I took my dad out yesterday (a Monday)and left feeling somewhat disappointed. We arrived at the Airport Ramp early at 0645 and there was already a line starting to form. As I was waiting to put in, one of the guides said a few days ago another "fisherman" parked next to his boat and started fishing the same hole as him! When the guide mentioned something about common courtesy, the guy lifted his shirt,revealed a handgun, and said it was a public river. Wow. That quick conversation pretty much set the tone for the rest of the trip. We launched after that and slowly started making our way up river. Within about 30 minutes, there was an armada of boats all hauling butt to get to the rapids ASAP. We passed one couple who thanked us for going slowly around them, but then listened as the wife used every expletive in her vocabulary to describe the other boats who nearly swamped theirs. We kept trolling and trying spots until we eventually found about 15-18 boats all tied within a few feet of each other. That is a little close for me, but one nice guy on the bank waived us over and said we could fish his spot as he just limited out. We did and started catching but I could tell the bite was slowing down. Then a huge pontoon came around the corner with about 8 guys on it listening to rap music really loud. Yeah, they tied off about 5 feet from us. About that time, another guy on the opposite side turns his country music up loud to counteract the rap music. I'm not sure what was worse, the music or the guy on his cell phone having a business conversation for 15 minutes so the whole river could hear. Anyhow, at this point I had about had it, so we headed back. As we approached the ramp, there was a guy with his boat parked near the water cleaning the 50 whites he and his daughter caught. He paid no attention to us or the guys in a canoe behind us who could have loaded quickly if he was not blocking one of the ramps. No, he just kept filleting fish and tossing the carcasses in the river. When we pulled out we met a friendly Game Warden who was asked about out trip and how we did. As I explained everything, he agreed that the river was packed with people and that the fishing was becoming hit or miss. He then left us and turned his attention to Mr. Courteous who was still filleting fish and making a mess on the ramp. Before I left, I removed a 12 pack of empty Natie Light bottles which were broken and in the middle of the parking lot. Oh yeah, we brought home 14 white bass.

I took my dad out yesterday (a Monday)and left feeling somewhat disappointed. We arrived at the Airport Ramp early at 0645 and there was already a line starting to form. As I was waiting to put in, one of the guides said a few days ago another "fisherman" parked next to his boat and started fishing the same hole as him! When the guide mentioned something about common courtesy, the guy lifted his shirt,revealed a handgun, and said it was a public river. Wow. That quick conversation pretty much set the tone for the rest of the trip. We launched after that and slowly started making our way up river. Within about 30 minutes, there was an armada of boats all hauling butt to get to the rapids ASAP. We passed one couple who thanked us for going slowly around them, but then listened as the wife used every expletive in her vocabulary to describe the other boats who nearly swamped theirs. We kept trolling and trying spots until we eventually found about 15-18 boats all tied within a few feet of each other. That is a little close for me, but one nice guy on the bank waived us over and said we could fish his spot as he just limited out. We did and started catching but I could tell the bite was slowing down. Then a huge pontoon came around the corner with about 8 guys on it listening to rap music really loud. Yeah, they tied off about 5 feet from us. About that time, another guy on the opposite side turns his country music up loud to counteract the rap music. I'm not sure what was worse, the music or the guy on his cell phone having a business conversation for 15 minutes so the whole river could hear. Anyhow, at this point I had about had it, so we headed back. As we approached the ramp, there was a guy with his boat parked near the water cleaning the 50 whites he and his daughter caught. He paid no attention to us or the guys in a canoe behind us who could have loaded quickly if he was not blocking one of the ramps. No, he just kept filleting fish and tossing the carcasses in the river. When we pulled out we met a friendly Game Warden who was asked about out trip and how we did. As I explained everything, he agreed that the river was packed with people and that the fishing was becoming hit or miss. He then left us and turned his attention to Mr. Courteous who was still filleting fish and making a mess on the ramp. Before I left, I removed a 12 pack of empty Natie Light bottles which were broken and in the middle of the parking lot. Oh yeah, we brought home 14 white bass.

I was one of the guys in the canoe that pulled in behind y'all at the ramp. I was at the ramp when the game warden came down to talk to the guy. From what I could tell the guy played dumb and the game warden just told him not to do it again.

The fishing was slow for us. We managed to catch 6 total but never could find a spot with consistent action.

Has the spawn really started yet or is it still just building?

Hey nice to meet u Chad! Yeah about two weeks earlier my boys and I had a great time and didn't have to go far to fill the ice chest. Yesterday was tough fishing for sure. We fried the ones we caught last night and they were good. Thanks again for the ones you guys gave us!

