MoCarp

Back before the civil war our habitats were far different than today...it has been of interest to me all the undocumented subspecies that are now gone...how much different were the elk of Missouri pine savannas? I know during my stay in Texas hill country deer are tiny by our measure, I have seen adults there not much bigger than a dog...something is going on genetically.... as a kid and adult shot and killed about fox faced squirrel, quite the novelty around the campfire. Then, as an adult I understand it now to be a marten, hidden population? Or did it escape? Or long way from home? in looking at old tin type pics, I wonder how many different Buffalo types existed, it is said pronghorns were once in Missouri....was it a leftover subspecies? I have read recently that dire wolves were not related to grey wolves new DNA studies show....it would be interesting with today’s taxonomy to understand Missouri forest systems...we have lost a great deal and don’t even know all we have lost

looks very flounder spot....

https://www.facebook.com/groups/178161758902511/permalink/4006087102776605/

A section of 25 fluorocarbon is plenty for most everything...things like reds/specks/ flounder just mono is fine... long light spoons with a snap swivel and mirror lures will be plenty...they don’t toss feathers much as fish ruin it quick...live bait is your friend.....watch some YouTube fishing from the area you will be fishing....

Nope...just my big panfish set up...seeing what other use and like before I commit money.....ice fishing a whole different world.....I love a well made tiny reel....the old mlz 10 modernized would be good

Looking at buying a new high end micro spinning reel....lots of options out there..I’ll be using it with 2# test or less... getting replacement bail springs for the MLZ 10 is almost impossible anymore....

I have been researching yellow perch spawning...seems in the Dakotas not every year is good...but years that are high water...wind blown egg “ribbons” drift onto flooded grass areas....if that was the case, seeding shorelines with annual rye grass that receive winds would do the trick in our lakes, timing would be key, if fall seeding at drawdown took place would give plenty of proper spawning area by spring higher water levels...as well as food for things like daphnia and crayfish....IMHO would also work for northern pike who also spawn in those flooded grasses....our lakes have such flux in lake levels this could take advantage, cost would be easy to justify if it works well...man made booms that we see from normal flood years....could be a mix of grasses could work...definitely worth researching....

One question is why is there natural reproduction there? If that can’t be answered the fishery could be doomed, unfortunately in many areas fish depend on a very small area for reproduction...a flood might have destroyed the very gravel beds responsible for great natural spawning

It should be said that the fishery is unique and should be maintained as it has become naturalized even though trout are non native and on the invasive species list ( yes google it) free flow of fish up and down streams in this case would potentially be harmful...unless trying to re establishment of a native environment was the goal. back in the day people back east would catch a “ German brown” and toss it under a bush... trout have been there what from 64 on fifty six years and counting... at least you don’t have BFers shooting dumpsters full... resourses should be used to help with the dam https://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/hunting/2016/02/embracing-9-non-native-and-invasive-species-we-love-hunt-and-fish/

One reason I advocate stocking of yellow perch and red ear, spread the harvest pressure... it would also supply forage for bass and walleyes...IMHO way more fish get harvested than realized, bass included....I’d like to see a 8” min on panfish bag limit of 10, no bowfishing sunfish!...too easy to shoot a mess off the beds I think we are getting to a point supplemental stocking of some species is warranted be it smallmouth/ walleye ( river strain) in streams Back in the day the spring river drainage in SW Missouri supported jack salmon as the old timers called walleyes and spotted bass were not around just brown bass and largemouth in the sloughs...chain pickerel are not in many of the streams they once were....blue cats are not as common....habitat degradation and dams have a roll in that...some of those weedy sloughs had monster warmouth....not now. Opportunities have been reduced, can’t just pull up to a creek and wade fish...fencing and new bridge design makes it almost impossible to get to the water much less put in a kayak or Jon boat, pushing more pressure to areas that can be accessed.

