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http://Watch "New Missouri state record yellow perch" on YouTube https://youtu.be/dbEpL2Bz4SY We were fortunate enough to be nearby when Steve Mullen caught the new state record yellow perch. Steve asked if anybody had a scale. I told him that I do, bring it over and we'll weigh it. Steve just wanted a weight and a picture so he could release it. It weighed 2lb 2oz on my scale! What a fish! She was so full of eggs she looked like she was gonna pop. Steve and my buddy Bryan tried to revive the fish for release but it was unsuccessful. Steve was pretty bummed. He really wanted to let her go. Since he was unable to release her he took the fish to a bait shop to get an official weight of 2.216 lbs. Even bigger than we thought. He called MDC but since it was President's day they were closed or understaffed and could come out to check it. He left the fish in the stores bait tank in hopes of reviving it but it didn't look like she was gonna make it last I spoke with him. It was really cool seeing a state record fish and meeting a guy like Steve that wanted to get a picture and let her go.

Having power tilt/trim will spoil you. I run a jet and trim it all the way down so I get up on plane the quickest. When I'm on plane, I will trim the motor back a bit and gain several more MPH. That's just outboards in general and not specific to those with jet lowers.

i want from not having it on my old boat and then having it on my new boat and now would not be without tilt and trim. But i had a jet so probably not apples to apples. With the jet with out power trim every time i wanted to pull to the shore i was always worried about sucking gravel or junk into the jet. With power trim i just trimmed it up as i was beaching. i am sure that is the same deal with a prop, but maybe not as important.

Here’s another one I uploaded from last season. Always love the ones with me and Landen. Two part show with some catfishing here at home on the St Francis and some trout fishing up on white river with some white river zig jigs!

i have this pic from our old river place on the Meramec that i took when i was planting some milkweed for monarchs. In the background is the bluebird house i put up. i think the plan was to show the before and after of the milkweed. The bluebird house had been there a few years by then. i think it was the spring of 2015 when i put it there and a week after setting it in place, there was a pair of bluebirds using it. I remember this because i saw the female going in and out of the house and when i looked, there was a nest in it. A couple weeks after that we had a spring flood and the water got up to where it flooded that field and the water was about 2 foot high on the post that held the bluebird house. And the bluebirds didn't care and never missed a beat and had a bunch of babies over the years up until we sold the place. I often wonder now if it is still there and they are still using it. Btw, i don't remember ever seeing milkweed after it flooded and i figured the seed had washed away.

My first time out since January 31, either because of bad weather or stuff going on in life, I haven't had an opportunity to get out until today. Nice morning, little to no breeze, temps started out at around 32 and gradually warmed up to the mid 50's. Water temp was 44-46 with a bit of a stain. Launched about 0700 and started fishing a long rocky underwater ledge working a 110 +1. Fished it for 30 minutes or so, caught a couple of 14" spots on the +1, but as I was fishing I was watching the depth finder and seeing a bass on the bottom here and there. Just wasn't catching them fast enough on the JB, so fell back on the Ned rig. First cast on the Ned, I caught a keeper spot. Thought I was on to some hot fishing with it, but it wasn't hot, however there were bites to be had. Worked the rock ledges, points and chunk banks, in the 20-30 foot range, and caught another 13 bass on the Ned, with 8 of them being keepers. A couple of them were really solid spots. Used a black Nutech crappie jig for my Ned rig, I have been using a chartreuse head last month and felt it gave me a better chance at catching smallies. And I did not catch a smallie today on the black head, did catch a mean mouth, but maybe there is something to smallies liking that chartreuse head. Guess I will have to continue with my 'research'. Lots of people fishing today, 8 rigs in the Big M lot when I left and lots of boats running up and down the channel. This post has been promoted to an article

The female Bluebird is known as the "decider" ( kind of like the human female 😉 ) on where she's gonna' make her nest. Bluebirds are super picky about the amount of Sunshine, nearby areas of vegetation for the fledglings to fly to when they first leave the nest, the direction the box opening faces ( East or South seems to work ) and even the type of mounting pole the box is mounted on in picking a nest box site. We've had luck with all three of our boxes on just one Acre but have an ongoing battle over the formerly most popular box with these darned sparrows that have taken it over. Due to our local population of welcome Blacksnakes and Kingsnakes, we used square metal tubing for the mounting poles since those snakes cannot climb them and get into the nest box. We've also had to run Wasps out of the boxes that the Bluebirds will not come near and do that with regular Wasp spray followed by a simple wash-out of the box. The lady who runs the Wild Birds store over in Branson told us to leave the nesting material in the box during the Winter and said the Bluebirds will use them as night-time shelter. Also liked tho1mas's suggestion about clearing overhead, nearby limbs.

