View Full Version : Bull Shoals PWT - Let's go
were_off
06-15-2004, 08:12 PM
Well, we're off to Bull Shoals. I'm hoping this will be a great tournament with lots of big fish...It's going to be interesting to have an 18" minimum...That will either mean there are lots of BIG fish, or it will mean there will be lots of zeros. I'm anxious to see how things play out.
Don't forget to check out the leader board next week.
unlogged ozarkeyes
06-15-2004, 08:53 PM
Lots of 18-20" being caught and several in the 7-10lb range. Expect to see a fish in the teens at the scales. Unfortunately our secret fishing hole will no longer be secret after next week.
unlogged ozarkeyes
06-15-2004, 08:53 PM
Lots of 18-20" being caught and several in the 7-10lb range. Expect to see a fish in the teens at the scales. Unfortunately our secret fishing hole will no longer be secret after next week.
Rick Gardner
06-15-2004, 09:06 PM
We really appreciate the opportunity to visit your great fishery. We will respect everything, and everyone that we come into contact with. It is an honor and a privilege to be invited by this community to compete on these famous waters.
I'm looking forward to a great tournament, and to making new friends...
See Ya there,
Rick Gardner
Rick Gardner
06-15-2004, 09:06 PM
We really appreciate the opportunity to visit your great fishery. We will respect everything, and everyone that we come into contact with. It is an honor and a privilege to be invited by this community to compete on these famous waters.
I'm looking forward to a great tournament, and to making new friends...
See Ya there,
Rick Gardner
interested
06-16-2004, 09:08 AM
could anyone give me more general info about the fishery this time of year as it makes it more interesting following the live leaderboard during the tournament, is it more of a trolling bite this time of year, what depth of water is most of the fishing done in etc. not looking for any secrets just wanting to get a feel for what its like, as i really enjoy following the pwt results as they come in etc. thankx.
interested
06-16-2004, 09:08 AM
could anyone give me more general info about the fishery this time of year as it makes it more interesting following the live leaderboard during the tournament, is it more of a trolling bite this time of year, what depth of water is most of the fishing done in etc. not looking for any secrets just wanting to get a feel for what its like, as i really enjoy following the pwt results as they come in etc. thankx.
Powerdive
06-16-2004, 10:45 AM
The lake is currently 14 feet high, coming down fairly quickly from 22 feet high last month (although we're getting more storms now--it may come up again). It's gorgeous water--lotta rock, lotta bluffs, very little sand/mud, no weeds, quite clear, standing timber, extremely irregular shoreline (BS is a highland reservoir), lots of sharp breaks and deep (100' plus) well-oxygenated open water. Surface temp is now about 80 degrees; main-lake thermocline is 30-some feet. Walleyes are a secondary fishery; bass and crappies are dominant. Lotta gar, too. Main forage is shad--there's plenty to eat, and it shows.
Traditional tactics: jig/crawler (leeches work, but aren't available), Suspending Rogue, jigging spoon. Most walleyes are caught incidentally by bass fishermen. There are a few walleye hounds now trolling bouncers and cranks for suspended fish, but it's basically still a whole new frontier. Our club tourney last month was won by a team pulling cranks on leadcore, 15-30 feet down over 100-plus feet of water (virtually unheard of around here). Most other teams caught fish too, either jigging or bouncing. The fish are out there, they're largely unmolested, and they're potentially huge (the lake record is 21 pounds plus). All sizes are available. Expect the pros to do extremely well with their open-water tactics. With the water high, the jiggers could have a field day in the flooded timber also.
18" minimum; 5-fish limit; culling is allowed. Looking for some real heavy baskets! The weather will most assuredly be hot and humid, with the ever-present chance for nasty storms--perfect conditions.
Can't wait to see this!
Powerdive
06-16-2004, 10:45 AM
The lake is currently 14 feet high, coming down fairly quickly from 22 feet high last month (although we're getting more storms now--it may come up again). It's gorgeous water--lotta rock, lotta bluffs, very little sand/mud, no weeds, quite clear, standing timber, extremely irregular shoreline (BS is a highland reservoir), lots of sharp breaks and deep (100' plus) well-oxygenated open water. Surface temp is now about 80 degrees; main-lake thermocline is 30-some feet. Walleyes are a secondary fishery; bass and crappies are dominant. Lotta gar, too. Main forage is shad--there's plenty to eat, and it shows.
