Johnsfolly

For smallmouth I would agree with catching at least one if not 2 keepers to register that location. Trout would be harder especially since the blue ribbon section keeper size is 18". Maybe set the limit as one fish 12" or larger. I would have to go back and check my records, but I still think that I met that criteria for all of the blue ribbon and red ribbon designated streams. I don't recall if the one rainbow that I caught in each of the White ribbon sections of the Current or Hickory creek were longer than 12 inches. Would have been easier if I followed the stocking truck instead of trying for hold overs.

Check out Weaver's Tackle Store. They have a great selection of microjigs and marabous.

@FishnDave Congrats on those swamp muskies! They are a bowfun for sure!

The easiest way to fish the whistle bridge is to cast a John deere (gree with yellow eye spot) microjig under a float and keep up with the drift to prevent too much slack as it comes back to the bridge. She could also fish the weighted globall jigs. The tricolored ones or the brown colored ones work really well but can be tough to get a hook set. I would suggest 4# or better yet 2# flouro or hybrid line. If she wants to fish without a float and can cast a microjig, the white or cream are great since you can see them in the clear water. The john deere will work as well but are harder to see the baits. Just twitch and pause on the retrieve. If a trout follows it down on the pause set the hook when it's gills flare. 1/16 white and pink or salmon marabou jigs work well near the banks since the fish are used to folks cleaning fish above the bridge. Cast and jigging it back or letting it sit on bottom will get strikes. All of these will work above the bridge as well.

I hope that she does well

Let me know if you know this spot. (A decades old photo and not one of my photos. From a guide service of a spot I fished many times). At one time I caught my heaviest brown fishing a F11 handpainted rapala that I jerked and drifted from upcurrent just in front of the bluff on teh left while standing at the base of that tree on the right. There was (probably still is) an undercut at that upper corner of the bluff. I had a decent brown come out from the undercut and follow the bait. Then a fattie came out from that undercut and torpedoed the bait. Was just 18 inches and just over three pounds. Looked like a football. I will admit that was back in the days when I kept some brown trout and that fish did ride home with me 🙄. It had two suckers in it's gut.

Congrats on that Toad! Nothing like catching a giant on light line! Makes you appreciate every run or worry when you feel a tick of a branch on the line. Glad to see you out having fun buddy!

When I regularly fished the Current, I wouldn't even fish above Tan Vat and not very often between Tan Vat and Baptist. I was an admitted brown trout snob 🙄. Always found the browns or at least the bigger ones downstream of Baptist and more often much further downstream. There is so much good water in the upper Current. Miss fishing there. When we do get back to MO there's never enough time to fish my old haunts. So I live vicariously through you guys 😉 So throw up some photos in these posts 😁

Seems like they aren't just aggressive feeders 😉🤣

I've caught several green X bluegill sunfish hybrids (known stocked fish and wild ones) that look similar to your fish. Yours still may have a little longear in it as well. I would agree with @FishnDave that it was probably about a half pound. A couple of known green X bluegill stocked fish. They have that bluegill body shape and that big green sunfish mouth. Here's a green x bluegill hybrid my daughter caught near Vienna MO. Any pure green sunfish or hybrid do not surprise me on how agressive they can be.

That joke reminds me of this scene from "The Meaning of Life" there is some adult content.

Death comes to a man's house to collect his soul. When he gets to the man's home he sees the man and his family are in the middle of a party. Death tells the man why he has come. The man begs Death to spare him but Death insists that he must start at the top of his list and his name is first. The man sadly agrees but asks Death if he could at least wait until the end of his party with his family. Death agrees and they invite him to join the party. While Death is distracted with the party the man moves his name to the bottom of the list. Death has a great time and at the end of the party he's in a great mood. He turns to the man and says, "You know what? Since you've treated me with such a such a great time, I'll start from the bottom of the list this time." 🤣

Sounds like they needed to QC their data before issuing these statements 🤔

Actually we did live together for 10 yrs before we got married. So I must have been -5😉

Hey @Bassin4fun great report for a tough day on the water. Congrats on those that you guys were able to boat! I would expect most guys on here to be hoping for Labor day or later to get here as fast as it can for cooler conditions and less boats.

Sorry that you didn't get to fish at all. I haven't fished since we got back in MD 😒. Congrats on the anniversay that wasn't😅! You guys have two years on us, we will hit 27 yrs at the end of Sept.

Thanks Rick 😉👍

Aren't they all California Girls 😉

You are probabaly seeing longnose gar. They do get much larger than the shortnose gar. You really need to look at the top of the head and the taper of the mouth from the eyes forward to get an id on these guys when they are big ones.

Sounds like you had a great time!

So great to make memories with a lifetime fishing partner.👍

For the married guys

Thought of @Quillback when I saw this 🤣

Jerked boneless chicken thighs, coconut rice, and sauted zucchini and garlic.

It's your day Ryan. Hijack away😉