Greasy B

What did you witness?

I don't guess there's any way to hold down the stink while it's composting? Our compost pile is too close to the house, I'd like to make good use of my Bluegill waste.

Nice fish, he's a better fisherman than I.

Sweet fish, beautiful place. I listened to the rain video a couple of time, i forgot what rain sounded like.

I call the Riddle Bridge boat ramp Pulaski County Public Beach Number 1. It has to be the most used 10’ of concrete in the state. When I back my rig down the ramp the big girls at the bottom appear to be clueless at the peril their baby’s could be in with a 40 foot 5,000 lbs truck and boat headed their way. Sometimes they will scatter at the last minute, other times I have to remind them that the primary function of a boat ramp is to be a boat ramp.

Oh, I don’t know, sounds pretty typical in my experience. Seems to me the Gasconade fishes slow most of the time. I’ve had days and even weekends where the fish went crazy but not quite as much as other streams that are smaller and clearer. I usually just make do working my tail off and waiting for the fish to turn on, catching some dinks, the occasional good fish and every now and then having a few hours of pure Smallmouth bliss.

Your probably right, sad. That is one river that just begs for better regs on more miles.

Yep, if you could make all 6 things happen it would be all better.

If that water gets pounded by the jet boaters they'd have to do it early in the season. The water drops out real quick above 17. This year the window closed a month or more ago. At times of good water the jet boaters may run into weed beds that completely clog the river if they were to float down stream over one they would be hard pressed to get back up. It's kind of entertaining to think about, all the horse power in the world wont save you.

Thanks for the report, slow but not all bad. Yes it will be quite now that the power boats can't run the river. Did you fish up or downstream from waynseville (17)? Are there many weed beds choking the river?

I don't understand why we as American citizens just roll over and pee on ourselves when the Feds steal our property in the name "the war on drugs".

Yea, I don’t think it makes much difference what hits the water, hardware or fly. The first time the bait hits the water it’s an object of curiosity to the fish. When a fly fisher picks up the bait and slaps it down repeatedly it’s not likely to do anything but put the fish down. On the small stream I float and fish just wading or drifting in a canoe I often herd the fish down the length of a pool, when I have pushed them to the end they’ll bolt pass me to seek refuge in the deeper parts behind me. I call the area near me or my boat the spook zone. When the water is low and clear it’s all you can do to cast beyond the spook zone. When a fly fisher picks up his cast and lays it down repeatedly he is just increasing the size of his spook zone. I think the trick for a fly fisher is to either move very slow, casting only occasionally in the most likely spots or use a riffle or maybe wind driven waves to conceal his presence. Hardware throwers a have the advantage of being able to throw a long enough cast to reach beyond the spook zone.

A fine steward of the land.

When I worked in north St Louis I always left my vehicle unlocked but it didn’t work, thieves aren’t smart enough to check.

If your new to fly fishing rivers for bass probably the single most important and difficult thing to do is get your fly to the fish before it spooks. Careful wading and casting will get more fish than fly selection. Truth be known bluegill poppers will catch some pretty good creek bass.

Catching a Smallie in an unlikely place or catching a displaced bass are some of the most enjoyable aspects of river fishing. On the small head water streams I fish I often catch very nice bass after high water events, they were obviously displaced when their normal holding spots shifted or were filled in by moving gravel or collapsing banks. Sometimes these fish will get stranded by shallow riffles when the water drops out making them super exposed, not a good prospect for surviving the catch and keep fishers.

I rank 10" Bluegill on a top water fly right up there with 20" Brown Trout on the fly or 18" river Smallie on gear.

Sounds like you had a good trip. Another good thing about that float is how simple the Shuttles are, easy bike ride or like a buddy and I used to do just walk it.

Thanks, that's just what I was wondering. If you can take another look middle of next week. The fish will spawn in waves so the 3 or 4 days after the full moon might find them shallow and a bedding. I know TR has a great population but I just can't make myself bait fish for bluegills, the one exception is Reelfoot. Those fish are so big and so plentiful that I gladly use crickets and slide bobbers.

I have a freind who always told me about the fine fish be would catch among the partiers up near Cambell bridge. I guess the problem is not that the fish aren't catchable it's the people, or maybe more accurately my aversion to people.

Yeah I kind of figured that would be the case. Seems like I can pull fish up off beds 6 or 8 ft deep but that's about it. Thanks.

Are the bluegill in Tablerock ever shallow enough to catch with a fly rod? The strip mine pits I fish have water that is probably as clear and I can find spawning beds as shallow as 2 feet.

Thanks for the report. I haven't been Smallmouth fishing much yet but judging by the reports I've heard it's going to be a good year. I'm just looking forward to some wet weather to bump the water up.

Music as an "industry" is dead. Music as a "commercial" enterprise is dead. After decades of recording companies ripping off musicians and consumers alike they are now Irrelevant and on their last leg. No one is shedding a tear over their demise. Commercial radio is the domain of mindless dolts and it too has rendered itself irrelevant. Real musicians now give their music away free and make their living by proforming. The music culture is now returning to what it once was before being highjacked by business parasites, real art produced in real time right in front of the patron. I would invite everyone to rediscover real musical performance and leave lame commercial recordings behind.

Has anyone seen bedding Bluegills in Bull Creek? The next two weeks should be the peak spawn of the year. I have heard rumors and stories but I need a little more concrete evidence before I can justify the long drive down. Thanks,