Gavin

Mitch's jig heads are great. Hard to snag...I also like the Bite Me Jigs Hunter Ball Head, and their standup heads with the weedguard...Great hooks, good single wire guards.

I'd agree with Greasy B. There aren't many, your odds are low. Rainbows, even big ones, don't take a jerkbait well IMO. Back hook takes mostly. They like smaller offerings. Pat's rubber legs, egg patterns, marabou jigs, and anything with peacock herl takes rainbows when prospecting. If sight fishing, toss a jig, egg & dropper. On the White I 'd go with a scud, sow bug, or soft hackle fly behiind something I can see.

Use spar varnish. That is what is on there. Try Ace Hardware. Polyurethane spar like Helmsman would be OK too.

I agree with Al & Randy, Shimano spinning reels are great until you get one wet. They turn into binding pieces of junk after that. They are probably OK if you are high & dry in a jet or bass boat...but no good for canoe, kayak, or extended wade trips.

$50 would be a good offer for that rod...I'd give it a 4-5 on a 10 scale in terms of condition. Put some varnish on those dried out guide wraps and go fish it...have fun. It is not worth restoring.

Sneak up and make your first cast count.

Something that will handle a 1/2oz plug with a fast tip in a length you like...The rod I like is rated for 5/8oz and it a baitcaster.

Ha! Got a good laugh out of that one Mitch...Thinking that quite a few turn them into turds before they gain any size.

Geez, know that's a fish! I usually fish a black or brown bear hair jig with a rabbit strip trailer in the winter...but mostly on trout water. Could look like a sculpin or just something edible. Don't know for sure, but they eat it.

Devil's Trip in Texas...would love to go!

I don't need CSI & DNA to ID a darn fish, LOL! Its pretty easy to I.D. a smallie/spot hybrid after you've caught a bunch of them...Be glad if you cant....it means your stream still is still predominately a smallmouth stream. Not a spotted bass stream.

Last batch looked like 100% smallmouth...look at the pelvic fins on that hybrid you caught...Kinda light in color aren't they? Another sign of a hybrid.

Looks like a smally/spot hybrid to me

Pay for some prescription bi-focals...you need distance & close vision when you are fishing...Chris Vogler @ C-Sports Optical in Webster can make whatever you want in a polycarb lens. I like glass a bit better, but polycarbs are pretty darn good, and they weigh less.

Must have been really rolling to do Noser to Reiker in 6 hours...that's 21 miles! It's been a couple years since I've been to Goode's Hank, but I'm still friendly with the family that owns the property. There is a main club house over the old mill race, and a couple rental properties below the dam with an easy put in. Shouldn't be to hard to get access if you want to float it.

Looking good!

Mic...I just made a career change, and I don't want this on my plate right now. Take my name off the list.

They were rising steadily to tiny olives #28 maybe smaller, and some small caddis flies #20-16 over Thanksgiving weekend. Usually better bug activity if the night time air temps stay above freezing, but you can always pound up some on subsurface flies. Good luck.

I've been up above Mint Springs a couple times...Thinking that Hwy B is as far up as I've been..bit of dragging involved usually, but a different character than the mid & lower BB. Need the upper half of the Noser to Reiker and the Goode's Mill Dam to Meramec float to complete that river.

Its been a long time since I've fished the Current below Round Spring or the Black...Would like to fish do some fishing in SWMO as well.

Good start...We got rig of our Coleman pop-up earlier this year...Traded it for a used Jayco 23B...easy to load up, need a vehicle that can tow 5000lbs...drop the canvas and its a 30' of space...fridge, freezer, toilet, an shower...Not bad. And no big deal to dump the honey bucket.

If y'all ever get to Clayton...there are a few lunch joints near the new office that need some exploration...Pastaria and Niche are just across the street from my new place...Bocci Bar for lunch on Friday... Scott, that looks like an olive flair hair...did it have any rabbit or other accessories? PM me...Found an outstanding jig head from Bite Me Jigs that rules over that Arkie head...2/0 black nickel gammie and a better weed guard.

Were is the 21" brown? Cant remember what that jig was...but I probably have more or I could tie some if you have the remnants or a clue about the tie. Spent the weekend at Montauk with my WFT family. Scouted fish a bit while hiking/training the new dog but did not fish. Kip Jr. & Sr...caught a couple nice browns in the 17-18" range but nothing big. Josh & me did not fish. Needed a break to rest up, and think about all the new challenges at my doorstep (career change for the better). My Highlight reel.....Oldest girl riding her bike w/o training wheels, youngest did a mile on her bike before complaining..Thanksgiving dinner#2 in the wall tent....better than the first.......Watched a pod of trout non-stop feeding on top in the closed zone in loop 4 all weekend. #26-32 olives, and caddis of various sizes(14-22). Bigger fish behind the scrum...eating below.

An 800lb gorilla like Ameren...gets what it wants. A small biz with a bad reputation gets something else.

It does not have to be a bluff hole...any slack water area with structure and depth can hold some fish...kinda the opposite of what you would want to fish in the summer time. Might be a "bluff hole" but the fish might be in the slack water eddy on the off bank...just gotta find them.