brownieman

Terry...i know what you're sayin buddy, it's all just personal preference. There are 2 or 3 reasons i learned to fish like i do. Most of the time the water close to the accesses is heavily fished...i would walk miles (mostly before daybreak) to get to the water with the least amount of pressure. Water like that is where the bulk of my biggest fish have come from. The most inaccessable is the least fished. depending on the time of year i was trying to get to a certain strech before the canoes come beatin thru...never had much luck once they start comin thru, the big one's spook too easy. I have never sight fished...if i know where a big one is laying it's because he has chased my plug in. In most cases i feel the fish will see you long before you see them...they don't get big from being dumb. I have always enjoyed fishing in the dead of winter...sure cuts down on the amount of people period. bm

I raised 2 daughters, one was a tomboy the other a barbie, lol my youngest (the tomboy) caught a 7 lb largemouth when she was 9 on one of my freinds small private lakes. She was using one of those close face snoopy kid rods...she caught the fish on a lucky 13 and we were in a canoe. She wanted me to take the rod but I made her fight it up to the boat then I lipped the fish for her before we took some pics and turned it loose. I thought it was going to break that little rod but i wanted her to fight it...and she did well. She did not want to keep or mount the fish because she did not want the fish to die...thinkin maybe i done good, lol. I still have the pic on my wall and she has a blownup copy of it on her wall...now I have to try to do the same with my gson...it's a little harder now, that was 20 yrs ago and with the decline of fish i can only hope to do the same for him...if we don't it won't be for lack of effort although I have also declined somewhat...'golden years'...yeah right, in some aspects anyway, lol. bm

that's the way i've always fished...cover one heck of allot of water. used to be nothing to fish 4 or 5 miles upstream and then hoof it back downstream to my truck. not many fish like i do...my friends tell me i don't fish, i hunt big fish...the more water you cover the better your chances of coming across a big one on the feed. doesn't take long ripping a 7 inch rapala thru a hole for a big one to show himself if he's feeding, if not, keep on movin and thrash the water to the next hole...just always hoped that big one was another hole up. sometimes they were there, sometimes not but the more water you cover the better your chances are imo. can't walk like i used to but i still cover a fair amount of water in a short period...seldom stop moving unless i roll a big one then i'll stop for a minute till i spook him, sting him or catch him. this has produced many a big brownies and a few big bows over the years...been skunked plenty too...if there not at least 15 inches or so i have always tried to keep my plug away from em...didn't want to spook a hog catching a dink, ya know. bm

i live about 3 hrs. from there... the times i have fished behind the dam with no water running there just is not much water to fish imo. The way i've always fished i will cover that water in a half an hour or so...don't stop moving very often. i would like to come down with some water running and hit it from my boat...don't know taney that well but would sure do that sometime water running or not...i just like that running water and so do the fish...would be glad to have someone with me that knows the lake well. there are plenty of big brownies callin me...i can feel it, lol...would like to hit it a little more but i do like the swift water. bm

gotcha leanard, you're right...whatever the water you have to put it in front of em. i think often times if they're not hungry they'll fight it if they won't eat it...the big brownies are pretty territorial. i know on several occasions this has been the case with me...could tell they weren't in a feeding mode but they don't like that plug...so let the fightin begin, lol. bm

do what ???

haven't been out myself... bout all i'll catch in this rediculous heat is a 'heat stroke'...that's one fight i can do without, lol everyone take care...this is one heck of an early, hot dog days

...just noticed you're talking beaver...duh...thought it was taney, lol...sorry guess i'll use the heat as an excuse !!

If it's in Mo. unless the fish made it through hundreds of miles of impounded waters( which is not feasable with summer water temps ) it has to be a rainbow, brown or a mistakenly placed crane creek hybrid. To my knowledge that's all the MDC raises unless they have a new 'Top Secret' trout...if i'm mistaken someone fill me in. Trout often vary in color depending on different variables.

