snagged in outlet 3

Hey Troutn. I don't know where you're located but here in St. Louis we have The Ozark Flyfishers club. Lots of free clinics and classes and members that are more than happy to help you. Especially on an outing where you can hook up with someone and learn on the fly. Get it, "on the fly". I think yearly dues are $28 or something like that. They give free casting lessons by certified instructors before most meetings. Can't beat that. Anyway check for a local club. Snagged.

Hey Mocarp. I enjoy your reports. I live in St. Charles Missouri (west St. Louis metro area on the banks of the Missouri River)and was tired of driving 4 hours to chase trout so I started looking around here for something to catch. Sure we have some good bass fishing within an hour or so but I wanted something within 20 minutes so I could fish more than drive. I started driving around the Missouri River near my house and I found the sloughs off the river were literally loaded with carp and gar. Needless to say there was never anyone trying to catch these nasty things so I decided to give them a try. In the heat of the summer both species would cruise the sloughs in massive numbers when it was so hot you couldn't catch a bass during the daytime. At first I targeted the gar. Boy were they easy to catch but the fight wasn't that great even for a 3 footer. Next was the carp. I tried fly fishing for them but never had any success so I used the tried and true river rat method of chumming them up with corn. I figured if I could at least start catching some I would learn enough to catch some on a fly. I would drive up to the slough before work and throw out a couple cans of corn in different locations and return in the evening after work. I use a medium heavy spin casting rod with a fourth oz. weight above a swivel and a 2 foot leader of 10 pound flourcarbon and a scud hook. Couldn't hook them with a regular bait hook even when they would pick it up and swim off. Put on two kernels of corn and don't put the rod down. The good slough is just loaded with them and they range anywhere from 5 to 10 or 12 pounds. They fight just like redfish. Like you I have caught all kinds of fish including bone's and red's and carp fight just like a saltwater flats fish. Long line peeling runs and when you get them near shore they take off again. They put a bass to shame with the fight they put up. I was talking about it with some fishing buddies and they tried it and were surprised how well they fight. On a good evening you can catch them one after another till your tired of it. You'll wear out your line after 20 or 30 of them. Your line will be peeling apart. We call it happy hour but instead of going to the local bar we go to the slough. I take my wife and seven year old daughter up there a couple times a summer and they love it. Nonstop action with doubles almost the whole time. I told my daughter the difference between a fisherman and an angler is an angler can get one of those big carp in on a snoopy pole with 4 lb line and a fisherman can't. It takes her 10 to 15 minutes of longer but she gets it done. People always laugh when they ask her how big her biggest fish is and she holds out her arms all the way apart. Like she's telling a fish story. I can go up to the slough in 20 minutes and get my fill of fighting fish and be home just as fast. Lately I don't even go up early to chum. I just show up and throw out a can and get to fishing. The slough is so full of them it only takes a couple minutes to get the first one on. I love to trout fish but until they start showing up in the Missouri River I have to drive quite a ways to get them. In the mean time I get my fix with those carp up at the slough. I don't throw the can in water just the contents of the can. We sling it out with a big gulp cup. Anyway that's my carp story. Snagged in outlet three.

I have done a fair amount of redfishing and the info detailed above is right on. Both in Florida and New Orleans a gold spoon fly put them in the boat. Even used a spoonfly called the 9-11 fly. It was painted red, white and blue in honor of the victims of the 9-11 attacks. Those reds pounded that thing. I think if it wobbles they like it. Just buy a bonefish tapered leader around 9 feet long. Report your success when you get back. Snagged.

Hi Phil. Looks like a great day. How far is Kerr to Blunk? Hours? Can you rent canoes in that area? Thanks. Snagged.

Maybe somebody should tell Leonard. I think he's having a fish-in this week and they might be planning on staying at KOA. Snagged.

