Stoneroller

I don't know the lake regulations at table rock or bull shoals but at LOZ you don't have to pay launch fees at the boat ramps that charge them if you are launching a yak/canoe. I do try to stay out of the way of the guys with boats and trailers best I can though. Especially if they are paying to launch and i'm not, but I also don't let them push me around or rush me while i'm launching. that being said, great thing about a kayak or canoe, you can launch just about anywhere you can access the water.

a newly dug lake, with zero stocking, will have fish swimming in it within a year. nature has its ways. also don't count out someone catching little fishes somewhere else and dumping them in there. Consider the goldfish that swim around in those lakes.

yep, the new moon is around the 14th.

sometimes they do. it's usually one of those patterns within a pattern thing, but there are definately days when fish want a certain cadence or frequency of rattle over another. I have filmed a few times using rattling cranks in clear lakes and some fish are attracted to the rattle while others right next to those fish will be repelled by it. Only way to test it out i guess would be to go out with someone and one person throw a rattling model and someone else a silent model and see what happens.

that's a black and yellow orb weaver jack. also known as a garden spider look like this: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_and_yellow_argiope.htm

fish are in prespawn mode making beds, some will likely spawn friday with the new moon. likely to be a little slow on the smallmouth bite, but longear sunfish and rockbass should be on fire. water level has been fairly consistant for spring, which should be good. if all else fails you can always throw a zara spook for some topwater gar action in the back water areas.

take me, take me!!

don't bet on the cubs. they suck.

http://www.google.com/search?q=brown+recluse+bite&hl=en&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS442US443&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=7CZ-T67bAsni2QWQtfzxDQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CBQQ_AUoAQ&biw=1424&bih=697 I didn't want to post the pictures here, but take a look if you want. Don't screw around with a recluse bite. It can appear to heal and then weeks/months/even years later can reoccur in some people. Some have more extreme reactions to the toxin than others, but it's not something I'd roll dice on.

i've seen fish in prespawn nest selection mode, but I have yet to see any bass either in the rivers i've fished, or the lakes i've been to, that look gravid enough to spawn on the full moon friday. The drop in water temp wont be a huge deal, it's unlikely to plummet far, although it will drop a bit. This is actually better for the fish as the slightly lower water temps will prolong the spawning. but only from the view point of them having jumped up so fast for so long. it's all relative when it comes to seasonal fish breeding. They can't drop eggs that aren't fully developed, so although the warmer than normal temps we've had in early spring have sped up their spawning behavior, it's a matter of body condition, individual fish size/health, and egg development as to when actual spawning will occur. (of course in synch with the nearest moon cycle) bigger, healthier females tend to become gravid first, due to better body condition. They are usually the 'early' spawners. Keep in mind bass will spawn from now through at least early june and sometimes there are fall spawns too. Although it is science, it's not an exact science. Lots of random factors in place. But if we can maintain what we have, high 60's low 70's for highs and 50s for lows, along with normal spring flows, preferably without drastic flood events, the spawn will span a longer time this year than what we might be used to. Hopefully that will be good. I would note that the rock bass that i've caught look ready to pop. typically they spawn after the smallmouth spawn. also duck creek ca reports wood duck's fledging the nest prior to hooded merganser hatches. Usually it's the other way around. So we may see things this year we would not consider normal. Be ready for anything I guess.

the ones i've been catching were in 3-5' of water, near the backs of coves and FAT. and on bass baits.

powerboat tournaments* which this isn't. and since it's a month long photo submission contest, you don't need to worry about being elbow to elbow with other anglers. Fish your own spots, on your own time. Take a picture, per the guidelines and submit it. Doesn't get much easier and unobtrusive than that.

last summer was nothing compared the summer before. last year we only had a couple of short stretches of temps in the high 90's low 100's the year before we had 3 seperate week long 100+º temps. So yeah it's kind of relative to what you consider 'hot' I like the summers here. cold weather and cold water suck. I'm not sure how many potatoes you get off of one plant. I've only harvested potatoes one time with my great grandpa back when I was like 6 or 7. I want to say 5 or 6 spuds are a normal haul from one plant, but that could depend on any number of factors too.

Ron, what exactly bothers you about a CPR tournament? People are out catching fish, taking pictures of them, and then releasing them anyway. This just gives them an outlet to possibly win something for submitting a picture. CPR is the way tournaments will be headed. ALL kayak tournaments utilize this method and it is by far the most conservative and least obtrusive and dangerous method for a tournament format. Further, they are month long events, you can fish whereever, whenever (within the state boundaries), so it's not like we are putting 30 anglers on the same stretch of river in a day or weekend. You go fishing just like you always do every season. Nothing is different except now you can win something for submitting your photo. There is no downside to that. MSA is helping the sponsor the event. We will have slide shows of the winning fish during the MSA meeting following that event. Winners will be recognized at the meeting and will be given their prizes.

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this guy has over 130,000 videos lol holy crap! i'm pretty sure he has an idea of how to grow potatoes. enjoy.

it's better to plant potatoes in a mound, hence the tire full of dirt, for drainage purposes. you want roots of the plant to get water, but you want the potatoes themselves to be in well drained soil or they will rot. There is a certain end of the potatoe that has to point up but i can't remember how you tell the difference, a quick google search will tell you though. Peppers took a beating last year with the 50º wet spring and the rather mild summer. They love heat, the more the better. They also like well drained soil. Slugs also LOVE pepper plants, so I don't advise getting mulch near them if you mulch your garden. peppers and tomatoes are both hot weather plants, the hotter the better. so direct sunlight on the soil beneath the plant is good, just have to hand weed. my peppers didn't do worth a crap last year, but the year before rocked. I blame the weather last year for that as I did nothing different that I can think of...

I've always wondered why air boats aren't used on gravel rivers. they work great just about everywhere else. you want to talk about something intrusive and obnoxious, have someone in a 16 ft john boat with a 1200hp lycoming aircraft engine and a 9 foot prop strapped to it blow gallons of water driven by hurricane force winds at you. not to mention 150db noise level. a jet boat sudden seems very tame. that being said, I have to agree with ron kruger, I go out to the river to chill and relax. I'm like a ninja, I don't want to make any noises and I don't want anyone to see me. stealth!

excellent job andy!! no tag on the muskie? and it's good to see those lake smallies getting to catchable sizes. Shawn told me there should be some 16-18 inchers in the lake by now. They started stocking them in '05 but only put like 50 in that year.

^^^^^ this one

Happy to announce the First Annual Missouri Smallmouth Challenge Kayak/Canoe CPR Tournament. Sponsored by the Alpine Shop, R L Johnson Custom Rods, Creature Catcher Lures, and Huzzah Valley Campground. In partnership with Missouri Smallmouth Alliance. Brought to you by Fish On Kayak Adventures. Rules are on the website: http://fishonkayakadventures.com/missouri-smallmouth-challenge/ registration is now open. I am having my web guy polish up the website and streamline the registration process, in the meantime if you have questions or issues, please ask. 100% payout. Sponsor contigency prizes from Creature Catcher Lures. I will be speaking at the April 18th Missouri Smallmouth Alliance meeting, please plan to attend for more details! AND!!!! If you have a product or service and you'd like to be a sponsor, please contact me asap!! First Annual Missouri Smallmouth Challenge.pdf

I have another one, just waiting on the audio swap to finish, I'll post it soon.