Goggle-Eyed

Gave up on trying to fish out of the new Xpress and just going to burn some Frequent flyer miles and head down to Miami for some Peacock Bass, LM Bass, a day of Bonefish and hopefully a few Tarpon if they have moved in by 12/20. Will be my first time fishing for all but the LM Bass!!!! Joe

Wharf, It was still pretty in front of your docks! I would say with the sunshine and wind the bridge area has already opened back up today... Joe

Looked out this morning and the Lake was frozen about 95% across at the Niangua Bridge (West Hwy 54). Can't remember the last time I saw it frozen before Christmas. Joe

Did manage to catch a few crappie today but it was SLOW, only had one keeper but it was almost 12". Other than that it wasn't very good for us. Caught the one keeper on the corner of a dock in 9fow, fished everything from 8' - to 30' and couldn't get a pattern going... However, how cool was it to be fishing on December 1 in a light weight jacket!!!! Looks like we better enjoy this while it lasts the next couple of days, late week looks rough. Joe

Well as soon as this fog lifts off I am headed out. After these reports, I think I might just head straight to Linn Creek area and see if anything is going on there. I will post up this evening if I find anything. Joe

Thanks Ham! Depending on the weather, I have started leaning towards Toledo Bend and possibly on south to Cleco, that appears to be a really interesting lake... Thanks for the advice and as time get's nearer I might hit you up for some more!!! Thanks again, Joe

Hey Wharfrat, I assume you were on the Niangua Arm... Were you up or down from Bridal Cave? I might be going tomorrow and deciding whether to stay on this end of the lake (Cedar Heights) or head over to Linn Creek area... Thanks, Joe

Has anyone fished Caddo Lake in the winter? Thinking about making a run down there around Christmas. I have a couple of free nights lodging at a casino in Bossier City and Caddo is about 40 minutes away. I posted a question earlier about looking for some decent fishing a little further south. I am really just looking for some slightly warmer weather that is within an 8-10 hour drive from Lake of the Ozarks! Bass, Crappie, Pickerel... I really just want to catch some fish and not freeze!!!! Caddo seems like it could be a fun fishing lake, maybe a bit challenging to run the boat and possibly a bit choked with grass right now... Joe

I just figured out that I am going to have about 4-5 days in a row available to take a fishing trip over the Christmas Holiday. I live at Lake of the Ozarks and could just stay home and Crappie fish but I would like to venture out and try to find a little warmer weather, not thinking about going all the way to the coast or anything. Will be planning on taking my X19 Xpress and both Bass and Crappie gear. Just looking for any suggestions. I have thought about Grenada or Sardis for Crappie in MS - Average temps seem about 10 degrees warmer than here in the Winter. I have thought about Cedar Creek in Texas or some other texas lake - again thinking not more than a 10-12hr drive and an average normal weather pattern "above freezing" around the holidays. I will keep my options flexible and if a "cold front" is moving into one area I might look a different direction or might just stay home and be cold on my own lake, LOL. I am open to any suggestions and would apreciate any feedback on some good crappie lakes. I will also be Bass Fishing but would like to target some big Crappie first. Thanks, Joe

Old Plug, Dylan is correct but it is very hard to prove "whose" large wake caused the damage and so far on Lake of the Ozarks the Water Patrol has chosen not to try and enforce this aspect of the law. Was your buddies initials LW by chance?

Wow, glad you weren't my father. My fondest childhood memories are on the river (not the lake) with my Dad, from the time I can remember until last month when we went. Even during my teenage years! My nephews (17 and 22) were raised the same way on the same river by their Dad and they still jump at the chance to go with us, and did all through their teenage years. Now my "girly girl daughters" gave up on the river about 13-14 Years Old. Two 10 Year Olds in a canoe will be challenging and alot of work but WELL WORTH IT if that is all you have available!!! Important thing is to get them out and spend time teaching and guiding them...

