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My X-Wife and I were fishing Big Creek above the Bogey access on Norfork. We had been catching small white bass all day. I think we had a string of 11 or 13 casts in a row with a caught fish. It was crazy. The only trouble was that we were catching the small males. All day we had been watching a couple Bald Eagles off in some trees. I noticed one of them start flying toward us and we both stopped fishing to watch this magnificent bird. It was only a speck in the sky. It was very very high in the sky and directly overhead. All of a sudden it tucked it's wings and nose dived. It was dropping like a rock and coming right at us. It hit the water about 15' from the boat. It was incredible. The water from it hitting so hard sprayed us in the boat. It was like a huge belly flop. Almost as quickly as it hit the water, it flapped those tremendous wings and rose directly overhead with the biggest White Bass of the day. It couldn't of been more than 20' overhead as it circled our boat 3 times and then flew off to what we think was a nest in those trees. I still believe today that the Bald Eagle came over to show us how to catch the big whites and then circled us to show off its catch. I've never seen anything in the wild to top it. It was early 90's. We didn't have iPhones then. I sure wish I had that one on tape. It was an incredible display.
That had to be a very rare thing, as Bald Eagles very seldom hit the water with anything but their talons. Osprey look very much like B.Eagles to the untrained eye, and they hit the water when they catch fish, and are often confused for B.Eagles. Either way, that had to be quite a rare treat to watch.:clap::clap::clap::up:
 
That had to be a very rare thing, as Bald Eagles very seldom hit the water with anything but their talons. Osprey look very much like B.Eagles to the untrained eye, and they hit the water when they catch fish, and are often confused for B.Eagles. Either way, that had to be quite a rare treat to watch.:clap::clap::clap::up:
My eye is untrained (I don't even know what an osprey is but I'm going to google it) but we have Bald Eagles in Elizabeth on those bluffs. We watch them all the time. The colony has grown to at least 6 adults the last time I knew.

It did hit with talons first but it hit that water very hard. It was amazing. It all happened so fast. The bird was only on the water for a second.


Edit. Just googled. I'm going to be very disappointed if our colony of Bald Eagles are Osprey.
 
Didn't you witness one of our very own members go over the front and do a belly flop one day?
Well it was December 2014..........my jig got caught in my trolling motor and it was windy......... I pulled my trolling motor up thinking I had time to do a quick untangle. Well I wasn't paying attention to where I was at and smoked a bridge piling. I looked up just in time to see which way it was to the surface. Did not expect it in the least little bit. So I get climbed back in my boat and retrieve a couple rods. Well at this point im thinking my day is over. Then I got to thinking, no way no how am I gonna fall in and head to the truck looking like a complete idiot in front of 20 peopl that was laughing at me. So I thought to myself, Im about to show these boys how a real*crappie*fisherman deals with something like this. Momma didn't raise no little :censored:*......so I pulled my pants off like a boss, put some dry ones on and and got back at it.I gotta admit though I was cold as crap. I thought it was hilarious. I just wish someone would have got it on film. Dlea go to witness the whole thing.
 
My X-Wife and I were fishing Big Creek above the Bogey access on Norfork. We had been catching small white bass all day. I think we had a string of 11 or 13 casts in a row with a caught fish. It was crazy. The only trouble was that we were catching the small males. All day we had been watching a couple Bald Eagles off in some trees. I noticed one of them start flying toward us and we both stopped fishing to watch this magnificent bird. It was only a speck in the sky. It was very very high in the sky and directly overhead. All of a sudden it tucked it's wings and nose dived. It was dropping like a rock and coming right at us. It hit the water about 15' from the boat. It was incredible. The water from it hitting so hard sprayed us in the boat. It was like a huge belly flop. Almost as quickly as it hit the water, it flapped those tremendous wings and rose directly overhead with the biggest White Bass of the day. It couldn't of been more than 20' overhead as it circled our boat 3 times and then flew off to what we think was a nest in those trees. I still believe today that the Bald Eagle came over to show us how to catch the big whites and then circled us to show off its catch. I've never seen anything in the wild to top it. It was early 90's. We didn't have iPhones then. I sure wish I had that one on tape. It was an incredible display.
Had something similar happen back in Float Creek, Doug. Was over a brush pile and pulling crappie in from 35-feet down. A few were to small so I chucked them back over the side. Well, at that deep, the poor things had an air bladder full and were floating around on the surface. Usually, after a bit, they expel the air and go on their way. Anyway, an Eagle on the other side of the creek jumped off his perch and swooped in and captured one of the crappie while it was still floating. Maybe 10 feet behind the boat. Made a heck of a splash and definitely a bad day for the crappie.


