Johnsfolly

That definitely qualifies as a pig! Tell him congrats on his PB! That's a great fish.

Congrats to you both on a great day chasing those greenbacks. The betterhalf says that if she caught fish when oit fishing with you then you should just zip it!☺

Decided to head down to a favorite clear water river on Sat trying to get in a multispecies trip before the rains blew out the river, AGAIN . I have been wanting to fish this river on several occasions to catch the darters in their spawning coloration, but with all the rains that just hasn't happened this year. So with Livie in tow we headed south with a variety of rod set-ups in mind. My goal was to help my daughter catch some new species, particularly some new darters and minnows. I know that there are at least three darters species and two of those, the rainbow and greenside darter, she has never seen nor caught before. Also this river has a bunch of smallmouth, largemouth, and rock bass. Livie got excited, because she caught a longear sunfish off one the many beds she could see from the bank on her first cast with the jig and float set-up we use for sunfish in the ponds and lakes we have fished this year. Spawning longears are one of the prettiest fish in the stream and she wanted to catch a nice spawning male. She did end up catching this real nice one. I had on a 1/32 oz tube jig with a white/chartreuse slider body and caught the first smallmouth of the day, a feisty 10" fish. I handed Livie that rod to fish for a smallmouth while I picked up the ultralite that we were using for the microfishing. On her second cast Livie hung up the jig, once she got it unsnagged her first northern rock bass hit the bait. She did eventually get a smallmouth on the line with the jig, but due to her injured thumb lost it before I could get a photo. I was fishing a #14 hook with a small piece of worm and caught a small hornyhead chub and a few bleeding shiners while Live fished the jig. We headed upstream and were fishing under the bridge when the first of the rains came in. We only got a 5 to 8 minute shower at first. There was a large pile of trees under the bridge that had some deep water on the bank side. Livie got onto the blowdown to retrieve my line (switched out the white/chartreuse for a grn pumpkin/chartreuse tail slider body) and we both caught a bunch of green sunfish in the tangle of limbs in front of her in the photo. There were also several species of minnows where the current came into this hole. We both caught blacksided topminnows, but both missed hooking one fo the three or four brook silverside minnows swimming in that hole. The #20 hooks were too large and I fought to not put on the #26 hooks I had in my tackle bag figuring that we would fish this on the way back to the car. Livie was not able to hook one of the bleeding shiners, but caught her very first Ozark minnow out of school of 15 to 20 fish. I actually did not catch one from that school and had to find another school just a little bit further upstream before I landed an Ozark minnow. At that time Livie was trying to catch a water snake that had a large tadpole in its mouth. She never did catch that snake, but had several chances. When I got into these shallows, the darters forced my hand to switch to the #26 hooks. I only caught orangethroat darters, but LIvie was able to catch her first rainbow darter and a couple of bleeding shiners Then the rain set on us again and we both heard sirens. So that ended our trip. We never did get up to the spots where I have caught greenside darters in the past and didn't fish under the bridge again as we were headed back to the car. After we left, we drove through a pretty bad storm with lots of rain and high wind gusts. The river actually rose 3 feet by Sat evening. So it's going to have to be by the weekend before it may clear up enough to sight fish this spot again. That's without any additional rains, but there is more in the forecast. Livied ended up with at least 9 different species and one sunfish that I need to get verification as a possible orangespotted sunfish. I caught 12 different species. All in all a great day and a successful multispecies trip.

So far a somewhat dissapointing spring for hummingbirds. We have only had one migrating male at our feeders and that was almost two weeks ago. On the flip side Livie already has monarch caterpillars that are pretty large and two are getting ready to pupate.

Thanks for the report. Nice bunch of fish! Congrats! Were you fishing from the bank or in a boat? The water was pretty stained the last time my daughter and I fished the east causeway bridge area two weeks ago. Caught only a few small ones. Is it still pretty colored up?

I love peas in a salad like this one. Thanks for posting!

Congrats on a good morning of fishing. Better than being at work early!

