Howdy all
Let me start by saying I just found this forum today.... and love it!!!!
My story is long but basically I grew up in Alaska and have massive amounts of information on fishing for Salmon and Trout on the Kenai River and its tributaries in Alaska, but my knowledge on fishing these warm water fish is very limited. I currently live in Greeley, CO but come over to see my father in Elkton Missouri (where he retired too from Alaska) quite often. I am planning a trip for a week over the 4th of July and we are going to be camping at the Wheatland Park campground, as my father lives just up the road from there. Most of my MO fishing has been in one of a few places..... Truman lake dam docks (its a favorite), Caplinger mills off the bridge , and trolling around at Sapps landing. Before my fathers health declined, we did hit Pomme a few times, but never had much luck. My methods of choice to this point has been either trolling flick a shads (different depths/sizes) and primarily using minnows on either a slip bobber or using what the old man calls a straight line, which is just a minnow on a hook with a small split shot (sorta like a jig). I have tried using jigs a few times, but have yet to break the goose egg on that lure type.
So......I know that Pomme gets super crazy over the 4th as we were there last year and had a great time, but I didn't do any fishing. This year, since we are camping right on the lake, will be staying for a week and will have the boats right there the whole time (no need to wait for hours in launch lines) I would like to try and do some fishing, and while the fishing is always awesome, would also like a good chance at doing some catching. I figure fishing early morning, before the boat activity on the lake goes crazy, or in the evening, after it's died down a little is my best bet. What I really don't know is..... where to go. Pomme is huge. :-) Below are two pictures. The first is were we will be camping from July 1st -5th. Come on by and have a cup of coffee, beer, or margarita and we can talk fishing!! The second is roughly the area of Pomme that I have been exposed to, although limited, mostly trolling flick a shads by the dam and what I think they call Martin flats. After reading this forum, it seems that right now the crappie are hanging around cover at about 10 - 15 feet down, in about 20 fow, so I guess I'm looking for some beds, stumps, trees and what not that would give me a chance to possible pick up a fish or two, but any advice would be most appreciated. I'd also be interested in anchoring up somewhere and throwing out a line or two with a goldfish or shad for catfish, but have never tried this on Pomme. Will be a frequent visitor to this forum as well as the one for Truman lake, both of which I am now following, as it helps ease the pain of waiting another 21 days before I can get my a$$ over there.
Thanks for reading this and hope you had a great day on the water!!!!
Jim