RSBreth

I had an odd day of fishing, not that the fishing was bad, but an odd series of mishaps. First, I catch a nice photo-worthy smallie, and right as the shutter snaps on the timer, a wasp stings me on the upper left thigh: Then after a couple of smaller fish I get a good fight out of nice smallmouth, bring him in, and he looks like this: What is wrong with this guy? Early injury to the spine? He fought well, jumped, and swam away just fine, so it must not be hindering the stream survival skills. Weird. Lastly, I get a huge rod bending strike on a crankbait, the type of hit that feels like a solid 5, then the fish turns, runs with the current, and does the backwards spinning 360 degree jump. O.K., so I see he's smaller but still a 3, right? No, I get him in and he's only 1 pound, but I shot a picture anyway for being such a strong fighter. Fished until about 3, and only saw one person, in a small jet-powered jon.

I love a good Cicada hatch... http://www.drakemag.com/content/view/2/2/

I sometimes drag up and paddle back above Linden, most of the time the misses drops me at Linden and I float back to the park. Never leave a car at Linden.

I don't think I was so specific as to pinpoint exactly where I was, or that there are enough people ready to float this stretch simply to find a dozen good crappies, you can't run a boat of any size through there, look at my first picture, Ham. I have to do that 10-12 times just to get through. Second response. I better have it figured out, I've lived here in Ozark since '98, and fish it, on average, once a week. When I'm not off to Table Rock, the White, or wherever, I'm here. Year round. I know the stretch there behind Heritage, and I don't really bother. Shallow for quite a ways downstream down to the 65 bridge area, which is hit every weekend by catch and keep locals. And drunks. Sometimes one in the same. The best areas on the Finley are the stretches above the park in Ozark, above Linden, and above the confluence with the James. I'm still amazed at numbers of crappie and largemouths, I think it's the small lakes that allow them good spawning areas in what is otherwise a smallie river.

Fished today on a stretch above Ozark, pretty good smallies, no real size to them, tons of goggle-eye, as usual, and the reason I keep a small box of little grubs and a few small Thill Floats: A nice little school of crappie around a newly downed tree. Some portages necessary, but a good float except for one drunken trio in a canoe randomly going up and down stream, of course right where I anchor to fish the crappie. Oh well, float season is upon us. I should post more reports, but I get lazy about it.

I'm in the minority it seems, but I ditched mono for spinning reels about 10 years ago. For grub swimming, I use either 2/10 braid (like Spiderwire Stealth) or 4/10 Fireline, and use a flouro leader in either 8 or 10, so you get the long casts, sensitivity, and good long range hooksets of super line, but the low-vis and abrasion resistance of flouro. Use a blood knot or back to back uni-knots to attach the leader to the main line.

I usually avoid stuff like this because A: I don't care much what other people think, and B: I don't think I'm that persuasive to change minds if I disagree, but (and you knew there would be a "but") to worry about this is silly. I can see the would be terrorist now: "I will strike at what America loves best, I will show them no one is safe, I will disrupt the daily life of every American, so I will flood the Yakov Smirnoff Theater!" Seriously, it takes good sized bombs <2,000lbs.+ to take out dams of that size, and a truck bomb wouldn't do it, either. You guys neaver learned about the allies bursting the dams in Holland in WWII, did you?

Yeah, they will have the detailed results posted this week, I saw the winner had a 7 lb. kicker, that will do it. Co-angler winner used a green pumpkin finesse worm, imagine that. Thanks.

Yeah, I would like to know how everyone did, I wanted to fish that tourney today, but other obligations took precedent. Still, would have been a fun launch, I can hear it now.. "Here, take this motorcycle helmet, you'll need it."

I played guide to my brother-in-law and nephew today, out of Mill Creek. Didn't catch anything until about 10, tried the jerk, crank, and grub. Finally got some good ones on the shaky head worm, about halfway back in coves on chunk rock. Nephew is a little young to get the feel for the worm, but I did let him fight a couple.

I like Mill Creek also. The ramp isn't much, but there is a single floating courtesy dock and lots of parking, and generally fisherman use this ramp, so things go pretty good with folks not tying up the ramp most days. Just go across the lake on the Kimberling bridge, go around and up the hill a mile or so, turn right on RB. If your eyes are good, you can see the parking area from the bridge on a clear day.

Fished out of Mill Creek today, from daylight (whenever that was, daylight savings screws me up) till about 3 P.M. Ran to the dam, hitting all my favorite spots w/the jerkbait along the way. Zip, nada. So I ran halfway back in the midlake creeks on the way back and started getting fish. Anywhere there was flooded cedar, I was getting fish. Water temps ranged from 43 (main lake) to 49 in the back of creeks with the wind blowing in. Caught one fish on the shaky head w/ Zoom finesse worm, but all the rest were on the Excalibur XS4 jerk. I don't know how many I caught, maybe 11, all were 13"-16" spots, except for a just legal smallie, and this guy: Nothing like a self timed shot from the front deck!

