msubobcats

Was down there today. Two things not mentioned... 1. They dumped the remains of the dock in the parking lot, taking up probably 30% of an already jam packed area to try and park and, 2. Almost no spots to beach your boat to either jump out and pull your truck off the ramp, or beach and pick up your fishing buddy that has parked your truck. Don't forget to pay the $10 for the privilege.

Heading to the Upper Illinois/Tenkiller in 2 weeks for a white bass trip. Anybody have any current reports from the reservoir? Go Cats

What is hatching, and during what time of day? Are the tricos coming off first thing? Thanks. Go Cats

I apologize to all those who are reading this report, because it will say nothing. I have no new reports. But wanted to post the following at least. Due to the weather (rain) and temperature, there is nothing to add other than the following Oklahoma Fishing Report for Grand Lake and the Twin area..."water 49 in lake and 60 in rivers and clear to murky." Go Cats

"Well, we don't have a forum for this Spring River in Missouri. So since this is the same Spring River that ends up in Grand Lake, this is the one I have chosen to use. The other Spring River forum you are talking about is on the other side of the state and runs into Arkansas." Yep, confusion on my part there. Guess I should have googled Mammoth Springs for location. "I guess I will start using the "Other Ozark Waters" forum since this obviously bothers you. Sorry I didn't mean to tread in on your territory." Yikes! Don't think I deserved that. However, as I read the description of this forum I see..."These two rivers are tributaries of Grand Lake O' the Cherokees in OK. Its flow traverses part of SW MO, the corner of KS, and into OK where it receives spring runs of many species most notably White Bass and Hybrid Stripers." Whoopsie on me again. Since my post/opinion/suggestion was not intended to get Chief all riled up, defensive, and on high blood pressure meds, to prevent ramblings like this in the future, I like this idea the best..."Probably just need to drop the (OK) designation at the end of topic title." Basically, I forgot the famous quote..."Get your facts first, THEN you can distort them as you please." - Mark Twain Go Cats

I think this forum is for topics regarding the Spring/Neosho Rivers in Oklahoma. I think the posts for Jasper Co Spring River is perfect for the other Spring River forum.

I think these posts need to be in the Spring River (MO/AR) forum, up the page about 15 spots... Go Cats

I have almost the EXACT same report from Friday, 3/20. My friend fished for 5 hours, caught 2. Temp 58, and nobody had more than 5 fish total for the day. It was a struggle. Go Cats

3/17 - Weird, but it was slow again. Thought the females would be there. Caught fish after fish after fish at the start, but all of them were 10in or less (all males, obviously). Threw back probably 15. Temp started at 50, rose to 56. Caught 15. Caught 4 females, and a couple of BIG males. Spoke to a guide who told me the fish are stacked up at 'Three Fingers', ready to move into the river. He said the temp there was 52. My guess is anytime this week the fish will be running up the Spring. Parking lot LOADED again today. Will not go again until Saturday, if I choose to brave the crowd. Go Cats

3/15 - Boats, Boats, everywhere! Caught 16. Water temp started at 48, climbed to 51 then leveled off. Started catching a bunch in about 15 minutes, but then the trollers showed up and started doing laps around the boat. The fish shut off as we choked on fumes for awhile, then finally gave up due to the traffic and left. Cleaned mostly males (Big ones), and the females we did clean were nowhere near ready to spawn. Long way off still. My guess is that the fish will REALLY turn on in the next two days. Go Cats

3/14 - SLOW. Temp 39 when we started. Caught a 5 lb drum in the first two hours. Water temp heated to 49 by 11am, until the clouds rolled in, then quit heating and stayed at 49 til we left at 1pm. Fished for 6 hours, caught 6. One BIG sow, the rest males. Everyone slow. Most catching a couple here and there, nobody 'tearin 'em up'. Saw a few caught trolling. On the #10 question...talked to a guy in the parking lot. He said they are catching em at #10, which I didn't believe, until he came up with this possibility..."The river's shallower up there, and heats faster." Which could be possible I guess. Other than that conversation, I have no info on #10. Heading out this morning...more info this evening... Go Cats