From Minnesota: ” Panfish The panfish working group is considering proposals to reduce the current limit of 20 daily sunfish, according to Thompson, working group member. Roundtable participants were surveyed on possibilities that included: • Keeping a 20-fish limit, with no more than five over 8 inches; • A bag limit of 15, with no more than five over 8 inches; • A bag limit of 10, with no more than five over 8 inches; • Or a bag limit of 10, no size restrictions. Anglers harvest an estimated 14 million panfish each year, but the size of sunfish is in decline. The use of a continuous season on panfish with an aggregate limit has been in place since 1954. The bag limit was reduced from 30 to 20 in 2003. The limit was not based on biological principles, according to Thompson. He said the committee wants to find a limit that will be socially acceptable to anglers. They need to be able to catch larger fish and have a high quality experience to support it, he explained. He also acknowledged the difficulty of a one-size-fits-all approach. There are metro area lakes where a higher limit would make sense. The lakes will always put out large numbers of small fish. Let young people discover fishing on them with more liberal limits, he argued. The DNR has used special restrictions aimed at protecting the size of sunfish on some lakes. The use of five- and 10-fish limits has had some success on these waters. Thompson said they tend to do well for a few years but over time, the numbers of larger sunfish tend to plateau. A resort owner from Big Sand Lake said he believed the reduced bag limit would harm his business, but Thompson differed. Others said they felt that a lack of enforcement was also a problem, with locals as guilty as visitors when it comes to exceeding limits.”https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/outdoors/4390990-new-fishing-regulations-spark-talk-about-new-walleye-panfish-and-catfish

Over the last decade the pressure on sunfish has exploded...newly American anglers have put extra pressure because of subsistence lifestyles... whole family’s with nothing more than a pop can and line...little regard for size or bag limits, just food for family..Kellogg Lake in Carthage used to have a nice population of slab redear and warmouth....now gone....there are a few places where big sunfish can be had...but better management is needed. Stocking of RedEar to help control zebra mussels and strains of bluegill like copper nose...warmouth often shunned by fisheries depts are great sport and commonly get over a pound....so much more to say on this subject https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/where-have-all-the-big-bluegills-gone/380547?fbclid=IwAR3to02-Bt1ujSMhk_zx5anvtqpvWQF0W7WDSZwCQENpRjcgn9S2OgJG-BE

Caught some jumbos when I went to lake of the woods. Honestly they were better eating than walleyes

Jigging raps should be in your arsenal, whites, walleyes and crappies all love this lure, vertically or drifting tungsten jigs heavy and compact great on Taney when it’s windy or currents a bit fast...and murder flipped around docks on 2#test for slabs

One of my favorites for trout, whites, and early crappies...northland rattle spoons...this spoons are compact and dense great on current days on Taney, sometimes trade out the treble for a j-hook with the barb smashed down, and a tiny willow leaf tinker blade hook side in gold or silver. for crappie vertical fishing it can be a killer, a pinched of shiner head like they do icefishing puts extra fish in the boat

It seems in other areas they make spawning runs up feeder streams, but like spawning on weeds or twiggy brush....I’d bet Xmas tree piles in the lower reaches of creeks would be a good place to target them....they spawn after the walleyes in other waters but before crappies

Bull shoals is tough, smaller hooks help, I remember once if you used a gold hook you were not getting bit...an old timer once told me to use “ slicks” a creek chub about 2 1/2 “ long....found a place to trap them in a spring creek...I must say they out produce store bought minnows by a wide margin.

Colored rattle beads can be a game changer typically sold in 6mm and 8mm I have seen them in white, black, pink, chartreuse.....as a note walleyes love black rattle beads

Line is important...I like camo in 4# as a starter....in a pinch 2# green

Bait....not all bait is created equal, at times crappie will shun a minnow from the same bucket....big ol male fatheads seem to put off crappie...sometimes a big shiner that’s female will get hammered though it’s work bait dye will add fish to your day...in our area chartreuse works well as does purple.....standard food color will work you can get neon and colors like purple

Let’s chat hooks....cam action true turn style in sizes to match quarry or baits....again color hooks make a difference, I prefer bronze or red