JestersHK

Whew... Had a few minutes to catch up on this thread. I was raised in the suburbs of St. Louis, but grew up down in southern MO with my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. True woodspeople who lived off the land and taught me much of what I pass along today. I loved the outdoors as a child and still do to this day. I've tried to pass this along to my children and have been mostly successful. I try to raise them "right". I despise, love, hate, tolerate, and work in mobile technology and see how it impacts not only our kids but society as a whole... Some good, mostly bad, most days I want to go back to pre-internet, heck go back to before cell phones for that matter. In my experience though its the parenting not the technology that is creating kids who will never know the joys of fishing or being outdoors... The lack of respect I have witnessed, and the whole kids parenting their parents also blows my mind. I see it at all ages to from young kids scolding their parents for not giving them what they want to early 20 somethings who think I owe them respect and the world on a platter. It saddens me that I can usually see these things on a daily basis if I'm out and about, but I do what I can only do and try to raise my kids the "right" way. This "right" way may be right, wrong, or foreign to others, but mine will grow up respecting their elders, respecting others property, and never taking our recreational past times for granted. I for one am lucky in that my kids will trudge along with me on my outdoor excursions. Sure they have phones, tablets, and video game systems... but so far they will happily ditch all that stuff to spend the weekend sloshing around in a creek with me, or camping in the heat without too much bellyaching. Not on my high horse to say this is right or wrong, and that others should instill these foundations into their kids, but its safe to assume the way of life I knew growing up is rapidly fading away, and it saddens me...

Haha, You ain't lyin... We were staying outside the city in Luling. Tons of little hole in the wall places that don't even show up on google maps. Best food I've had in a while. Got introduce to beignets, which are basically funnel cake batter in the shape of a pillow. Pretty magical breakfast with some Chickoree coffee. Apparently the locals don't take kindly to calling crawfish crawdads or mudbugs, but this MO redneck calls it like it is

Yeah buddy, would like to have caught a 10lber vs gaining 10lbs lol. Good news is one more week next week of summer trips then hopefully life settles down and I can get back to fishing. You and I need a daytime trip to Taney so we can get you that Brown!

Thanks for all the replies guys. Sadly we spent the week nose to grindstone fixing everything under the sun that goes along with a company wide network outage. I did get to do the WW2 museum which was simply amazing, and I highly recommend it. Also drove over the 23 mile bridge. Got to see the water just no fishing this trip... I will say food down there is fantastic. Not a bad meal all week.

Man this fish is a pig. I was out in that area last year, and the guy works at our plant out there in Soda springs. What a pig of a fish. http://brobible.com/sports/article/57-pound-lake-trout-fishing-record-utah/

Spent a long weekend in the heat with my cousins and the family, about 21 of us this year. We camp right next to the lake so we get to fish quite a bit. All my girls were able to catch them on there own this year too so I was a proud papa. Mostly gills and sun fish, but we got into a few cats as well. My middle kiddo caught a nice cat on her ultralight for big fish of the weekend. Not sure how she did it on 4lb test and a tiny hook, but we got him landed. Caught some good eater size ones, but when she started naming them I was guilted into catch and release again this year. We have a traditional kids vs. adults kickball game as well. The kids beat us bad last year, but this year victory was ours and we eeked out a win! Weather was hot, bugs were awful, but smiles were made and it was all worth it. Got back Sunday and had to turn around and fly to New Orleans for work so this was def a needed calm before the chaos. Still trying to squeeze in a charter down here this week if we can... Hotels suck, but it's cooler here than back home right now if you can believe it.

BIG K did you get a chance for any pics? I'd love to get down there while they have the lake drawn down to scope it out.

Hoping and praying for the best from my family.

Thats a sweet yak there! I'm almost ready to take the plunge... I've been told it starts a vortex of cash disposal

Amazing! And I'm definitely super jealous! Awesome report there buddy. Man you guys were close to those bears in the second vid. Crazy seeing that big one run off the others. Did they even acknowledge you were there? I get what Duane says about being ruined for a bit when you come back home to those little dinky 20in rainbows in Taney LOL! Beautiful country and glad you were able to enjoy it with your fam!

