MOPanfisher

I'd be happy to just get it to the boat and retrieve my shad rap. See I have always heard they taste terrible, but occasionally someone comes along as says they are delicious, how am I to know unless I try one? I have plenty of tastier fishes to eat for day to day, but whats life without expirament. In thinking about I I don't know where I would put a muskie that big in my boat, assuming it didn't go nuts and knock everything that it didn't break out of the boat. Probably one of those things like grabbing a live squirrel, seemed like a good idea at the time!

Maybe its not they hate maybe its my Rapala Shad Raps. Last night my personal "White Whale" showed up yet again, but this time at least he was a good one and I got him to the boat twice, OK that was before he really realized he was hooked. Had just caught a shorty walleye and 2 casts later had something with some definite weight and size, you could feel him moving his tail back and forth, of course I am thinking big walleye, partner grabbed the net and assumed the stance, and up rolls a big muskie, over 36" anyway maybe low 40's. Well crap, the muskies and I have a relationship where they seem to believe my only purpose is to provide them with Rapala Shad Raps to hang on their trophy walls. He made a nice broadside turn, and I turned him back, my partner showed him the net, and he made a short run, and I turned him back again, thinking well you aren't the fighter you are claimed to be, I even may have shouted at him, "You aren't getting my rapala this time you (&^#%^T", about that time he seemed to notice that he was hooked and I noticed that I couldn't see any of my #7 Shad Rap it was ALL inside his mouth, this time he turned and punched the accelerator like a race car, drag squealed and line parted, whether on a tooth or gill plate I don't know. I should probably learn to be humble around Muskies and not yell curses at them, but dang it, I really wanted my lure back. And honestly if I had gotten him into the boat, (which was questionable as our net is big enough for a heck of a walleye, it wouldn't have gotten all of him inside), I would have been able to answer the question I get asked all the time, are they fit to eat? I would have tried it and if it was nasty, the rest would gone to a fish fry at work!

Oh yeah it was still funny, its not funny when they get threatening or violent. Again the vast majority of dock owners I have talked with have been at the very minimum polite, several were outright helpful, a very very few were simply "there" not happy about us fishing around their dock but not saying anything. Its amazing what a half dozen crappie given to a dock owner who is wanting a few for supper will gain you. It seems like most are even friendlier in the off seasons such as fall when crappie fishing around the docks can be smoking hot, but few are fishing for them.

I remember about the guy with the sprinklers. I heard ofat least one person who would intentionally go to fish his dock, wearing rain gear just to irritate him. While I might enjoy it, if I couldn't catch fish there I wouldn't care about irritating him.

My experience has been pretty much like yours Wharfrat, vast majority of dock owners have been quite pleasant. I do go outof my way to go around them if they happen to be fishing and not disturb them. Have had several tell where another pile close by is, a few have scared the living bejeebers out of me when I didn't see them sitting the shadows and they spoke up to ask me how I was doing. Once I re-started my heart we had some friendly talk.

FYI for any affected/interested. On Friday May 16th we will increase out outflow from Pomme de Terre Dam from 50 CFS to 1500 CFS. The increase will be to facilitate a swift water training exercise in the Outlet Park below the dam. Once the training is finished the outflow will be dropped back down, however it may stay at a slightly elevated level of around 500 CFS or so for a few days in response to a request from the state to do some fish population sampling on the river. Updated to: Looks like outflow will drop back to 50 CFS today. But still likely that will be elevated to around 600 CFS for 2-3 days next week for some fish population sampling in river below. (They need that much to get the shock boat over the riffles)

Actually fished it last week. Water was pretty clear and there were plenty of smaller crappie to be had. Sorted through a lot to keep a limit, windy and hot the day we went, pretty well out of trolling motor battery by time we limped back in sunburned and tired.

I would pick all 5 to be clear. i.e. 5 different large 370 Plano boxes each stuffed with baits.

If you launch at Browns Bend, just downstream (toward the dam) maybe a mile on the right is Rainey Creek I believe, Big cove with lots of bank and lots of docks. Just before you get to the mouth of rainey creek off to the left in front of a Marina, 66 Marina Maybe is a big rocky shallow spot, stay over closer to the bluff side, often there are gulls out on that shallow. Once back in Rainey there is all sorts of bank types to choose from. We have always crappie fished back in there so I don't know how the bass fishing might be.

When the crappie are actively spawning, under the dock is not the prime spot, under the walkway or between the anchor arms and the walkway is the prime spots. Seems like crappie tend to gather under the docks in pre-spawn and post spawn, and again in the fall when tossing a white 1/32 oz jig back under a dock likely will end up with it getting eaten by a crappie before it sinks very far. The turnover in dock and home owners has likely resulted in diving boards being place over old brushpiles etc. A dock owner would be well advised to check with a Side imaging or down imaging prior to putting a diving board there.