small jig heads with a 4" purple worm (cremes if they still make em) always work good too...would compare them to a gitzit...little crawdad cranks work pretty good too. if you want to catch a ton of fish it's a hassle but take a minnow trap and bucket and use LIVE minnows. turn over some rocks and find some dads...smallies love both minnows and dads. i'd put minnows up against anything, bar none, use medium spinning tackle, 6 lb. test...rig up with a # 4 hook and throw a couple of split shots about a foot up from your hook. hook the minnows thru both lips and drift em bouncing the bottom on the shoals...pretty much pass up the dead holes unless you want a mess of gogs to eat, if so, use dead minnows for them. If they swallow the bait just cut it off...you go thru lots of hooks but it will not cost the fish it's life, ya know. Little gold eagle claw hooks break down fairly fast in the fish unlike heavier hooks...it's always been debatable though. imo nothing compares to live bait if you know how and where to fish it...just makes sense it being their natural food source but is a pain in the butt to keep but well worth it...lakes, rivers...matters not. a good bait fisherman can and will catch fish when others are getting skunked...just been my experience anyway...in 45 yrs of fishing i have a little experience. used to fish north fork and bryant back when i was a little kid...used to camp allot at Stone Mill with my parents when i was young...my dad and his buddy used to limb line bryant for cats way back when (early 60s)...remember them catching some dandy's...always have wondered if thats still possible nowadays ?...Brian, do you know? beautiful country down there also...you'll enjoy the trip and the fishing, catching is just a bonus. take care and good luck bm

There's road kill wrench, might find a use for it now, lol. This heat...better make sure it's fresh.

Yeah John, they say one can count his true friends on one hand...Skipper, my kid years...Rita, my growing up years...Elsie, my young man years...Lucas, my later years. The older years are coming...had a couple year break..been thinking, wondering""..how long do I go before my next but I would like for it to be my last, so, i must time this right. would be pretty neat to me to kick it about the same time as my last dog...be a good friend to step out with...i know, corny, i'm sick, whatever...i can think of few triends that would be proud to accomodate to that degree...dogs it's just totally unconditional...he received the same in return as do they all. everybody has their favorites...Lucas was mine. In the off season he loved to swim along beside the jon in the river...he was also a good helper landing fish, lol They truely can be/are our best friends...I have little doubt of that. I speculate many can relate to this subject...they are good memories. Oh yeah...Luke was also a chewer...think they just like the brush..period. thanks john...good words and memories bm

That's cool john...reminds me of a plaque my ex-wife made for me years back...had a picture of an old hound on it and said "The more I see of some people, the more I like my dawg"...aint it the truth. The last dog I had was a Brittany...he was indeed a good friend and a hard worker, excellent bird dog...had to have him put down 2 years ago. I have many pictures and fond memories of Luke...he was my best friend for 15 years...not a day passes he doesn't enter my mind...never have been a big hunter but I did enjoy quail hunting due to him...he was indeed a natural and a pleasure to hunt with. bm

i have used various things for anchors in my life. i have one of those big metal ones made for grabbing stuff and holding a boat in a strong current...i admit it's not wise but i do it and keep a sharp knife laying right beside the rope so i can cut the rope if something happens. sometimes those big anchors get hung on stuff and you can't hardely get them loose also, especially behind the dams where there is tons of fishing line and who knows what on the bottom...hence the knife comes into play...better than the risk involved. canoes, smaller boats i used those old window weights for years, they worked great and were slim in profile, had a hole for a rope, but they would roll around in the boat unless secured. best anchor i have for small boats is an old small door to a safe...it's round, about 10" in diameter and about 3 inches thick...heavy steel, probably weighs 20 lbs. or so and has a heavy bail type handle on it to tie off to. being flat it rides well in whatever. my lake boat i'll tie to cover if possible to keep ropes out of the water...when i have to i have 2 of those store bought plastic covered mushroom looking ones...one is rigged properly on the rear of the boat with a crank and reel within reach and if i want the boat to hold position i'll throw the other one off the front and use both of them. i have had many fish over the years get tangled in anchor ropes and ( knock on wood ) have never had to cut the big one and i have anchored in some scary water. everyone take care in this heat bm

boy you said a mouthful there my friend, and once their sworn in it's re-election time...imo it's a stinkin joke!!

my opinion, is tough, but will fray bad in cold weather like tf said has little strech...sometimes good, sometimes not...depends casts good in warm conditions does not bind up as bad on spin cast reels, works well on baitcasters which by nature don't twist line as bad as spinning rigs. my take for what it's worth