Went over to tennkiller Sunday afternoon and caught some largemouths that were wearing bright red lipstick.

I grew up in North West NJ, Sussex County. I'm an Appalachian Mtn. Born and Raised Country boy. I'm not from Joisey Proud son of the Skylands region of NJ , near the border of NY, NJ and Pennsylvania in the Kittatinny Mountains. My family has history as some of the first inhabitants of the Milbrook Village in the Delaware Water Gap. A pretty popular tourist location with one room schoolhouse, black smith shop and all the trappings of the old world. http://www.njskylands.com/hsmillbrookvillage My Nanna, Pop-Pop and family were some of the initial inhabitants of what is now National Park...Part of the Tocks Island Project. The Gov. gave life rights to land owners and the plan was to flood the region for a giant reservoir.... Thankfully this beautiful land never was flooded but we lost family legacy and land. I will take you through this journey of my life and family as I have time and reflect on the things that made me who I am as an outdoorsman and naturalist. My hope is this will give some insight into who I am and what I stand for and the foundation of my youth and the cornerstone of my psyche. In short I have a love of the outdoors instilled by my Grandfather and Father. It's a journey I hope you will take with me as I relive the escapades and moments that are at time cringeworthy, funny and worthy of personal growth and the love of all things in the Natural world. Check back as I up date and record my life. Pop-Pop (Joseph Lowick..."Joe") It's the mid 1970's - Dog days of summer have passed. Damp fall weather is setting in on the Ridge "Kittatinny Mtn Range in Sussex County NJ". Been raining a couple days now.... but Pop-Pop said on his weekly visit to say hi (watch the fights on the Cable TV)........ "You come help in the garden and help me get prepped for the Indian corn" I got a surprise for ya. Then he unceremoniously spat in his hills bros. coffee can. A process repeated all day every day as evident by the stain on his white short whiskered chin. Surprises always meant Eel fishing the Delaware River with a drop line. It also meant a stop at the store to pick up pickled pigs feet, more RedMan for Pop-Pop, and Yoo-Hoo for me. If we were lucky and got an early enough start, we got to bring the pitchforks and hunt for baby Lamprey Eel. (Pop-Pop would scoop the pitchfork into a brush/twig pile known to house and protect the young Lamprey Eel from fish and other predators and scoop it out onto the embankment where the fun ensued) Lamprey Hunt = A fast reflex game great for kids catching the squiggling young lamprey before it can get back in to the creek. We hunted the feeder creeks for about an hour looking for Lamprey nests as we called them (not allowed any more). If we got skunked we reverted to use the garden worms we dug up before leaving to head over the mountain. I can only remember doing this twice growing up because it was a rare occasion.. Other times we'd just pick Indian artifacts along the Delaware in the plowed up fields being made ready for winter wheat Anyway - Pop-Pop didn't disappoint. We got to go Eel fishing but the real surprise would come later.......My first time working the Eel Weir. Pop-Pops commercial Eel Harvesting Operation. The Weir Hawkeye and Pierce just had a back and forth that caused a belly laugh with Dad and I to close out the night's episode of MASH when I heard the front door creek open to Pop-Pop saying his customary entry....No-Bah-Dee Home! He appeared out of the dark entry into the glow of the TV light spilling from the living room into the dark foyer. "YOU READY????" Now,.... I wasn't sure what ready meant...I had been Eel fishing that Saturday and ABC's Wide World Of Sports wasn't for another couple days. So it wasn't "Ready" for Boxing and Howard Cosell and the fights we loved to watch.. Always got a kick out of hearing Pop-Pops commentary on the fights... even more so then Howard's...which is saying a lot. He said get your play coat..... I obliged...I didn't ask Mom or Dad...apparently didn't have too....it was a given this was ok...I guess cause they never said... school night or you'll catch a death of cold or none of that silly stuff. Off we went....Just down the road from the house at the bottom of the hill was the Paulinskill and the town Gristmill that just so happened to have the most fabulous Eel Weir I have ever seen or come to know... I've seen Many.

