Smalliefreak

Al, that is so true!!! You don't expect to catch much and you hammer some nice fish but leaving the hooks in fish's face well thats kind of a bummer.I think that Largemouth will shake that plug though.It's funny those lessons in fishing you think you would learn but some times we never do.I had the same sort of thing happen to me when we were in Buffalo NY visiting friends and was using one of their rod and reels and tried fishing a small creek off of a much larger trib with a famous water fall.The borrowed rod and reel was less than ideal and was an ultra lite combo with what seemed to be very heavy line and the creek was very small so my expectations were not that great.Well lesson learned as you said always check your line!!!! I immediately started catching very nice smallies on a topwater like you were and the excitement of catching all the decent smallies got to me and I wasn't paying attention.I was bringing fish in thru big boulders and fraying the line.I waded a little further up the creek, when on a cast to the ajacent shore a massive black figure charged the plug and didn't hit my blood was pulsing just looking at this huge creature staring down my lure.With one little twitch of the plug she smashed it and I had the biggest smallie of my life on the line it was a friggin giant.I was like you astonished that a creek like this could hold a fish of this size, it was on for about three jumps and was one of the fattest and longest smallies I have ever seen.Well you guessed it the fish broke me off due a fray in the line because I wasn't paying attention to the condition of my line.I still had the awsome experience of having such a beast on the end of an ultra lite combo and I will remember it forever, if I could just remember to check my line all the time that would be nice too.

The guys @ Gator boats have really really made some impressive boats!!!my buddy has one but I just don't know if I could afford one right now.I did look at the model that is more geared to a fisherman, it was rediculous!!! actually did a test run with the guys @ Troutt & Sons who now sell them and it was very cool. I already have so many other boats at this point, my new jet purchase is going to be a fishing only and doing nice easy rides on the river. I would like to hook up with you sometime on the river, it's just I'll be about four or five bends in the river behind you...lol... we aren't to far from each other at all, my wife is an executive with SSM and she had a great deal to do with the building of St.Clare Hospital by you.We live in Kirkwood right near the Meramec, I have boat ramp right down the road about a half mile.

What's up????. I love the gator!!! my buddy has one and that thing can run like a bat out of hell!!!Do you run it on the lower Meramec at all??? I am about to buy a jet myself nothing like yours though but it will get me where I need to go.

Muddy, I have a hard time getting out BPS without spending $200 or even $300, I have to stay out of there!!!

What up Cricket??? I truly haved love your sense of humor on here in the past!!! Lebanon, you live where the real fishing is available I envy you!!!

awsome!!! thank you Al & Mitch so a 60/40 on a 17 foot will be alright with three people in the boat???? I'm leaning towards the Alweld or the Excel, I just want to be able to take the wife and kid.Alot of time it will be me and a buddy fishing.Are both of yours a completely flat hulls???

Alright, I thought I would jump in to the forum with this one.I already have a deep V, so I don't need opnions on boats with a prop.I don't know what I did right this weekend but the wife gave me the ok on buying a jet boat.So that beeing said I need your opinions and ideas on jets. I am currently looking at four different jet units 1) An Alweld 1754 nice front and back deck with a 60/40 Yamaha four stroke, completely flat bottom to the hull. 2) A Legend SS 17 foot with a 90 evinrude etec, this hull has a slight modified V, also with nice decks and good options. 3) We also looked at a boat I had never seen before an Excel 1752 shallow water with triple reverse chine hull, it has a camo paint job with a Yamaha 60/40.the more I have researched this hull the more I like it. 4) a Riverpro made here in Desoto, very cool boat with a little v to it and a bigger motor with bigger price tag. should I be considering bigger outboards for the Alweld and the Excel???? Need some opinions and ideas...thank you in advance.....I would like to fish the upper Meramec and the Gasconade with wife and kid

I have always loved this forum and I thought should jump in finally.River fishing freak here from St.Louis ready to respond to all your awsome post's. I love fishing for anything but especially Smallies and trout. I am an avid conservationist who donates time and my boats to stream teams and cleaning our beautiful rivers........What's up and hope to get to know everyone a little better.