usmcgrunt

I'll be off around 4, but there's no telling when I'll be able to fish, if I'm able to at all. I've always had the best luck on nights when the moon is full, or very close to it like tonight. And I fish the warm water area whenever there's an open spot, but if there's no open spot I'll go all the way to the end of that little point and cast either towards the dam, or about halfway across that cove. The shad are hanging out there and it's an all you can eat buffet for the fish.

I went out this morning before work, figuring I'd just net some shad and toss out a couple cat rigs and then bass fish between bites. That mostly happened, only I didn't have enough time between bites to bass fish. I was using small shad, about 2 to 3 inches long, thrown out about 40 yards. I kept getting hits but no takers for a while, and with my luck I wasn't about to leave a pole unwatched as that's when they seem to jump in the water. Finally I had a good solid thump on the line, then my pole started to slide towards the water. I made sure the circle hook did it's job, then I tore into him. Turned out to be a channel cat, about 10 lbs. I got dumb and tried to horse him over the weeds and snapped the line, so no fish fry tonight, but with a little luck my daughter will be worn out and my fiance won't have a honey-do list so I can try again when I get off work

I love those things! It's not my "go to" lure, but when nothing else works, they almost always produce a fish of some sort. My tackle box wouldn't be complete without one. or three...

I named my kayak "My Effen Kayak." It drew attention and got a few little kids in trouble when they said the name out loud in front of their parents... oopsies... lol

I've dealt with people like that before. I was bank fishing over at Mutton Creek with my wife's family, and I had a couple jet ski riders come within casting distance of us. I managed to wave one down and explain that he was dangerously close to us and I'd appreciate it if he took his ride a little further out from us. He was cool about it and went to the far side of the cove, but the other ignored every attempt at flagging him down and thought it was funny to see how close he could get to my in-laws and my pregnant wife. I called water patrol, and an hour later they hadn't shown up like they promised, and the guy kept getting real close and splashing us with his wake, so I lost my cool and launched a 2 ounce sinker at him. I hit him, and it felt great. Water patrol finally showed up right about the time he made it to shore (thank god), and told him to go back to the marina and they had better hear about him or see him doing anything like that ever again. They were fishermen too and they just told me to be careful with my casts, since you never know who's driving too close to shore.

Yeah I keep them and I haven't grown any extra body parts or gotten sick from them. In other parts of the country the lakes that have power plants near them are tested more often and watched more carefully for dangerous chemicals than other lakes, so I'd assume that's what happens with Springfield Lake. At least that's what I tell myself...

Well I went out again Tuesday, but it didn't last very long. I caught a couple shorts, about 12 inches each on my favorite popper and couldn't buy a bite with anything else. I cut the trip short due to a few rude people either throwing over my line, or my personal favorite: moving my gear so they could fish a certain place. That one set me off a little, so to stay out of trouble I just went home.

Thanks Dave, I'll have to try that out tomorrow. Hopefully with this slight weather change they won't be hunkered down too much.

usually the hot water outlet. i can always count on there being some nice fish hanging out around there

I just fish from the bank since I don't have a boat. When I go out, it's always in the morning, right as the sun is coming up and I usually leave by 10 so I can get home and watch my daughter while my girlfriend is at work. But even in that 4 hours I can almost always land at least one 15+ inch fish and a few smaller ones

That actually works perfect. I'm off tuesdays and wednesdays too. And the fishing fanatic that I am, I went out again this morning and right before the sun came up, I hooked into a fat 20 inch largemouth on a popper on the first cast of the day. But that was the only fish of the day. Oh well, I'll catch more later.

Well Tuesday wasn't as good of a catching day as I had hoped. I only landed 2 largemouth, and they weren't exactly brag worthy, only about 10 inches each. I would have had more, but my line chose a great time to start being unreliable and broke off on 2 fish I believe would have been pushing 3 pounds. Well one of them anyway. The other wasn't on the line long enough for me to get a feel for his size. So after I replace my line, I'll be back out there Saturday morning before I have to go to work. Patrick, if you ever want a fishing partner, just let me know and I'll pitch in for gas and conversation on the water.

