Bitethis

Taking my son out...Taylor bridge or Orleans? Or Aldrich boat launch area?

Fished from 6:15am to 11:15am, boated 22 bass, nothing under 14", largest was 21" and SKINNY! (3.6lbs). Found some on bank with 45 degree slope with chunk rock and/or pea gravel, boat in 16' of water, using a red craw crank bait - majority of fish caught on this. Found a few on plastic craw dad (green pumpkin - 4.5"), and caught the big dady on a 5" joined shad out in the middle of the lake - fish were busting shad so tossed it out and slow rolled it and SLAM! Inhaled it....was awesome. Not 1 top-water bite and I tried multiple times throughout morning with a POP-r, spook, and wake bait. Weather was slight breeze, overcast all morning until the rain hit hard at 930am until we left. Water was 84 degrees and stained. fished turned off at 11am.

anyone seeing shad pods around greenfield or aldrich yet?

Springfield lake, yes...that is what I meant.

I didn't take a picture of it, I am sorry. Wasn't my fish...I will say this, I believe it was a musky due to the reddish/orangish color on it's fins and tail. I believe tiger musky can have that too, and I honestly didn't think about it being tiger musky until it was posted here. However, my first though was this...hang on for the ride!!! We had some pretty big rains earlier this, lake levels were insane. Springfield lake is fed from Stockton...Springfield lake is stocked with Musky....see where I am going with this?? Could be way off, I definitely don't claim to be an expert. I do feel strongly it was a regular Musky though, but as I previously stated I would have doubted the person sharing this story's ability to identify fish had they told me this same thing. So no love lost in the debate over a fish that didn't get its picture taken in a body of water it doesn't belong in...sounds like a fishing story if I ever heard one.

Just wanted to see if anyone has fished with the new Berkley hard baits (Wild thang, warpig, digger, etc.), and can give report on them? Do they run true, do they catch fish, do they seem well built, etc. Price point is nice at $7, and they look pretty...

We put in at aldrich, and happen to know right where the channel is. Still shallow at about 4', but we run it on plane...all I can say is go slow, trim up, get a topo map to show the channel if possible, or take someone knowledgable. I wouldn't put in at steel bridge, even with a 4x4, after all that rain this weekend. It would be a gamble.

Bass are moving up a bit, catching em on a jig or a craw colored crank bait. Chartrues crank baits are also producing for me. Hit the rivers for white bass, toss an A-Rig, roostertail, or small crank bait. As far as location - you can't go wrong right now, as everything is turning on. Pick a place and commit.

Fished the Sac river from Aldrich. Water was 53 degrees, decent stain to the water. Put in at 715am, took out at 145pm. Caught a total of 34 whites (kept 30), and 2 LM (both short). White or shad color seem to be the one they liked. It was very slow, but very steady. Never caught more than 2 out of one spot. Fished all the way up river to where you could see taylor bridge, but getting to it would have been unwise unless you are in a jetboat. Story of the day was the boat next to us landing a 33" Musky...had i not seen it myself and someone told me that happened, I would have called them a liar and unable to identify a fish. It was quite the show watching this folks from Oklahoma trying to land this Musky on White Bass gear, but they did.

Thanks guys! I think I am going to hire a guide for half of a day to get a feel for the lake and ask 1 million questions :-) Any recommendations on guide services and/or places to stay on the lake. I think I will make a few days of it and maximize my trip!

I live in Springfield, and fish Stockton religiously. I fish Tablerock from time to time, also. However, my 2016 New Years resolution is to catch more fish, catch bigger fish, and Fish somewhere different :-) I would love to lock into some Stripers! White Bass fishing is my favorite, and the appeal of Striper fishing is getting the best of me this year. I was hoping some of you experts could give a guy a few pointers, though? I have read through some of the posts here, and have seen some of the recommendations for lure selections, however I am looking for the closes area of the lake to get to from Springfield, while still yielding great results. Any recommendations on lake areas, lure selections, best time of year/day, etc., would be greatly appreciated. I am not looking for honey holes, top secret magic baits, or anything like that. I am just hoping for some general direction and help. Thanks in advance!

