Kicknbass

Well, this weekend was a rain out for turkey hunting. I took my cousin out on Saturday, and we heard 1 bird gobble a few tiimes, then the rain came and the hunting was basically over. We came out of the woods and put on the Current river and fished for a few hours in the rain. Let me tell you, the bite was on, I can't force myself to turkey hunt in the rain, but I had no problem reeling in smallies all day.

Welcome to the forum. I never have been very successful night fishing. What is your favorite method in the summer. I have a couple of tournements that I will be fishing w/ a buddy. One on Pomme, and one on LOZ. Any tips?

Where do you think the crappie go during the summer on the Rock? Deeep. I guess. I have trolled during June and caught quite a few white bass. Mostly out on the main lake gravel points. I never have caught any walleye on TR. How do you troll for them? Thanks.

I'll do it. I hope the river stage stays fishable. The last couple of years, during the opening weekend of Turkey season, the river got high and off color. Too high to fish. Looks to be good this year.

I hope to get out this weekend and do some SMB fishing on the Current river.

martin, I visit TR nearly every June and have never caught a Crappie. I mostly fish the main lake points or the cedars in Cow and little Cow creeks. Do you have success w/ crappie at that time of year? Any tips appriciated. Thanks.

Nice bird. Double bearded birds are few and far between. I have never seen or killed one. Were the birds w/ Gobbling actively or just loffing in the field. Any Hens w/ them to keep them from working to a call? I have found that bachelor groups get competive and come to a call more often than single birds. I hope to get out this weekend and call for my Cousin. We will be hunting in Shannon county in the mornings and SMB fishing on the Current river in the PM. I aways look forward to this time of year because I love both activities.

Here Here.... I agree. Thanks Phil.

Well I got out this morning and began walking down the logging trail to an area that I had heard gobbling activity on Saturday morning. I hiked in about 2 miles before I started listening for birds gobbling. At about 5:30 am I heard a bird gobble across the draw on the adjacent hillside. Then another up the ridge from the first about 200 yards. Just my luck the birds are always on the other hillside. I started down the draw and began to circle around to get on the ridge above the bird. Fortunately, the bird was actively gobbling on the roost and gave me the ability to get into a go position on the hill w/o spooking the bird. I pulled my box call from my breast pocket and made a few soft yelps. The bird continued to gobble and didn't initially seam to respond. I just stood and listened trying to plan my next move, when the bird gobbled and seamed much closer. I backed off a few steps and found a blow down to use for a ground blind. The bird seemed to stop moving and just gobbling in place. I got the call out again a made a few soft yelps. The bird immediately responded. The area to my left was an area that had been cleared and allowed to grow back w' thick brush. The bird worked into this area and gobbled every so often for about 20 minutes hung up very close about thirty yards away it the same position but I couldn't see him due to the thick underbrush. I was not calling hoping that he would keep hunting for that love sick hen. After what seamed like eternity, the bird started moving away. Fearing that he had lost interest, I picked up my box call and gave a few soft yelps once again. This time the bird double gobbled and turned back toward my direction. The bird came back to the position that he hung up earlier, but this time he kept coming. When I could final see a bird, he was about 15 yard away but I couldn't get a shot due to the root ball from the blow down that I was using as a blind had obstructed my view and shot. When this bird came out from behind the root ball, he was about 8 yards away when I pulled the trigger. I'm sure he never heard the shot. All you fisherman know how peaceful and relaxing the stream is at daylight, being in the deep timber before and during the break of day is just as majestic. I have been turkey hunting about 25 years and the thrill of working calling a gobbler into range is still as exciting today, as it was in my teen's. The gobbler weighed 21 lbs and had an 11 inch beard w/ 1 inch spurs. Here is a picture

I know this is a angler's forum, but no Turkey hunters. I though when I got on the forum tonight, I would be able to hear some success stories on the opening day of turkey season. I couldn't make it out this morning, but will give it a try tomorrow if the weather cooperates. A buddy of my killed a nice 3-4 year old in the Elsberry area this morning. His first bird, he was beaming this morning when he came into the office.

Sam, Sorry to here about your loss. Hang in there, I'll keep you in my prays. It is good to have you back. I alway enjoy your report.

Great post.

I know it's easier to change the leader, but I don't change leaders to often on a given trip. I will choose a leader to fit the conditions, and fish 1-2 size smaller tippet about 18" - 24" in length. I personally don't like the bulk of loop to loop connections. The loop to loop will have more drag on the water, and pick up more debris than a smaller profile connection. I want the small tippet to break when snagged to avoid replacing the leader.

