Chief Grey Bear

I'm with you. I have read a lot of the great success of tubes. I just don't seem to have much luck with them. And it may be that I don't fish them enough or long enough. But like you I love fishing a soft craw with a jig head. I like the stand up jigs the most with soft craws and 6 inch worms. I'll use just a regular head with wacky worms and such.

Funny stuff F&F! Next time maybe we can talk about the catching though.

I did the same 2 weeks ago. Although, I didn't quite get waist deep.

I go back and forth on this one. Usually at the start of the warm season fishing, I'll pack everything. About 5-7 Plano containers As it gets into the hotter part of the summer, I start slacking off and can get it down to one plano container. Though it is stuffed to the gills! And then when it starts cooling off and they start moving into their fall feeding pattern, I start packing it all again. Much like yours I assume, I pack quite an assortment. Numerous cranks. Both old school and modern. An assortment of soft plastic which are mainly 6 inch worm, 3 inch craws, and an assortment of jigs to compliment the plastics as well as hair jigs. Some stick baits. You can really clean house on them! I have an odd way of fishing them that can really produce a lot of fish that you would normaly pass over. I have a few spinnerbaits I like to toss and a couple of buzzbaits to round out my top water assortment.

I think that is the sentiment that a lot have on the subject too. Did you guys miss the legitimate question I posed???? Would it be a viable???

I didn't mean it in a sarcastic way. The Ozarks are well known to have among the clearest waterways in the world. I just thought it a little silly to claim you have the clearest in the state. I use the term "you" in a generic form, not you personally. We need to change that this year. Very sound advice. And to expand on it, on really clear streams, pull over at the begining of the pool and walk the bank if you can. Try to stay out of the water as much as possible but if you have to be in the water, walk slowy making long cast. That will increase your odds tremendously for catching a larger fish.

Most of them from the MSA. I didn't just say that.

I don't know but when homosapien got involved, it was all down hill from there.

Hey Wayne, check out the Bass Pro Classic 200 series. They have just what you may be looking for. I picked up two BPCL 201. They are 5' with the soft tip and strong backbone you are looking for. Only 10 clams for one. For the money I like them.

Who really cares which is the clearest?? They are all beautiful and anyone should feel great about getting out on them and having an enjoyable day.

Don't mind the drift. I soon will join your exclusive club and own a solo. Wouldn't take a yak if you gave it to me though.

We need to hook up this year and do a little fishing. I agree a 100% on the two piece. That is for bikinis only! It all comes down to what each idividual perfers and is comfortable with. And they are for people without friends.

I think they look very similar to either a 7.5 Evinrude prop or Jet intake. I was gonna play with you a little Al but didn't want Mary to have to clean up the mess. So just let me say, at the risk of inflaming the those that enjoy legal gigging, if the biggest problem is on the Meramec, maybe close it to gigging. But if that were to happen would it then, just move the problem to another river????

When I hit the water I usually pack 3 baitcasters and one ultra lite. All of them in the 5 to 5 1/2 ft range. I don't like anything longer than that. Floating tandem like I usually do makes storage a hassle. I don't have any problem with casting accuracy, control or presentation. Most casts when you float are in the 10'-20' range with some up to 30' or 40'. I can hit the mark all day long with these rods. I like a medium to lite rod. Heavy rods are like casting 2x4's and are about as sensitive. Just not my cup of tea.

Congrat to the angler. As I read it, he also held the previous state record???

You ain't got out much in your 30 years of 300 days then.

That must be the only river that is not running high and at the very least murky in this whole state.

Well, I'll tell ya Al, personally, what anybody feels comfortable with is the line size they should use. And you are spot on with the 4lb and all the if's.... For years, all through the 70's, I fished nothing but 4lb on my spinning rod and 10lb on my baitcaster. The 4lb was mainly because as a youngster growing up, we went crappie fishing at the lake most every weekend and I was just plunking around the creeks during the week. Same with the baitcaster. We would bass fish the lakes in late evening or do some cat and carp fishing and 10lb was the most versatile line to use that would also hold a big fish. As I got older and fishing more by myself and having to purchase my own equipment, I made some changes. Instead of having one lite spinning rod, I had two. One with 4lb and on the other I strung with 6lb to use mainly for rivers and ponds. Then later on, I discovered Crystal Fireline and haven't looked back since. Sure it is expensive on the top end but, wow the savings on the bottom end are tremendous! I used to use a minimum of 3-4 spools (reel spools) of mono a year due to twist, fraying and just plain wearing out. Now I spool about a 75 yrds a year of Fireline with mono backing about once every other year. On the baitcaster, I started buying the larger sized mono for two reasons. First, I am cheap, but I will only use a certain brand of line and for me that is Stren. I always keep an eye out at Wally's for the clearance sales. I bought a buttload of 14 lb and 17lb Stren for $1 a spool one year. Still have some of that stuff. I liked it for two reasons. One it was cheap. Two when floating by some snags, and I got snagged, it wouldn't snap my line and depending on just how swift it was, it would hold the canoe. But I am downsizing back to 10lb this year.

You may not consume the resource but you are still using it. You have to pay to ride the ride and the cost is $7 per year. Pay up sucker! Maybe most prized in your eyes. Maybe not theirs. Look, you know I only C&R myself. And like you, I cringe when I see a stringer of nice sized bass, any species. But I also don't believe we should be infringing on the life long liberties of our brothern to keep and eat. And it is blantly obvious that the current regulations are working to benifit both. Treasure that trophy when you catch it. Because if we had a stream full of them like you guy's are wanting, it won't be a trophy, it'll just be another fish.

Niether do I, if that is what you are implying.

That ain't all you are selling.

mitch posted this a couple of days ago. Where have you guy's been????

Too small to float???? Looks extremely floatable to me.

I remind you of the brownie debate a few weeks ago. You seen how that went. As long as they continue to stock them. About the same time that the smallmouth became more important that any other bass in the river. They are managed properly. Just not to suit your personal needs. Don't be rocking the boat there laker!!!!