fishinwrench

I prefer a straight nail knot when I know I'm going to be doing the same kind of fishing for awhile, but I use sink-tips fairly often and don't like to have to pack a seperate spool and re-string the rod everytime I want to switch, so I whip a loop in my floating line and use a modified Rio sinking leader. I really don't like the bulk of a loop, but I deal with it for the sake of being versatile. I find it hard to give up on a riffle or tailout that I've nymphed to pieces, until I've ripped a muddler through it on a sink-tip.

I don't get too concerned with how deep it goes, what I like about the deep diver is how well it responds to slight little tugs and twitches. As for color, my choices are above (tenn.shad, or blue/silver). I've never done as well with the orange belly schemes, although I know a few guys that swear by them. I just want it to resemble a shad, and I've learned that sometimes the fish want alot of "flash"....but most times they don't. Chrome sided jerkbaits with alot of flash tend to catch smaller fish better, so they are good for running down a bank with the purpose of locating a group of fish. Once located I'll switch to subtle colors and more times than not catch some keepers.

For Bass: Smithwick deep-diving rouge, the old non-suspending ones...which I'll weight to suspend myself. In Tenn.Shad or Blue/silver (depending on water color). I'll wish I had a LC Pointer instead, from time to time....but you said "choose one". For big ol-slab Crappie: Yo-Zuri Crystal minnow (deep diver) in Chart/Shad.

email sent.

Thanks to the Stream Teams, and the last flood, most of the Summer 2008 debris has either washed down to Lake Niangua or been buried in gravel, the only trash I notice now (ironically) are the red stream team clean-up bags of which there are about a dozen per mile (mostly tangled in bankside trees, too high to reach). Fishermen need to take the river back, to a degree. They had it first, but either pussed out or didn't care enough and let college kids and party'ers from the citys intimidate them and run them off. When you fish it this year... be friendly but stand your ground and make the party floaters work around YOU for a change, that's pretty much what I do and I have yet to have a problem with anyone. With exception to a MDC agent that repeatedly blew through a island chute in a jet boat trying to impress his female passenger while I was fishing there. He blew through on me 3 times...then on the last (4th) pass through, he stopped to check my permit and asked me a bunch of stupid and pointless questions. It was an island area and I was on the narrow, shallow, rocky side, he could have more easily passed on the other side. I was mad enough to fight, and they could tell it. The badge, and the noticably embarassed plain clothed lady he had with him was the only thing that allowed him to keep his teeth that day. The only other unpleasant experience I have had on the Niangua also involved a group of lawmen, they apparently had busted someone with drugs or something earlier that day and were acting like a bunch of adreneline pumped wacko's stomping through the stream with a bullhorn and giving everyone that passed by the third degree. It freaked my daughter out, more than any drunk guy cussing could have, and that really put a bad taste in my mouth.

Here's a preview (teaser) of it: http://books.google.com/books?id=XvaKvxVHQ...=result#PPT1,M1

Biots take permanent marker well.

I ran across this article and had never seen anything like it before. Thought it might help someone break free from the "bobbers". I'm also thinking that if the top 6 inches of the leader BUTT was altered like this, it could help hold up a sinking flyline tip. Anyway, check it out... http://www.fishandfly.com/articles/20080620

I'm going but I'm thinkin' "River". If it kicks my butt, the wind gets crazy... or I get to feeling lazy, I may end up in the park.

With the unit turned on you should be able to put your hand on the transducer and feel it ticking. Most LCR's run 12 clicks- pause- 12 clicks-pause. Regular depth sounders simply run slow steady clicks with no pause. If it is not clicking check the transducer wire for a open circuit (and Yes you can splice it, it is just coax).

Shop and compare...... http://www.coachscabin.com/ http://www.riverwoodresortmo.com/ http://www.fortniangua.com/ http://www.bennettspringstatepark.com/lodging.htm

For what it's worth I did email Weaver's and asked if the "5 thousand" was a typo, their reply was kind of PCP (politically correct Pissy), leading me to assume that they read the Niangua forum on here, and took a slight bit of offense at me "challenging their numbers" (as I put it) in my earlier post. Personally I do not think they fudged the numbers for business sake... they are CLOSED now anyway. I'm sure that they honestly and accurately reported what they were told. But nobody except the 2 guys driving the truck, and the hatchery manager actually know how many Browns were stocked into the river...and by "river" I mean THE RIVER outside the park . In my attempt to read between the lines I'd guess that they "RECIEVED 5000" browns from SOH, of which most will go into the spring branch, and maybe 500-1000 went to the river...but hey I could be totally wrong, wouldn't be the first time. On one hand I think it would be great to have that many browns swimming that section of the Niangua, and on the other hand I feel that it is TOO many. After all, none are legal keepers, and won't be for a year or so. What is the estimated growth rate on Browns, anyone know ? If 5000 (in the "RIVER") is true, then there should be about 1500-2000 hanging out below the Whistle bridge, if not now, then real soon.