My buddy went nuts for a Clacka back about ten years ago and he quickly tried to sell it due to the rowing aspect. Can't fish and row. We had a college kid doing it for us for a couple trips but he got tired of rowing and not fishing too.

https://www.wired2fish.com/news/angler-busts-giant-5-fish-limit-in-bass-tournament/

Looks like the 90 hp, 75hp, and the 60HO are the exact same spec wise. All in the tuning I suppose?

Dude you shoulda called me! I would never let you go without beer!

Fished Joe Bass today and team to the dam to start my day. 2 good keepers on first spot. Then it went dry for a spell. Finally caught another keeper in long creek. Caught 2 more for my limit back toward kimberling. Had 7 bites boated 6 of them with 5 being keepers. All came on jerkbait. 25 and change was first when I left big fish was 7.20. My 5 weighed 12.18. I was glad to have them. Good luck when you get to go.

https://www.swpa.gov/generationschedules.aspx But remember it's just a projected schedule, they may have a need earlier or not need the generation at all.

Some say that it's caused from them feeding on crawdads.

http://www.brittanyclubs.com/StLouis/index.html There are some nice folks in this club, with some fine bird dogs. Bet some would love to come work dogs.

I used to have an 18.5 x 54 semi vee with a Yamaha Pro 50 that had tilt and trim. I really liked it. Wish I had never sold it.

That's amazing! When your bass average 8.1 lbs, and everyone else's bass average 3.8 lbs... you're doing something REALLY right. Congrats to the winner! I wonder if he had the Panoptix Livescope?

I fish my Hooligan solo a lot. It has a pretty sweet anchor system right in front of the rowers seat to either drop and anchor to cast as you work your way down a river. Or simply lower it just enough to drag for a very controlled drift while standing and casting. Will plan to do the same on lower flows with power anchor system and break away straps on our river boat. But at really high flows we'll take turns rowing and fishing with someone on the oars

Horsepower and displacement are all that really matters when it comes to jets. The gear case stuff doesn't pertain as I think that is only for the prop lowers. Is that right @fishinwrench?

https://www.evinrude.com/en-US/e-tec/e-tec-full-specs.html#tab=7

The 60 is a 52.7cu block and the 60ho is 79.1. I imagine the 60ho will have more noticeable torque since due to the higher displacement and extra cylinder. The 60ho also weighs 80lbs more than the non-ho 60. I'd go with the 60ho or bump up to the 90 since they weigh the same (same block as Brett already mentioned).

I run a 60/40 HO on mine Pete. My old 60/40 would run 27to 28. This one will run low 30s. I have an 18/52 now as opposed to 17/52 on the old motor. I didn’t really want the extra speed as much as the ability to plane out better with more weight. I believe the HO does that better for me. With 3 batteries, gear and trolling moter and if I wanna take 2 guys with me. My boat will still plane good and run high 20s. It’s more weight on the back being a 90hp head detuned or whatever but love it after 2 years of use

I saw that. That is completely insane!

Think yours runs fine Pete...Owe you a trip in the paddle jon.

I thought those duck dynasty guys shaved their beards

I've killed several coyotes at 250-300 yards with 30-30 and iron sights, killed one deer at ~250 yards, all in Nv. long time ago. I was shooting about everyday back then and knew the hold overs. With a scope, I'd probably not try it much past the sight in distance. Scope interferes too much with judgements/guesses/windage/hold-over/etc.; with a scope I try to make all shots at or near the sight in range. 30-30 has huge drop in trajectory, so it's easy to shoot real high or real low at other distances. With the "wisdom" of old age and having dragged a few deer, I seldom shoot at a deer past 50 yards with any rifle, unless it obvious I can drive to it. I killed a 135# deer once, very tender.

Well Arm is still feeling different, going to find out more on it in April. Still haven't heard on my Drain Tube. By June I should know what the Lord offers me in life and will accept anything. oneshot

I Will be there Glenn if I can if I am still living and here are living in Washington Mo. But really do not think we will be gone by then. House is not be listed till mid next month. But the Realtor does expect it to go very fast. Said it was a premium house for a small house this size She wants to list it for over 300K

Looked at the interweb and there were pic's of Bluebirds on Suet feeders everywhere so I guess I'm not special. I have 4 MDC Bluebird boxes out on 40 acres and they just won't rent them. They are made and hung according to their recommendations and nothing. They will nest in a hanging basket on the porch or under the Porta Coe in a grill, but nothing in the boxes. Nothing is using the boxes, I have had them up for 10 plus years and no birds nest in them, every year, clean as a whistle. About every year I will see males go into the boxes, especially the one just outside my boat shed. He goes in and then gets on top and flutters and calls and she then goes inside, stays a few seconds and then comes out and sits on the roof and POOPS. That's usually about the end of that. Seems pretty rude to me, but she had made her decision.

