mhall02

Yep, better bring in River Monster's Jeremy Wade to check into this!! First bighead/silver I remember seeing was as a fisheries undergrad at MU-Columbia. I was a tech for a wetland fish study on Grand Pass Wildlife Area (wetleand on the MO River between Columbia and KC)and we netted up about a 15 pounder. I didn't even know what it was a that time (17 years ago), but now apparently they are everywhere. As Outside Bend discussed above, here is an article from last year out of Columbia Missourian that discusses the numbers may be dropping: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2009/06/07/asian-carp-facing-starvation-and-reproductive-problems/

Apparently so.. http://ozarkanglers.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22684&st=0&p=151523&hl=Record%20blue%20catfish&fromsearch=1&#entry151523 Just think about how long that fish has been around and the bioaccumulative toxins that may reside in its flesh.....oh my.

Near Stubblefield access?? Used to wade the stretch upstream from there, beautiful river. Hope they catch the creeps.

Yep, they are hybrids (bluegill/green sunfish). Nice!! They are great fighters!

Yep, there are a few hidden gems down there. Grew up near Monett and I had a few sweet spots that yielded some nice stream born fish (is that the politically correct term here on the forum ), never kept any of course, even as a teen. Heck, I lived in Crane my first year of life, I guess stream born trout were in my blood from the beginning!

How far down from the junction of Capps and Shoal were you? Any size to it?

Exactly how I do them, I've had really good luck at Montauk on the olive wolly buggers in the park. Fished skuds under an indicator in the Baptist Camp area, sounds like I need to get back down there.

That would be pretty interesting, I caught one a few years ago in mid to late May at 28, but I'm not sure how cool it stays down deep in late summer. Browns are a little more tolerant of higher temps but don't remember catching any after that last year they stocked them, anyone else? It is something to ponder.... I would be tempted to figure out how to take DO levels and temp in the lower depths in July/August timframe. Maybe one could rent a unit somewhere and head out in a boat and see...a little research project if you will.

Looks like a baby wild trout to me!! I was in town last week and stopped in to peek at the lunkers in the Spring Park, wow, there are some nice ones just down from the main concrete pool. No doubt during a big rain those boys may move on down..I've got to fish this creek some day.

Care to elaborate on that one? Just wondering, been out there a few times alone till around 9:p.m, no problems, but maybe I should be more careful?

Your right, the jig is very hard to beat. Caught my largest in Taney on a black 1/64 crappie jig, 28" rainbow, a 24" six pound 14 oz at RR on a brown jig, and numerous 18-20 inchers on various types of jigs. Biggest to date on the fly rod are in the 18" neighborhood, but one of those was on a 1/100 olive jig under a strike indicator.

Hey smallmouthjoe, I see your a wildlife bio. mjr. What would like to do with that mjr? I graduated from MU in '93 with a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife, but found the job pickings pretty slim. Numerous hourly positions with MU and MDC, but a salaried positions are few and far in between. That especially seemed true for a Caucasian male at that time. Worked hourly for a couple of years on some cool projects, but it wasn't enough to really pay the bills. Saw the writing on the wall so it was time to move on. Have been an environmental consultant for nearly 13 years now and have ran into a few others I graduated with doing the same. Good luck, maybe MSU has a better placement program for their graduates than MU did.

Welcome fellow citizen of O'Fallon. I grew up in SW MO, now here. Miss numerous year around trout and smallmouth fishing less than 30 minutes away.

No Smallmouth at the confluence of Shoal and Capps? Man, I caught some of my best smallmouth along there and there as well a real nice one two holes up from the bridge where you park. I need to get down there again one day, used to hit it a lot my Jr. and Sr. year of High School ('87-'88).....holy cow, that was over 20 years ago!!!

Nice shock boat, they always give you an inside scoop on what is really there don't they? I remember shocking a pond at South Farm in Columbia when I was with MDC. Amazed at the size of the bass I netted, I don't know how many times I fished that lake and never caught anything like that.

I'm not sure who did this but this is at Agusta Wood in Agusta, MO http://www.augustawoodltd.com/images/fish%20table.jpg

I remember as a kid seeing those in the private trout hatchery in Spring River, up from Verona. Never saw one in the river or anywhere else.

Still here, since I think day one..or was it day 5? Member #27 and only 142 posts, well look at that! Obviously I need to get out and fish some more. Where has the time gone? What is there, over 9,000 members now?

No, just a Missouri Trout Stamp.

I'm going to chime in now. I've fished for trout for over 30 years now, and I now live about 15 minutes from Busch, grew up 15 minutes from Capps Creek, 30 minutes from Roaring River, and less then an hour from a couple other creeks with 'wild' trout (including Crane Creek). Later spent three years at College of the Ozarks, 10-15 minutes from the Taneycomo tailwater, before wrapping up my degree and MU. I mainly fish the catch and release lakes at Busch because I don't like to eat trout, but my experience has been pretty good, for what it is. It is 15 minutes from the house, I don't see more than 10 fishermen at each lake when I fish (angler spacing much better than you would see at any trout park or Taneycomo tailwater), and I don't burn 4-5 hours of driving time and ~$40 in gas to go. With the kids my fishing time is more limited in this season, so I get what I can. I would like to take my 8 year old daughter there this year since her only experience so far has been the kids fishing day at Meramec Spring (talk about a zoo!!). My experience for the catch and release lakes, minimal poaching, minimal litter and fairly polite anglers. No I don't expect to have to most scenic trip, no the trout are not born in the pond, and it is a pond versus a stream. I see it as on opportunity to catch trout on my fly rod only 15 minutes from home. eirc1978, taxpayer dollars have been and will be spent on much, much worse things lately than putting some trout in the urban lakes....but that is another topic and not this forum.

Ahh yes, the Maple Leaf festival, marched in that many a year ago and was in the band competiton. Didn't remember a car show.

I kind of saw a big fin going over the white rock, but no clear view of anything.

No too familiar with the Wrangler, but I have a 2000 Cherokee Sport (not the Grand, the XJ box) that has been great. Bought new and it may be a little more what you are looking for if you liked a Bronco II. Tranny, both auto and stick very reliable, mine is an auto. I don't pull anything and it is stock. 20 mpg highway 16 in town. Bulletproof 4.0 straight six, currently have 162,000 miles on mine. Might want to lurk on the following forum to find out more about the Wrangler, Cherokee and various other Jeep models: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f2/ As mentioned above, use caution if buying one that has been lifted.

Roaring River is a good no-wade type of trout fishing. Go to the fly zone during the week and you won't see too many folks, I bet you would see even less in the catch and release. I think think the C & R is the only place you can wade. Long haul from Columbia, 4+ hours one way. Used to live in Monett (25 miles or so north of RR) and the travel from Mizzou to Monett was about 4 hours, back when the speed limit was 55 on Hwy 65.

Dogpatch, wow that brings back some memories. I was there with my folks in the late 70s, only thing I remember there was a trout hatchery there and there were some nice big trout in some of the pools. Hummmm.......wonder if there are any remaining there today?