me about a dozen.  Strung together they were almost a fish stick, no where near a fish fry.  And so no pictures.

He stuck with his swim bait and A rig, I threw mostly grub and road runner.   Most of the bass I caught were small, and I mean small, though I did catch one keeper crappie and a small walleye.  After catching so many small bass on the road runner I put it down, it was to depressing.  We caught nothing on the A rig, in fact we could not buy a bite on it.  We went back up lake where Clyde and I whacked them the other day and there was not a white bass or striper to be seen.  And the area we caught 25 plus largemouth the other day did not yield even a bite.  When I say tough, that does not do justice to how slow it was.  But we soldiered on, expecting the bite to happen in the afternoon like it has each day, but no luck.  So there was only one thing left to do, go eat some Tai food.  Now that was a success.

What happens tomorrow is any buddies guess.  As I type this Shoedog and Clyde are playing the guitar and singing and I am laying in bed covered up, guess I am finally a Texan, 60 degrees is cold!   But everything aside we are not deterred, and first thing in the morning we will be back at it.  Clyde’s wife the lovely Maria just got home from work and was telling us about the Bassmasters who will be here next month.  Looks like they will fish Norfork a day, then Bull Shoals, then back to Norfork and the final day on Bull Shoals.  It is always interesting to see how well the pros do here, and they are hitting it just about perfect.

The weather looks good, warming with a 10 – 15 mph winds and maybe a few clouds.  Hope springs eternal.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines 

FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

The number 1 lure company in the world.

Weather

To bad we did not check it this morning.  It was about 60 when we hit the lake at 8, and by noon the wind started blowing out of the NW and it did, 20mph+ and it was cold.  By time we got to the ramp when we quit it was 48 and ugly.  Oh well.

Solunar Times

• Best Times     2:00A – 4:00A
•                          2:23P – 4:23P
• Good Time     8:12A – 10:12A

Day 2

To bad we did not check the weather.  We thought it would be similar to yesterday, and we could not have been any more wrong.  When we got to the lake it was beautiful, calm and warm.  We even had our coats off by 10.  Like yesterday the fishing was slow, real slow, all morning.  I do not think we boated a fish before about noon.

Around noon the wind started to blow some, and then blow some more, and if felt cold.  Shoedog called and his family hit the road so we headed out to pick him up.  When we hit the mail lake to cross it was white capping and fairly rough.  We headed back into the creek and they finally began to bite some.

A nice hybrid smoked that A rig.

Clyde caught the nice hybrid above on a flat bank, and then the others started to bite.  There was only one problem, they were small.  By now the front was in full blossom and it was rough, cold, and ugly.  We caught a lot of fish most of the afternoon, lots of smallmouth, with small being the operative word.

A small walleye, but a bigger one is in our future, I hope.

We did catch a few whites, but only this one walleye.  The fish were in the pockets, though the falling water temp clearly drove then out of the back ends of the spawning coves.  They moved to the rockier places out of the back ends.  And though it was easy to identify those places, the fish were small and we never did catch a really good fish.

A nice crappie, to bad it was the size of it.

This crappie is a perfect example.  A really nice crappie but there were no more there, or anywhere else.  Most of the fish came on 4″  white paddle tail swim baits, and a few were on the A rig, though the front shut them down enough that they were no where near as aggressive as they were yesterday.

It was a long cold day, not in the plan.  But as usual when you travel, you can expect a few days of crappy weather, hopefully the days to come will improve.  But like all fishermen, we are just glad to be out there.  I mean we caught around 20, but the big fish just seemed to disappear.  So tomorrow it won’t be such an early start.  As Shoedog has been here this week the he has a pretty good handle on them.  One thing is abundantly clear, it is no morning bite so no need to hurry.

We have seen lots of deer and a few turkey, but the front really has them laid up too.  Hope springs eternal in spite of the weather.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

 Fish Catching Travel

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Weather

34/70   Wind South 12mph  0% chance rain  (They just had a major cold front with a north wind that howled for 3 days.  The water temp dropped from a high of 65 in some places to  55)

Solunar Times

• Best Times:
• Good Time:

• Best Times   12:41A – 2:41A
•                         1:03P – 3:03P
• Good Tim      6:52A – 8:52A

It Is Good To Be Back

Sometimes the solunar tables are right, and today they were spot on.  If I had to guess we fished from 8:30 until 1:00 and maybe boated 2 or 3 bass.  We were working way up Norfork Lake near the Arkansas/Missouri line.

Intially we kept working the backs of pockets and spawning coves with Alabama rigs, jerk baits, and grubs.  It was cold this morning and the water temp had dropped another 5 degrees to the low 50’s, down around 10 degrees from the high last week.  The few we did catch were near main lake channel swings, which in that area of the lake are 30 – 40 foot deep range.

Though it was slow we kept at it and then right on schedule it happened.  There were shad breaking at the mouth of a big cove, and the catching began with the A rig, and continued for 3 hours in one area.

My first white on the A Rig.

