Chief Grey Bear

I assume we will be firing up at noon for this?

Spring River, Elk River, Center Creek, and North Fork chocked full of them. They are in Shoal, but I don't think in the same numbers. I saw about a 2lb flathead on a limb line last year. You may hate OK, but a 30 minute drive to some excellent catfishing ain't bad.

Well, I'll tell you this, if I ever get like Shaw Grigsby, SHOOT ME! There is excited and there is Grigsby excited! I like the guy, but I am not sure his nutts have dropped yet.

Hey I like that. I hadn't heard that one before.

I knew ya was messing brother! But it is strange about the lack of expletives. OMG, I am a liberal!

Soft??? I put too much fluff in the story didn't I?? I knew I was rambling a little, I just couldn't stop typing. I was typing about as fast as I was thinking and then, WHAMO! It looked like it was straight out of Field and Stream, Ozark edition. Ok, well maybe not that quality but, pretty good for me. Or was you talking about the no cussing cause it got away part???

Sounds like you had a great time. Of course anytime fishing in the Ozarks is a great time! Those two in your pics are actually Bluegill. Possibly of the hybrid varitity. Sometimes it can be hard to tell between Bluegill and the hybrid depending on the environment they come from. Great fish none the less.

I had just about 3 hours to do some fishing this morning so I thought I better take full advantage of it. I really wanted to do a float this weekend but that was out of the question. Seeing as how I had to start Easter dinner at noon for a 3:00 feast, time was of the essence. By 9:00 I have my plan and am leaving the house headed for the bass holding waters of Shoal Creek. I land on the banks of the river and notice she is still running a little high with just a tinge of color. Not a bad color, just a little more than usual from the recent rains last week. So I suited up, readied my rod and off I was to create another Ozark memory. The wind was blowing rather briskly today and I think that may have been detrimental to a other wise great day on the river. But none the less, I didn't let if affect my plan of attack. Of course the only plan I had was really just to get in a little bit of fishing and hoping to land a couple. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been doing a little hit & miss fishing. I have only been spending an hour or two fishing catching 1 or 2 here and there. I have been throwing cranks during this time and it is fixing to get started. Big time. Today wasn't much different except for the size. I started tossing a Rapala CD-9 Gold & Black, an old stand by today. I fished for about an 45 minutes or so before I got my first connection. It was a nice fat pound and half or so female parked up in some back water. I had just rolled the Rapala over a small log and was just fixing to pull it up out of the water for another cast when she came darting from my right side. It was just beautiful watching this. It wasn't long and I was flirting with the second a bass of the day. I had found a log laying along the current with a bit of a high bank. It was the classic log with the root wad on the up stream end creating a pocket of calm water between the log and the bank. I fished it by casting down stream and reeling back along the log hoping for a strike. Not happing today. So I started jigging the Rapala just under the surface of the water where I could still see it and creating a nice flash of gold in the gleaming sun. After what seemed like 5 minutes but, more likely was just a couple, a freaking really nice bass in the 2.5lb range came bolting out of the bottom for a mid-day snack. I think in the excitment I jerked to fast and pulled it away from her. But all I could do was smile as big as I could and just kinda laugh. I thought to myself for a second. I barely felt the fish since I didn't get a solid hook up. So I repeated what I was doing. And I'll be danged if after a copoule of minutes or so she also came back for another try. It was like it was our destiney to meet each other face to face today. This time I made a solid hook up with her. Or so I thought. I got a good feel and fought her for a few seconds. She went back to where from which she came without me getting to touch her. And again I all I could do was laugh out loud and just enjoy seeing a bass of her size and knowing what her address is. But the day is not over yet. There is still a little time and a little more water for me to fish before I have to leave. I fished a few more promising looking water without so much as a nibble. But I did find one little spot of wood that I said to myself will hold a fish. But had been telling myself that the whole time so why listen now. I decided to fish it like I did the other place where I had my other heartbreak hookup. Of course I had been fishing other spots like using that same pattern to no avail so why should this place be any different. It has a high bank. Slow water at the edge of the current. And Me. I immediatly started jigging my Rapala. After 3 or so minutes, a huge explosion shattered the calm. This baby was huge! And I had a great hook set. This girl would have tipped any scale at 3+lbs. It was great battleing her. It is amazing how many thoughts can run through your head in just a matter of 2 seconds. Being on a high bank, I made a quick glance down stream to look for a spot to land her. Nothing. I looked up stream. Nothing. I looked back at her and then nothing. She was gone. But that is ok. I again did something that was out of character or me. I just smiled great big and laughed. Not one foul word. Either time. And it was great. I was completly at ease with it. There will be a next time and maybe I will win. But maybe I alread did win. I was out on a beautiful day. I caught some great fish. I didn't land them, but I caught them if only for a few seconds. And maybe they won. They escaped being touched by a human. They are still swimming and getting ready to create another generation for us to continue to enjoy. So I guess we tied today. And there is nothing wrong with that in my book.

