top_dollar

I doubt you'd get any trouble from anyone for launching a pond prowler.

I fished the Coldwater access down to Sam Baker back in the end of November. This report is a bit late. Bass were biting really well. I caught fish near winter areas, but they were surprisingly up in spots with more current. I didn't bother crappie fishing, I just threw jerkbaits, jigs, and swimbaits for bass. With the exception of a 24 inch walleye, and an 18 inch largemouth it was all smallies and spots less than 15 inches. I released the walleye so maybe it will grow to be a real giant!

I've only been up to Busch a few days this winter, mostly around Christmas time before everything froze up. Fishing has been about the same as usual, at least for crappie. I haven't really tried for other species much. You can catch little ones, with occasional eaters at lake 33 off the dam. Jigs under a float, usually 1-5 feet deep. Other lakes have generally bigger fish, but you'll have to work for them. My best luck is at smaller lakes with south facing dams. There are brush piles off the dams of most of those lakes and that is generally in the deepest water. Clearer lakes they tend to be deeper. It looks like you can launch private boats up here now. I had not noticed this before, and maybe it had been like this for some time, but certain lakes you are allowed to put your kayak or canoe on. I'm excited to bring my kayak up there and be able to fish those lakes from a boat in the winter time.

Of course people on here agree with you...it is a fishing forum in rural Missouri. Most of the people reading this haven't ever left the county they were born in. The difference is most people on this forum are decent enough people, and don't think about political stuff 100% of the time. It is unfortunate, but you are in that percentage of people who simply cannot have a discussion without steering it back to your talking points. For some reason it just occupies 100% of your brain space.

Yeah I bet you do. Probably Hondurans from St. Ann. 🤣

Unfortunately that will never happen because certain people are ONLY here to argue politics. Mitch will continue to post political stuff and start arguments. Like was said earlier...he is the problem. I would assume that every internet forum, regardless of topic, has a handful of people that ruin it for everyone.

It's not.

I don't care that much. Its honestly pretty impressive they can stick that many big smallies. The huzzah must be doing pretty good!

This was not done by illegal Hondurans lol. You or your "friend" is making stuff up. This was 100% white missouri hillbilly.

That is so true! I have to (get to) break the news they still got a few miles to leadwood. The poor guy usually has to do all the work while the gf just pouts.

Mounts is several miles above Cherokee landing, which is closer to the state park. The mounts access is just above where HWY 8 crosses the river (big river outdoors now). The highest I have put in was hwy M bridge, and it is floatable on down from there. One thing worth mentioning is that you will be doing some serious paddling as there is barely any current. From mounts to leadwood is about the longest 8 mile float imaginable. You're mostly paddling through long slow pools, and dragging boats over 6 inch riffles. Almost everyone who does that stretch overestimates how far they have gone, and still have miles left when they are wanting to take out. It is usually some frustrated guy, and his very unhappy spouse. 🤣

I think per car, but it's not spelled out very well.

Yup. 5$ to launch. There's a little box there.

I have not been on the river all spring, but finally the last two weekends, with the heat and the dry, I got to spend quite a bit of time. I floated from mounts to TDL twice and TDL to leadwood once. The first riffle at the end of the long pool below the mounts access is completely blocked by a tree. Have to portage around. Last weekend the river was up and moving well, but has been coming down and clearing up. Saturday I could see down about 4 to 5 feet and was moving normally. Fishing has been great. Lots of bass biting in the usual locations on most any lure you choose to throw. All smallies and largemouth so far. No spotted bass yet. I caught 2 smallmouth that were 18+ inches (both on a jig), but otherwise most have been less than 15 inches.

I'm sure they taste fine, but I generally just keep crappie and walleye when I'm at Stockton.

Came down this weekend to do some fishing. WT was around 80, clarity was 5+ feet down by the dam, maybe 2-3 feet out down by the twin bridges. We trolled crankbaits, pulled spinner rigs, and tossed nightcrawlers and plastics. Trolling and pulling spinner rigs was sporadic at best, we caught a few here and there, but overall it was slow. The best bite was out on points in less than 20FOW near a steep drop, and on brushpiles throwing small swimbaits, or a chunk of crawler on a 8th oz jig head. We caught quite a few total fish, but lots of drum and white bass, but enough walleye and crappie to keep a few. The catfish must be really active right now because we caught quite a few more than usual.

I was there this past weekend. It was up several feet with water way back into the bushes. We were mostly down around Orleans trail and Crabtree cove and it was pretty clear still. Mutton and Ruark had more stain saturday, but not muddy, might be worse now though.

That little cove you speak of was loaded with fish a few weeks ago. We caught several walleye as well as other species out of there on little swimbaits. I would not have expected to catch walleye there, but there were a bunch in there (mostly dinks though). I don't see much aquatic vegetation at stockton so we figured we aughtta check it out and it paid off.

Fished Stockton this weekend with my brother. We fished all over the lake. I forgot what the water temps were, but I think I remember mid 60's around Orleans trail and around 70 further up by Ruark. Fished Orleans trail Friday/Sat. Water was clear, could see bottom in about 10FOW, slime wasn't bad. The water was dead calm. Caught walleyes scattered around, and in unusual locations. Most were in the backs of pockets in less than 15 FOW, near the bank. Caught several shorts as well, but enough keepers to make it fun. Trolling cranks around Orleans was a bust. We fished out of Mutton creek on saturday evening and caught several crappie trolling crankbaits about 15-20feet down over 30-40 FOW. Found the same thing in the middle of Googer creek. Water had quite a bit more stain, probably 3-4 foot of visibility. Sunday we fished out of Ruark and caught a mixed bag of species tossing swimbaits at a bank out to about 20 FOW. Also caught a few keeper walleye and some shorts way back in a pocket shallow along a bunch of other species. Caught several more crappie trolling cranks in a creek mouth also. Caught several short crappie trolling which was unusual. Clarity was a couple of feet. Sunday afternoon we put in at Hawker and trolled the creek. Water was much clearer, could see down at least 5 feet. Caught a few keeper crappie, several shorts, and a keeper walleye. Those fish were mostly about 20-25 feet down over 40-60 FOW.

That spittin image is a great lure. They are great walking baits that dont get talked about much.

That is a great color that you don't see often. Those longears are all over the upper big river where I fish quite often. Ill be picking up some of those dudes!

Im not sure about the ramps at whats up doc or schooner, I have never used them. I think the one on the schooner creek side is pretty flat. The one at Ahoys is a fairly steep ramp.

There are two boat ramps at the whats up doc marina, one in the cove, and the other is on the schooner creek side. I assume those are public and available for use. I have always used the boat ramp at Kimberling Inn where the old Ahoys used to be.

I've heard of that bait finesse stuff. I thought I may give it a try at some point, but id need a whole new dedicated setup. I want to get one though and compare my casting distance vs spinning gear. I often fish for crappie/bluegill from the bank and I've spend countless hours trying to throw a 1/64-1/32 oz jig with a 2 inch swimming minnow as far as I possibly can. I feel I've developed I pretty solid technique and can get that dude out pretty far. I know a weighted cork is a solution, but I hate those and only use them when I absolutely have to.

I stand corrected. I've caught the occasional dumb one on lures, but I had no idea folks actually targeted them that way. Shows what I know lol.