MoCarp

4 lakes in Mississippi have 12” limits, two have 11” one 10” and one 9”......how many 2 pounders you see on Stockton? Much less 3#er ?.......

https://blog.nature.org/science/2020/10/21/an-overlooked-threat-to-freshwater-fisheries-bowfishing/?fbclid=IwAR3slk2ouMpUGRY4zx7q_vZUHsC7Md2SUSyxMacrcvxkNQ1QDYRrpOH_d_o

Many a Texas pig been trailerd to Missouri and released....they hunted hogs a lot Where I grew up....mostly a dog affair......dangerous game

After the gills were stocked after a few years people got on road cricket pattern for big gills... guy doing so caught the 1st state record smb from Stockton for a while it hung in orleans trail ... if I remember correctly some chicken house operations got bought out west of 37 prob in advance of Springfield water getting pumped Rock bass seem to blossom on Tr. be nice if that gene pool of fish could be used as brood stock for Stockton anything to spread harvest,

I have been blessed to fish in different biomes...for me it’s the big 3 scenery, company, and quarry... I remember a trip to Lamar lake one time with a buddy of mine...we jitter poled in the Open pockets In the water willow. it was a blast! 18” of power pro tried to the tip of 16 foot glass composite poles...buzz baits, Johnson silver Minnows with pork....devils horse all produced, hand poling in the fish was more fun than I thought...caught 20 some odd fish 2-5 pounds...def something everyone should try at least once... old school can be fun....

Pure not tigers

Every fall someone would pick up a ‘ski in price branch area of the lake....Seems more largemouth in the lake than in the 80s-90s something is off genetics, forage, Fishing harvest pressure plenty of shad in the lake...flop out a light at night....perhaps fish spend more calories than they should chasing shad only forage? used to be a healthy mayfly population unsure if any benthic insect study has been done more diverse fish populations can’t be a bad thing

I think I read it in the MDC publication same place that told of stocking silversides and copper nose bluegills,.... also the planting of submerge weed beds I have slept since then and it was 30 ish years ago i will also note fishing changed when they started pumping water to Springfield... wonder if it changed the thermocline dynamics... water seems clearer or not as much plankton as I remember ....perhaps less chicken caca spread on pastures? IDK trying to remember when the tiger muskies quit showing up

You should have a BFer boat shoot up your best carp spot...have the best fish go from mid teen average with a few 20s....to lucky to break 10.... or watch said boat poach a few walleyes

If you have baby crappie eaters you won’t have issues in a pond....it’s all about balance....bug zappers are great pond feeders....like any good fishery it’s about management every water is different....my fantasy is a 10 acre spring fed rock quarry....know where one is just need a few million to buy it.....spend many a day dream on how I’d go about it

I think so...seems the northern strain has bigger heads as well...they act different...seem to use more wood cover and don’t school as heavy, but think that’s more a smaller recruiting YOY situation.... https://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2018-08/missouri’s-weird-walleye

I remember some lake spawn northern walleyes were acquired from a northern state traded for turkeys if I remember back in the 80s to take advantage of more spawning habitat available....they found that shocking fish at the dam caused fish to abandon spawning and they then decided to stock mass quantities About then....I also think an effort to enhance LMB fishing like stocking copper nose bluegills more brush piles hurt the SMB fishery....smallies are not near as common as they were in the 80s

There is a difference, I’d like to see more DNA work done....when Stockton was 1st impounded the walleye that lived in the river got huge...up until they started stocking current strain, a few monsters would show up 13 or 14 pounds...typically an accidental catch by a bass angler...about 8 pounds biggest I’ve heard in the last decade or two...fish are more bass shaped deeper heavier, the spawned earlier normally done by the Second week of February...powersite used to have the fish to challenge a world record late 90s early 2000s have not heard of a high teen in a number of years...wished they still has no BFing close to the dam...more than a few poached walleyes...bigger fish like the biggest common carp don’t hang around there anymore Back in the day took a 15 or better walleye to get attention....

I would love to see the bag limit reduced to 10 and 12” on length....and walleyes back to 18” and an effort to stock more of the native river strain that get far bigger....in the past the state stocked Mississippi silversides to expand forage possibilities....Stocking yellow perch, redear sunfish And more Smallmouth could round out opportunities even more...bass regs should push SMB to 18” and no more than two per limit...yellow perch would do well in Stockton, the bazillions of tiny shad could be better utilized, while The perch could Also diversify the prey species...Fishing pressure is only going to get worse..and some brutal enforcement is needed...many people keep far more than allowed in their freezers....pressure could be reduced by another pay wall say a stamp to fish the lake, with funds to enhance stocking .spending My fishing lifetime on Stockton, I have seen fishing wax and wain over the years...the biggest dip was after the big drought that caused table rock people to flood to Stockton, ramps where all but useless at the rock...bass tourneys buzz all over the lake...like much of the Ozarks..Stockton is getting loved to death

that’s just the women...single guy doesn’t stand a chance 😅😂🤣😂😅

Spent a great deal of time fishing there great fishing place

Yeah yeah yeah......closest place I have heard is Osage and Missouri rivers....might have to shoot them, kinda like getting a spoon bill to take a hook...happens, but people win in a casino too....fly guys drift into the gaping mouths below some dams...gonna be a tough one....they say both are tasty.....bring one back fore one shot

Sadly not all agents are created equal, yet in our area I only met one who seemed....how do I say this kindly....not up to the standards I have come to expect....and that agent isn’t in our area anymore....most biologists and agents have a passion for the outdoors and givin their mandate, do a great job...if you don’t think so you need to spend some time in other states

I grew up fishing shoal, we lived on its banks when my family moved to Joplin in 75.... great fishing...my brother and I always planned a wade fishing trip in mid August up until his work moved him to Georgia. from the falls to the Kansas line was good, but all the development has made it a shadow of its former glory....at some time or another I have fished every mile of its ample drainage....many stretches do not get the pressure other streams do...it can be rough it spots..if I remember it has a couple of the highest class of white water....but in a good yak in normal or low water is the best fishing, below the falls to Kansas walleyes are a possibility...big small mouths in the riffles, largemouths in the slower stretches, spots everywhere....normally you will pick up a catfish on bass gear....used to pick up flatheads on our August trips..they will smash a rebel craw...normally I like jigging but shoal creek is better cranking as you lose less gear....drifting wild caught minnows or crawlers will catch everything...including monster red horse...ahh to be young again

Thinking about a quality pump 410 with wood stock...ideas?

Henry’s pump .22

Chiappa baby sharps in 357 or 22 mag