I can understand and appreciate your concern OTF but, there are not many secrets left about the Big or Little Piney that is not in print somewhere whether it be a magazine or newspaper.

You should be the person to point that finger. No offense to you and your opinion but.....

Nope. You can't argue with Heritage.org and the facts as they print them.

Ahhh, Heritage.org. Now there is a non-bias group. Just like FAKE NEWS. Sorry I meant FOX News. eric is right on track. And thank GOD for Ronnie Reagan for loosening regulations that helped to send jobs across the border and over seas. All under the guise of "high corprate taxation". But when you compare current total compensation for top management now to the '80's,...well...now you get the picture.

Ohhh, I was thinking Missouri waters.

Flatheads??????

No I don't. Stip pits are a beast all unto themselves. And you are right in your thinking. But pits have proven themselves time and time again to produce big bass. And there are few different reasons for that. And without getting in-depth into the alkaline, Ph, and other concerns you brought up, which are valid points, we already know which pits are able to host quality fisheries. As I have stated before my main concern is contaminating the gene pool of our native species in our native waterways. But I wouldn't have a problem with putting them in the pits. By putting F-strain bass in pits, they wouldn't be able to get into other waterways. Unless of course someone takes some to other spot for stocking. So in my way of thinking it would be a win-win situation for all. I love pit fishing. I don't do it nearly enough these days like I used too. It would be a blast to catch some of those if they do indeed can grow large in our climate. And if we are going to experiment with a non-native, introduced species, lets do it where it won't have the possibilty to spead and breed with out native species.

The MDC has different properties with strip pits on them. Like Shawnee Trail at Minden Mines and Harmony Mission near Rich Hill and I think there may another or two. I think that would be a great place to do your experiment with the F-strain bass. Pits don't flood like a pond would. That is due to that they were not designed to catch surface run off water for storage. And that is the one of the best reasons for using a pit. There is zero chance for escape. Plus pits are known for growing large bass. You might try going that route. You may get better results.

Judging by the last pic maybe Matt and Brian were right.

My mistake. You stated it was "common" to catch them. One of the meanings of the word "common" from a online dictionary is: of frequent occurrence; usual; familiar: a common event. I thought it was pretty outstanding you commonly caught these large fish. Especially the 8lb Redhorse. Seeing how the state record is 9 pounds and something. But none the less, since you are not one for compliments, even though I had the wrong river in your case, I will refrain from complimenting you. It obvioulsy angers you.

Neither one of us were trying to offend you. But after reading this post, as well as others you have posted today, I think I am beginning to understand. Have a nice day.

You asked for credentials and I gave you some. By your reply to OTF and myself, it would indeed appear as if you are the one offended.

If you could guarantee that they would stay, I would probably be for it. But you can't and never will. There are a lot of ponds and small private lakes across Missouri with the F strain. And I am afraid that there are more of them(small fry and smaller bass in the, say 1 to 3" or 4" range)being washed into small streams during times of high water due to heavy rain and contaminating the gene pool more than we may realize. Man has tinkered and altered nature enough. Enjoy it the way it has evolved.

That ain't no spot. As for Tim, some people choose not to or don't feel the need to live in the lime light and continually boast about their own knowledge or acomplishments. But he does own is own fly shop. He does write a column on trout fishing. He post great information. He will share with you just about anything you want or need to know. All you have to do is ask him. I could write more about him, but is it really important to know what is credentials are?

Wow that Meramec must have been some river. To catch fish like that every time must have been something. There were not many rivers in Missouri that I know of that could on a regular basis boast numbers like that. That looked more like a 7hp Evinrude prop mark than a gig mark. That was freaking funny!!!

Sounds great. I'm sure you will have a great time with Buzz this weekend.

It's still a little early yet for some top water action. But it is not far off. If you have any access to some ponds, try them first. The water will warm much quicker than in the creeks and rivers thus the use of poppers and other top water baits will be productive earlier in the season. I would say it will be sometime in April before top water would be productive in ponds and not until May before you should try in on creeks and rivers. But that doesn't mean you won't catch an occasional fish on them earlier than that. This is just a kind of guide line for you. I love your enthusiasm and thirst for information on fishing. It is really great to see a young person like yourself spending time and asking questions here on a forum of this nature. If your parents will allow it, here in a few weeks when the fishing is a little better, my son Dylan who is 11, and Buzz, and I would love to take you on float trip.