Ozark_Basser

Cool video. I wasn't aware War Eagle had enough water to take a flat bottom down it.

I've found the opposite to be true a lot of times. Shad baits work very good in just about any pond, big or small, that I have fished. Also I've seen ponds with very clear water where big fish will travel in two's or will stack up in certain sections of the body of water. The truth is every body of water is different and so is every bass. I've also caught some very fat fish out of ponds.

How good is some of the creek fishing over there? Like the Illinois River, Osage Creek, and War Eagle Creek? My dad lives in Springdale. He misses the creeks and the Buffalo River over here. I've only fished Beaver and Lake Fayetteville over there.

I fish 12 # test and up a lot. I tie a Palomar knot. It holds up extremely well. Just wet your knots etc.

Where at? War Eagle Creek? I live within a few miles from where Crooked Creek starts outside Harrison. Fishing is not so good on the upper part of Crooked Creek. Anywhere in Harmon down to Yellville is where it's at. I also live about 6-7 miles from Pruitt on the Buffalo. I'll probably wait a while till the water stays low enough and clears up all the way.

All of my fingers in front of the seat.

I'd say so. I caught a nice fish in late June one year that was full of eggs, probably due to high water in the spring. I'm sure in some parts of the river they've found somewhere to spawn without current though.

No joke. Its getting about that time for me. Crooked Creek is calling my name. I have the Rush to Buffalo City trip planned for July. I hope there will be enough current. I'd hate to paddle 23 miles straight lol.

I usually start out with jigs then switch to a t rig if the bite slows or was slow to begin with.

I don't think the visibility of braid matters to SOME fish. I mean, I've used straight braid and caught fish before, but you don't know if a ten pounder came up and sniffed your bait then swam off because he saw the braid. Why risk it? Tie a fluoro leader.

That's cool that you did that....soooooooo where's the pics?

Although that rod is kinda short and not as powerful as some rods, it still contributes in length and power, just to a lesser degree. It still has length to move line and power to help drive the hook.

Square bills just ticking the rocks.

I only cast one handed with light lures and when pitching.

Lots of variables, probably too many to make an accurate assumption, but I would assume a 6'6"H would set the hook better than a 7'MH. It seems like the extra stiffness would provide more force. The extra length of the 7' rod would pull the bait further and provide more acceleration, but it seems like the flex in the rod would compensate for it.

Anywhere I can visually see 30 bluegill, some bass, and heavy cover, I would suspect has a giant in there. Keep trying. Introduce your daughter to the beetlespin. Catches everything from toads to bluegills.

I also have winched some nice fish out of lily pads this spring with braid and a 16# fluoro leader. A couple were over six pounds.

I'm interested to try it. The only disadvantages when fishing braid with jigs/worms is the lack of slack line sensitivity, abrasion resistance, and visibility. A fluoro leader takes care of the last two. Hevi core should definitely help with slackline sensitivity due to its increased density with a fluoro core.

I've seen smallmouth come back after coming off while fishing jerkbaits in clear water, but most of the time if they know they were hooked and come off, they will take off, and you're out of luck. I was fishing a frog the other day around some lily pads and got a small blowup and set the hook. I felt some resistance but the frog came right back up to the surface. I didn't let it sit at all and started walking it again then probably a second later I got another small blowup and hooked up. The fish turned out to be an eight pounder. When I got her to shore, I noticed the left side of her mouth was torn and bleeding. Was this the fish I missed, or was the wound from winching her out of lily pads with her mouth open? I'm pretty convinced she came back for it.

Just let the bass tell you what they want.....at all times.

Copolymer maybe? I've been using pline cxx. It's pretty abrasion resistant.

If memory is such an issue, use braid with a fluoro leader. Try some 10# braid as a mainline and 4# or 6# as a leader.

I'm interested to hear about tufline heavy core as well.

In a yak, you don't have as much of a choice when it comes to location. I'd just go around fishing points and visible cover like those docks you mentioned.

You can lock your drag down when frog fishing. I would recommend it.