Aw hell, you can't offend us, vent on here and spare the family. LOL So, you think there's 5000 in there ? I bet the Smallies are pissed. How would you like for a fleet of greyhounds to pull into your neighborhood and unload 5000 hungry and disoriented Germans with poor manners...and then just drive off ? LMAO

I'll miss a few of them, but only because of the price. Mustad's barbs have always been a little excessive IMO Here's a comparison link for TMC http://www.tiemco.co.jp/english/products/f...cflyhooks_e.pdf Pricier, but they offer all the same designs...but better steel,sharper and a nicer barb.

Replacing the propshaft requires a complete reseal,relube job and shimming, plus the work to the skeg, prop and paint....taking all parts and labor into consideration you could be (depending on make, model, and H.P.) real close to the cost of a replacement lower unit (with warranty). Since the lower unit will need to be removed anyway, it is as good a time as any to add a fresh water pump kit. If I can help with a second quote let me know. simsmarine@sbcglobal.net

I've never been 100% clear on why trout don't (or supposably "can't") reproduce sucessfully in more of Missouri's rivers. Is it the temperature/climate thing, or what exactly ? I used to put a lot of stock into the whole wild trout / stocked trout thing, but as long as they have all thier fins and have been in the river long enough to know their way around and be weened off hatchery food, I find the same degree of sport involved. Wild fish are said to be prettier...and I've seen some pretty bleached out, beat up, and dull looking hatchery fish in Minnesota and in Georgia, but our hatchery's put out some pretty nice looking fish I think. Wild fish are also said to be harder to catch and fight harder than a equally sized hatchery bred trout....but I haven't noticed that. I still get skunked occaisionally and I get my tippet broke plenty often enough to suit me, in the put and take rivers. What makes catching a wild fish born of wild parents, so much more cool ?

Hard to say without seeing it, BUT... Put a wrench on the lower unit bolts, loosen and re-tighten each one of them to make sure it didn't partially shear off one of them. Check for a bent propshaft. Impact like that can cause gear failure later on, especially if it was in gear when the impact occured (lots of people put the engine in gear when trailering so the prop doesn't spin while going down the road). If the propshaft is damaged (bent) you can request a magnaflux test on the gears. Don't let the insurance companys off the hook until you are perfectly satisfied that all is well. No skeg or gearcase housing damage ?

Well Shut My Mouth ! ....Here's the latest word on the stocking of Browns, per Weaver's: {quote} The annual stocking of brown trout in the Niangua River took place on December 18 & 19, 2008. Five thousand browns were stocked, with an average length of 11½". Individual fish varied from 9" to 13" in length. The fish were stocked at 6 locations between Niangua River Oasis (NRO) and Ho-Humm Campground. {un-quote} 5000 Browns released along that 5 mile stretch of river the day before I last floated it in the toon. And I thought I had really figured something out that day ....LMAO What a bubble-buster I gotta challenge those numbers though, the most I've ever known them to drop in one place is 500, 500x6=3000 Still a very good thing, but lets keep it real. Knowing their movements after release(90+ percent immediatly head upstream) the fishing at NRO should be amazing. Probably why our buddy Cricket got all quiet

I second that...Me either. I have always chosen to go elsewhere because I've always heard/read that it has to be fished from a boat, the shuttles are long, and I have to pass over lots of good familiar water on my way there. Lame excuse I know, especially since I have one of every type of boat there is, short of an ocean liner and a scarrab. Someday......

Kyle, Nice website, especially enjoyed Madison Brown. Very cool !

Circle hooks would probably be more apt to roll off the sides and gill plates, so you'd either get a jaw stabbed or miss them altogether. Dunno, just a thought.

To each their own, but to me it's snagging...period. Like I was saying in the other (bead pegging) thread, I tried it in Bennett and on the Niangua and I did catch fish. Some in the mouth, some just outside the mouth, a few got stuck either on the side or on top of the back and shook off, and one got it in the eye. That's when I decided I didn't like it. But I'll confess that I was using a TMC 100 #12 and I was not using a circle hook....But Still I just don't like the concept. I do "ok" the ol'fashioned way and if I ever caught the fish of a lifetime using a pegged type rig (or even a dropper rig) it would never really feel...right...and I'm not sure I could be very proud of it. But that is just my personal view FWIW.

The "suspending Jerkbait" bite along south facing creek channel banks on any lake containing shad,....starting NOW...until late March. The "back end flats" Rattle Trap/Spinnerbait bite as soon as nightime water temps remain in the upper 40's. (lake Ozark and Truman) The pre-spawn "floating lizard" (cloudy days) or "Wiggle Wart"(sunny days) bite beginning mid-late April anywhere rocky banks change to gravel. (Lake Ozark) Late April-early June is Slab Crappie time, off colored water with shallow brush or wood cover. (Lake Ozark, Truman and Pomme) Once the Crappies are post-spawn get off the lakes and back to the rivers for Smallies, or stay on the lakes for some of the best Topwater "spook" action around secondary points. (Lake Ozark)

DUCT TAPE ??? Ouch !

Yep, like I said, my gut feeling was as such. The Browns I caught before Thanksgiving I could tell had been in the river awhile, each fish (brown) was on his own separate little niche of river. They were agressive and willing to chase when I found one...but there was no fishing one little area and catching 4-5 like you can do after a recent stocking. I'd like to take the toon and cover some water on a day thats not so windy.