GRANDPA TATER

My buddy and I are heading down in a few days and plan on trolling cranks primarily hoping to catch crappie. I'm checking in to see if anyone has been pulling cranks for crappie recently and how it's been. I'm not looking for specific spots but any help on water depth, main lake or coves, etc. would be appreciated. I would expect them to be on secondary points towards the backs of coves recovering from the spawn but the weather has been so weird this year that I'm afraid that I'm off base. We will have bottom bouncing rigs and jigs to have a go at the walleye if we're successful on the crappie. It sounds like there isn't a definitive pattern set up yet and it's one here and one there. Any advice in that area is also appreciated. Tater

Thanks Xraydude! Some else had suggested Southwinds, so I'll be looking into it. Unless they've been updated, I was told the Orleans Trail cabins are not in the greatest condition. Anyone had any recent experience at the Orleans Trails cabins or those at State park?

Do yo9u have a name for them Dutch?

Owl Haven has been my go to place to stay when I am at Stockton. I went to make a reservation today and found out it is apparently closed? I saw another link that indicated it was for sale. So, I am looking for a different spot to stay and thought this would be a great place to ask. We liked the Owl Haven because we could get a two bedroom place, with a kitchen (we like to cook our own meals rather than going out) and it was at a reasonable price. We sure don't need fancy and don't spend a lot of time in the room anyway. We also like that at Owl Haven we could get something on the ground floor and it had a place to charge the batteries on the boat within sight of the room. It was also close to a launch site (Orleans Trail) but we're not locked into that part of the lake either. I heard that there was a place near Mutton Creek somewhat similar but can't seem to find it in a search. So fellow fishers of Stockton do you have any recommendations? Thanks in advance for any assistance. Tater

Thanks

Thanks TJM!

I was talking to my older brother at Christmas. Dan (who is 73) has always enjoyed floating Ozark streams in jonboats. He said he hasn't been able to do that the last few years because all of the outfitters that he used in the past have quit the business. We grew up floating on the Bourbeuse near our farm. His favorite stream to float is the Big Piney but he has enjoyed floating the Jacks Fork, Gasconade, Current, Big River, etc. My question is do you know of any livery services on any of the Ozark streams who use jonboats? Dan said they usually go to a put in spot and meet the service there, and the service transports their vehicles to a take out place. But they'd be willing to be flexible on the plan. Any help is appreciated. As Dan said he's not sure how many more years he and his friends have to do this and wants to get one in this year. Thanks! Tater

I was talking to my older brother at Christmas. Dan (who is 73) has always enjoyed floating Ozark streams in jonboats. He said he hasn't been able to do that the last few years because all of the outfitters that he used in the past have quit the business. We grew up floating on the Bourbeuse near our farm. His favorite stream to float is the Big Piney but he has enjoyed floating the Jacks Fork, Gasconade, Current, Big River, etc. My question is do you know of any livery services on any of the Ozark streams who use jonboats? Dan said they usually go to a put in spot and meet the service there, and the service transports their vehicles to a take out place. But they'd be willing to be flexible on the plan. Any help is appreciated. As Dan said he's not sure how many more years he and his friends have to do this and wants to get one in this year. Thanks! Tater

I was talking to my older brother at Christmas. Dan (who is 73) has always enjoyed floating Ozark streams in jonboats. He said he hasn't been able to do that the last few years because all of the outfitters that he used in the past have quit the business. We grew up floating on the Bourbeuse near our farm. His favorite stream to float is the Big Piney but he has enjoyed floating the Jacks Fork, Gasconade, Current, Big River, etc. My question is do you know of any livery services on any of the Ozark streams who use jonboats? Dan said they usually go to a put in spot and meet the service there, and the service transports their vehicles to a take out place. But they'd be willing to be flexible on the plan. Any help is appreciated. As Dan said he's not sure how many more years he and his friends have to do this and wants to get one in this year. Thanks! Tater

Wow! Sounds like you turned a difficult trip into gold! Congrats!!!

Just wondering what the earliest that you can catch some crappie trolling cranks? Is it more related to hours of sunlight in a day or the actual water temp? And if you could only troll with one color of Flicker Shad, what is your favorite? Depending on water clarity and sunlight I'd probably choose one of the versions of firetiger. Same question if you're pulling Bandits? I'd probably have to go with the old reliable Silver & Chrome. It's getting to that time of year! I hope you all are whacking them! Tater

Thanks to Dadakota. New (to me) graph mounted and functioning.. Thanks to all who replied.

My front graph shot craps. Has anyone upgraded their electronics and have an old graph, cable and transducer for sale? I'm not looking for anything fancy. The one I had was top of the line.. in 2011 so most anything would be an upgrade! LOL I'd like it to have a minimum of a 5 inch screen as I'm getting older and the eyes aren't as good as they were. The most important facets to me are pretty basic. I'd like to know depth, water temp and see basic structure. It might be a stretch but I'm hoping to find something in the $100 - $150 range. I'm located near KC. TIA for any help. Tater

I hunted private ground by Squaw Creek on Saturday. Zero wind and foggy in the morning. Did the usual opening day stupid stuff like not communicating well - passing on ducks we should have shot at, shooting at ducks we should have let come around, etc. We shot 7 in the morning - 3 wigeon, a woodie, a gadwall, a GWT and a spoon. Went back to the same blind in the afternoon with a Dad and his 12 YO son who was a first time waterfowl hunter. Really cool to watch him shoot his first duck - a GWT (same as my first one 55 years ago). I think we may have created another ducker. I do not believe I saw a mallard in the morning (mainly little ducks and a few pintails.) In the evening though we watched flight ducks coming in from the NW up in the stratosphere. We ended killing 3 mallards in the evening. Ducks absolutely fogged us while we were picking up and walking out. As a side note I have never seen as many specklebelly geese in one day as I did on Saturday.

When he turns Pro I'm going to be his marketing manager and publicist... LOL