Cheers.....
 
My eye is untrained (I don't even know what an osprey is but I'm going to google it) but we have Bald Eagles in Elizabeth on those bluffs. We watch them all the time. The colony has grown to at least 6 adults the last time I knew.

It did hit with talons first but it hit that water very hard. It was amazing. It all happened so fast. The bird was only on the water for a second.


Edit. Just googled. I'm going to be very disappointed if our colony of Bald Eagles are Osprey.
Those two statements are in favor of the bald eagle, but a wet bald eagle is one that has a very hard time getting back into the air. I'm not saying you are wrong, I hope you don't think I'm being horsey, just pointing out what Jane Gully taught me years ago when I reported the very same sighting, with a large mouth bass being the unlucky eagle meal!:biggrin:
 
Every year for the last 23 years my Illinois hunting buddies come down for a week of bass fishing on lake Ouachita....Well about 10 years ago one evening we were headed back to the dock and there was a Giant big loud boat with a cabin, blondes drinking and all out there gas this big ol load boat headed the same way we were going.....Well my buddy says blow that big things doors off...I had a boat at the time that was a upper 70's rig...So I hit it and when I went past that rig I was clicking at 77 mph....When I passed him I heard him gas the big thing. It was one of those boats you drive standing up and had a bed in the cabin.....(It was a white boat with a Z stripe on the side) Well no more than We passed that boat I heard it getting louder, I said "NO way"! I looked down and was still clicking 77mph...This thing passed me like was was anchored!! I big bearded guy was humping the wheel with 2 blondes drinking and waving when they went by!!!

So that week and rest of the year we were laughing and joking that ZZ top out ran us!!!....Fast forward 2 years, I was at marina getting gas and look idling out of one the docks and it was the big white boat ....I told my buddy look there is that rig that spanked us a couple years ago! The kid at the dock said "you know who that is?" I said no! He said that is Billy Gibbons from ZZ top! Me and my buddy just fell out laughing as we have been calling it ZZ top for past 2 years just because of the bearded driver!!! Dock guy said the boat had 2-502ci big blocks in it!
I thought it was Doug hodges
 
I broke my arm and had a cast up past my elbow when I was 12. This happened during summer break when we used to camp and fish a lot. One night while camping with several families we had our rods threw out for catfish over chairs while hanging around the big fire talking. All of a sudden my rod takes off towards the water. I run over there but am fumbling trying to grab it with my left arm. It's gets in the water and I frantically try to grab it unsuccessfully. We never really had money growing up so I felt bad for losing one of dad's rod and reels. He didn't say much but I could see the frustration on his face. It wasn't 2-3 minutes later and another rod takes off towards the water. I yell at dad and he runs over and grabs it. He starts reeling it in saying it's a big one. When he finally gets what he thinks is a fish up the bank, it's actually my rod!!! The hook on his rod had somehow managed to snag the butt end of my rod. Only explanation we have is that the fish from my rod drug it past his hook. The fish wasn't on the end of my rod but it's still the craziest thing I've ever seen.
 
Back when I kept a boat in Venice, LA - we were pulling some lures for whatever would bite - out around the floater Ursa - about 70 miles offshore. Hooked up on about a 25 lb blackfin tuna and got it almost to the boat when a five ft long barracuda grabbed the tuna and got hooked. We fought him for awhile cause I wanted my $40 lure back. Get him almost to the boat 20 minutes later and a 12 ft hammerhead eats the barracuda. I would have cut the line right then if it had not been one of my best lures - but I wanted my lure back. Slipped on a harness and hooked the rod to the harness and settled in for the duration. An hour later, hammerhead is ten ft from the boat and I have the gaff to try to hook the lure to pull it out off his mouth. My son is in the rod fighting the fish. I touched the lure with the gaff and shark goes nuts and breaks the line taking the lure with him. Should have just cut the line earlier.

