Hog Wally

Speaking of Clovis and Folsom, in this cold weather I have to resort to digging the front yard up for goodies. I've found Clovis Folsom and dalton serrated on my hill. Pretty cool.

im curious why the meramec has such a healthy population of mussels? It's definitely getting hammered by poor farming practices. I have seen massive mussel beds this year while gigging

Right on ! Back to you. It's a great forum

Thanks Bill. all I keep thinking is , it could be better. I know what I see. Major potential! Like a world class fishery.

Not very scenic down that way that's for sure. Spots met their demise. Smallie was small for a winter fish down there. Every single fish was caught on hidef craws. Tried a few other options but not even a sniff. Very very low water ! Do not go downstream We did,

Just left there. One smallie shortie. Several nice spots.

It's one of my favorite stretches of river. I think it has massive shad factory and plenty of deep hideaways to grow big fat fish

I steer a lot of guys to that ramp. I fish there myself quite regularly.

Times beach will be the best view and miles of deep water slow flow. Do not seek the treasure down stream! The bridge area has been taking some boats out

I know I didn't say it , but it needs to be said , this fish was released with the utmost care and consideration for its well being This was the first fish I've seen of this size with no battle scars or signs of age. It was to me a younger fish. Very healthy and as pretty a smallmouth I've ever seen.

Nice spot. In more ways than one. Congrats mitch. I've never seen one that big in the meramec watershed. Winter has just started too. What's next ?

Without a doubt there is some hawgs on this river. All I've ever tried to say is that it could be better.

Another 5 plus 21". I pulled a solid 18" Smallie into the boat when my best friend sets the hook on this ! 5 lb 2 oz !!

I love it ! The fish are stacked.

If we killed every single passenger pigeon in the world, surely we can make a mess out of these spots ? I personally, along with some locals, are murdering em. The larvae thing is non issue for us. I've eaten a lot worse I'm not a fan of wasting but if spots could be compared with any nuisance animal that is on the list of kill on site, leave em lay, then so be it. I personally will eat em and smile

She was full of eggs too. Only a few grubs to pick out on one side.

Solution; Part 1.

Hurry back ! It can only be better next time. Miles of river at our disposal.

Al Agnew and myself went fishing today. Short and sweet, it was too windy ! We had to bank the boat to really fish effectively,( if you can call it that ). We basically threw hidef craws Big and little. It was very difficult to feel any bites. We both lost several big fish today. I did boat a 19" though 😎

We could fry em up at craw shack. We have a perfect spot ! Pun intended

People generally mistake a largemouth for a spot Or vise versa

There is a real situation at hand Majority of the folks can't tell the species apart. I'm not kidding.

Wow. This guy is going places. Good ideas

Very good points ! I would suggest a all year season open on spots no length limit and keep as many as you want. When the spots are really biting you can fill the boat with the little boogers. I have personally kept 57 from a one mile stretch around my ramp this year so far. I am doing my own experiment to see if I can eradicate them from a couple holes After my first gigging expedition I realized there is still some in my two holes but they are all larger fish. 12 to 15" fish. Hopefully they will fall to the hidef craw soon Listen folks, I have found that these spotted bass are some of the finest table fare swimming in the river. And your doing a good deed at the same time Get em ! Get em all !

Below the bourbuese the habitat is weird at best Very long flats of 1' to 3' water. Small fishable pockets here and there Easy to electrofish though. Should be obvious where the fish are. Some of the biggest smallmouth I have seen in Missouri were below bourbuese and above rte 66 park. We were gigging in the 90's through that area a lot. I was young man so my perception of size could've been unreliable but we talked of those giants we seen, for years. I know, doesn't really jive with the data.