MNtransplant

Thanks Phil, we'll see you guys soon!

Hey everyone, coming to stay at Lilley's this weekend, wondering how the lake has been fishing? I'll have opportunity to fish off the docks all weekend, any suggestions welcome....ill be trying to put my 8 and 6 year old on some fish as well. Pictures of my fishin buddies

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!

So I have my brother coming to visit this weekend all the way from Minnesota and since this will likely be his only trip all year we're going to fish on Friday afternoon regardless of the fact it's going to be post-front, cold, and windy...ive never had great luck if the water gets really stained on the little sac...any tips for baits to try, or types of areas to target, would be super helpful. Im thinking i might even pick up live bait expecting a tough bite.. Might be all for nothing but you cant catch em sitting on the couch..

I love the Presidents and have the size 25 on my ultralight setup, however on all my other spinning reels I've gone to the shimano nasci...imo the best $100 reel you can buy. I have a 2500 size in the old "B" series with the navy and gold color scheme and a 1000 and 2500 size on my other two setups in the newer silver "C" series...love em! Highly recommend!

So with all the talk on balancing I thought I'd try a trick I saw on youtube...slapped a $1 rubber furniture leg cap on my new St. Croix Eyecon I found for a steal...the 1" size fits perfectly. It absolutely balances the rod now I just have to see if I like the look of a rubber knob on the butt section...if you have a really lopsided setup, you can stick quarters or washers in too. Hoping I can fish it this weekend too give it a try!

Curious what brands you like Seth?

I change my mind all the time (probably too often)..i think im still leaning towards a 7'-1" or 7'-3" but the balance has to be right...i hate a tip heavy feel on any rod.

Hey Dutch, Those Fenwicks do seem like a really good lightweight stick especially for the price! Any recommendations on length? Looked like they had either a 6'-6" or 7'

Thanks Rps, The only problem I'm running into is that it looks like bps only sells the Cara casting version, not the spinning. Ive always thought the cheaper falcons seemed so light and crisp but i always wondered about the durability being so feather light..the review sound great on these caras tho.

So Santa claus was real generous this year with the bass pro gift cards and I'm on the hunt for a new medium spinning setup...id like some input from the gearheads on here. I mostly chase trout and whites/walleyes and i have solid ultralight, light, and medium light setups to handle 90% of what i do but I'd like to add a medium setup for a few applications where some more muscle is needed. Specifically throwing larger jerkbaits, jigging heavier jigging spoons or jigheads, and throwing neds and wacky rigs around cover with braid at times. I'm looking for a rod in the 220-250 range and trying to decide on whether i should stick with the St. Croix Avids (my light and medium light setups are both 6'-6" avids), move to one of the new Avid Walleye series with the split grip, or look into G Loomis...I've never owned a Loomis but ive heard good things. Im thinking a 7' medium fast or extra fast would be ideal but wanted to hear some ideas from ya'll because I'm an engineer and I over analyze everything 😄. Happy new year!