Thanks SIO3. I'll check those guys out. Haven't booked yet, but emailed a few letting them know I wouldn't know if we can make it till the day before...

Thanks PW! I'm looking at charters now as I'm trying to travel light. May still pack a small kit. We are hoping to get a half day on Thursday, but with the work schedule it's going to be up in the air until game time... Wish I could do a yak, definitely want to try. I really want to focus on catch and release. I'll try to keep them all in the water, but is the mortality rate on them that bad this time of year? I don't need to fish them that bad if they are not going to survive... Thanks to all who posted as well.

I sure hope they do as I'm counting them. I also saw they used to pond stock rainbows during the winter months down there.

Haha thanks brother, I think I'll avoid fishing at night from the shore. That whole gator thing lol. Hoping to get at least one trout down there so I can check off another state... I'll try to do a good trip report too.

I'm traveling with a local guy who already has a few places picked out. Can't wait for some shrimp and grits. Somehow with all that water he has never got into fishing... crazy to me, but I'm going to try and change that.

Yeah I am hoping for at least one half day. I'll have a coworker with me who I may try to split a half day guide trip with. Rates weren't too bad for the inshore red chasing and speck hunting. If I had a few days to myself I'd try to figure it out on my own, but may only have a few hours to work with in the evening. If you wanna bring your boat on down and guide for us Ham you can hot bunk with us LOL. I'm sure we can squeeze meals and drinks in on the corporate card too! We'll be gone all during the day though Also the WWII museum was recommended to me so we are going to try and squeeze that in as well. I heard its pretty amazing.

So work decided i get to go on another trip here week after next to go along with my already jam packed summer and crazy life... I'll be staying the week just outside of New Orleans, but wondered if there is anything down around that area worth me packing an extra bag of fish stuff? Paging @Plastic_worm as I know you are down there quite a bit buddy. I never picked up a larger fly rod with my biggest being a 6wt. Prefer to just take the fly rod as it fits nicely in my fish gear pack. May only get a few hours here and there, but I'll have a rental car to go explore with. Thanks in advance!

Dolphins right next to pier...

Family and I just returned from 2 weeks in Florida. Spent a few days in Clearwater before doing the Disney thing... Never got to fish the surf, but hit the pier there a few nights. Saw some nice snook being caught, but never got hooked up. Did catch a few trout free lining live shrimp and one on a gotcha plug. I've fished Florida a bit, but these were my first trout down there crossing Florida off my trout state list. Caught croakers, catfish, pinfish, greenbacks a plenty. Dolphins all over the place too, and they were cruising the pier and stealing fish. Got broke off twice on what were likely sharks, and saw a huge Ray get caught as well. Sorry not allot of pics. Fished mostly at night by myself this go around. Have Louisiana up next in a week and then a week after that will be back to Panama City Beach where we have a shark trip planned. I'm about done with sand and humidity at this point.

Nice bass there Phil. I guess some of the trout purist my not like all the visitors from TR, but I for one love the mystery of what might be on the other end of the line... I wonder how long they will stick around up on that end of the lake. With the gates being open for as long as they were I also wonder just how many made it over the top?

Nice John! Stinks you missed Father's day with the fam, but looks like you had a good time. I'll be in the Salt here in 3 more days! Can't wait to fish the ocean again. Never know what you'll catch!

Saw the lake hit 705 today for a minute. Wonder what changes will be in store for this summer after the heavy flows. Minus the Cars in the lake of course. Any plans to do some flyover with the drone Phil?

In searching for trout in other states I think PA has some areas where they stock these and have a stocking program. Utah apparently does as well and Wisconsin discontinued there program in the 70's. They are cool looking fish indeed and one on my list to catch. I think the record is a 20lber out of the great lakes, or so says wikipedia...

Good luck! Sometimes you just gotta make things happen. Life's short, its only money LOL.

Nice job guys! That Pond seems to be a gem BH if thats the same one you and the Mrs. was fishing. My Fries are ready and waiting... Trying to find a morning here in crazy town to get out and whack that smallie in his hidey hole.