Joenothum

The struggle is real this time of year, catch a mess of fish or chase the thunder chickens....hmm

Ya I don't get a lot of time, I was pushing it going today but a decided today was "irresponsible contractor day". Yet my guilty conscience still made me check in on some jobsites and back to the office work...

Put in at Moonshine Beach at about 7:30, I was only able to fish for about 2 1/2 hours but the bite was on. Very windy and cold so I got into some coves on the main lake out of the wind and caught 17. About all of them came on a shaky head, one 3.5# on a RK, and only 2 on a swim bait. Lots of smallmouth. I thought they would be on the gravel chunk rock mix but couldn't get one in those areas. Found them all on larger chunk rock/ledge rock in about 10 FOW. Water temps I saw were 53.7-54.4 water was very clear still. Wish I could have stayed longer. Anyone know when the rock snot will start to go away?

We will!

What is considered "Snapp"?

Just a couple miles north in Branson West is a Mexican Restaurant called "El Lago". Its a really good one. RT's in Kimberling isn't bad either.

I made it out today for the first time in a bit and I don't see how they will even get around. Its early March and you had to navigate around a lot of people today. Down river from the landing wasn't so bad but from Scotty's upstream there were people everywhere. I'm sure summer will be even busier.

Ya those are good colors, the 130 seems to pick up the bigger fish and the 90s you can really put up some numbers on. I'd pick up a couple 90s and throw those first to get your confidence in the bait up. Some guys use just a straight retrieve like a buzz bait. I tend to rip it two or three times and pause it for a second or two.

I'll second the photo period "theory". At upper 50s and now 60 (woah) the whites and walleye should be/have been peaking the run already and with word around town not much has been happening on those fronts. About the only exciting thing is the crappie bite has been hot. I do think the spawn will be early due to temps but the amount of daylight we get has to get right or better. I was way up Bull the other day and found a couple whites but nothing crazy like late march or april.

Cool fish and a nice one!

Take a trip up to northern Minnesota or Canada, its worth the trip if you have time and a boat unless you say at a lodge or outfit. You will literally have 100 fish days and catch quality ones. Everyone thinks the May/June spawn is the best time to go but in actuality the fall bite is the big fish time of year.

The Tactical Bassin guys are awesome. I they usually respond to any questions you have on their videos. They really do a great job at breaking things down to help you catch fish. Go subscribe to their YouTube channel, they post something every 2 or 3 days.

I'll second the length of the float, and second Jadwin Canoe rentals. Always seem to catch a good brown on every time we went. My brother caught a 4# brown one time we floated that had a clown smithwick hanging out of its mouth, I think he caught it on a black wooly bugger so don't be afraid to throw the big stuff.

Awesome fish! Ya its tough chucking and chucking and not catching anything looking for that 1 or 2 bites. Last year when the flood gates were open you could throw a jerkbait and about have a fish on every 5 casts. Water flow has everything to do with that bite.

I have a Lowe Roughneck 1860. Obviously its a utility boat but I set it up to bass fishing out of. Has the livewell, good sized front deck with pedestal seat, rod/gun box, console. Has a 50 Merc on it and will go about 31 mph loaded and full of fuel. I would have a glass boat but I literally do everything in this boat. I duck hunt, turkey hunt, fish, bowfish out of it and I take it almost anywhere. Its been abused but still looks awesome. I rhino lined the entire thing so I think that helped. But I love the boat, I will never get rid of it, I'll probably just end up getting a glass boat when I can afford it and keep this one.

I do not have one for my boat but my father in law got a set put on his brand new ranger Z21. As of fishing with him a handful of times we have never seen them deployed. But because this is an expensive boat he hates the idea of tying up to a dock to park the truck when he is fishing by himself so I think he uses them a lot when he is by himself loading and unloading the boat. If the dock is shallow enough you can pull up next to it and set the anchors and step right onto the dock. But again he spent a lot of money on the boat so he is extremely mindful not tp scuff the boat or anything. Just another use for a shallow water anchor.

I got sooo sick of throwing the stupid A-rig I figured it was the next best thing. I had a 5# fish at the boat and got so excited when I lifted it out of the water I lost my grip on it and it fell and hook popped out and gone. It was a nice one I was so mad, just made a careless mistake trying to boat it. It was on a spinner bait as well.

Went up to Cape Fair and BATTLED the wind. Found a decent spinner bait bite, had a 5# fish literally fall out of my hands as I was bringing it into the boat. About a dozen casts later caught this nice one. The picture doesn't do it justice but this fish was really dotted with those dark colorations. If you look closely at the fins you can see them. There were a few on his side and a big one its head. I wish I held the fish up to let the light shine through the fins to show them more. Is this just a genetic thing? I've noticed more and more photos on social media with the same colorations. Anyone know what causes it?

Launched at about 2:30ish from K Dock and wanted to catch some crappie and found a few on an exposed brush pile. Caught about half dozen about 9 1/2" long and then the wind picked up enough for it to annoy me to hold on the brush pile. So, hit a chunk rock bank with the RK and kept the boat in about 12 fow and really got into the bass. On this one particular stretch, ended up boating about 13 fish in 45 minutes. Most were short spots but had 2 keeper LM and one good SM. Water temp was right at 45.

Well thank you, how do you know them yourself?

I was there Sunday and saw 44.3-45.1 doubt it has changed very much since then.

Yes, although I have never met them that I can recall. They would be my father's cousins.

Ya I'm going to try that next time out.

Went up to Cape Fair yesterday, thought it was going to be warmer than it was. The wind was still awful and was cold! Threw a RK most of the day and caught a handful of fish. I've never fished deep in winter before so I spent some time graphing a creek arm and found some shad with bass mixed in in about 45 fow. Again, never had fished deep before and managed to catch 2 fish. Based on what I saw on the graph I was a bit disappointed I didn't catch more. I was throwing a War Eagle jigging spoon. I was working it with fairly sharp and long jerks (like white bass fishing?). Is this too much or do I need to be more finesse like with it? How do you guys work your baits?

Lews makes a speed stick specifically for a jerkbait; its called the "jerkbait special". I bought it and like it a lot. I throw smaller topwaters on it as well. Short rear grip, and its 6'7". I don't remember the cost but I do remember I thought it was a decent price.