creek wader

Bob, just read your bio. I know your area, well. we did a canoe trip from Vienna down to Paydown a few years ago. Stayed at a BB on the Paydown rd. Anyway, I fish in the Jeff area quite a bit. I've stayed off the Gasconade so far. It's a bit of a drive (I'm limited on time) and the stream looks too big to wade. So, I'd have to use the yak. Without a shuttle, the yak would be limited on range. (have to paddle back to put-in point). .. How's the smallie fishing on the Gasconade in that area? It looks wide and slow to me. That's the impression I got when we canoed it, but it was in late July and the river was down and slowwww. 'bout wore us out. ..wader

The spinnerbait is a Booyah Pond Magic, I think 3/16, not sure on the size. I've been seeing the little grubs/worms on the fish in this stream. This stream is a muddier slower stream. I think that has a little to do with it. Although, I have seen a few of those ugly little parasites on some fish in the clearer streams. Bad thing about the spots is I usually only catch one keeper size a trip, the rest are dinks. Yea, that kind of sucked about my rod. Ironic thing is, it's the pole that I lost in a different stream (last month) then snagged it a few days later. I guess it wasn't meant to be. The gar-driven boat ride was kind of fun. I figured it was either a large gar or a big cat. But, I was hoping for a lunker largemouth. lol. ... He was a big un'. I've seen bigger. But, he was the largest that I ever caught. When I realized that I wasn't going to put that thing in the yak with me, I was kind of dumbfounded, for a minute. ... Always an adventure ... wader

Fished a boarder Ozark stream yesterday. It has the characteristics of both a northern and an Ozark stream. I'm still in search of smallies on this stream. I've caught spotted/smallie hybrids, but no true smallies, yet. I put in at a slab crossing. It looked better down stream but, upstream had a long slow pool, that I thought I'd hit first. Turned out, that I never made it downstream. I'll save that for next time. The stream was up a little and murky from the recent rain. Anyway, I put my yak in and headed up. I covered both sides of the pool for a good 1/4 mile, throwing a spinnerbait. Only caught a few sunfish, no bass. At the end of the pool, where it narrowed into a stream, I threw a roadrunner. First cast I hooked into a monster of a gar. He spooled off quite a bit of line. So, I tightened up my drag and let him pull my yak around for awhile. I finally got him to the boat, then realized that he was the size of my leg. He wasn't going to fit into the trout net. Even if he did, I didn't want a 3 plus foot long gar in my inflatable yak between my legs. So, we had a bit of a standoff, after a few minutes I started to get my clippers out of my box, to cut my line. He made a nose dive under the yak and snapped my rod. Rats! , it was my Pflueger rod. Then of coarse he came to the surface and just floated there like a log. I grabbed the slack in my line and bit it into. He swam off and there I was with a broken pole in my hand. .. Ok, this wasn't going too well. I grabbed my other pole and started throwing a 3" yum Dinger. I caught a few small spots and a hybrid smallie/spot. Then I caught the biggest spot that I've ever caught. No it wasn't a monster but, a nice fat 15" fish. A little later I caught a 13" largemouth on the dinger and a 12" spot off the spinnerbait. All together, I only caught 8 bass, a couple sunnies, and the gar. I spent too much time fishing the long pool with no success. Not a great outing, should of went downstream. I will next time. This stream holds a solid population of largemouth and spots. So, I'm not disappointed when I catch spots because I expect to. There's quite a few accesses on this stream so, I plan on hitting quite a few of them this fall, till I find the "elusive" smallies. .. wader two small ones look like smallie/spot hybrid ..

Fish_story.pdf

I tried to move this debate to a different post, it didn't work. So, I changed the title. ..... lol .... There ya go boys, have at it. ... Meanwhile, I'm going fish'n ... wader

carrying a gun will only invite trouble, i wouldn't take the chance ... just my 2 cents worth

Bob, Glad you had a good time. It's a shame it rained. It hasn't rained for quite sometime. It figures. Thanks for giving us a follow up. ... wader