I have fished most all of the Meramec over the years. I have found the lower to be inconsistent. I have done ok on bass in the spring, but struggle in the hot part of the summer. When fishing live bait, hold on. You never know what you may catch. I have caught bass, walleye, crappie, white bass, Hybrid stripers, drum, catfish, grinnell, redhorse, carp, spoonbill, you name it, if it swims in the Mississippi, It will be in the lower meramec. If you want a quick morning trip out of St. Louis, the lower meramec is close. If I have any time, I prefer other locations. However, with the price of gas, I may visit the lower meramec more often this year. I can be on the river at Kirkwood in about 15 minutes.

I never have liked fishing a Loop to Loop leader connection. Personal taste.

Go to a local bait shop or marina and by some shrimp. Put the shrimp on a bait rig and cast it out as far as possible. You'll be supprised how many fish you'll catch. I took the family down a few years ago for spring break to a resort near Fort Morgan. We hired a guide for a half day outing on the mobile bay and caught many Sheepshead on light spinning tackle. It was a great time. The guide gave me some of the left over bait, and I took it back to the beach and catch quite a few fish all small, but several species. Sand shark, whiting, catfish, some type of ray. I was supprised at how many fish were in the waters along the beach.

I wouldn't call this an exotic trip, but this location in the forum is the best spot for the post. I was out on business traveling through NE Iowa and I found a little time for trout fishing. Outside of Manchester Iowa the state has a hatchery on a small sping branch. This section is all artifical w/ a 14" limit of who cares, because their getting released anyway. This is a tiny little technical stream but well managed for trout. This little spring branch averages 2-3 feet deep w/ few deeper and only about 2-3 steps wide in the narrower spots. It appears that the state has stacked large flat rocks along the edge of the stream in many places near the hatchery park to create ledges or under cuts for the wary trout to hide. I got a look from a large fish 25" plus that came out from under one of these ledges, but only a quick look and then he was gone. I am quite sure that the battle would be brief if I was able to get him hooked on this stream. 2lbs test tippet + 3 wt rod + 25" fish + small water w/ many ways to break you off = short battle and another "one that got away" big fish story. I planned on fishing about 2 hours, but got consumed trying to catch fish. I spent about 4 hours sight fishing and catching 3 trout species, rainbow, brown, and brookies. Most of the fish averaged about 12-13 inches, w/ a couple over 14". The largest fish caught was about 15 inches. This was quite a tussle on my 3 wt in this small stream. The fish in this little spring branch are very skiddish. If they see you, the bite is over. I started throwing a bead headed scud under a floresant indicator. What a waste of time. The fish just spooked w/ the flo ball floating overhead. I switched to a small #10 wooly w/ a san juan worm dropper and caught several on the san juan, and a few on the wooly. When I lost this combo to a poor back cast, I switched to a Royal wuff w/ a brown nymph dropper and caught a few more, all on the brown nymph. When a large fish wrapped and broke me off, I switched to a bubble bee colored zug bug, and caught a few more. In total, I caught 14 or 15 fish. Not a bad day for trout fishing in any State.

All I can tell you it but breathable waders. Most will do the job. I use to fish in the same waders that I duck hunted in, heavy canvas shoefoot waders that would wear you out. Then I switched to a heavy neoprene wader. Fished and hunted in both. This was a great improvement on mobility. A couple of years ago, I bought a pair of Orvis breathable shoe foot waders. Wow. what an improvement on mobility. I have been using them for both hunting and fishing. You can walk for miles and not feel like you've been wrapped in a tarp all day. Cabelas has several price points to choose from. A buddy of mine bought their Cabelas inexpensive pair (under $75) and has been very happy w/ them.

Phil, any reason you prefer the triple surgon over a blood knot? Just curious.

I saw one one the Current river about 5 years ago. Haven't seen many, but they sure are neat birds.

Fresh water Marlin. Do you know were this was caught. I saw an article on alligator gar in Arkansas fish and game a couple of years back. These fish were quite a sport fish back in the 50's and 60's in the lower white river area around Stugart.

Well I didn't find any Morels today, but I did locate several actively gobbling birds. Now if I can keep these birds location pin pointed for the next 2 weeks I should have a good hunt. I didn't look very hard for morels, I got too interested in the birds. Leonard, where are you located? and what type spots have you found most productive?

I'll be there. I've been to the last five openers. This one in the new stadium should be awsome. All though, I have a buddy that manages for food service and he says they had trouble w/ the exhibition game between memphis and springfield w/ coordination w/ the new facility. They don't have all the "bugs" worked out yet. There might be some confussion until the staff and service vendors get comfortable w/ there new home. Looking forward to a great season. Go Cards.

Anyone been finding any mushrooms yet? I am going out in the morning to do a little pre hunt turkey scouting and morel hunting. It may be a little cool yet.

Phil is the grease hot yet... Nothing better than a crappie fry.