Haris122

I thought of hunting them just because it would be fun to go after something else the size of a deer, outside of deer season, and because the "season" for them was always open, but I'd have to drive out pretty far to go someplace that had any real population of them, so I never did do it while I had the chance. Wish I would've gave it a shot while I still had the chance, but it wasn't like I would've ate them anyhow. Though from what I hear and read about them, I don't mind at all that they're trying to thin them out as much as possible. As much as people seem to hate the hunting ban, I don't think most people trying, would get anywhere near the numbers per year, that you do.

What kind of numbers of hogs shot and retrieved did you usually get in a year oneshot?

I caught 3 yesterday at Suson, I think they must have stocked them Tuesday. I feel like after a few days, they can get really tough to catch. Cause a lot of people go to fish them right after stocking.

Wow, how did I misjudge the distance by that much. Well, nice shot nonetheless. I like to rest the gun up against a tree. I feel I do better that way than the elbow on the knee. I had a 70 yard or so shot opportunity last Saturday, but it would've had to be off hand, or I would've had to get up and move to the nearest tree, and risk getting busted. In the end I just didn't do either, and hoped they'd get closer on their own. They didn't so I just figured I wait for some other deer to show up. Later on saw 2 more, this time making their way towards me. Was about to take a shot resting the rifle on my knee after they re-emerged from behind a tree or pair of trees, but instead they disappeared on me. Never came out the other side of it, and probably used the plentiful shade to their advantage to lose me in it.

What was the distance on that doe? 60-70 yds? Off hand shot right, not resting on sticks? Looks like a nice tougher shot to make from off hand.

Had similar luck as you this deer season. Had 6 days to get it done on public land in the ozarks during regular season. First 5 of those I didn't see a single deer, despite being there all day. Last day I saw 4, and almost got the kind of shot I felt would be clean and quick, and then the deer pulled a vanishing act on me. Hoping to give it another go during antlerless.

I won't be out opening weekend, but I got a feeling I too, will not be causing deer any harm when I do go next week. Happy journey though.

I had some decent luck today at Suson in the smaller lake. I caught 3 (including a 17"), lost 1, and had a few more bites. All released again. Got them all on a little crappie minnow crankbait primarily casting and retrieving along the shore, but they were spotty.

With the whole end of catch and keep season I suspected someone might have had something to report from being there last week. I've been behind on scouting for deer, so I've had to do that instead, but I'm holding out hope I find the time to go sometime soon during c&r at least.

Same thing all over the St. Louis area lakes. Some lakes around here are C&R until February, while others are put and take right away provided you fish with only 1 pole at a time. The put and take seem to get stocked more frequently with smaller numbers, while the C&R tend to get only a few stockings throughout the winter time but with more numbers per stocking. I wondered myself on the stocking with the temperatures what they are. Hopefully the weather won't cause any die offs just after stocking.

Anyone gone there the past few months?

Wish my entire days would more often turn out like your hour, haha.

Unfortunately enough people, that they apparently don't make enough money off of keeping the boats out some more. But yeah, why stop period, but especially when it's supposed to be unusually warm the week after too.

Never really had problems stripping down a gun for cleaning and reassembling it. Fishing reels I tend to be more hesitant about. More little and plastic parts to them. Then again, if I paid upwards of $50-60 for a reel, I'd probably try it.

I went last week a few times, and I think they said that they're taking in the boats sometime this upcoming weekend.

Yeah, normally I don't go below 4, but I happened to still have the 2 lbs from trying something trout related at Meramec Springs a few weeks back and didn't switch over cause I hoped to catch something only big enough to test my new drag adjustments. To be honest, I don't usually catch much that 2-6 lb line can't handle. So I wasn't expecting a fish over 13-14".