As Billethead can attest to there are fishable populations of artic grayling in Montana.

They are a favorite for grey and fox squirrels as well. One of my prime hunting tactic is to camp near a shagbark in late Aug when the hickory nuts are ripening. Squirrels can't lay off of the nut and the sound of them cutting the hickory nuts always gives them away.

OTF Got any openings ? I do have a background in limnology/plankton ecology with four years of field experience, though only partially serious about an opening. Love the photos. Can't tell what type of snake you've photographed.

Here is my take on what waters are covered by the MDC designations. After fishing them across the state, each designated trout stream has MDC accessibility that would allow them implement these regulations as well as to provide access, stock, monitor fisherman compliance, etc. much easier than if they tried to deal with private landowners. I realize that although there are there are several MDC accesses on the creek, a fair portion of Crane creek blue ribbon designation is covered by private land. It may be that because of the nature of the fish residing in Crane that the MDC may have been able to convince landowners of providing that level of protection. The blue ribbon designation was also to identify those sections of creek that have conditions that would allow for successful spawning to occur. So it's possible that Spring creek does not provide the MDC the ability to monitor compliance or does not in of itself satisfy the criteria for the blue ribbon designation. Just some thoughts.

Gteat job Dan! Wish I could get down that way, but heading out east again for the next week and a half. Keep getting after those eyes. No one can say that pink isn't a good color for you☺.

Five Likes.. Five Likes..

Dan Great video! Glad to see that you got some to the boat and with the Bink's spoon. Great job! Would love to get my girls onto some whites. Just been catching a few crappie and 'gills from the banks around us.

Great video. Favorite footage was the carp. Looked like you were fishimg bonefish on the flats. Not familiar with this river. Assuming its in Texas. Looked like a blast.

Put me in a dilema, vote for the Mrs or enter a photo of my daugjter. Voted for Mrs Billethead.

I love the banter. Yes I am a OA "like" whore and have on more than one occasion asked (i.e., forced ) my betterhalf to participate in a few of the discussions just to elevate the Number of Like/posts ratio. (Though probably the blame should go to Phil for adding those features to OAF and not my obsessive nature ). This good nature ribbing is a testament as to how much like a family we can be on this forum. Also may be an example for why the Billetheads have been together as long as they have! I know it's not just for BH's good looks, fly tying, turkey calling, and fine cooking. Well maybe for the fly tying and cooking. I look at them as an inspiration for my wife and I as we head towards our 22nd year of marriage (32nd year of being together). Sorry about the sappy response. Hey who let those vocal girls on this forum (and their silent supporter ness'lady)!?!? Let's get Phil to BAN them!!! Is that more like it BH ?

Just finished watching a nail biter in Washington. Great win for the Pens! The rugby scrum in the third really got the heart pumping. Ovechkin got away with goalie interference. Glad that it is over. Game two will likely start with a fight or two.

Ranger that is an awesome Walleye! Congrats on your PB!

May be too late for that ! He thrives off the accolades for his gardening, morel hunting, cooking, squirrel hunting from the LazBoy, etc.!

That's a nice mess of whites! Great job and a good meal awaits.

I hope that everyone is safe over the next week. We haven't had the heavy rains, but staying wet just the same. Been trying to get out to catch some male darters with their spawning colors, but I need to sight fish them. With the rain every couple of days just can't get a chance to get any. Last year the rain confounded much of my darter fishing and this year is turning out the same. Really wanted to catch a male greensides darter. They are early spawners, so may have missed the window of opportunity.

BH Taking the blind pig gets an acorn approach does work! Congrats to you and the Mrs on another great season. Though that "success" is the result of the work that you two put in before and during the season. My betterhalf thinks that the title of this post may get you in a little hot water.

I bet the meat was wormy! I passed on catching one that size because of the worms. Settled for catching some 10 inchers instead. Then let them all go.

Thanks. She already shot a bigger Missouri gobbler than I have. So I couldn't be prouder! I have no problem with her catching more or bigger fish if she keeps fishing with her dad!