Bushbeater

Got a nice solid 4 today, or should I say it was a 18 incher on the new Rapala 16" DT. Congrats on a nice fish Al.

My wife and I read thru this tonight and we think a few may have been missed. Our apologies for any repeats. The Old Man and the Sea Bridge Over River Kwai The Great Escape The Dirty Dozen How the West was Won

I see quite a few artifact hunters at Ha Ha Tonka during low water conditions. The downstream point where the branch enters the lake.

I was fortunate enough to grow up with a family that camped and fished as long as I can remember. Grampa always had a jon boat and outboard, and one of those old minn kota trolling motors with the motor on top. We were on the Meramec at the campground run by Onondaga when he offered to take me bass fishing. There had just been a thunderstorm and the water was off color and rising. He fixed me up with a push button reel and a Lazy Ike. We were just downstream of the low water bridge where the canoe landing is now when the fun started. As I recall we landed big fish almost as fast as we could cast. Even in those days, probably around 1960 Grampa said we don't keep the bass. To me they all seemed huge, but my guess is the best were less than 18" and probably smaller. I still have Lazy Ikes in my tackle box. My PB actually came from a small farm pond just off the South Fork of the Salt River. Our thought was the previous owner of the property transplanted river fish to the pond. The pond was to be destroyed and rebuilt so we kept that bass, weighed it at 5 1/2 lbs., and ate it for dinner. I had a photo but it seems it has long since been lost in the shuffle.

The reverse casting broke on my Mercury Jet 20. The replacement is almost $400 for a 2 pound Aluminum casting. I just don't reverse anymore.

Fishing was a bit slow, a few decent bass in the morning, very slow midday and then a good evening bite. Nothing big, 2 keeper size bass, one walleye, one channel cat and several 8-10 inch crappie. Bass were on the deep side of docks, plastic worms worked best. All the bonus fish came on crankbaits thru and around bait balls. One mishap, I buried a DT 6 hook in my leg when I jerked it from a shoreline snag. First time for me. The line loop trick worked flawlessly and I was back fishing in less than 5 minutes.

Finally get a day off for a full day of fishing. The question is where? Look for Hybrids and Walleye here at Hahatonka, Smallmouth float fishing on Big or Little Niangua? LM down lake in deeper water? Curious on whose catching , when and where.

Last night the KOMU weather dude stated we have a Upper Level Disturbance in the Mid Layers of the Atmosphere. Sounds ominous to me.

It looked prime this morning. Not muddy, maybe up about a foot.

I'll be crossing the 133 bridge in the morning. If I see anything unusual I'll post.

Don't forget Kanopolis, I hear the hybrid action can be very good.

I'm at 15 MM on Niangua, there's not been much surface action. The few boats I have watched are fishing Shad, without much apparent success. All will change now as the area is chocolate milk.

KY3 news said someone in Camdenton had over 8". We did get a big slug of muddy water that was over the seawalls briefly about 5 AM. Not seeing much current so don't know yet if there will be floating debris.

I replaced a motor housing on a Minnkota Maxum because of a broken magnet. The entire part with magnets was only $40 plus freight.

While looking at the link to the MO. Water Patrol Reports that I posted I noticed an old friend involved in an incident. After a couple of phone calls I found he was night fishing the dam area early Sunday AM. Apparently a storm came up and while he was heading in, dealing with rain and wind he hit a breakwater. My point is that it can happen to anyone, even experienced and responsible boaters. Everybody stay safe out there and beware the idiots.

It sure appears there are more idiots boating more stupidly than ever.https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/WP03/search.jsp

Wave or stop by and say Hi, I'm right across from Ha Ha Tonka. I'll probably be in the yard roofing my shed. Wrench is correct as usual about flat and shallow although past the island you will see a bluff bank where the channel deepens again. We regularly run bass boats and pontoons all the way up to the first river riffles, but it does take some experience. I've not seen much catching up there this season except the catfish guys and a few skilled walleye guys. The whites and hybrids don't seem to be in the river now. Good Luck and don't try to go right of the island.

This rude and aggressive behavior by a small percentage is ruining the outdoor experience for everyone. Look at all the traditional river accesses and campgrounds that have closed in recent years, supposedly because of lack of funds, but usually because they can't be adequately patrolled to prevent these incidents. I really don't like the notion I need to carry just tohttps://www.bassmaster.com/news/18-year-old-dylan-poche-murdered-louisiana-boat-ramp-0 fish an out of the way access or camp and hike in wilderness areas but it seems to be the new way.https://www.bassmaster.com/news/bassmaster-opens-angler-shot-death-mississippi-motel

I love my Tatula Ct and that's all I'll buy from here on out. As for the Revo, I don't have any but I do have 2 of the BPS Pro Qualifiers and believe it or not, the parts interchange with the Revo. When I had to make repairs I used a Revo Pawl and Worm Gear.

I'm curious about this area. Do they fish below the actual dam, or the outlet, which according to what I've seen is downstream some distance. I've been to the outlet by jetboat and it didn't appear to have anything going that would make it concentrate fish and there wasn't much water flowing above it.

Fished about 3 hours yesterday, 2 bass, 1 solid 4 lb and 1 dink. Started out 12 to 20 FOW and had 0. Caught the fish tight to the bank where the shad were off deeper. There's been a lot of boats up this way Hybrid fishing with shad, however I've seen very few caught since before the 4th. It seems to me the boat traffic and high water temps have shut them down. Saw water temps yesterday close to 90 degrees. It seems it may be time to switch to Cat Fishing for awhile.

Since the Table Rock guys post so much info on the forums, we have tried some of their tricks here at LOZ. Last season we started with Ned Rigs with some success, it's especially good for kids and fishers with limited experience. My grandsons have had great fun with it, catching bass up to 4 lbs. on their spinning gear. This years interesting bait for us is the Kaitec Fat Impact on an underspin jig. Works great on deep fish off points and seems to catch all species. The whites and Hybrids really go for it, and yesterday I hooked what felt like a huge catfish although it pulled off after a lengthy battle. Anyone else using these here?

Maybe it has to sit in the fridge till it ferments? A lot of fermented beverages here. Or maybe she just scrubs better than me.

Try stale orange juice, I scrubbed my lower unit with vinegar for what seemed like hours, then my wife cleaned it with orange juice in a few minutes.

Living right across from HHT I have to agree, although I do regularly brave the wakes. Had to buy a 21' boat to deal with them and still can't stand up to fish on a busy day. So far I have kept my 17' boat as it is much more maneuverable to fish docks, but it seems it can only be used off season. Interestingly enough the residents in this area , about 2 years back, circulated a petition attempting to make a mile down lake of Ha Ha Tonka no wake. I believe they got several hundred signatures and sent it to the state representative and the water patrol, both of which declared it to much a PITA to bother with. Oh well, as Fishinwrench has previously stated, it may be the big boats and and heavy traffic that make the fishing here so good. Think I'll just shut up and go fish.