Hey DF. Have to agree with Terrapin, aluminum hatch does kill the bite more than people think. But hey, gotta do what you gotta do. For bass, crawdad cranks, small, orange and brown. Flukes, whatever color you like. Senko's. Once the first batch of clanging and clanking canoes goes through I recommend Budlight. But judging by your screen name you should be okay in that department. Binoculars wouldn't hurt, bikini hatch coincides with the aluminum hatch. Sometimes if your lucky the rare no-bikini hatch happens. Don't forget to post a report. Luck to you. Snagged.

These are some of the nicest people in the sport. http://www.missouritrout.com/weavers/index.htm Good luck. Snag

Hey Leo great report. I forgot about Carlyle. Went there a few years ago and never got a sniff. I went to the Missouri River behind the Lewis and Clark boathouse last week and dragged a rattle trap around the creek that comes in there. Nothing! How long does the bite last at Carlyle? Do you fish it often? Thanks, Snagged.

Mr Butts. I read the post above about how there doesn't seem to be alot of interest. Well I'm very interested in someplace reatively close to St. Louis to catch some. I was at Norfork Lake a couple years ago in April and they were catching some monster stripers in front of the marina just north of the dam. We were down there for a trout trip and just went to the marina to check things out. There was a bunch of guide boats trolling in front of the marina dragging big shad under ballons. We saw some guys hauling in some beauties and realized that the wind had stacked the shad up in that cove and the stripers were in there feeding. We tried to book a trip for the next day but every guide was full. I got hooked on the species during a trip to Newport RI. After 7 hours of catching stipers on flyrods I told the guide I was done. Only time I ever quit fishing when it was that good. My partner and I were wore out from reeling them in one after another. I find the species intriguing but hard to get on them when you have a 4 hour drive and no possibility of a spur of the moment trip. I have tried to hit the white bass run the past couple years around Branson but always got there only to be told "you should have been here last week or maybe next week". If I could find a place close to home I could spend more time trying to pattern them instead of driving. Do you know anywhere close to St. Louis to catch these rascals? I read somewhere that they are native to the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Is that true? Have you ever heard of anyone catching them on the big rivers? If they are in the rivers would they make a run? If so, could you recomend some likely locations and technigues? I'm not asking for a spot on a map but what kind of strucure or location might they be found? I wouldn't turn down a spot on a map though, so if you have one it would be greatly appreciated. I live about two miles from the Missouri river and would love to be able to catch some close to home. Thanks in advance for any help. Snag.

I don't think they close them at all. But maybe I just go to sleep too early. I think people were coming and going all night though. Kinda weird to wake up and have someone camping right next to you and they weren't there when you went to bed. In fact I never saw anyone working the office ever in the winter. AHHHHH! night fishing in the spring! Good luck. Snag.

Yes you can. I spent a few nights there over the winter on different weekends. Best campsite in the state. I mentioned this before. Before Christmas the bathouse was shut down for rehab, don't know current condition. Snag.

I can't wait to get down there and test drive a couple. I don't want to buy it, just test drive it. First one to the top end of Bull Creek wins. My seven year old wants to drive one too. Snag.

I've had some for a while and they are deadly on all species. Illegal for sure as far as what I understand. They can not be beat in the salt. I'm sure trout would hammer em. Snag. Forgot to add this. If I were fishing the Rock or BS this spring for whites I would try these on a fly rod. These things will flat put bass in the boat sometimes. That is all. Snag.

Two years ago we pulled in to Lane Spring to check it out on the way back from Mountain Home. We walked the path to the creek and when we were sneaking up on it we saw 4 otters swimming up and down the creek. When they saw us they went to a downed log and hid behind it. In a small creek like that, 4 otters could desimate the trout population pretty quick. By the way, those were the first otters I had seen in MO since the reintroduction. They are big! Snag.

Man I wish I lived down there. Snag.

Kscatman. I agree with Lilley. You've got a good setup. The south wind will blow waves onto the north bank which will be warmed by the sun all day. I think early in the season you want to fish the banks with a southern exposure (north bank) because they will warm up first and the waves will only help. Post a report if you could, for all us guys that can't go. Snag.