I went out again yesterday and threw a few crankbaits and caught one 16 inch largemouth on a white shallow running crank, and I lost a bigger one on a craw pattern crank. The fish were very picky, but the highlight of the day was the 18 inch smallmouth I caught on a 4 inch white swimbait. I'll be out again tomorrow and I'll try to update when I get done.

I've been throwing a popper during the first hour of daylight and right after dark and I've been doing ok on bass. They average about 14 inches. But the bite isn't very hot yet, during the time I throw it, I'll only have 3 or 4 fish to show for it. I've been doing much better on texas rigged worms, wacky rigged senkos, and white swimbaits and flukes.

Just thought I'd let y'all know about a new fiber company from here in Nixa. My mom, Lezley Chastain, is one of the owners, and since she gives me credit for getting her started in the world of fly tying, I figure I owe her a little bit of shameless promotions. It's the Megli Fish Fiber company, and it's made from sheep and alpaca wool. The critters are raised and sheared in Lamar, MO and then are blended and packaged in Nixa, MO. Here are the colors they offer so far, with much more to come: mayfly salmon pink blood orange cutthroat catfish manatee bluegill not quite white fish belly gray purple yellow Dave Whitlock was very impressed with the product. If you're interested in ordering, email lezley@meglifishfiber.com with your name and contact information and she'll contact you as soon as possible.

Bill, I have no doubt you've been fishing longer than me. I'm only 23. So you got me there. Congratulations on being born before me. You're absolutely right though. Recreational boaters that have no interest in fishing have no business being on public water. Oh wait... that's just ridiculous. To think that is just "rude selfish and dumb." Note that I'm just using words that you freely throw out at people who just want to fish, just like you. If everyone thought that way, nobody would enjoy their time spent on the water. So just stop fishing at Fellows if it's going to rub you the wrong way. I'd hate to have to deal with you on the water, so I'd just rather you not be there. See how dumb that sounds?

Bill, from your previous posts, you make it sound like they're horrible people for wanting to attract more people to Fellows Lake. More people coming to the lake means more money for them; that much is certain. But so what? It takes money to keep the marina in business, and they can't live with no money, so it seems natural for them to do this. If you don't like the marina, you don't have to do any business there. And you keep mentioning crappie fishermen hogging certain spots. Well it's a public lake, so either get there first or deal with it. I've dealt with too many people accusing me of stealing their spots to have any patience for that kind of talk so that's the nicest way I can put it. So you can continue to dislike the fact that they're bringing new people out to Fellows all you want, but I bet they're here to stay.

I went down last night and even though I didn't catch a thing, my in- laws caught a few whites and crappie on chartreuse swimming minnows drifted about 4 feet under a float along the edges of the bank. The group just down from us were catching quite a few nice size walleye using the same technique we were.

Well I made the trip, but I don't have a lot to brag about. I made my first stop right above the dam at the public access and caught a fat little largemouth on a silver stickbait, then I went down below the dam and threw everything I had and never got a bite. The guy just down from me was catching smallies and a few walleye on a gold swimming minnow fished near the surface at a medium retrieve. That's about all I saw being caught in the few hours I was down there.

Just to make sure I don't manage to get myself lost in Forsyth, is the area you're talking about on the north side of the tailwater, just off of Hwy Y and just past the dam? And if not, that spot looks pretty easy to get to, how's the fishing?

I went out Saturday morning and it didn't look like it but I didn't look too hard for it either...

Thanks guys, I'll have to give it a shot. Turns out my trip is being pushed back to Wednesday, so hopefully I can hook into something over 6 inches...

I'm toying with the dea of driving down early Tuesday morning for a little fishing, but I've never been there before and I have all sorts of questions. Mainly, are the fish biting, and where can I park and where should I fish? I'm not looking for anyone's secret spot but any pointers would be great. Also, what kind of lures should I use? Thanks guys.