riverrat

I don't have any Mega bass lures to offer in trade. I do have one xr10 in the silver black color. If you would drop down to the xr08 I have several different colors. I literally have hundreds of hard baits just hanging in my basement that I'd offer for trade. PM me if interested. God help me if I ever got started on Megabass. I have this addiction called "MY SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT LURE". Does anyone know of a twelve step program for me? Just joking

Yes mic these are the same decals. D Chance I saved back a couple of decals specifically for you. Free delivery. A phone call away.

They are free. You definitely need to check out that store.

I received a generous supply of decals today. That was quick! On the way to the fishing hole I dropped several at the tackle store in Vienna, Mo. I was pleasantly suprised when I walked in the door. It's one of the best stocked small tackle stores I've ever been in and I've been in a few. Vienna Marine 202 Hwy 63S Vienna, Mo

I live in Rolla and would gladly help distribute the decals. Phil, pm me if you want my help and I'll give you my address.

Wow! What a class act you are.

My most memorable fish was not even caught by me. I apologize in advance for this being a little long-winded, but background is needed to adequately convey what that fish means to me. I grew up in town and never fished in my youth. I was into sports, chasing girls, partying with friends. Back then I really enjoyed floating the rivers, but never with a fishing pole. My parents never fished, too busy raising kids and trying to make ends meet. I moved away from Missouri and got married, in pursuit of a "better" life. On my annual summer visits home, I noticed that my mom had become totally obsessed with fishing. So out of the blue, where in the world did that come from? She always fished with live worms and it didn't really matter where she was or what she caught. I really believe she would have fished in a mud puddle if she thought she could get a bite. After seven years I moved back to Missouri. I didn't realize how much I had missed the rivers. That first summer I floated every chance I could, but now armed with a fishing pole. I started catching smallmouth and like my mother before me, a switch turned on inside me. As my parents aged, I tried to take each of them on a few float trips each year. The last float I was able to take my mother on was on the Big Piney in the management area, shortly after it was established. This next scene I will always remember like it happened yesterday. The fish weren't biting well that day. We came to a hole where a small creek entered from the left. Just below the mouth was a deep hole with that green color that signifies depth. In the edge of deep water was a big weathered tree, lying parallel to the bank. I put my pole down to position the canoe. On her first cast into that mess I thought she was hung up. Then her line started to move. Then her pole started to bend. I backed the canoe away from the tree, knowing it was a nice smallie. I saw a look of determination on her face that I knew well. It was the same look she gave me when trying to convince her hard-headed kid to do what needed done. She brought the fish to the boat and I lipped it for her. I unhooked it and measured it. A skinny 18" smallmouth, not that remarkable. If you know me at all, you know how adamant I am on releasing all smallmouth. No matter my gentle persuation she was having it mounted. If it would have been anyone else, I would have won that battle. She had it mounted and it became the centerpiece of a living room wall, surrounded by portraits of her children and grandchildren. The reason she never floated with me again was she developed Alzheimer's disease. The last time I took her fishing was a white bass trip in the fall to LOZ. She just stood there, pole in hand, watching my dad catch fish. It was at that moment I finally realized this disease was actually taking her. Such a devasting disease to watch progress. When she finally passed, there was no question where her fish would reside- in my fishing room. I've come to realize that matter how big, or how hard the strike, or how epic the battle no fish will ever come close to that memory. A prized possession.

Good idea. Either C or D works for me. I would want at least 4 of them.

I carry five rigged rods with me in the summertime. I usually have tied on a 3/8 dark buzzbait, a wakebait(big fan of the Mikey Jr) or a popper, a walk the dog bait, a fluke, and a bottom bouncer for missed strikes. Even though i carry way too much arsenal, I'm such a topwater junkie that a quart size ziplock bag would suffice.

I bought a Lew's Tournament Speed Spool a couple months ago from Tackle Warehouse. I think I paid around $110 with a 15% discount and free shipping. I like it well enough that it's replaced my Curado as my buzzbait reel. Haven't used it enough to comment on durability.

purple worm

Yep, I'm definitely addicted. I throw topwaters all day not because they catch more fish, I live for the explosion.

Didn't mean to imply I caught Hybrids on the dolphin-I used this bait for the first time last Sunday. Lots of topwaters will catch hybrids, the trick is finding the mean SOB's.

You ever try for hybrids on topwater? My brother and I got into a school of 5-8lbers one evening this May. Non stop action for an hour and half. We could actually see their wake coming from 20 feet away. Hard not to be trigger happy, and when they they hit they mean business, like a cherry bomb going off.