I've been fishing farm ponds for over 40 yrs. I couldn't even begin to count them all. Also, I've owned several ponds and stocked them myself. I know where your coming from as far as wanting crappie. I've seen many farm ponds ruined with crappie. But, I thought I was smarter then the other owners. I only put 10 crappie in each of my ponds. They grew rapidly to over 12". I released all that I caught for the first 3 yrs. ... And at 5 years, I wound up with a pond full of very skinny 6" - 8" crappie. I could catch one every cast at anytime, on any day. I started "feeding the coons", (pitching the crappie over the dam). it didn't do any good. Both my ponds were pretty good bass ponds before. Personally I'd leave the crappie in the reservoirs and larger lakes. Don't make the same mistake that I did. ... Just my experience, though. Sometimes you just got to find out for yourself. Keep us posted. ... Good luck. ...wader

With that said, let's put this thread to rest. And everybody go fish'n. ....wader

Did he catch the walleye in the dam trailrace or further downstream?

My final thought on the spot/smallie controversy. ... Most of us responding to this topic are stream smallie enthusiasts. Bottom line. ... We are out to catch smallies not spots. An occasional spot here and there is ok but, we want more (a lot more) smallies to spots. Both spots and smallies spawn at the same time, under the same conditions. So they mix. That's just the natural coarse of nature. Most smallie fans are raciest, we don't want spots in our neighborhood and we don't want them to mix species. ... Also, the spots average size runs small. .... In the Osage river basin the spot numbers are increasing and the ratio of spots to smallies is changing in the favor of the spots. On one stream that I fish, I haven't caught a true smallie, yet. But, I've caught crosses. So, I know that there is a at least a small population of smallies. On the other hand, I catch multitudes of spots. I would keep and eat them but, most are under legal length. (The regs. need to be changed on those streams, also.) .. I don't hate spots, I don't hate any fish. I just want to catch smallies. Just my take on it. ... ... wader

Nice catch. ... wader

Hey, Thanks. I appreciate that. I'm getting older but, it's better than the alternative. lol. ...wader

Nice, did you catch any others? Whites?

Max we talked earlier. Just want to officially welcome you to the site.

Wow! All this hoopla, because I posted a pic of a spotted bass, on another post. (because, I caught him on a "wtd') ..... I could really stir up a hornets nest, if I gave my opinion on the trout and trout parks. ... Aaaa.... I won't go there, I'll save it for a day when I'm feeling ornery. lol

I recently tried to move this discussion to "General Bass Fishing Discussions"/ "Kentucky Spotted Bass". The original message of this post, here, didn't have anything to do with spots. But, like the idiot that I am. I opened another can of worms, by posting a pic of a spot. I guess it really doesn't matter where you discuss this topic. Everyone has an opinion on it and will find a place to express it. Maybe some day we'll get this spot "controversy" ironed out. ...lol .... wader

Never have fished Stockton. Heard it was a good walleye and smallie lake. Love to try it some day. But, I still can't bring myself to keeping a smallie. Even in an impoundment. .. keep the reports coming. Your getting me interested. ... wader

As I stated in the other post. ... If the MDC would do away with the minimum length limit on spots in the Osage and it's trib's. (where I usually fish). .. Then I would keep them and fry em up. But, I usually don't catch very many keeper spots, ( 12>). So, I not going to drag one 12> spot around with me for hrs., while wade fishing. Do away with the length and possession limit on the spots on all Ozark streams, and the meat eaters might be able to keep the population in check. I think it's too late to reduce the population. But, this would open a can of worms. Because those that can't identify a spot or those that don't care, will be keeping all bass. I'm sure there would be some abuse. because there already is, with the current regs. in place. ... wader

I started a post under "other Ozark streams". My intention of the original post was to state that I would stop spilling my guts and divulging the access locations, of the streams that I fished. I didn't want to bring undue fishing pressure on these streams, for the sake of others that fished them. I think we have got that worked out. Anyway, because I posted a pic of a "spot". The post turned into a spotted bass discussion. Seems everyone has an opinion of these very adaptable, resilient, hard fighting , usually small, bass. The point of original post wasn't intended to be on "spots". So, I thought I'd take it upon myself to move the discussion to a new post. So, if anyone would like to chime in on the age old spotted bass controversy, this would be a good place to do it. Maybe all to be said has been said. But, I doubt it. Thanks ... wader

