holleybob

What did you do that for ??

Cooper Creek ramp was full of mud 6 inches deep 2 weeks ago. No idea if it still is though. Be careful.

1. Paying a guide is a good suggestions. Lots to be learned from the back of a boat. 2. Fish as an amateur in a pro/am circuit. Lots to be learned from the back of those boats too. Make sure to fish the tournaments held in the worst conditions. you will learn the most on those days especially if paired with a really good Pro. 3. There is no substitute for time on the water. Lots of good advice from very good fishermen here. Take what they give and go spend some time on the water applying methods. 4. Find your own way. Denny Brauer and Kevin Van Dam are very different fishermen yet they are both very good fishermen. Good luck and have fun! Jeff

My son and I try to fish every year on new years day. This year we are not due to the high water. I was in Branson this morning helping a friend move and drove by cooper creek landing to check things out. The lake was high but looks clear and fishable. The first 20 yards of the launch ramp had 6 inches to a foot of mud on it. Definitely not safe to launch. I'm wondering when it will be safe to launch and fish tanneycomo. If anyone notices any of the launch sites cleared off please post that info. Jeff

Very good point ^^ My brother and his wife were fishing on Taney a few years ago when that very thing happened just upstream from them. Very small boat, 3 large people, anchored with the transom facing upstream (another bad idea). Boat passes by, wake came over the transom and all 3 were in the water with their boat sinking within seconds. My brother and his wife had them fished out of the water and into their boat within 2,3 minutes. It could have been very very bad.

If your going to drive 7 hrs and have a reservation at Lilleys I would plan on renting a boat there. If your other 3 are not regular fishermen you might even think about a pontoon. Nice and comfortable.

My 12 year old Son, My brother from Memphis and I floated this section Saturday. It was our 1st time on the Jacks Fork. Wow what a beautiful river! I hated to leave and would go back tomorrow given the opportunity. We took almost 7 hours to float to two rivers which as I understand it is a long time to float that section (?) The water was a bit low. We dragged (kayaks) in a few spots and had to walk in one place due to a fallen tree but the river moved along better than I expected for September. We spent A LOT of time fishing the first few miles. Lots of willing smallies and gogleye caught mainly on finesse worms and Neds. After I hooked myself (deeply) and performed riverside surgery we figured we should paddle the remaining miles before the sun left us for the day. The weather was perfect, the fishing was steady, scenery beautiful, remote and peaceful. Hopefully I'll make it back and do that section and float it in 2 days which should allow us to fish as much as we want. It was hard paddling past great looking water. The fish in the picture was caught under the hwy 19 bridge. It was the first of the day.

Thanks. I get the impression it does not get floated much. For all but about 15 mins we had the river to ourselves.

Floated this section with a neighbor. Both in kayaks. Never been on the James before, we live in town so it was close and a good way to kill half of a Sunday before football season kicks in. We figured it to be about a 4 hr float. We fished it pretty hard in some spots and paddled through others and it took 6.5 hours. Fishing was slow, water went from brownish green to green. Lots of foamy water in the upper mile or two. A good many trees in the water. One spot about a mile up from Twin Bridges is particularly nasty. Needed a chain saw to get through! The only other floaters we saw on the river were a couple man/wife in a large raft. They passed us within the 1st mile. I don't know how they ever made it through the trees in that raft. Lots of gar working this section. caught 1 smallie, 2 LM, a chunky bluegill and a gar. Nice scenery and it was amazingly quiet for being basically in town. A few cool caves along the way too.

That last comment was not a poke at Tanneycomo guides in particular by the way. It's just a very noticeable difference in fishing ettiquette there. Always liked that about the Little Red....and still do.

You should really get up to Tanneycomo sometime so you can appreciate just exactly how good you have it at the Little Red.

Sounds epic! The Hailstone section seems hairy. I'm thinking kayak from there to Ponca, then swap out for a canoe for the remainder. I've not yet paddled a solo canoe but would like to. More manueverable and tons more capacity. My concern would be taking on water. I've never seen one with a spray skirt but surely they are out there. I'm surprised I've never seen a documentary on someone floating the entire river. Sounds like a project for National Geographic. Also on the $110 shuttle fee your right Al, that's a bargain.