Work has been getting in the way of fishing this summer, but has finally slowed down. Got out Sunday 7/28 on my favorite stretch of the 'nade. The air temp that morning was in the low 50's. Kinda foggy. Water temp I'm guessing high 70's-low 80's. I immediately noticed the water was clearer than normal for summer time on the Gasconade. Visibility was 6-7 ft instead 2-3 ft, the water didn't have that funky brownish green color normal in summer. Is this because of the lower temps or the higher water flow, or both? I know I like the change. I started out with my favorite Sammy- 'ole one eye. My buddy was throwing his usual buzzbait. Fishing was a little slow the first couple of hours, just enough strikes to make it interesting. I did catch a 16" smallie early. The water was clear enough that I got to watch it come from the bottom in 6 ft of water and blast One Eye-SWEET!! It's been my experience on a cool summer morning like this, once the fog burns off the topwater bite gets better, and it did. The only difference was it more like an early fall bite, no rhyme or reason to where the fish were. Everywhere and nowhere. Caught several nice largemouth 2-4lbs. Lots of nice 12-16 in. smallmouth. We had several bruiser smallmouth (17-20 inches) strikes just no hookups. Oh well, I live for that explosion. About 3/4 of the way through the float my arm was getting fatigued from working the Sammy. I decided to try a new to me walk the dog bait that was a little smaller. First cast was a pleasant surprise- it was very easy to walk. By the 4th cast I had decided it was easiest to walk bait I had ever used. It even does well in moderate current. By the end of the float the fish told me they liked it too. This bait is the Damiki Dolphin that Smalliebigs was ranting about . The man knows what he is talking about. Thank you Smalliebigs you have just cost me a couple hundred in resupply fees, but it's what I live for. Even though Ole One Eye has caught hundreds of fish and had his hooks changed twice, he now hangs in a place of honor in my basement. I'll keep his 2 eyed twin in my tackle box, but I think I've moved on. Floated a different section on 8/1, the report is basically the same, with a few exceptions. This is the float that Al Agnew says has a 3 mile stretch of featureless water. He's right , but it used to be some of my favorite smallmouth water. The flood of 08 really changed this section. Filled in a lot of deep holes and destroyed several mud bank holes. In my opinion the worst change was the flood washed out all the grass beds. These beds were great smallie habitat and they have not grown back. On to the days fishing. Pretty much the same report as Sunday, with the topwater bite better once the fog burned off. Still like an early fall day with the fish everywhere and nowhere. Started off with my Dolphin and ended with it. Man I love that lure-no arm fatigue this day. Had one memorable first for me moment. I hooked about a 14" smallie on the Dolphin and I could see a larger fish with it. I stopped bringing it in, and the bigger fish was really wanting what the smaller one was eating. I saw the bruiser grab the lure and set the hook as best I could with a nice smallie already on. It was game on. They squalled drag and got out of sight. Then the pressure decreased, the big one must have got off. Nope over 19" smallie hooked and landed by deceit, but I'll take it. Man I needed these 2 days.

Tom Beveridge's Ozarks

About 15-20 years ago I worked with a guy who lived near Mason Bridge. At that time there was some kind of private hatchery or trout rearing ponds about a mile below Mason, and a high water event washed the trout into the river. My buddy had access permission from several of his neighbors and we chased trout that winter. Don't know if that place is still there or not.

.I've caught 2 22" smallmouth on the Gasconade and a 21.5" on the Big Piney. It's been 11 years since I've caught one that big.

I wouldn't worry too much about jet boat traffic right now. The river is really low and some of the shoals are not deep enough for jets.

Took advantage of the cool temps to take a buddy, who will not fish when it's hot, on a float. I don't think it's ever too hot to float- too many options to cool down on the river, and I get cranky if I haven't been in a while. The river was low low low, did I mention the river was low. Water temps had to be in the 80's- didn't have a thermometer but my legs told me it was that warm in the numerous shoals I had to pull over. Lots of leaves floating, not as bad as fall but still a lot of leaves. Lots of moss along the banks and some clumps floating. Started out with my Sammy-which has really produced in the last month- not even a look see early. Decided on the fluke and it was game on. Had to work it slow and let it sink over rocks, caught several 13-16" and numerous dinks early. Had an 18" smallie grab the fluke about 10' from the boat, but trigger happy me yanked it away from him. Only consolation was I got to see him/her and know he is there. Even though there was a decent fluke bite, every 20 minutes or so I would try a topwater, ether a sammy or buzzait, for several casts. Finally about 10 o'clock they started hitting the sammy a little in bright sunshine. Tried the buzzbait and caught a few, but mostly just follows with no commit. Thinking back on it now, maybe changing colors would have helped but I will never know. I finally put the buzzbait down because every 3rd or 4th cast, moss had to be extracted from the blade, aggravating, and I don't fish to be stressed. I settled on the sammy because I love to use it and can actually "steer" it away from a few leaves and clumps of moss. I came upon a spot where I had caught a 19" smallie on a sammy last year. I made the exact same cast and deja vue-an explosion. That's where the deja vu moment ended. Sammy came floating back up fishless. Kept running it- 15 ft. from the boat a 20" class smallmouth jumped competely over the sammy. Swimming with it were at least 4 smaller fish. A couple of them were 10-12" largemouth and I saw at least 2 other smallmouth. Usually in moments like this, at least for me, it's the little guy that's more aggresive. This beast was having none of this, about 6 feet from the boat he exploded again, only succeeding in knocking my favorite lure 6 inches out of the water. By this time the lure was only about 2 feet from the boat and I had no choice but to let it sit. He came barrelling back one last time, turning away at the last millisecond and headed for the depths. Should I have tried something deeper to entice him? For me I think not, he gave me such a rush that fooling him with something else would have been melodramitic. He did his job and even though I've caught several nice smallies this year, knowing that a beast I might have released last year came to say hello has been the highlight of my fishing this year. Nothing better than to see a smallies' agression at it's finest!

Gavin, you're killing me. Don't you know I'm a lure junky, especially topwaters. Maybe I should return to my roots and just use a 4" purple Creme worm, I caught fish. Naw, I'm also addicted to the topwater explosion. THE HORROR!!

A few years ago MDC had a smallmouth stocking on the Gasconade listed on their website. I inquired about it and it turns out they were doing a smallmouth spawning study. When the study was done, they returned the brood stock to the river and brought along the fry, listing this as a "stocking".

By the way Al I want to thank you for the tip on fixing a Sammy 85. I had 3 that I absolutely wouldn't use, too much trouble to walk. They now work just fine.

Try tying your buzzbait to your vehicle's radio atennae, that will wear it enough to give it a squeak.

I like the chartreuse shad.