Hit a Ozark stream for a few hours today. I noticed that most of you have been using baitcasters with braided line. I mostly use a spinning outfit. So, I dug out my old shimano baitcaster, the other day. Went to Wal-mart and p/u a new 5'6" medium action rod, 20lb./6lb. spiderwire, and some hardnose swimbaits(on sale). I've always had problems with a baitcaster. It didn't change. I had my slim dog on a spinning reel and got a blowup on the first cast, even before I got the yak in the water. I missed him though. Anyway, my intention was to use the baitcaster with the slim dog. Nope, didn't happen. After 20 frustrating casts and a birds nest, I gave up on it. I adjusted everything I could , to no avail. I gave up and broke the pole down and threw it into the bottom of the yak. I put the slim dog back on the spinning rod and my lucky spinnerbait on a back up pole, a zebco 33 w/ factory line. 1st mistake. I caught several little largemouth on the spinnerbait then a stout 12" largemouth. He took the drag pretty good, so, I tightened it up. ..Mistake #2... You know what's coming. I then had a series of 6 blow ups on 6 casts on the slim dog but, missed them all. .. Soooo... I grabbed the zebco with "lucky" on it. I named the spinnerbait "Lucky" because I bought it a month ago and caught quite a few nice fish on it. I hung it in 20 plus trees and snagged on I don't know how many rocks and stumps, but always got it back. The 3" yum dinger I was using as a trailer was pretty beat up, so I put on a new one. the first cast was to a log in a foot of water. I got a huge hit. He came up near the surface and right at the yak. I cranked up the slack and he went past the starboard and around the bow. I kept my rod tip up and cranked him to the boat. I got a real good look as he went past the port and went aft. (that's all the nautical terms I know). He was a hog of a largemouth. 20 plus inch. , a good 5 lb'er. Anyway. he was behind me and going under the yak. The pole was doubled over. I reached for the net. Mistake #3.He gave it one more hard nose dive and ...snap. Broke the line. I had a polamar knot but, cheap line/tight drag/ and under the boat. Not a good combo. I had new and heavy line on both the other poles. ..Live and learn. I gave up on the zebco and went back to the bait caster. As I was tying on one of the hardnose swim baits, I heard a huge splash behind me. As I turned around, I saw the big hog come out of the water again. He was shaking his head wildly and there was "ol lucky", in the side his mouth. So, I got a very good 2nd look at him. He was definitely, the big fish in this pool. The 2nd cast with the hardnose swimbait, I caught a very nice fat 16" largemouth. I then changed to a 5" senko and caught a 13" smallie. That was it, for the day, I had to head out. I hated to lose '"lucky" but, if I was going to lose it. I rather lose it to a hog like that, than to a tree or rock. ...lol ... wader last pic of "lucky" and 12" bass .............. ............. nice fat 16 incher .................... the only smallie of the day 13"

Wish I had my bass boat down here in Jeff. But, unfortunately, I'm stuck shore fishing. ...Rats, hate missing out on that. Love the white bite.

Al, You always make a good point. I haven't eaten a bass in years. But, if the conservation dept. would take the length limit, as well as the possession limit off of spots in the Osage river,and it's trib.'s. I would do my part. In my experience of fishing the Osage and it's tribs., the past 5 yrs., this is what I've found. I catch spots 10 to 1 to largemouth in the Osage. And it's at least 20 to 1 spots to smallies. The problem is most of the spots run under the legal length of 12". I've caught "sport" spots darn near every cast, in the past on the Osage. It's like catching gills in a farm pond. The N. fork of the Moreau is chock full of spots and has a good population of largemouth. But I've never caught a smallie on it yet. But, I'm working on it. On the S. fork of the Moreau, it's 50/50 spots to smallies, with a decent pop. of largemouth. The Lower Tavern and the Lower Maries has a large population of spots, at least 50/50 to smallies., and a decent pop. of largemouth. On the upper sections the smallies are still holding their ground (er... their water). My guess is it's 5 to 1 smallies to spots, for now, anyway. Also, a decent pop.of largemouth. These numbers may not be accurate but, it's what I've experienced. If the Consv. dept. would legally make it worth my while, I'd pick off quite a few of the little spots and fry em up. But, if I only catch one keeper (12">), a trip. I'm not going to mess with dragging him around with me all day, while I'm wading. .... wader Classic Osage spot

Yes I threw that spot back. I let everything all go. I like to leave the stream as I've found it. As far as Spot's go... that's another subject that's been beaten to death on other posts. I'll stay out of that one. ...Wader

Leave it to you, to come up with that....lol