FF, someday is here my friend far as fish populations...the decrease is obvious. far as what you're talking with the MDC agents and DNR rangers...imo a good laugh is what it would be. imo the quality of enforcement at montauk is shawdy to say the least...only time they concentrate on the parks is opening day when there are easy pickins...beyond that you see very little presence...the air conditioned trucks/offices take presidence in this kind of weather. JD, it is sad but you might as well get used to it...too many just have that type mindset and are passing it on. Seems to be a lack of respect going around these days. IMO best thing one can do is write letters to the DNR about the lack of enforcement you have seen or the MDC depending on where you have seen what...probably gets filed in the old round file cabinet but there's not much else one can do unless you know or have some yank with some 'big cheese' within these departments. JMHO...just don't know what else can be done. It's sad to say the least.

don't know about loz but truman is tough with the high and falling water. the shad are so thick in the lake right now i don't see how anything but small fish not big enouph to eat shad would be hungry at all. fished truman a little a week ago and caught very little...didn't use live bait though...was more of a test run for my boat after being worked on. if any of you guys need a motor worked on fishinwrench is the man on loz...excellent service and a great guy...my boat runs really nice and he will do you right if you're ever in need. bm

thanks sam, i am twice as far as you from there if you're from springfield...sucks...oh well, i'm not really close to any good fishing bigger lake. that's why i'm askin questions...after driving that far and all involved i like a good shot at catching something decent. I understand the only guarantee with fishing is 'if you aint there you aint gonna catch em'...to me catching is just a bonus...but a good bonus it is plus i could stand a few bags of fresh fish in the freezer for winter, ya know. big birds and stripes yield allot of meat even after all the bloodline is cleaned off...whites all you get is a couple of chips, lol. thanks for the info bm

That's pretty good...the MDC knows best...just shoot em, that's one heck of an answer, lol.

hey sam, is there a dock at beaver you can get decent bait at ?...or does a guy need to bring some. if i just seine or trap shinners, chubs, whatever from the creek, ...they will work ok...just asking cause i have tried this with truman and shad is still the best by far, their natural food. couple of rigs, big bait, big fish... right yeah...the balloons are fun, just make a good big bobber don't they...i like when one goes down and you don't see it no more...for a bit anyway, lol post up next time you're going...my boat is just a 16'5"...like you said 2 is about a load with a bunch of rediculous gear we all feel the need to have, lol...may just have to pull her down there. the kind of fishin we're talkin is about my favorite...far as fighting fish, hybrids and stippers are hard to beat...sure you know sometimes it's a mess with a bunch of rods out...it's a mess i can put up with though, lol thanks man bm

Was just thinking...that 40 pounder was on North Fork, not Bull Shoals...tough gettin old...memories get clouded, lol

Your right SK about the shad...hard to keep alive... just when fishing truman big minnows, whatever, nothing works as good as live shad. I have a good bait tank...not as good as a blue water...has no filter but will keep shad alive for awhile and minnows and other stuff for days if you keep ice on or in it. A well filtered bait tank is a must to keep shad alive for any length of time...their scales clog their gills, without a filter and tending them they just don't last long and has to be a round tank(no corners to bang). Live bait will catch fish when nothing else will...seen and done it too many times. Do you have any downriggers on your boat?...been thinking of getting one...they'll sure keep your bait down wherever you want it. Dipsy divers, side planers, used them in Lake Michigan...have you ever used them on beaver...just curious. Tell you a quickie about beginners luck...got a friend that always liked to go boating but never fished, just liked to get on the water and run the boat. We took him to Bull Shoals one time and talked him into throwing a rig out ( big deep diving bomber )...we were trolling umbrellas with sassy shads and buck tails. Long story short he caught his first and only stripper...talk about luck, weighed a tad over 40...it was no big deal to him...just a fish, he had no idea how long some try to catch a fish like that, lol. later bm

that's a dandy...man! sounds like a good trip...bout the only way it would make this heat worth fishin. Have never fished Beaver, some friends have though...seems as if they either get into em good or nuthin. If you don't mind me askin...you using shad or what?...and is it legal to troll umbrella rigs in beaver? The fish you mentioned catching...strippers, hybrids, both...makes me want to take a drive, wish my boat had ac, lol. have to ask, how big is that hybrid on your avitar...that's a dandy too. thanks bm