Clyde was throwing the Flash Mob A rig and I was throwing the smaller A rig with twister tails.  As soon as we hit that point Clyde went 3 or 4 consecutive, and the catch was on.  We basically fished about 150 yards of bank and they were crushing it.  We could see shad flippin and saw several bass hit as we would toss at boils.  Just for fun I tossed both a white Swim Jig and a Bluegill color and caught one on each.  We only caught a couple of whites there, but at least 25 bass came over the side.  We finally moved as the action slowed, even though we caught 6 on the last pass.   As we worked our way down lake we stopped on flat point with the wind pounding on it, and here we go again.  Clyde stuck a nice bass and then we saw the birds diving farther down the same bank.

No telling how many of these we caught.  Talk about a solid hook up!

We eased down there and we could see fish busting, some huge boils, and a huge, and I mean huge, school of shad.  They did not want the A rig so Clyde got out 1/4 ounce chrome jigs and we put small clear twisters on, and from then on it was ugly.  It was definitely matching the hatch as the shad were only about an inch long.  We worked that bluff, letting the jig fall around 5 – 10 foot deep down the face of the bluff, give it hop, and thump, good fish on.  At times it was bite after bite after bite.  Occasional we could see some big boils and Clyde finally hooked up to a big striper.  Catching big stripers on light line and spinning tackle is fun, and he expertly got the job done.  A minute later I hooked up to another big one but with my superior skill I managed to lose him.

Talk about a healthy striper, this was a pig!

Clyde caught a great striper, a hybrid, we caught a tons of nice white bass, and probably another 10 bass.  It was everything Lake Norfork can be in the spring.  We stayed there for well over an hour and finally called it a day as the sun set behind the bluff.  As soon as the sun went of the water the shad disappeared and the fish went with them.

Huge white bass and nice hybrids, what a day!

So we learned that the water temp dropped enough to move the fish out of the back ends of places, and put them near the mouth of coves and on the main lake.  The pattern was clearly shad schools, find the shad and find the fish.  If I had to guess it was probably at least 50 or more for the day.  And it was right on the prime time.  With the temp rising this week it should get nothing but better, if that is possible.  It was the kind of day that keeps us all fishing.  I can not wait for tomorrow.

It is funny how your memory works.  The lake seemed way bigger than it was when I lived and guided on it.  I guess that big Black Max on the Champion made the lake seem small, though if memory serves me Norfork has 35,000 surface acres and around 500 miles of shoreline, a big pond.  It is so beautiful here, and the water seems clearer than I remember it.  And after a couple of really high water years there are tons of bass in the lake, and in the next few years expect an explosion of big bass, it is coming and you can bet I will make it every year.

Today I think we will stay in the mid to down lake area.  The smallmouth have really exploded here as have the walleyes.  We used to catch the occasional walleye when I guided here, now they are prevalent.  The Shoedog had family here and they are leaving today so we will hook up with him later in the day.  This is what a fishing trip is supposed to be like!

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My buddy Aaron is working in the Texoma area, and they are getting after it also.

Aaron with a big Texoma striper.

Look at the gut on that thing.

Nice job boys.  The fishing is getting hot all over, and it looks like Texoma is getting with the program.   I need to get there.  Oh so much fishing, so many places, so little time!

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I got this from my buddy Voe out in Vegas.

Hello Doug,
Just got back from an outing on Lake Mead and it was a beautiful day.
Fishing was pretty good but the exceptional thing that happened to me today is that I caught my first ever Carp about 7 lbs or so on a 1.5 KVD Square Bill in a sexy shad.
He ate the whole thing in his mouth, so much for vegetarian. Couldn’t get a picture because he was bleeding on the new boat carpet. Had to get him overboard pronto,
If you know what I mean. Hope you have a great trip. We accepted an offer on the house. See you in the near future, I hope.

Hope to see you when you come back for the closing.  Your carp story reminds me of the last time I was here in Arkansas.  I caught 2 big ones on grub last trip.  It is always something when you catch a carp on lures.  Excitement followed by let down.  Darn bugle mouths!

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Before I close for the day, and get Clyde up and going, I wanted to share my favorite comment I get around once a month.  It must be a standard online deal, because I get it from different folks.  But I love it – in fact it kinda sounds like what my wife tells me!

The next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesnt disappoint me as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read, but I actually thought youd have something interesting to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you werent too busy looking for attention.

Really.  What more could be said about the state of affairs around here?  God I love the internet!

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I have said it before and I will say it again, Mtn. Home and the Twin Lakes area is a great place to fish and vacation.  When I came here around 40 years ago as a 21 y/o knucklehead I had an AMC Gremlin, $125, and my tent.  I did not know a soul, nor did I have a real plan, I just knew I wanted to be a fishing guide.  And I got it done.  The town has changed, and so have we.  In the mid 70’s you could not get anything to eat after 6, and there were few stores.  Now it is a bustling community with all the amenities.  It is cracking daylight, time to quit waxing poetic, get Clyde up, times is a wastin’.  Keep stopping in, the saga continues, and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines

(No time to edit or proofread, what you see is what you get!)