No, Bill, I don't remember them on Table Rock because I wasn't here. I grew up just outside Wichita, Ks. I fished those lures in some local lakes there, and was probably the only guy (young punk) in the area doing it. Moved here in '95 at the ripe old age of 24. I am writing an article about the origins of the first weighted home-made jerkbait. Seems no one knows who came up with it first. I would love to talk to Dan, have never heard of him. On a side note, for fishing around heavy cover, instead of the lighter rig, I use a 7' medium spinning rod with 6/14 Fireline w/ a 1x (14.5 lb. test) Mirage leader. This leader is about the same diameter as regular 10 lb. flouro.

I'll break into the middle of this. I remember reading my brothers copy of In-Fisherman back in the old days (late 80's) and seeing an article about "custom weighted" Rapalas for use in winter at Ozark lakes. My brother tinkered with a few and being recently married, didn't get the chance to fish them, so little brother (me) got them. I tried them out on several local lakes where I caught bass crappie fishing in the winter. Man did they work! So for several winters, I went out and caught fish all winter on these strange lures. When production models came out on the market, I was first in line. The doctored Rapalas were light so I used a 6'6" spinning rod and 8 lb. maxima. Theses days I throw light jerks on a 7' fast action med/light spinning rod with 10 lb. test power pro or fireline. I tie a 8-10 ft. of Orvis Mirage or Rio flouro leader, 3x( about 9 lb. test) to the end of the superline. These fly tippet fluoros are far stronger per diameter than Vanish or other brands meant for regular tackle. A 7' rod is too long for most guys, but I'm 6' tall and from the front deck of my boat this rod is just an inch or so front the water when I point in down where I like to work it. I like spinning tackle because I'm a puss and wear gloves, but I can also throw a Rogue a loong way with this setup. By the way, my favorite new bait, works like a Rogue, casts like an X-Rap: http://www.xcaliburtackle.com/stick.asp

I've messed around with F'n'F at Table Rock and Beaver. I use it when nothing else works, like if the jerkbait bite isn't happening. Theres a great article in the current In-Fisherman about different notable fishermans' view on how, when, and where it works for them. I like to use a 3" Powerbait or Gulp minnow on a 1/16th or 1/8th ounce guppy head instead of the traditional hair jig. Kind of like crappie fishing.

I have used the Terminator custom compact spinnerbaits in colors like that at both Beaver and Table Rock, but recently ordered a few of these: http://soblures.com/catalog/index.php?cPat...t=2a&page=2 That purple glimmer looks like what you're looking for.

That's a Norman "Speed Clip". Some folks use them instead of a snap, I like both. http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.Tex...t=SearchResults

Funny you mention it, but Breech suffered a direct hit by a large tree, punched a hole in part of the roof, caused water damage, but the building still stands.

Some may know I do freelance writing, but my "day job" is HVAC work at Drury. We worked all week trying to get the place back to normal. I wound up sick as a dog w/high fever, so I'm at home today sitting by the fire. I took about 200 pictures, but even the good ones don't convey the amount of damage.

We lost juice right by the square here in Ozark at about 6:30 last night - saw the transformer flash from up the street when it was it by the tree. The guys got it going again by about 9:00. Pretty good work, I think. See if it lasts the day.

I wish I had the time to explore some little creeks up that way. I just don't have any info about any GOOD smallie fishing up that way. But I know about Niangua, Upper Spring, Sac, etc. Check your personal messages.

I went down by the boat ramp, had the place to myself for awhile, saw an eagle almost get a duck, went to drive up to the pavillion, and my cell goes off. Yep, baby emergency. So, I went home, and to top it off, now I'm sick, too. Glad everyone had a good time.

I went to edit my post, but hit delete instead. Looks like the 1st is going to be a great day. I'll be there early in the white Cherokee or silver Sonoma.

I'll have to show up at 8:00 to put some names with faces and say hello. I'll probably fish early in the dark for browns with spinning gear, maybe I'll bring the 4 weight and fish for dinks on dries for a while after saying hi. Probably bring a 12 pack of... something. Will probably take pictures of people like mugshots, too. I take pictures of everything. Wife thinks I am a reincarnated steroetypical Japanese tourist. Maybe post pictures of the shindig on here afterword. We might be the "crowd of fishermen at Taney on New Years Day" non-board members talk about for years afterword.

I usually fish the early shift, from 3-4 A.M. to whenever people start showing up. But early or late, Taney at night is awesome. A couple of pictures from the other morning, trying out my new 9'6" steelhead spinning rod down by the boat ramp.