Fished from the park just upstream of 141 in Valley Park. I took the kayak for 3 hours Monday afternoon, going up river until I turned around where a small creek connects maybe a mile or so up. Fishing was tough especially early on. I hit the banks and just a bit out from them, but couldn't connect with anything but a little sunfish at first. Eventually, close to where I turned around I thought I got snagged, but then the line started moving and pulling drag. I had used a little white roostertail with silver spoon there. It fought me for 15-20 seconds, drag even did it's job (yep same light action rod and reel I asked about regarding the drag), but then eventually it broke my leader. I had not changed out the 2 lbs leader I had on there for a while so I guess coupled with abrasion of it, and one final good run, it broke off. It dogged me underwater the entire time so I don't know what it was, but it felt good. All I know is the "encounter" was close to shore. For all I know it could've been a carp or whatever. Once I turned around I essentially just cast out behind me and trolled the middle of the river back. There I got a 11" spotted or largemouth bass on another white roostertail, and 13-14" drum on a crankbait.

Yeah I thought about using them as bait the first couple times I caught them, but I wasn't sure exactly what they were and if there were special regulations for them that day. The next time I caught one was on the last day right as we were about to drive back.

I just wish there would've been one fish that would've actually made it worth bringing the medium heavy rod for.Looking at all the potential species online, had me day dreaming of catching a variety of big drum, sheepshead, jack crevalle, mackarel, and all that good stuff. Instead I mainly caught little catfish, and the brackish water equivalent of a sunfish. Though the pinfish were fun to get to bite on the roostertail,seeing how that was on a light action rod.

Shrimp on the bottom with a 3 way swivel. Some of the pinfish I got on a roostertail, after I realized they're what's stealing my shrimp.

Well guys, I'm back. Unfortunately I didn't do as much fishing as I hoped to, and when I did I just caught small fish. I hoped to surf fish from the beach but on 1 beach fishing was restricted to a small area where some other people were already, and the other 2 it was both unclear if I could, and impractical to do with the people around so I didn't get to fish that way. Then not being familiar with the area, finding other good areas to fish from shore was a bit difficult, especially since some areas were closed due to the recent hurricane. As luck would have it, the last day we were there, I visited a Florida state park area with a brochure that listed fishing spots, but there weren't many more from shore, than I found out about by then already. In the end I got 5 hardhead catfish, biggest of which was 13-14", a small redfish, a small mangrove snapper I believe, and 4 pinfish. And 5 of those fish I got near cocoa beach. I have to say the areas I visited around Crystal river would've been really good for kayak fishing, as there was a lot of saltwater marsh, mangroves, and interconnecting rivers and estuaries. We visited one of the crystal clear springs, and it was pretty cool to see the mix of saltwater and freshwater species mixed in there. Not often you're going to see bass, and sunfish co mingling with rays and mullet. I just wish the actual fishing would've worked out better.

Cool, thanks guys. Bunch of good stuff to take in.

For whatever reason there's only a few people that fish up there among us on this forum. Either that or they don't post much. I hope to go up there once more this fall but I'm not sure if I'll make it or if I do, when.

The exact destination will be around Crystal River, and as far as when, later this week.

So for the first time since coming to the U.S., I'm going to go on a real out of state trip, specifically speaking to Florida. Among other things, I of course plan on doing some fishing there, especially the Saltwater kind, since I've never done that. Most likely my salt water fishing will probably just involve fishing from the beach and potentially some piers. With that being said, any tips on what rods and reels to bring, what poundage line to use, what size weights and such to bring, and what lures might work if I get tired of using bait? I have a 7' Medium Heavy Combo spooled with 20# line that I have rigged with a 3 way swivel for bottom fishing for catfish here, and I'm thinking of using that as my primary setup for this. Would that be strong enough for what I'm most likely to catch, or is that too weak? Also, if it's not too weak, would medium be? Where I will be staying, there's also some rivers nearby so I might give freshwater a go too, but primarily I'm thinking I'll try to soak in the saltwater experience, since I've never had the chance to try that before.