Ondrejka

I think it's because he's secretly patterning flatheads there.

That just means that it's time for us to go back and get an official weight on a new one

Anywhere from 40-60 long shaft. Trim and tilt preferred. And I can just use the controls I already have from mine now. Have a line on a few 60s already, I'll peep Smithville marine too

Just got word back from the motor doc. To make a long story short, gonna have to say RIP to the Evinrude. There's a possibility of a rebuild, but still kind of early at this point. Otherwise I'll be pinching pennies over the winter to pop for a different engine before spring. Will probably use my dad's Lund whenever the opportunity arises, but if anyone has Melvern trips planned, I'm always down for a backseat if it's open. #BUMMED We'll see what happens though.

On another note, I'm probably going to have a replica made of my dad's 4.3 pounder from Saturday. I've done a little research, but does anyone have any recommendations on good taxidermists in the area?

No kidding. I was baffled at how dead and bluebird the conditions were, but how hot the action still was. We were roasting but the one after another after another helped us along.

Whatever. 10, 15. All relative.

I posted last weekend! Annnd here's another. What a sweet day today. On the lake by 7:30 and the fog...wow. Pretty gnarly. Started out on the north side of the dam, and surprisingly was alone. I was hooked up with one of the first fish of the day on a tube, when all of the sudden my dad ties into a fish too (squarebill). Conor net my fish, and then my dad's came out of the water and it was a GIANT. So after a fun battle, we had her and my fish in the net. What a pig compared to my decent fish. Weighed in at 4 lbs. 3 oz., 19.5". Within the first thirty minutes on the water, my dad's day is already made. We made our way down the dam a little ways, caught a bunch of decent fish between the three of us on the Ned, then decided to head back up and fish a shallow flat nearby where we'd caught big fish before. Not the case today, definitely needed wind and there was none of that stuff. So we opted to make a run to Turkey Creek and see who was home. Started back at a favorite secondary point, Conor and I with tubes and my dad with the Ned. Conor got bit right away which ended up being a drum. As he was working the tube out of his in the net, I got bit hard and was tied into something big....like a huge drum. Put another tube on and on the very next cast, I was hooked up again, this time it was Mr. Smalljaw. Jumped right off the bat and put up a pretty intense battle. Thought for sure this was my 4# +, but was just ended up being a hair shy at 3 lbs. 11 oz. Still a really nice fish and great fight. Hit a few more spots on the way out of Turkey and didn't see much worth staying for, so we just blasted back to the dam to spend the remaining hour or so roasting there. All three of us rigged up a Ned and just went to town. It was pretty much every cast. A lot of Ned specials, raised a GIANT smallie chasing my dink that was easily pushing 20+ inches and all of 5#. Conor dropped his Ned down but she didn't want it. Nice to talk to Drew and Schauer for a little bit amongst the 15 other boats on the dam. Gar were busting everywhere by the intake and we were marking loads of bait. My dad's just dragging a Ned behind the boat when all of the sudden he's hooked into something big. We all pretty much knew what it was, so I netted and landed it for him. Somehow got snagged on a pectoral. Decided to call it around 1:30-2. Pretty awesome way to cap an already epic day for my old man, with his PB Smallie and a 100+ fish day.

Getting my dad out for his last Melvern trip of the season tomorrow morning. Red Lund, give a shout!

LOLOLOL

The Melvern bug has got me so bad. Conor and I will be out again Saturday morning. If anyone else is out, we're launching at Eisenhower. Would be cool to meet up afterwards and share.

And GAR EVERYWHERE!!!

Keeping it out 10-15 feet for me was key on Saturday as well.

Lone Star has been slow but I'm down to get out there with you whenever man!

Read back a few posts/pages.

Melvern was fun today. Ran a little late and was on the water just a little after 7:30. Morning was slower than I'd anticipated, and didn't see any substantial action until about 9:30. My biggest of the day at 3.8# came on a tube up shallow off of our favorite point of the lake. Conor got broke off on his previous cast, and I just happened to swoop in afterwards and steal it. I caught another nice fish just about 2.5# off the dam on the Ned, and as she came into the net she spit out a little Bluegill which was pretty cool (still in the net in the pic). So as I'm lifting this fish out of the net for a picture, my rod almost went over the side as another Smallie came up and took my Ned that was hanging right below the surface. Conor grabbed the rod and brought it in for me, so that was a cool "self" double. Once the wind laid down, I couldn't keep them off the Ned (surprise surprise). We went back to the previous shallow point and Conor finally got his decent fish of the day on a tube again. Had motor issues and unfortunately didn't get to make it down towards Turkey Creek, but still a good day to be out. I'll be back soon to break that 4# mark. Today's came close though. RangerDanger was that you that came up to chat as you were leaving? Did spot Chris a few times too.

Will be launching bright and early at Melvern tomorrow with Conor. I know it's been too long for that dude. Anyone else getting out?

Open spot in the boat for Lone Star this afternoon if anyone's interested. Off work at 3, plan to be on the water by 4:30. Let me know!

A few tournament fish from this past weekend. My 3.5# and my dad's 3#.

Had an absolute blast on Saturday. If my dad hadn't shown interest in fishing it with me at the last minute, I probably wouldn't have come out. My biggest at 19" 3.5# on the nose, we had in the livewell in the first 30 minutes. Came on a 5" Sugar Shad swimbait on a weighted swimbait jig. All of my fish Saturday came on that rig, along with a few smaller ones on a squarebill. My dad caught fish on just about everything; swimbait, tube, squarebill, and the Ned. His biggest was 17" and just under 3# that came about ten minutes before we had to head in. He'd been waiting for a good fish all day and was stoked he got one. That's the first little tourney I've gotten to fish with him and it ended up being an awesome day on the water for his first Smallie trip to Melvern.

I got you boo. This is my dads first Smallie trip so I hope we get into at least a few fish despite the cold blast.

Had my dad over tonight for the Packers / Royals game and he showed some interest in fishing the Melvern saturday morning with me. So I think we may be on for that.

Ha! Fully support that.

Got out with Drew tonight at Lone Star. No giants but plenty of Lone Star Specials. A few we caught were just plain fat. Even the little ones are eating good. The one pictured had a craw almost fully swallowed, which is the same one with the belly on her. Fun, quick evening to get out. Thanks for coming out Drew!

Awesome read man! Congrats!