I read somewhere that there are a few folks that float the entire river system each year from start to finish. Has anyone on this forum ever attempted it or kn ow anyone who has ? The National Park Service website says 135 miles, but are all of those miles navigable ? (upper end). If you were to do it, what vessel(s) and gear would you use ? How long would you give yourself ?

I am in full agreement with this^ plus fishing with confidence. That takes time to develop. Many years ago as I was chasing steelhead on the St. Joe river in Michigan I was schooled on this very thing. I had struggled to catch a single fish but watched as an older gentleman was catching them on a regular basis. I figured he was in a honey hole. After a while I reeled in my fly line tucked my rod under my arm and moved to a spot on the bank and just watched him fish. Before too long he invited me over. Of course I asked "what are you catching these things on ?" His reply was "it doesn't matter, I just know where to put it and how it's supposed to feel". I had no idea what he was talking about! He started explaining and I started learning the nuances of placing your fly in the water colum that the fish wanted it to be in. Then he really blew my mind as he took a stick of gum out of his pocket put the gum in his mouth and took the silver wrapping paper and wrapped it over and around his fly. It was a gum wrapper fly! Within 8 or 10 drifts he caught another steelhead. I tried and tried and never did catch a fish that day, but I did the next time !

I'll have to check it out. Im sure it would be a conversation starter at the dock. Wrench, would finding someone to work on it be a problem?

Did I make it that obvious ? I do drive a diesel. No bumper stickers though. Does make me wonder if it's possible though. We have some smarts farts in this country..anything is possible if you get the right guys on it!

How about a diesel outboard ? Thats it, a straight six Cummins outboard!. 1100 lbs of it setting on the back of a bass rig modified with 4 pontoons to float that bad boy. Then we can all dispute the topics of biodiesel, bio blends, DEF fluids, and smoke...oh the smoke !!

I tried this Saturday and it worked great. The darn thing just popped right out! It took me longer than I wanted but it was my first time. Thanks for posting. The video was very helpful.

You may give Marine Repair Center in Springfield a call. 417-833-9191. They repair/rebuild trolling motors. I'll bet they will have a good idea as to what happened. Also if it is a Motorguide issue I'm thinking they will have some knowledge of that also. Good luck

Congratulations and welcome to the Ozarks. Are you from Milwaukee area ? I have some fond memories of fishing Kings and Steelhead in the area of Milwaukee, Racine and Sheboygan. Of course there are a few smallies in the lake nearby too! Sounds like your getting dialed in at Tablerock. Thanks for the report, that's how we all benefit from one another's success.

There is alot to be learned from the back of the boat ; frustration, humility, disappointment..and creativity. I was at a seminar years ago with Geoorge Cochran and he was explaining how to fish a rip rap bank by positioning your boat parallel to the bank and casting parallel to the bank. Someone from the audience asked "what about the guy in the back of the boat?" George replied " tell him to get his own boat" Being a back of the boat guy teaches you how to behave when you're a front of the boat guy. I was both, and remember vivdly the guys that treated me well. Good for you Champ !

I'll be honest when I first saw it I thought they were White bass. I figured what the heck, I dont mind catching whites. I didn't catch any but I don't doubt that they were there. The more reaction I see from veteran guys like yourself the more I realize how historic this morning was for me. I don't think I have anything special figured out though. Before I came upon these fish I struggled , and I struggled after they were gone. Anyone could have slayed those fish. They were just everywhere! and then they were gone. I do appreciate your comments!

Gotcha. Of the fish I caught in that area there were 25 that were all over 15 inches. To be fair I did not measure all of them but the first few I did. I did catch a couple short fish earlier and one later that were short.

That's what I've been doing. I worry about fish mortality though. I've almost placed some less than legal ones in the livewell to let them breath a bit then get after the hook removal again. I just can't bring myself to do it. After reading Bill's post about catching fish with old hooks in their mouths maybe I should not worry so much. Thanks for the reality check.

I'm not sure I understand the 25 for 25. I did not catch all 25 on consecutive cast. I spent an hour and a half there before the shad dropped and it was over. For me it was pretty spectacular though. Right time, Right place kinda thing I think. I just stumbled onto them. I was very surpised that they were all keepers. My last time out I could not buy a keeper!