Best steak, South Town Bar and Grill. South of Hollister exit on 65, east side of road next to KFC. Maybe Phill could recommend a place. Better yet, fish till you drop and sleep in the truck. Night time? Big ole bugger. Wish I was going. Snag.

Maybe I better come down and check myself. Better bring my flyfishing gear while I'm at it. Snag.

Hey Phil. I was the one who reported that I saw didymo at KOA. I am sure of what I saw back then and knew at the time I should have grabbed a piece to bring back. I am glad they didn't find any evidence of it and again the question remains, "does it just go away or are we stuck with it?" If it is in The white below Bull Shoals dam then it is only a matter of time before we see it at Taney. I am sorry and I certainly didn't want to cause unnecessary alarm but I am sure of what I saw. A couple cups of bleach to a gallon of water to rinse your boots wouldn't hurt if you fish in the White. Sorry again. Snag.

Illegal. I have been thinking about this subject for as long as I have been fishing Taney. Been going there for over 20 years My first reaction, I hate shuffling and I want those people to stop. I wanted them to stop so when they couldn't catch fish without dancing, THEY WOULD LEAVE, Taney is overwhelmed as it is. I wanted them to stop because they ruined my fishing. When groups of guys start shuffling they attract most of the fish from the surrounding area and non-shufflers are forced to move to find fish. Take the 3 or 4 guys lined up in a row right in the middle of the river (top of rebar). Then another 3 or 4 in the river (below outlet 2) and that whole area is fishless for the rest of the anglers. In the early fall this is not only common but sometimes there are 3 to 5 different groups, or individuals, shuffling that same area. So it's the "my fishing strategies don't affect you, but your strategies affect me". When looked at from that perspective maybe shuffling should be illegal. Lets face it, there just isn't alot of trophy water to be shared. The only thing that keeps me from blowing a gasket is the thought that they never experience the same satisfaction I do when fishing. How hollow the shuffler must feel when he reflects back and thinks to himself "man I chummed up some nice one's today". Questions; Do shufflers have backing on their fly-reels? Do you grow out of shuffling? Do you ever revert back to shuffling if you ever grow out of it? But hey I was snagged in outlet 3 by a shuffler.

Thanks Phil. Just figured out I could do it myself. Hmmmm? Self flagellation. I probably deserve it. Just went to the grocery with my wife and daughter. 30 degrees feels like a heat wave compared to the last couple days. No trout in the Lou but it is definetly time to tee it up. Sorry again Phil. Snag.

Illegal for sure. Snag.

I see what you mean. Before we head out to fish my buddies and I practice good manners. For instance we were staying at Lilley's and when my buddy Steve was ready, he asked me "Do these waders make my butt look big?". I said "no Steve you look great in them". Our day went better than ever and I could tell Steve felt good about his figure and he had a better attitude because of it. Snagged.

Forsythian. That sounds like a blast. I think it's very rewarding to stalk and catch fish like that. Your luky to live in an area with such great opportunity. I assume you live in Forsyth. Not too many fish rising in the Ole Miss in the front of the Arch right now. Or ever for that matter. Enjoy! Snagged.

First off, who's the guide in question? I am sure he checks here so let's hear who it is. Is it rude for the guide to hold a spot while his client is fishing somewhere else? My favorite is the guy who brings his two teenage sons down with all the gear and stuff, then lines up three abreast to shuffle their way right down the middle of the river. How disturbing is that when it is being passed on to the next generation? I was below rebar and they didn't even get out of the river to go around, they just walked right in front of me. How about the guy who brings his significant other down and stands upstream from her, she holds the end of her line out to him, he shuffles and drops her fly in the water below his feet and screams "NOW, set the hook". Your bright green fly line is lying is on the water and the guy crossing the river steps on it. Do shufflers have backing on the reels? Taney is just too small for the amount of people using it. Snagged.