fishinwrench

He, and I assume his dad (the buyer of trucks and boats?) fish all over the state, so you'd assume that they review the rules and regulations before they go. But maybe since they always C&R they figure it doesn't matter.

Alex, there are sections of streams fairly close to you in Callaway and Monroe counties that can be pretty darn good Smallmouth fishing during Spring-Summer-early Fall. The whole creek/river may not be good Smallmouth habitat but the stretches with quite a bit of rocky bluffy type stuff often have Smallie populations that will surprise you. For decent Winter Smallies you're gonna want clearer water (the clearer the better) so from now until May the closest worthwhile Ozarky streams to Columbia, that I'm aware of, are the Marie's river, Weaubleau cr., Tavern cr., Auglaize cr.. The smallmouth population in those streams are at the very least.... "decent", and two of them are way better than decent but I shouldn't spoil all the fun by blurting it out.

We have a few unique cases here concerning the Lake Ozark tributaries. The boundary of the lake is at an elevation of 660.0 (technically it is 662.2) but there are a few landowners that will have you charged with trespass if you are wading in "their" creek even though the elevation clearly shows (by the effect of lake rises) it is in fact below 660.0 and therefore part of Ameren property. Further downlake, some lakefront land owners will have a fit if you walk the shoreline in front of their place during times when the lake is drawn down. They seem to think that they also own the now bare land beyond their seawall. They are mistaken. You can walk the shoreline here right now since the lake is currently at 657 (3 feet low), just be sure to step over, or duck under their dock cables and walkways and DO NOT touch them. If someone is allowed to assume ownership of property, runs people off of it and stuff like that, and is allowed to continue to do so for a period of 7-10 years.....then they truly do (by law) take legal possession of that property. It's called adverse possession. So how long has Plaster been "assuming ownership" of the Osage fork of the Gasconade ? He may very well own it now because he has been doing this for quite awhile and nobody has ever contested it. Here on the LO tributaries if I ever get convicted of trespass then Ameren just lost a piece of their property. So I figure if I ever get a ticket then all I have to do is call THEM and they'll set 'em straight real quick like, because they aren't going to give up land that easily. Likewise if anyone has ever been charged with trespass on Plasters portion of the Osage Fork and they posted bond/paid a fine to the court....then the state/county, by taking that money, truly has given Mr. Plaster that river free and clear, and he truly does own it now.

Eddie, Wanna buy my Lanier maps?

Hell no. What would be the point? I reported a half a truckload of dead rainbows and a few Smallies laying dead on the bottom of the river recently that had been gigged and they didn't seem to care at all about THAT, so a couple boys doing some C&R smallie fishing in the park isn't gonna concern anyone. All they are likely to do is write a nice article about them like they did the little elk chick. I only posted that to show that OAF isn't the only way to learn that there are smallmouth in the spring branch during winter. I talk to a ton of fishermen and only about one in 500 are even remotely familiar with this forum. Discussion forums aren't a thing for most people that fish. We are just kinda special

The friend they learned it from knows better. I informed them and I think it kinda offended them that I said anything. Whatever.

They are in zone 3 inside Bennett Spring state park, mostly. No they didn't learn about it via this forum, they learned about it from a friend who also has a YT channel with vids of him doing the same thing just outside the park.

A pair of High school level bass competitors posted a couple YT videos of themselves tearing up the Smallies in Bennett using a shakey head worm and a drop shot rigged worm. Totally illegal. "A fly is defined as an artificial lure constructed on a single point hook, using any material except soft plastic bait and natural and scented bait, which is tied, glued or otherwise permanently attached."

A chip off the ol' block I am. I'm actually not bothered one bit about Oneshot's grocery collecting because I know he doesn't waste a single bite of it. The guys that upset me are the ones that drag them around on a stringer all day and then throw their dead stiff carcasses in the trunk of their car. You know darn well that they end up as catfood.

I honestly don't know what the effect of bad gigging practices is on a statewide level, but on the river I fish most frequently (my home water) it is a genuinely significant issue. So it fires me up big-time. For the most part it is one single, rather large, family and their friends/co-workers. It honestly wouldn't be hard to bust them and make them quit it for good, but the jackasses in charge of doing that won't freakin' do it.

Who said it didn't apply ? Typical small town court crap. "Doesn't apply". No reason given as to how/why or anything. That's how you play tennis without the net.

I believe it is "case law". Therefore it can be referred to, and expected to be followed in all similar cases.

At the range once I saw a dude blow his hat off and temporarily blind himself while loading a BP rifle. I guess there was a hot spark in the barrel. Scared the crap out of us.

You didn't go far enough up. Lots of shad. Go a little above the pelicans They are shallower than your electronics will show.

The fact that they won't allow it on Blue ribbon trout water, but allow it everywhere else without even policing it chaps my behind.

I dunno. Girl kills an elk thinking it's a whitetail, doesn't get a ticket. Instead she gets a really sweet article written about her.

No firearms, this is a peaceful protest. A full out Smallie Skirmish can hopefully be avoided.

http://www.flyfisherman.com/fly-tying/the-bulkhead-deceiver/ Here's the basics. I do an actual Deciever tail (saddle feathers) on mine. Some guys don't, but if you don't then you shouldn't call it a Bulkhead DECIEVER ! Right? I've started using the body tubing on them like Gunner B. does and that's a good move because it eliminates 2 big wads of bucktail... so it doesn't take 30 minutes to get it soaked and working right. Mine turn out like this.... Those are #2's that I use for Whites. I use a bigger one for Smallies and trout. They aren't anything pretty to look at but the fish will flat kill 'em. Use a loop knot.... very important

Best answer ever ! Maybe we ARE kin.

The shallow bite is pretty darn good up here, but my success may be mostly because nobody else is up here doing it. Everybody I see launching from here lights it up and doesn't shut down until they are way past Coconut's. They might be hammering them even better down there for all I know, but I can pretty much just drop my trolling motor at the ramp and get a fair limit in a reasonable amount of time throwing that darn RedEye Shad. What I can't do up here right now is catch a limit of freakin' WHITES ! Which is what I am actually trying to do.

No issues with the alleged POS Gamo scope yet. I have some gunsmithing background and know how to properly set one up. I suspect that the guys that claim it is "junk" just really don't know how to ensure it is set-up properly. #1. If it is WAY off then it needs a shim, don't crank the turrets 5 turns each to get zero. By doing so your inner tube gets too far off center of the spring(s) and probably will not hold zero. #2. Set the eye relief so that there's a full clear circle. If you're looking through a halo, or you see a shadow on one side then you're not looking straight through the tube. High dollar scopes are more forgiving of set-up errors, but a cheap scope set up well is still pretty reliable.....if it doesn't succumb to the recoil and fall apart inside.

I know, but just look at 'em If Santa doesn't come there will be sad faces, and tears. The only ones happy around here will be me and a yellow dog with a crooked head. Trust me, they aren't as precious as they look. When they don't get exactly what they want, it's like......

Quit eating them Smallies or I'm gonna flatten your tires !

Considering your age I predict a misfire if you go at it again tomorrow.

I goofed off all day today shooting an airgun so I HAVE to work tomorrow thru Thursday or else Santa Clause is gonna skip us this year.