Another time we were anchored up on the Lump about 25 miles off the mouth of the Mississippi River chumming for yellowfin tuna. Had my daughter and her boyfriend working the two rods, my wife cutting chum, and I was tying on new hooks - the trash fish were thick that day - sharks, kingfish, and barracudas. I bought my hooks by the pound and was already into the second pound for the day. Boyfriend's first trip offshore. Several times he leaned over the side off the boat to rinse fish slime off his hands. I told him don't do that - to rinse his hands in the live well. I had been gaffing the fish and getting them off the hook - but he brought a ten pound blackfin tuna up to the side of the boat and I told him to bring it in. I expected him to pick up one of the three gaffs onboard, but instead, he reaches over the side and grabs the leader right at the fishes mouth to lift it in. At that very moment there was a huge splash with water going everywhere and he brings in just the head of the tuna while a ten foot shark swims off with the rest of the fish. His hand had to have been about five inches from that shark when he hit that tuna. Boyfriend washed his hands in the livewell the rest of the day.

We were at my dad's house in Florida fishing inshore one day - me, my son, and a buddy. Fishing for trout and reds. One of them hooked about a three ft long blacktip shark - got it up to the boat and I was going to cut the line and they both said "just get the hook out so we don't have to tie on another one". Hook was just in corner of mouth with almost all exposed. Plus, they both called me a few disparaging words. I got the longnose pliers and started to reach over the side of the boat to get that hook. My hand was a good foot away yet, when that shark jumped up and bit me on the thumb - dropped the pliers and several stitches later we were back home.

I was on lake Greeson one time bass fishing early in the morning. I rounded a point with the trolling motor and a man in a flat bottom immediately started hollering. Headed over there to see what he wanted. He was running trot line and had a hook hung in both hands - but the staging wasn't long enough on either hook to allow him to put his hands together. Got to deploy the string jerk hook removal method that day - twice.

And with the mention of the bald eagle diving in the water - again on lake Greeson with my wife - when an immature eagle dove and tried to catch something about 75 yds out from us. He went full on into the water - and he couldn't lift off. We watched him for about five minutes as he struggled to swim, using his wings, for the far bank about two hundred yards away. I could tell he was tiring because his pauses to rest got longer and he was getting lower in the water. We pulled anchor and headed out there. I scooped him up with the dip net and carried him to the shore and dumped him out. Yes, I know what a bald eagle looks like.

I could go on but my fingers are getting tired of typing.:up:
 
Well guys I have 2 stories...

I was at Conway last winter it's was very windy and cold water temp about 37 and a member was changing lures or something and I noticed his boat was being pushed by the wind really fast!!! I screams hey you're gonna hit the bridge pilon he says huh? And boom he overboard he goes he strips down after getting back in the boat and puts on his rain gear and says you can tell everyone this story but I'm not punk and finishes his limit of crappie!

Second story

Fishing a tournament and my buddy steps off the front deck and I hit I'm in the head with a 2.5 squarebill the hook goes through his hat and DEEP into his head I try to take it out but he kept screaming we gives his wife coordinates to pick him up well while fishing until she gets there I take a kneel to get another rod he sets the hook fish comes off and I take a 1oz weight to the temple!!!! We haven't been fishing with each other since but laugh everyday at work about it
 
Those two statements are in favor of the bald eagle, but a wet bald eagle is one that has a very hard time getting back into the air. I'm not saying you are wrong, I hope you don't think I'm being horsey, just pointing out what Jane Gully taught me years ago when I reported the very same sighting, with a large mouth bass being the unlucky eagle meal!:biggrin:
No. I don't think so. I just thought bald Eagle all these years. I'm pretty sure those birds still nest down there. I'll me fishing there pretty soon.
 
