fishinwrench

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.

Naw it's not "just you", it was fishing good before Thanksgiving but there are certain little spots where a few of the most recent stockers always hang out, I can usually always count on getting bit in those spots no matter how tough it is elsewhere in the river... but the fish are simply not there. When I drove through the park I saw that they put a sign up at the crapper by the Holland dam, saying that they were closing off half the restrooms..as a "budget cut" LOL I wonder when doing these "budget cuts" if they cut the cleaning crews hours right away, or skimp on the river stockings first ? I have nothing to go by other than a gut feeling, but I don't think they put any Browns in the river this Fall, at all. I dunno, but after the butt-kickin' I've taken the last 2 times in that stretch by the access...I'll be concentrating my efforts elsewhere for awhile.

Saturday it was a bit chalky-green (visability about 3ft.) but it's clearing up pretty fast.

I read something awhile back that I had never considered, but feel it's worth passing on: Many eggs from the nest drift and settle downstream from the visable redd...so if you wade an area with redd(s) try to walk UPSTREAM of the nest.

The wind made me its b!tc#, all day today Fished all the holes and riffles from Sand Spring down to 3rd island, tried every trick I know, and only had 4 noticable bites all day. Managed to get one little 12" rainbow hooked and landed. Super-tough day for me.

Lake level is 657.5 as of Friday, with low or no generation expected through the weekend. Not high and muddy at all, Shawnee bend area water condition is good. Tear'em up ! The number for the Bagnell dam lake level recording is 573-365-9205 (for future use).

Quote from LSL: "According to figures released this week by AmerenUE, 281 volunteers removed 937 cubic yards (about 72 tons) of material setting a record for the largest amount of debris ever brought in during a fall cleanup". And that's just the stuff that won't sink. LOL Crazy! I heard something awhile back that made me chuckle (but only because I don't own lakefront property anymore). It seems Ameren has the authority to drop the lake level 22 feet, making all lakefront property "second tier". And reclaiming/reselling the NEW lakefront property. Rumor was they actually considered doing that. Wouldn't that cause an equity stir ? LOL

Yeah I bet. I was working on a boat at Millstone several years back and a guy was there diving around the docks looking for goodies. He had found an expensive watch and a box of Snap-on tools the day before, he said the bottom was covered with old batterys, lawn chairs, outboard cowlings, TV antennas and everything you could imagine.

On the wall of the old Camdenton courthouse there are some old pictures taken during the clearing of the land before impoundment, a couple of them were photos of some rough lookin' old dudes (probably loggers on a day off) holding stringers of bass, at least half of them you can tell are Smallies, the writing below the pictures say they were taken on "Buffalo cr. near Zora". I'm talkin' stringers of 20-30 fish..... all NICE ones ! There were also some photos of the confluence of the big and little Niangua rivers, it was either a popular ford or a ferry crossing back then and the river looked really awesome...even in black and white. It would be amazing to see what lies on the floor of this lake, wouldn't it ?

Wish I could get away, looks like she's a foot or so high....'bout perfect ! I'm hoping that the fast water washed all that gravel out of the riffles at the access. Give us a report when you get back. Good luck

Oh it would be cool to see the plug pulled on this pond. Just think of the MILES of smallmouth rivers it would reopen...Gravois cr., Mill cr., Soap cr. the Glaize, the Buffalo's, Cole Camp, the Niangua's...... I hope I live to see it.

I was looking over the zippered waders and the zippers don't go down far enough. I mean, I don't know how well you guys are equipped....but I'm pretty sure I'd still have to drop the shoulder straps and pull them down to take a leak. Reminds me of that story about the old farmer that just reached in and pulled out the side of his overalls..... We are derailing at a tremendous rate...aren't we

a "REAL" flyfisherman wouldn't walk all the way to the porta-john.....he'd fish 'til he couldn't see straight anymore, wade to the bank, toss his rod gently in the weeds and frantically shuck his vest, rip off the wading belt and drop the waders to his knees .... streamside. After the big exhale he then checks to be sure the coast is clear. That guy was obviously a poser...

Here's a good mohair combo for really dirty water, I think it's the little bit of contrast that gets their attention. Mustad 9672 #10 1/8 black tungsten bead w/ 10 turns of .020 leadwire behind the bead. black marabou tail. black mohair body with 3 turns of white mohair for a collar behind the bead.

Cool, Thanks ! You've been suspiciously quiet lately Cricket, you're tearin'em up ain't ya ? Oneshot, Got a special recipe for tree rat ? I used to just roll them in flour and pepper and fry them, but I got some big old Reds this Fall and I was afraid they were gonna be tough as a shoe, so instead of frying them I baked them in a foil covered pie pan with butter, mushrooms, sliced onions and baby carrots.... it was good !

Anybody driven over the bridge or anything ? I was wondering how muddy it got and hoping to give it a shot by mid-week.

Just flushing the leaves and debris from last Fall, which was a welcome event from my standpoint...... They'll fall out quickly I think, there's no more significant rain in the immediate forcast. Shouldn't be any "fish kills" because of it. Doesn't look like the Current, or NFOW got hit very hard in comparison.

I certainly don't sell the trout parks short, I love them. The parks are the best place on earth to hone your skills, or "spar" with fish. Every technique I use that catches fish elsewhere for me, I originally learned in the parks. (I started to say "perfected" but I'm not quite there yet). Your line (or indicator, if that's your thing) reacts the same to a bite in the trout park as it does in Patagonia, and interpreting strikes is a MAJOR key to success everywhere. I wouldn't be half as good as I now am if it weren't for the thousands of bites I've had in the parks. You also get to watch fish react to all sorts of things in the parks...you get to see the "types" of places that they prefer to hold, or hide in. That is something you don't get many oppurtunitys to do when fishing for "wilder" fish. They act the same way in the wild, only difference is you can't always wade in amongst them without disturbing their behavior. I don't get very proud of myself for hooking 30-40 fish a day in a trout park, but I definately get better (at casting, mending, interpreting strikes, setting the hook, and fighting/landing fish) each time I do it, and that pays off bigtime when I fish areas with fewer and spookier fish. The parks are a good place to test or tweek new flys and play with presentations also, if those sore-mouthed, often leader-shy hatchery fish will eat it you can bet your dog the wilder fish in more remote areas will eat it too. At least that's been my experience.

Here's one from the bank of the Niangua river last November

Yep, I have one that I wouldn't trade for anything. It has been many-many miles, upstream and down, lived through two wives... and even lived through a head-on attack by a F2 tornado. The Guide 147 is a fisherman's canoe....perfect blend of propertys for the job. I may get a 169 Discovery and a Penobscott to play in...but I'll never get rid of my Guide 147. I can get down right sentimental 'bout it.

Blue Ribbon sure "sounds" better, but honestly there is only one BR river in MO. that I always find myself truly looking forward to returning to. Never really thought about it before now, but with equal time spent on all I must say that I have had more consistent action, and the most enjoyable times in White Ribbon areas, by far. Taneycomo tailwater, which to me is just another trout park, is my least favorite.... mostly because of the unpredictable flow.