I took my dad out yesterday (a Monday)and left feeling somewhat disappointed. We arrived at the Airport Ramp early at 0645 and there was already a line starting to form. As I was waiting to put in, one of the guides said a few days ago another "fisherman" parked next to his boat and started fishing the same hole as him! When the guide mentioned something about common courtesy, the guy lifted his shirt,revealed a handgun, and said it was a public river. Wow. That quick conversation pretty much set the tone for the rest of the trip. We launched after that and slowly started making our way up river. Within about 30 minutes, there was an armada of boats all hauling butt to get to the rapids ASAP. We passed one couple who thanked us for going slowly around them, but then listened as the wife used every expletive in her vocabulary to describe the other boats who nearly swamped theirs. We kept trolling and trying spots until we eventually found about 15-18 boats all tied within a few feet of each other. That is a little close for me, but one nice guy on the bank waived us over and said we could fish his spot as he just limited out. We did and started catching but I could tell the bite was slowing down. Then a huge pontoon came around the corner with about 8 guys on it listening to rap music really loud. Yeah, they tied off about 5 feet from us. About that time, another guy on the opposite side turns his country music up loud to counteract the rap music. I'm not sure what was worse, the music or the guy on his cell phone having a business conversation for 15 minutes so the whole river could hear. Anyhow, at this point I had about had it, so we headed back. As we approached the ramp, there was a guy with his boat parked near the water cleaning the 50 whites he and his daughter caught. He paid no attention to us or the guys in a canoe behind us who could have loaded quickly if he was not blocking one of the ramps. No, he just kept filleting fish and tossing the carcasses in the river. When we pulled out we met a friendly Game Warden who was asked about out trip and how we did. As I explained everything, he agreed that the river was packed with people and that the fishing was becoming hit or miss. He then left us and turned his attention to Mr. Courteous who was still filleting fish and making a mess on the ramp. Before I left, I removed a 12 pack of empty Natie Light bottles which were broken and in the middle of the parking lot. Oh yeah, we brought home 14 white bass.

I took my dad out yesterday (a Monday)and left feeling somewhat disappointed. We arrived at the Airport Ramp early at 0645 and there was already a line starting to form. As I was waiting to put in, one of the guides said a few days ago another "fisherman" parked next to his boat and started fishing the same hole as him! When the guide mentioned something about common courtesy, the guy lifted his shirt,revealed a handgun, and said it was a public river. Wow. That quick conversation pretty much set the tone for the rest of the trip. We launched after that and slowly started making our way up river. Within about 30 minutes, there was an armada of boats all hauling butt to get to the rapids ASAP. We passed one couple who thanked us for going slowly around them, but then listened as the wife used every expletive in her vocabulary to describe the other boats who nearly swamped theirs. We kept trolling and trying spots until we eventually found about 15-18 boats all tied within a few feet of each other. That is a little close for me, but one nice guy on the bank waived us over and said we could fish his spot as he just limited out. We did and started catching but I could tell the bite was slowing down. Then a huge pontoon came around the corner with about 8 guys on it listening to rap music really loud. Yeah, they tied off about 5 feet from us. About that time, another guy on the opposite side turns his country music up loud to counteract the rap music. I'm not sure what was worse, the music or the guy on his cell phone having a business conversation for 15 minutes so the whole river could hear. Anyhow, at this point I had about had it, so we headed back. As we approached the ramp, there was a guy with his boat parked near the water cleaning the 50 whites he and his daughter caught. He paid no attention to us or the guys in a canoe behind us who could have loaded quickly if he was not blocking one of the ramps. No, he just kept filleting fish and tossing the carcasses in the river. When we pulled out we met a friendly Game Warden who was asked about out trip and how we did. As I explained everything, he agreed that the river was packed with people and that the fishing was becoming hit or miss. He then left us and turned his attention to Mr. Courteous who was still filleting fish and making a mess on the ramp. Before I left, I removed a 12 pack of empty Natie Light bottles which were broken and in the middle of the parking lot. Oh yeah, we brought home 14 white bass.

nothing against guides in general, but come on...it takes ZERO skill or imagination to take people on a fishing trip up the river and hit the white bass...

I know one of the guides not well, just met and talked with him a few times and I run into him ever so often on the water, and he is one that fishes it most every day down there on the river.
Personally I couldn't do it and put up with all that he puts up with, and getting $300 a trip isn't worth it.
He takes out a few people and limits out and is back home by noon, so that's not a bad payday but when you figure in all the gas and other expenses it doesn't sound like much.
You can't blame the guy as long as there are people lined up to pay, so what if it's shooting fish in a barrel for a few hours?
I'd also add that he is booked up, and I'm sure the others are also.