'No' on the peacock or the synthetic back, but shoot, there's no reason that wouldn't work just as well. or using the dubbing trick as the other poster mentioned. Might change the float/sink characteristics, so I would be curious how the fly would act in the water. I've found that I give away a fair amount of these flies to my buddies and others I meet at all the bluegill hotspots. So by using chenille, and not painting the heads, I can tie much faster. And with the wife getting into the bluegill bug game, I'll need even more... Go Cats

I actually have started messing around with putting 'chukar' feathers across the top. Anything with a color pattern or shiny should work. The chukar have a tan and black feather. Looks ok, so I run out of turkey feathers, have a backup. I think I am going to go to one of our local pheasant hunting guides (the pen raised birds) and start collecting feathers. Go Cats

3/10 - Fished in and out of the rain today. Slooooooow. Caught two small ones. Water temp 60. Probably slow due to the coming cold front. Will be back out this weekend. Go Cats

Anybody have any recent reports on the white bass run? Go Cats

3/6 - Bite was on. Caught 15 in 1.5 hours, big females. Cleaned 12. Saw several other boats catching them, and saw one really good stringer of crappie from another boat. Water temp 59. 3/7 - Not going today. Wind far too strong. Maybe tomorrow. Go Cats

Nothing new to report. Too cold and too windy. Speaking to a few guys and all have the same report as my friend. Not really biting, maybe have had one good day so far. Will be able to get on the water in the next few days for a new report. Go Cats

Long spoonbill article from this morning... http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_056164704.html

Because of today's economy, lots of people are out of work and I'm sure we all know someone in this dire financial situation. Unfortunately, a good friend of mine is one of them, but fortunately for us, he will be spending his new-found freedom on his boat down at Twin Bridges. He is not a spoonbill guy, just white bass on the Spring River side. So, instead of posting report after report, individually, I'm starting this thread and will post my friend's ongoing successes or failures (and mine when I can get there) on the white bass run. Should be a several times a week reporting (or more depending on weather) to keep everyone informed on the run. 2/23 - Zero. Water temp 47. Spoke to a couple of guys who caught 20 the day before. Saw several fish caught but really no action today. Go Cats

Just another reason I'm glad I'm not a fish. Yikes...

Good one! Hit through the roof in May, 06 and nailed a recessed canister light, setting the attic/roof ablaze. Lived in a camper in the driveway for 6 months. This time it hit the DISH system, and only a little fire. No metal roof. We have 80 foot trees, and there is an abandoned three-story schoolhouse on top of the hill a block away and those don't get struck. You think somebody's trying to tell me sum-thin'? One thing is for certain, I'm gonna have to solve this lightning problem somehow, cuz I'm dang sure NOT gonna start livin' right!! Go Cats

Change of plans. Lightning hit the house, again, and set the darn thing in fire, again. House in ok shape (liveable), just another round of insurance adjusters, bids, quotes, replacement computers, phone lines, alarms, insulation, t.v.'s, hot tub...you get the idea. Time to get a lightning rod system I guess. Anyway, will not have the time for tying anything for awhile. Go Cats

Oh, I don't doubt that at all. Both wildlife agencies in KS and MO are VERY resistant to any type of lion sighting. Why, I have no idea. That's why I did some digging on the article in this forum. It is out of the ordinary for wildlife officials to agree lions are here. But I can tell you this, at risk of sounding like a kook. I too have seen a lion. It was in 1996, in rural Labette Co, Ks. I was driving around looking for dove fields and saw a large cat with a looooong tail about 25 yards into a disked milo field. I slowed the truck down and he/she walked back into the trees. I was 100 yards from the cat. I had seen several bobcats within the same 6 mile radius of the town of Montana, KS and had just returned home from living in the State of Montana for 8 years...this was NO BOBCAT.

That story is from 1999... http://www.mdc.mo.gov/news/out/1999/012299.html Somebody needs to find another one. With all the 'tree-cams' out there, somebody will get a pic someday. Go Cats

I just tie in the chenille body/abdomen, then the feather to the hook, then tie in the chenille thorax (not peacock herl, even though it looks like it. It's just some glittery chenille). Then pull the feather over the thorax and tie in at the eye. Then the legs. The biggest problem with this method is sometimes the feather will split, or just not lay right on the top. But, in the end, they're just bluegill. They still chew on it... I think tonight I'll tie one and post the pics in stages. It's so easy, it's hard to call myself a fly tier, really... Go Cats