I do not claim to be well versed in Striper fishing, but am extremely invested in doing it this year. Any information that could assist me in this effort would be greatly appreciated! I am looking for direction on the following: Bait/Lure selection Best times/conditions to fish Rod/reel selection General areas to fish for Striper

So I am exploring something I haven't used in the past; squarebill crankbait. I hear a lot of talk (and read a lot of articles) on how effective this bait is. Everything from it being good 12 months of the year, good on chunk rock, good on laydowns and obstacles, and for scraping the bottom. I have heard to rip it fast non-stop, and to do a stop and go retrieve. Use silent, get em with rattles. The list goes on, and I can only make the assumption that a lot of it boils down to the body of water you are on. So, what is your favorite squarebill, favorite color, and how are you all fishing them and when?

Ned rig should work. I would also try a small crawdad in watermelon candy.

Wally, Glad you said something. I am unaware of the regulations on this, and to be honest hadn't given a second thought until you did. Can you point me to the regulation on this, I would hate to be getting a ticket while scarffing down a crappie fillet at $50 a pop (unless it would cost more than that...ouch).

Would going up river or toward lake yield better results, you think?

Good call...may try that

I am going fishing Monday out of a canoe, was thinking of putting in at CC and going down the bank towards turnback. Fishing for crappie, whites, and black bass. I won't be mad at a walleye, especially since we will eat lunch when we have enough fish to do so. Anyone think of a better place to put in a canoe and optimize success?

So i recently purchased a Shimano Curado i after much research, consideration, and input from the forums. $180...first reel I have purchased over $99. I Have a Shimano Caena, and I like it well enough, so I had very high expectations for the Curado. After 3 fishing trips and countless casts, I just wasn't as impressed as I expected to be for $180. I was actually a little disappointed. It sounded like a motorcycle reving its engine when I cast, which was the most annoying part. It felt well-built, it reeled pretty smooth, and the drag was very nice. However, I felt like my BPS PQ was just as good of a reel (and that isn't a knock on the PQ, I have 4 of them and like them) I guess I felt like all the hype was from brand loyal fellas, which I can understand. I returned it to Basspro to exchange for something in the same price point because, dang it, I will be satisfied with spending $180 on a fishing reel, as everyone tells me I will be able to tell the difference! I did a little more research, asked a couple different guys behind the reel counter - which I will no longer be doing. 1 guy said get the revo SX, its amazing. The next guy said the Revo S and SX are junk, nothing near as good as gen2. I asked them about the Quantum Smoke ($179) - "oh yeah, great reel, never gets returned, guys love it." I asked about the Daiwa Tatula($149), to which both gentlemen said several employees have them and love them, cast a mile, twing is legit, etc. However, both guys also directed me to the Johnny Morris Signature Series ($159), saying it is a bit heavier (8oz) but that it is a tank, will last forever, and casts very well! My goal was to get a solid reel, well built and long lasting, casts well, and minimize backlash potential with the elite breaking system provided by the $180 price tag more so than my uneducated thumb. At the end of the day I went with the Tatula, based on everything I read and nothing the guys behind the counter told me. I read their Magforce breaking system is legit, casts a country mile, and will stand up to the test of time. After a few practice casts in my yard, it does cast a mile. Got away from me pretty quick actually, was a little surprised. Not sold on the breaking system yet, as nothing will compare to live fishing scene versus your backyard. I initially went with curado because of centrifugal breaking, as most my backlashes are up front. The Tatula seemed to require a little more expertise, which may stretch me and cause me to earn that. This was more of a rant than anything else. If I am not happy with the Tatula, I am not sure I will be sold on spending more than $100 on a reel ever again, as my PQ's have served me VERY well (and their redesign and deployment is on the horizon).

Love it...

Thanks guys!

The dam in Warsaw?

From Springfield, and I fish Stockton 90% of the time, TR the other 10%. I dream of fishing Truman everytime I drive to KC. I also hear nothing but great things about it. I would like to fish it soon, but would really appreciate some wisdom on where to put in, and how to fish it. I am looking for anything that bites. I like fishing Whites, Crappie, Bass, and catfish.

I fished the channel side of the river, so it was over 8' deep...I wouldn't personally wade it. There are probably places you can, but I melt when I get wet so stand on the bank only. Take 215 to 123, turn right (towards aldrich), right before road takes a sharp left, there is a dirt road that goes straight (S 50th road) take it straight down until it T's, turn right and follow it until the end.

Went Monday night, caught 10 whites and 1 keeper crappie in 2 hours. All on a 3/16oz super spot. All right under steel bridge. Water was up, 6" visibility, and slow current. No big sows, all between 10-13".