No. I don't think so. I just thought bald Eagle all these years. I'm pretty sure those birds still nest down there. I'll me fishing there pretty soon.
I'm not real sure, but I don't think the Osprey[fish eagle] nests in Arkansas....but they migrate through Arkansas regularly stopping to eat fish, just like we would stop at a restaurant on a long trip. Most likely because B.Eagles will steal and eat Osprey chicks.:thumb:
 
My dad and I were fishing the long rock jetty on the Arkansas River you can see on the east side of 440 when headed north. We had been catching a nice mess of bream and a few catfish on crickets. He caught a small bream and decided to use it for bait on his bass pole. He had rebaited and thrown his smaller pole back out while he was getting the bass pole ready.

A fish grabbed the small pole and took off with it. He dove after it and fell out of the boat. I was about 17 at the time, so I walked to the front of the boat to help him in. When he surfaced his entire face was covered in blood. I ran to the back of the boat and started it. I guess I panicked because he wasn't even in the boat. After he screamed at me to help him in the boat I calmed down and helped him in. His head was split from his hair line to the bridge of his nose all the way to the skull. We pulled up the anchor and headed back to the dock. About halfway to the dock his head stopped bleeding, so we turned around and went back fishing. He wanted to see if he could find his pole.

We finally get home that night and tell my mom he is going to need some stitches. She said" its only a scratch". Because by this time it looked like you had taken a red pen and drawn a perfect line front the top to the bottom of his forehead. So being my dad he pulled the wound open to show her. Your forehead looks thin, but its about a quarter inch thick. When he opened it up she passed out. I had to drag her from the bathroom to the bedroom unconscious.

When she woke up we took him to the hospital for 18 stitches.
 
A friend and I were fishing a series of ponds that were stacked and spring fed. In the last and biggest pond the Imported Florida bass were spawning. He caught two bass over 8 lbs while fishing for one that was much larger on a bed. She would go at his spinnerbait snd hit it with her tail or bump it. After a few of these misses she opened her mouth and he saw it happen and he set the hook too quick. That spinner bait came at him like a rocket and hit his arm sinking that barb in about an inch. No way we were getting it out so he tied on another lure of some kind and we fished for that 15 lb (guessing) bass for a couple more hours throwing everything we had in our tackle box. He finally got to hurting so bad that we went to a clinic in Maumelle and had it removed. They deadened everything and pushed the barb through his arm so they could cut the barb off and get it out. Ouch!!!
 
Me and 3 other buddies were crammed in a little flattbottom on Conway lake and the guy behind me went to chunk his crappie jig way out in the blue yonder and got it hung in the center of my earlobe. At first I thought I had gotten stung by a bee or something. I turned around and the guy behind me yanked the jig out of my ear. Now he claims to have got caught the biggest redear in arkansas.
 
I was fishing at Overcup years ago and friend I was fishing with got hung up. After a few good tugs it came free and he reeled in a rather large ladies pleasuring device. We laughed for hours until we got back to the boat ramp. The owner of lakeview hung it on the big fish hook over the door until his dad seen it and threw it back in the lake
 
One night a couple of years ago, I was working the banks on Norfork fishing for spawning walleye. There was no moon and it was pitch black. The walleye were in small pods of 6 or 8 males next to the bank waiting for a female to come up from deep water and when she got into the shallows, they would be all over her releasing milt while she was releasing eggs which would get fertilized and then sink down in the rocks to hatch a few weeks later. You could hear them splashing along the banks when a female got near them. Anyway, I chucked out my Rattling Rogue and hooked a pretty nice fish which was thrashing around on the surface when I got it back to the boat. I had a large striper landing net and when I swooped it through the water to net the fish, it felt quite a bit heavier than I though one fish would weight. When I got the net in the boat, I shined a light down into it and I had netted three walleye. Apparently the other two sensed the one on the hook thrashing around in the water was on a female and they came over to the boat to do their thing. Easiest three walleye I ever caught.


Cheers.....
 
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