JUNGLE JIM 1

They will start biting usually in mid March depending how the winter goes. Need wind out of the southwest 5-10 mph, fishing along the eastern shore to about half way down the the north side of the lake. The west side is shallow and about all I catch on that side is small bass.Actually the whole lake is pretty shallow which is why I like the lake after it comes up a couple feet when the river rises. I'm retired so maybe we can meet there one day and I'll give you a few of my jigs to try. I think the new 1/16 underspins that I'm working on will work from April on when the water warms up.

Walleye was caught from the river with one of my hand ties. I usually tip my crappie jigs with a nibble or berkley power wiggler that I split down the middle like the first picture. All fish shown were caught in different months from March through November.

I don't nail them every trip but last year the bite was consistent from mid March into August. I like crappie stingers from southern pro and my custom jigs that I tie myself. Most of the time I use a small weighted float because a lot of times they are way off the bank and I need to make long casts to reach them. Usually they are scattered and I pick up a couple at several different spots but occasionally will get into a bunch of good ones in one area fishing timber. It's better when the river is up and filling the lake.

Wow, it could only have been better if you landed the 20 incher. Some impressive numbers. I have a hard time counting past 10.

I can't wait for the next meeting, if I'm breathing I'll be there. Got a membership a couple years ago and never went to a meeting. Too lazy but finding ozarkanglers has got me fired up. Just have to meet some of you. Looking to get out and mingle and maybe learn a few things as well. Looking forward to the smaller craws as well and will be placing an order soon. Wouldn't mind taking a drive and pick some up if I knew where I was going.

Ever since Do it came out with the Herring underspin mold in late fall of 2015 it has become one of my favorite baits for rivers and lakes. First time using them on the Maramec caught two nice walleye as well as other species except I've yet to catch a smallie on one. Hooked something big fishing the river beside Unger Park last fall that broke my Owner 2/0 at the bend of the hook, first time I ever broke one and now I'm afraid to use them and switched to Gama 114's. Last picture are 3/32 from the herring underspin that came out this year. I'm a crappie guy and think these will work.

I've been tying and selling hair jigs on ebay for over twelve years now and use both zonker cut and crosscut for a lot of my jigs. I agree that the crosscut is an inferior hair, especially Hareline's lately. Certain colors aren't cut very well and actually get a combination zonker and crosscut on one strip.The black and white is missing sections and a lot of the hair falls off the skin.I buy whole skins at a time and need to order a few colors but have been putting it off. I appreciate the advice and ideas on what I should be tying for these Missouri smallies. The pictures from the old post are helpful, similar to what I'm doing now. I do like a variety and have close to 50 jig molds now.

If I had my way the length limit for smallies would be 20 inches with one in possession. I fish public access spots only and it's getting harder to catch even short fish at these places lately. The last smallie I kept was in 1986 and the only way I might keep one is if it's over 5lbs and fish of that size is uncommon. If I want fish to eat I have no problem catching crappies.

When you say hair jig are you talking about a bucktail, rabbit or something else? How light was the jig? I started tying a few small bucktail jigs last year and had a couple good days last February fishing the Maramec, nothing big enough to get too excited about. I recently picked up the new Do it finesse jig mold because I've been hearing about it all the time and tied a few thin sparse bucktails with them.. I like how they stand up and may tie some bunny jigs as well. Any information would be great. I want to start fishing rivers more this year.

Nice mess of crappie, somebody is going to be eating well.

I caught these last June.

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I have been fishing Unger Park and the river across the road since the 80's and have had good success fishing for crappie. Over the years I've caught quite a few 9-14 inch crappie. Last April I had a banner day and caught three crappie over 2lbs. in one day, the only time I've ever caught a 2 from there. I was releasing 12-13 inch crappie that day. I caught crappie consistently through June and released quite a few 12-14 inch crappie. Hopefully this spring they will be even bigger. I even hooked a spoonbill in the bill in the lake there. I'll see if I can't find some pictures on the computer, have quite a few on my phone but don't know how to download them to my computer. PS A week in November/2015 I caught four walleye total in three trips that were 20-22 inches long from the Meramec beside the lake. All but the first one was released and hopefully still in the river.

I can't believe that with all the time I spend on the computer that I never found this site before last night. I'm retired and if I'm not fishing I'm thinking about it. I make my own lures, mostly jigs. I like staying close to home fishing city and county parks as well as the Meramec and Big River. If it swims in the water here in Missouri I'm fishing for it.