Kayser

7x, soft hookset, then she porpoised to give me a good look. But now I know where she lives. Just praying for more rain...

Sunday was great, but I left heartbroken and itching to go back.

But what if you planned on moving out-of-state, but returning to hunt and fish regularly as a non-resident? The payoff is about 1/3 of the time, after that.

I hit it up over the summer, but it was low and super clear. Mainly dinks. Going to let the aquifer recharge before I head there again.

You mentioned the Bagley Smoo- I've got a couple, but never really tried them. How well do they work?

I'm kind of curious how fast fish can digest meals in the lower water temps- just to see how long it takes them to empty their bulging bellies.

I'm game. Opens Memorial Day, right?

Don't think he's teaching- most likely working on an experiment as a paid lab tech for the university. Your best bet would be to go to Jeff City (or nearby) on the MO River and ask around for a commercial fisherman. When you find one, get in contact with them and ask about acquiring some live gar. This shouldn't be too hard if you're willing to drive. Gar are kinda plentiful, and very hardy, so they should be in good shape if the fisherman has a stock tank to keep them in. Good luck.

Spotted bass are everywhere, they're pushing out smallmouth, they grow quick, and are pretty darn tasty. Filleted or whole, fried or grilled- gotta love spots for saving a fish fry.

I seem to remember a massive kill on the upper Bourb about 15? years ago, after some levee on a chicken farm retention pond broke during a flood and washed into the river near Gerald. Before the event- mussels, crawfish, hellgramites, and minnows everywhere. After? Nothing, and horrible fishing to go with it- just piles of dirty river foam after every riffle. Finally started to see signs of life a few years ago. But... uhhh... still no fish... No fish at all in that river...

So I've got an opportunity to buy some Husky Jerks for a little less than I can get Rogues in person. I don't want/need a full box of stickbaits, so which should I go with?

Another stupid question- suspending, or floating minnow/jerkbaits?

I was more looking at "rapala, rogue, or 'super-$$$$$ bass bait'" or some brand I'm unfamiliar with. I've always used husky jerks for bass/crappie in the winter in the blue/silver, but walleye are different... I know white and subtle naturals are best for the sunfish in winter, but I didn't know if MO walleye had a similar temperature-dependent color preference.

I keep hearing "jerkbaits" for walleye, but hardly ever suggestions on color, size, or style. I was just curious what size/color seems to work? I was considering getting some husky-jerks or X-raps (affordable for me), but don't know which sizes/colors I should throw. Big, medium, small? Bright, natural, white? Do rattles make a difference? I'm going to be fishing clear or stained water locally, in a river, if that helps.

Nope, haven't had the yak out, Wally. I was working yesterday, couldn't make it. Starting to go stir crazy with that warm weather. It looks like we might get some decent weather for it at the end of the month. I just need to tie up some jigs and go fish. Or jerkbaits. Need to get jerkbaits.

Fly Gear 4wt 8' R.L. Winston Boron II w/ Abel TR1. Bought cheap 5wt 8'6" Cabela's Stowaway 5pc w/ a salvaged Dogwood Canyon reel 6-7wt 8' garage-sale special for bass/bluegill Casting 7' Tackle Plus Luxor w/ Abu Garcia Ambassadeur Express 14lb mono 7' Cabela's Fish Eagle II w/ Abu Garcia Abassadeur 6600 C4 (not spooled/tested yet) 12lb mono most likely Spinning 6'6" Daiwa Samurai MH w/ Abu Garcia Cardinal 8lb mono 6'6" No-name Med w/ Shimano ?? 2000 triggerspin 6lb mono 5' BPS Microlite UL w/ Shimano ?? 500 2lb maxima Ultragreen Almost everything here was bought at less than 50% value or given to me as a christmas/birthday gift, and I built one or two myself. I'm looking at building myself a 7 or 8wt fly rod next (I want boron/slow action), and putting a reel on it with a decent drag.

Working at Dick's- West Country, can confirm that price.

Yeah, not sure how much of a "honey hole" it really is, Wally. Been back 3 times since, lost a few baits, only caught one 2lb gizzard shad. I really need to get out in the kayak and cover some more water- waders aren't cutting it. I've just got a lot of paperwork eating my free time right now, probably be done around New Years...

FNF, those numbers are pre-front, from the fourth and fifth, front was 8-9th. I'd like to see the numbers from today/tomorrow.

I'm a fan of dragging texas-rigged tubes through heavy brush and for use in rivers. I can throw it on spinning tackle, making it great for smaller fish. I like a big jig-n-craw for fishing big water- bigger profile, added rattle, bit of flash in the skirts, and a football head comes through chunk rock really easy. Put it on a baitcast to throw a mile and help pull up the bigger bites.

Classic red/white spoons fished painfully slow; chartreuse crappie jigs under a float once it get super cold; small husky jerks on a 3-way rig with a sinker, drug slowly across the bottom; 3" smoke grubs on a light jighead, slow on the bottom; light, partially white bucktail jigs; and finally, live minnows. The key here is to fish so slow you can feel every little pebble or leaf you're coming across, or let the wind shake your float n' fly rig. Slow enough that a turkey wouldn't notice if it were looking right at you. Warmer days with big south winds are the most productive for me, even if ice is still partially on the lake. Fish will be near deep water, normally near a break and some brush, but can come up shallow towards rip rap on sunnier days.

Find bigger water with some slower pools for bass.

Yep. The fish are there. I just prefer to let them go when the water is low like this- they bunch up in the deeper holes and can be hard to get to bite, and easy to spook.

Doesn't really matter which way you fish.

FS Rd 1576 crosses Mill Creek just upstream from the MTNF picnic area, and follows a different creek/hollow, up a ridge to cross Hwy T, then down the other side to the Vida Slab Bridge on the Little Piney. The road it branches off from runs from Hwy P, along Mill, past the Picnic area, and then to Bohigian on Hwy AA. So basically, those red marks are for parking along Kaintuck Hollow, and not Mill Creek. If you come from Newburg, take T to P, you'll see the MTNF Mill Creek Picnic area sign on the right, with the gravel road on the left. Go a couple miles and the parking area will be on your left. Or, you could pass this road, go up the hill, take the left on AA, and then Bohigian will be on your left. Gravel parking lot.