Traditional tactics: jig/crawler (leeches work, but aren't available), Suspending Rogue, jigging spoon. Most walleyes are caught incidentally by bass fishermen. There are a few walleye hounds now trolling bouncers and cranks for suspended fish, but it's basically still a whole new frontier. Our club tourney last month was won by a team pulling cranks on leadcore, 15-30 feet down over 100-plus feet of water (virtually unheard of around here). Most other teams caught fish too, either jigging or bouncing. The fish are out there, they're largely unmolested, and they're potentially huge (the lake record is 21 pounds plus). All sizes are available. Expect the pros to do extremely well with their open-water tactics. With the water high, the jiggers could have a field day in the flooded timber also.
18" minimum; 5-fish limit; culling is allowed. Looking for some real heavy baskets! The weather will most assuredly be hot and humid, with the ever-present chance for nasty storms--perfect conditions.
Can't wait to see this!
Powerdive.....clap clap clap....thanks for the post.... for those of us that have not had the chance on highland reservoirs you have helped to understand it. again, THANKS
ps, I really mean this in a good way, not sarcasm.
Powerdive.....clap clap clap....thanks for the post.... for those of us that have not had the chance on highland reservoirs you have helped to understand it. again, THANKS
ps, I really mean this in a good way, not sarcasm.
interested
06-16-2004, 12:57 PM
thankx a lot for the report, im looking forward to seeing how everyone does there it sounds like there is the potential for some really big fish. i bet its a beautiful setting for the tournament, it'll be fun seeing how well the anglers figure out the fishery and some new spots and techs may be discovered.
interested
06-16-2004, 12:57 PM
thankx a lot for the report, im looking forward to seeing how everyone does there it sounds like there is the potential for some really big fish. i bet its a beautiful setting for the tournament, it'll be fun seeing how well the anglers figure out the fishery and some new spots and techs may be discovered.
Powerdive
06-16-2004, 01:32 PM
Thanks. I find this an exciting new venture too. Here are a couple of fishing reports pages for lower Bull Shoals that can help you get a better read of the lake. This one is from the actual PWT location...
http://www.bullshoals.com/fishingreport/index.htm
...and this is from a nearby facility:
http://wildernesstrail.com/
If I remember right they both have archives of previous reports you can look thru also. Hope this helps!
Powerdive
06-16-2004, 01:32 PM
Thanks. I find this an exciting new venture too. Here are a couple of fishing reports pages for lower Bull Shoals that can help you get a better read of the lake. This one is from the actual PWT location...
http://www.bullshoals.com/fishingreport/index.htm
...and this is from a nearby facility:
http://wildernesstrail.com/
If I remember right they both have archives of previous reports you can look thru also. Hope this helps!
Powerdive, will you keep us updated as the pros show up and how the bite has been? PLEASE!!!
Powerdive, will you keep us updated as the pros show up and how the bite has been? PLEASE!!!
okie tom
06-17-2004, 07:07 PM
I hope you're right, it would be great to see a fish in the teens come from the south, in a major tournament. Some of the pros didn't seem to care much about coming south. I guess that's understandable, with gas prices like they are.
I haven't been to BS yet, but will be in the near future, probably this fall. I think Arkansas is still the place to break the world record. Hopefully the pros and PWT will be impressed with the area, and schedule another big tourney in the south.
Good luck to all and travel safe!
okie tom
06-17-2004, 07:07 PM
I hope you're right, it would be great to see a fish in the teens come from the south, in a major tournament. Some of the pros didn't seem to care much about coming south. I guess that's understandable, with gas prices like they are.
I haven't been to BS yet, but will be in the near future, probably this fall. I think Arkansas is still the place to break the world record. Hopefully the pros and PWT will be impressed with the area, and schedule another big tourney in the south.
Good luck to all and travel safe!
Powerdive unlogged
06-19-2004, 05:05 PM
Word is the pros are catching good numbers of fish. The bouncers are doing well on flooded points, and the trollers are finding good fish in open water as well. The weather has been great.
My friends and I will be prefishing with various pros from here on out, so we're honor-bound to keep it quiet until the tourney starts. Looks like it's gonna be a barnburner!
still interested
06-19-2004, 05:37 PM
if you can give any info it would make following the leaderboard more enjoyable...info that any pro there would know but someone miles away might be interested in, general stuff if possible but obviously that the pwt guys there wouldn't care that it was shared. I follow the tournaments closely from in this case 18 hours away, like some people follow the world series etc because fishing is my love so any tidbit appreciated, thankx.