CJ

I just wanted some seat time in the Legend.... :-[ I got you down for next year. Oh wait...there might not be a next year for you. I forgot you are strapping on the ball and chain! : I am truly sorry Wayne. Buy you a plane ticket before the big day!

Should we choose better boat accommodations for poor fishing? I'll take the blame for the grievances for the Ky. roadtrip. CJ

Hey Kent, you could probably get here pretty fast in a boat with no paddle! Maybe some of those big smallies will chase the washed up bait down this way!

To answer the question: 1. lawyers 2. law makers 3. outboard engine repairs 4. sporting event tickets 5. a hot dog at a sporting event

bmadd, I fish from the dam to the 79 bridge. I've only been able to catch smaller brown fish right now on pea gravel. I've mostly been on the east side from Rhodes to Byrd. I'm about to go back after some green fish with the lake coming up this high. That should give the SM time to get off the beds and get out on the points. Plus there will be some days that the TVA is going to have to discharge some water later this month. That should make the conditions ideal!

That's cool. I'm fishing that one so let's see...the bass should be biting 1/8 oz. rooster tails in about 120 ft. of water around then. : J/K I don't know how long the high elevations will last. As soon as they can they will let it go. The deal is though if the river gets to high, they gotta hold it. There was three different paterns working well last year when the lake came up like this. If you could find a place to get in behind the trees, spinnerbaits. The old lake line (359) was another good producer but, I flipped the bushes.

I'm sure a lot of you are experiencing this rain. It has rained everyday here for a week! Ky. Lake is on a fast rise. TVA predicts it to be near 365 by Tuesday but the actual elevations have been ahead of their predictions. It has rose over 2 ft. in 2 days! Woohoo! Time to go fishing in the woods again!!!

1. Unforgiven 2. The Outsiders 3. Colors Honorable mentions: Legends of the Fall, American Pie, and 8 Seconds

Hey man, I've been doing the same thing here on Ky. Lake. Up north of you though. They're spawning right now. I haven't been able to catch them in this phase thus far. But, once they're done, it ain't real hard except for location. They should spawn out later this month. Then they will gather up on rocky mainlake points. Usually starting around 6-8 ft. deep then they will progress deeper as the water warms. The points at the mouths of the bays is a good place to start. Keep an eye on the TVA website for the discharge. Above 40,000 cfs is better and above 60,000 is good. One of the best smallmouth lures here is a green pumkin tube. I use two different ones. A BPS 3 1/2 in. tender tube and a Mizmo 4 in. big boy. I dye about 1/3 of the skirt chartuese. Just drag them real slow. C-rigged baby brush hogs work and so do jigs, all in green pumkin/chartuese colors. Good Luck! If I get on this bite this year, I will let you know what's up. CJ

LOL! I tried to get rid of my white forehead the other day. Fished all day without my cap. It was the first time in years my forehead had seen the sun. Well it burnt like hell. Got one blister that popped about the size of a nickel. Thought I would put a band-aid on it so my cap wouldn't rub it. When I went to pull it off....GOOD GAWLY OUUUCH!!! It took my skin with it. Kinda cool though, It left a perfect outline of a band-aid. Sorry Burley, burns hurt worst than anything.

Oh yeah....... THE CUBS ARE DEAD!!! THE BREWERS ARE DEAD!!! iF YOU AIN'T RED....YOUR DEAD!(this excludes Cincinnati of course)

Hmmm....wonder who will get player of the month in the NL? : 8 HR 28 RBI in 24 games played. Franklin would have got number 8 tonight but the Cards blew it open in the ninth. Thanks to the Nationals...ya'll suck!

That's a great post. I would think everybody here could relate to some part, if not all of what you wrote. I can't explain, in words, what it means to me either. I, like you, want my kids to have the same freedom I do. If they want the passion, I want them to have it. I know one of them does! Good write! CJ

We are no longer rotating closers. Franklin is 7 for 7.

You're on! THE BREWERS ARE DEAD TOO!

Yup, I do. Sorry I had a life changing event at that time last year. Send me a PM with address and I'll make it right. Thanks, CJ THE CUBS ARE STILL DEAD!!!

Wellemeyer is our weekest link right now. Yeah, it's early but the chemistry is there. When you get production from young players like Thurston and Barden then your big guys are tearing it up, it's a good sign. I think our starting pitching has been doing a great job. We get Carp back in good shape and it's gonna be lights out! THE CUBS ARE DEAD!!!

Yup Muddy, they do. At the roadtrip, a few of us picked Bob Lusk brain for a couple of hours. The spawn is the least productive time of year for me. Though I avoid fishing for bedding fish, I still felt the need to better understand what takes place. Mr. Lusk explained to me that a female may lay her eggs in different beds and at different times. I have recently took notice that some of the fish I have been catching have had spots on their bellies that appeared to be from spawning activity yet, they still looked as if they had some eggs left. I believe some mature fish may take a month or better to release all of her eggs and will do so on different beds.

WOW!!! Great fish man! That must be a killer presentation. Just stored it in my "things to try" files. I'm about to go throw some Annies over on Barkley as a floating or swimming worm. We'll see how they like it.. Looks like ya'll had a blast. Nikki and I are going to pack for Texas someday soon!!! Great Job! CJ

This is gonna be a Cardinals year! All the signs of a championship team are there! I know it's early but man, the Redbirds are deep.

Just wanted to tell muddy and Burley: HA HA!!! Sincerely, CJ

I don't listen to gospel music much but, my dad loves it. I gotta pretty funny story to tell that relates. My dad and I were in a tackle store near Ky. Lake last year. All of a sudden you would think my dad just saw Elvis! There was a tall guy standing there, looking lost as to what to buy to do some bassfishing. My dad tells me,"that's Guy Penrod!" I was thinking, who? Dad says he has one of the greatest voices in gospel music! Mr. Penrod ask the Tackle store owner if he has any suggestions as to what to buy and the owner says,"ask that guy right there". I fixed him up with some senkos and some topwater toads. Dad got to talk to him about gospel music for a bit. When we got back in the truck dad was calling everybody! "Guess who Chris just helped at the tackle store?! GUY PENROD!" You would have thought it was the president. :-? I'm sure Dad would love to read this thread. I'll tell him about it.

Man that is one the best post I have ever read on any site. I can really relate. I have three kids. Their mother and I separated in August of last year. It has been hard times but we overshadow those emotions on the water, at the movies, or just getting some ice cream. I made a vow to myself not to be the average divorced father. My kids are 1st! I'm sorry for your dad. Cancer has taken some great people and your dad sounds like no exception. As I read your thread, your dad sounded just like the man I want to be. Making memories is what fishing is all about to me. God Bless You, Chris

WOW! Sounds like something on Reno 911! I probably would have got in trouble if I would have been in your shoes. Sounds like you had a good time. Nice catch Tin!!!

That's what they make Ledgebuster for. Yes, I have fished them as deep as 15 ft. I throw them out, let them hit bottom then use a slow retrieve. I'm usually targeting deep brush or grass on ledges. Great technique for active bass on windy days.