Stoneroller

http://mdc.mo.gov/contact-us/operation-game-thief Unmarked limb/trot/jug lines are a clear violation of the wildlife code and are subject to summary removal when discovered. Any complaints/issues/problems with this policy can be discussed with the local conservation agent, whom I will gladly call. =)

I have a sit on top kayak and fish everything from lakes to rivers, both fast and slow. I'd like to learn more about fast water rescue and safety techniques, even if that is paddle strokes to keep you out of trouble or reading water to pick a safer line or tying knots and rigging lines. I think it all kind of ties together and there is always something to learn in every experience. Training is a much safer way to prepare than to wait for all hell to break loose.

I'd be interested too.

eff obima too! lol that is awesome.

I love it when a plan comes together. <lights a stogie>

hopper and a dropper, bang away at the areas where there is a deep run or pool (deep being relative to overall stream depth) with tall grass on the shoreline. otherwise pick a terrestrial and dropper of your choice. aug/sept are the months to go with big profile terrestrials. should be able to get a bite in any stream/river in missouri with that combination. i've never been on that river, but it's supposed to be one of the best in the state. i'd imagine you can catch trout below bennett till the water temp starts to climb but you still may find some near spring inlets/discharges, otherwise i'd expect smallies/spots/largemouths.

yes the bite picks up as the weather cools off. I think they stock more heavily when its cooler, but I could be wrong. I've fished there in recent years where literally every other cast was a fish and not all were stockers, some were good sized fish.

Nice fish and great report, I've been looking for some information on Sunnen Lake and haven't been able to find much, great timing.

and you released it back in the water to grow bigger so someone else can catch it at a later date?

chances are the bass will be able to dislodge the lure, as topwater lures are typically in the lip of the fish as opposed to deeper in, so don't feel too bad. consider how easy it is for a fish to throw a lure if there is slack in your line. he'll rub that thing against a rock or root and pop it out in no time.

I fish Mineral Fork frequently throughout the summer. if you dont mind carrying your boat down from the 47 bridge you can float from there to the kingston access, but you then have a 1/4 hike through the woods to get to the parking area. better is to float from 47 to the take out on the big river at the mammoth access. the water is pretty low right now, but you can wade the creek and float the pools. local fishing pressure and development along the banks of the stream in recent years has decimated that creek. when I started fishing it around 2002, rarely would I see other people, their trash, or the destruction of the creek. now it's all too common. also note, many of the locals around there think it's legal to shoot someone for stepping out of the creekbed (water). The guy who was giving me a hard time claimed that the local conservation agent told him it was tresspassing if someone wasn't in the water. I offered to call MDC on my phone and he decided to go hassle someone else. I'd like to note in the 8 years I've fished down there, probably 10+ trips each season, I have NEVER seen MDC down there enforcing the regulations on that stretch of water. Keep in mind it is a special regulation area only 1 smallmouth over 15 inches may be kept. with no enforcement and being such a small stream, it didnt take long for the fish in that stretch to be decimated.

one even bigger issue with live bait fishing is the introduction of non native and/or invasive species into a habitat where they aren't normally found.

the rod holder and cooler are already there, you just jam either your fishing rod or drink down into the foam pontoon and wah lah! 'custom' and 'infintely adjustable'

Al, I think you hit the nail on the head with they hybridization of the rock bass and shadow bass up top, cause in these pictures you can clearly see the rock bass in the upper picture. the bottom one looks like a warmouth, Lepomis gulosus to me.

I will spread this picture around among my kayaking friends and see if anyone sees or hears of anything. kyles # is in my phone if anything comes up. thieving piece of dung scumbags make my skin crawl and my trigger finger twitchy.

wow those are awesome! both the tackle box holders and the seat back.(although i abhore walmarx) you could even get tricky with the seat back and make it from teak although i'm sure it would be more spendy.

those are real ducks so shocked by what they see that they've lost all fear of man.

my personal favorite is the hydrodynamic shape of the pontoons. stealth is for ninjas. this thing uses it's bow wake to push all the fish into the shallows, "so's you'uns can snatch em up easier". <cue the general lee jumping the pond in the background>

Gentlemen, I believe we have a winner. it's even got a trolling motor!

Ford stock will continue to go up too. http://abrn.search-autoparts.com/abrn/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=680393 seems Ford is the only manufacturer willing to stand up for safety against cheap and dangerous aftermarket parts. Make sure you know your body shop!

the tank well is self bailing so it wouldn't fill up, but the weight of the water would make the rear end sit much deeper in the water. it would also be possible to use some scupper plugs and feed the hose through them. you are right a stringer would work along with a flow through minnow bucket if you were fishing with live bait. I was also thinking one of those floating fish baskets might not be a bad idea.

no I dont have a livewell. I catch and release only, but it would be very easy to make one for the back tank well area. tubes could be run down through the scupper holes for water intake and exhaust. it would be as simple as picking a suitable sized container, getting an areator pump, some tubing, wiring and a small 12v battery and putting it all together. there are some premade ones on the market. hobie makes one, but it's pricey and that's a total diy project.

true joe, but keep in mind we are talking about relative size for pictures. and eric your fish was all of 16 with it's mouth closed. i like the paddle idea, it's also easy to get wet. I've seen some nets that also have measuring marks along them, but they of course suffer from the issue of not being on the same plane as the subject. holding a ruler 6 inches above the fish and taking a picture will obviously skew the relative size and most nets are deeper than 6 inches.

http://www.animatedknots.com/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com great website with step by step animations of fishing, boating, climbing, rescue, etc. they also have an iphone and ipod app.

Leica optics are some of the highest grade you can buy. even better than swarovski, nikon, steiner, etc if you can find a camera with Leica lens, it's got the best lenses you can get. same goes for binoculars, scopes, etc. Al, you make me want to put a stick on fish ruler on all my rods and take pictures with that as a reference. I've noticed that depending on the angle that someone's hand is at in the picture can make a huge difference on the perceived size of the fish. it's important to have something for size reference that is consistent. it needs to be flat, not shiny and able to be in the same plane as the subject. that way you can easily use that reference object as your constant and it's easier to calculate fish length. one of those metal or plastic fish rulers would be a great device to use on a boat, but even a wrap of tape around your rod can give you a sufficient reference mark.