Went out for just for a couple of hours in the AM. I knew it wasn't going to be a perfect weather day. But it had been awhile and I was jonesing bad. Cloudy and cool. Temperature was around 50 and a much harder wind than foretasted, which would be par. Occasional sprinkles. Not a productive fishing day. Caught one 14 inch LM on a jerkbait and, and another short Spot on a RC55. Didn't get bit on the ned, But didn't fish it that hard. Fished the Cedar Ridge area. Water was slightly colored for Stockton and was clearer as you headed west and north. Surface temp varied in the 38 to 39 range.

I generally just use the canoe as a taxi when trout fishing. There's something about having a good stretch of wading water all to yourself that I find so relaxing, and take the time to fish a stretch hard to figure out where the fish are feeding, instead of floating thru and getting 3-4 casts. I could spend all day on a 5 mile stretch of water, and pull over every 1/4 mile at a spot. Plus sitting in a canoe all day is tough on these old bones.

For me, after top water, square bill bite is the next best as far as having fun.

Hope he has it by then. Michael is still waiting

I fried up a few breasts today for lunch. Boy were they good! Cut them up in to bite sized pieces, dredged in flour, egg wash and Italian bread crumbs and then deep fried for two minutes at 350 degrees. Not sure if it's because I cut them in smaller pieces or what, but they seemed extra juicy and much better than the fried wild turkey that I've made the past few times. I'm going to fry the rest up next weekend for us when we are down at Taneycomo for Lilleys' Elfrink trout tournament.

When we were kids we jumped on a train slowing down through Mexico, and hopped off when it slowed down through Centralia. Goofed off in Centralia all day then hopped another train back that night. That was a blast! Hanging on the side of a railcar when it crosses a creek trestle is a major headrush.

mitch, just as with anything, time on the water does not do a bit of good if you are not learning all the time while on the water. there are those that put in the time, but are just going through the motions. there are those that can read a book three times and still not tell you much about the book. then you have those that can scan through the same book, and be 80% accurate about what the book was about. jacob wheeler is way ahead of the curve. everyone else had better buckle down and learn to utilize the great tools that are now available. maybe, we need to have tournaments where you can only use a flasher. bo

“Franco goes in where the others have been”

Wood Peckers are still here. Robins have vacated. Had an accident yesterday with one of the Peckers, as he hit the french door at full tilt. Somewhat stunned but he took back off after about 30 minutes of head clearing time. I simply cannot keep the feeders full. Going to have to get a part time job at TSC to keep in bird feed.

There’s a guy named Randy that fishes that lake. But unless you’re one of those personal injury types, with a billboard, and a bunch of 7’s in your phone number...I doubt you could afford him.

Got some yard work done and a nice breeze started to ripple the lake so I just could not resist. Hit the water at 2 pm and put her back on the trailer at 5 pm. Surface temp at Old 86 was 48.1 with the water color being super clear, I could see the stick bait down there 10' Wind out of the West so I headed across to Clevenger and hit a transition. Only fished a stick bait today one black head blue blend body custom megabass and a megabass plus 1 pearl Tim Hughes custom paint. Caught 4 keepers in the 3 hrs. with one good LM. He was long and not heavy, I'm thinking a male. 19" on my Phoenix board. 3 nice K's and they totally slammed it. Caught all the K's on one bank that did have a little color under the 86 bridge. If you find them this time of year don't leave them. They are for sure not on every bank. LM came out of the clear water in Clevenger and I had two others slap at it, one of them missed it twice, or I missed him twice, I'm trying to decide. I just kind of ran out of time on the K bank as on the first past I had the 3. I could see them. Boat in about 25' and there were fish under me at about 10 to 15'. When I pulled in I knew I would catch one and I did on my first cast. That's the first fish I have seen so far this Winter up in the water column on a transition bank, hopefully not the last. I only fished about 30 yrds. and I'm sure there were more there,I just was running out of light. Good Luck This post has been promoted to an article

Not one of mine obviously but ran onto this recently. Thought I’d post it in honor of Forrest Wood. Enjoyed this one from the good ole days were Orlando fishes with Forrest on the White River.