Wrench, Unfortunately my schedule is pretty crazy over the next three weeks. I am planning to run up tomorrow and see what happens, worst case scenario I will drink some grape juice, err... well anyway! I might have some free time Next Sunday, if the stars align and all that jazz.... Wharfrat, thanks for the suggestion. If I don't catch any up the the river I will head that direction. It has been years since I actually targeted whites or hybrids so tomorrow is going to be a "reliving my past" kinda day!!!! Joe

LOL, The money versus payout is much better than alot of tournaments with the hourly payouts and such. I am just glad I am sitting in my recliner looking out and watching them instead of fishing in this weather!!! What I wonder is do these guys know more than me? I have watched at least 6-8 boats pull in and fish areas that I have never caught a fish nor seen a fish caught off of, pounding the bank in areas that just don't make since to me. Again, maybe they know something that us locals don't know!!! Joe

Got a question for all you Fall Hybrid and White Bass fisherman... I have never really targeted the Fall fishing other than happening into a situation where they were tearing it up so I caught a few. I normally fish the river for Smallie's and Spots but always catch a few Whites/Hybrids/Walleye... Been thinking about trying to target the whites/hybrids tomorrow while everyone is out on the Lake chasing the BBB. I had been catching a few whites up on the Big Niangua River above Lake of the Ozark's, about three shoals up from the actual lake. My question, will this cool rain/weather force more into the river or would I be better off hitting something like Ha Ha Tonka cove. I had been seeing numerous Shad and Blow Ups around the area from the Bridge to Ha Ha Tonka cove, but these basically stopped within the past week. I enjoy fishing the river more than the lake so just curious what this weather pattern MIGHT do to them. Thanks for any information. Oh Yea, Sitting on my deck looking out at the Cool Rain and the 5-6 Bass Boats pounding the area looking for that "one big bite" reminded me of why I am not a tournament fishermen!!!!!! Much more comfortable sitting my recliner this morning!!!! Joe

I am sure they were just males out looking to mate and just passing through! LOL.

I had to do a little needed maintenance on my Jet Boat yesterday, decided to do a test run from my Condo up to Casa De Loco winery. Boat ran great and managed to catch a variety of fish (LM, Spot's, Smallie and a few White Bass)... The video below is me jet boating up the river.

Check out riversmallies.com there are a couple of guys that are using them on out East. From what i have read it appears you need two of them to hold you in current, of course it will depend on flow and the bottom composition.

Yep, everyone stop fishing the back sides of boat docks on the shallow side. The waves have driven the fish off the banks (Well Maybe In August it's temp not boats). I wouldn't even bother fishing a boat dock on LOZ, I would fish all the No Wake Bouys that have the brush Guido and Dion tied underneath "all of them" on the Gravois Arm... LOL

I have, and it actually ate one of my higher end rods a couple of years ago. I was too busy ducking and diving to notice one of the branches grabbed the rod before I could react I heard the "snap"...

ME TOO. I have big ones in the jet but they shrivel up when I am in the paddle jon, LOL. I usually walk about 3-4 riffles between Prosperine and Upper Lead Mine. I have even walked the jet a few times going back down.

I ran it for a couple of years with no problems as long as it was over 250-275CFS but someone had cut out alot of the wood. It was actually easier in the jet than the paddle jon because of how the shoot was. It was too deep to "walk" through and too swift to paddle the jon through... right now it is choked about a 3/4 mile above the upper access and I don't think you could "safely" get a jet back down, up is manageable but down probably not good...

seriously??? a question about your fall fishing expectations turns into a BS rant? Boys, Boys, Boys the fish are biting... I get it during the winter but it is catching time not griping time! Let's get back to what your expectations are for YOUR fall catching, not why you can't catch them, whine some where else not on this thread!!! Please!!!!

We used to always go to the lower access on our Overnight "Prosperine to Lead Mine Float" but after a couple of trips involving a portage to get through that area we normally just stop at the ramp on the over nighters. If we are just day floating and don't have any gear we will still go through to the lower access but it sounds like it is going to be bad again the rest of this year... Mofloat, would a small jet jon have made it through? I know there was at least one tree down below the ramp that would require me to "ease over it" but didn't go all the way down past Jakes... Just curious. Thanks, Joe

I ran about a mile or mile and half above Bennett today and the fishing was NOT good. I managed to turn a few but it was very slow, both the water and the fishing. I hadn't been that far up in about 5-7 years and was very disappointed in the fishing... Probably won't hit that part of the river except in the spring from now on...

there is still no "river access" from BB. I am sure an innovative person could get a kayak down there but no improved river facilities... which I am okay with!!!