MNtransplant

With all of threadfin shad pouring into Taneycomo over the next week or so, it's time to whip up some shad jigs!! This two tone maribou with fluorescent green flash has been a KILLER in the past. Hit me up if I can make a few for you!

Does anyone have a 6'-6" or 7' airstream UL spinning rod they'd be willing to sell? I bought one several years back and id like to get another.

Here's a text string from a buddy of mine that puts in about 200 days a year on the water on Stockton

Hey Everybody, I've kicked around this idea a couple of times but since I have a now have a small customer base I figured I'd share with the forum. I'm offering my custom jigs and flies for sale. Ty's Custom Bucktails. No website yet but that may come later as needed. Right now I'm doing bucktail jigs and clouser minnow patterns but if you have other ideas in mind let me know. Bucktail jigs $2.50 each Jigs tied on generic 1/8 ounce heads with good hooks Clouser minnows $3.00 each Clousers tied on Gamakatsu B10S hooks We've done really well with the bucktail jigs on the Stockton tributaries the past couple weeks catching white bass and some dandy walleye. Ive also had success with them on Taneycomo for warm water species and larger rainbows. Attached pictures of examples but then I'll post pictures of fish caught with these jigs over the past couple years. Hit me up thru a direct message or text me at 320-296-6634 if you have questions or want to see more examples. I will deliver free within Springfield.

Smart Ryan, Same thing I do with my bucktails..jigs in one side, clousers on the other.

Hey Alex, I believe the regulation only applies to streams, which would not include the lake side of the dam, correct?

I've now heard several legends of the night time jerkbait bite by the dam...I would really like to try it this year....what's an average date range to target? Maybe now? If you dont want to share with the masses, just Pm me.

Hey Ryan, you know I'm game for you giving me a fishing lesson! Im probably out on any overnight stuff but I would like to join at least for a day or two of your trip. Ill try to coordinate with Alex and I'll also try to keep an eye on water conditions to help you plan the exact days.

Had heard a rumor about some walleye being caught up by Taylor so I figured so I investigated yesterday evening, sadly no results. I started off below Taylor and hiked some pretty rugged stuff downstream a ways to hit some good white bass spots from previous Springs. Good mount of flow but everything was shallow and super clear...so i headed down to the cedar bluff area....ran into a father and son launching their kayaks that mentioned they had caught crappie thru that area the night before, but I was determined to try to get on a walleye so I stopped over to check the bridge piers quickly but that was way down due to the lake being low so i headed back up to Taylor for the last hour orso of light. Again, everything lolked pretty shallow so i targetted the deeper spots with no luck. Threw jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and I just dont think I was ever around fish.. I didnt get a chance to check the water temps in the river but here's a question for those of you with more experience on the water..what is the key "event" that starts a decent number of fish running upstream? It seems like air temps have little to do with it since we've had super warm air temps for several days this winter....is it the water temp getting to a certain majic number? Or is it photo period, where the fish need longer periods of daylight that prompt them. Or is it Spring rains bringing up the lake level enough to fill up the creeks and make the path more navigable? It seems like even when we get warm days in February I've made several trips to the river with no success...I keep forcing the "early February walleye run" to be a thing but it seems like it needs to be March or April for any catchable population to be around and I'm just wishfully chomping at the bit. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Cant wait for some warmer temps!

Hey @Phil Lilley, is there foing to be a CAM tourney this year? Really enjoyed it a couple years back.

100% agree on Zman stuff. Put a dot of super glue between the plastic and the head and you're good until you break off. I have caught a fair amount of fish on the standard TRDs here lately. I may have to try the bigger size.

Hey everyone, Hope summer is treating everyone well. I just wanted to share a few fish pics from my past several trips to the James. I've been itching to try out some new hellgrammite plastics and the bite has been a bit different each time....a few weeks ago I found some really quality fish right at dawn in fast riffles on a bigger 5.5" tackle hd helgrammite. One was exceptionally good size for this stretch...at least I thought. I forgot how much i love fighting smallies! Got a decent smallie on a whopper plopper that same trip and had 2 goggle eye smash the plopper as well. Then I had another trip a few days later where the water had come down some and they vacated the faster stuff and were on outside bends and near shade and or wood..caught a mix of large and smallmouth mostly on the smaller nedmite size and caught a few on trusty ned too.. Then this past trip the fish were piled up in the stagnant eddies right next to the fast riffles....caught mostly goggle eye but still a few smallies. Anyone else have reports for the James this summer? I sold my kayak a few months ago but looking to upgrade to a better fishing setup in the next week or two..would love to do a float with someone who has some knowledge. I can actually contribute to a shuttle now that I got myself a little truck now too!