Precision Small Engine in Bolivar, but be prepared to wait a while for it, last I heard it was a 2-3 week wait to get it fixed. They are on 13 Hwy just North of Bolivar and stay very busy.

There are no Walleye in Pomme, stop posting things like this. Walleye spawn much earlier than crappie, this time of year is post spawn, windy points and bright colored crankbaits seem to be a good combo. ummmm IF there were any in Pomme.

I generally set my reels so that with a good hard hook set the drag will slip a little. When a bigger fish begins to strip line I can quickly and easily lay a finger on the side of a spinning reel or thumb on the line of a casting reel. I use braid, since it doesn't stretch it needs to have something that give a little big, especially when crappie fishing. But yeah there are lots of reasons fish get off, sometimes they are just lucky. Although small hooks in a large mouth (like a bass) make for often poor hook-ups.

Pomme has plenty of drum, I catch at least one nearly every time I go. We got our butts kicked Friday and Saturday. Friday evening was absolutely beautiful, except for the not being able to catch crappie, caught 2 shorts and one keeper. Went to Truman on Saturday and was even worse, fished in the rain for a while, then later the sun came out, finally just before dark I caught two crappie, one short and one keeper. Was a terrible weekend for fishing for me.

Well most criminals are also lazy, and don't like to work hard to steal something. For a moment let me be a small devils advocate, if the park/campground was closed and all the buildings razed to the ground, BUT the ramp, road, and parking lot left open and available how many would still be upset.

Well my post vanished yesterday so I'll try to do it again. Currently Pomme is at 840.33 which is only 0.67 feet below "normal" for this time of year so level wise its pretty good, and is rising ever so slowly. I made it out Saturday with a buddy about 2:00 p.m. and was back at the house by dark with a limit of crappie, only measured 2 all day and never had a short fish, many of them were very nice blacks. Mostly in 5-8 fow oriented around stumps laydowns etc, and were a bit boat shy, if you could hold the boat off the structure and cast to it you did better. Fish are close to spawn but the ones we were catching were not quite there yet. egg sacs well developed but not real bloody yet, male gonads not swollen up like they are when spawning and no worn down tails and fins yet. However it is getting really good. Short version is if you aren't fishing one of the area lakes this week for crappie you are missing out. Probably someone who can see the dang things could also pull up to the bank and pick a mess of morels as well.

Uncle Steve says "GO FOR IT". I think I am gonna start referring to myself in the third person too.

We have a local who fishes with a spinning reel (on a spilling rod) but held upside down and cranks the reel backwards. He catches fish with it, and after much harassment and offering to move the reel handle to the right hand side for him, I think he does it just to irritate folks. I have seen him fish with a "regular" one before as well, but like to break out the crazy combo when there are a lot of people to watch.

I am curious, you said you like the trigger on the casting rod you are using with a spinning reel. What possibly could that trigger be doing, since it is on top of the rod now, unless you are holding the rod like it was a casting rod with the spinning reel up in the air, and cranking it backwards.

The big problem with attempting to return nature to "normal" is that in general natural doesn't recognize "normal" as anything other than ongoing change. Nature essentially hates a status quo, population changes due to natural cycles, fires, floods, droughts etc. Every one of those factors is like ingredients in a recipe, change/add/remove one and it has an effect on the whole thing, and some ingredients have more effect than others. There will never be a "man free" total natural environment, by our very existence we change things, the difference is that we do attempt to manage and control some of the more problematic things such as invasive species, habitat loss, etc.

IF only it were still April 1st. I would tell you the secret to catching big trout on Pomme, trolling plaid zara spooks in front of the dam, but since its the 3rd now I guess I can't do that.

I like to take the white bass fillets and rub them with olive oil, place them on a cookie sheet covered with foil, sprinkle on Cajun seasoning and grill until flaky. You can eat them just like that or let them cool, mix up some dill, cilantro, and lime juice with greek yogurt, spread in on a tortilla and add the flaked white bass fillets, some baby greens and chopped onions or whatever else you like. White bass tacos, delicious.

Heard a couple unconfirmed reports of small male whites up around PP Bridge which wouuld be around mile marker P15, that was last week when it was warm though. Heard nothing lately.

For me to get a strike all I have to do is take one of my favorite Rapalas out fishing and within a little while a musky will jump it!

Bank or boat? From bank there are two fishing docks at Bolivar Landing.