2bfishn

I havent been down there much the last few years. Maybe one or 2 trips a year but I grew up down there and I can assure you I have lost at least one of eveything I own there.

Bill (sportshop) and I made a spur of the moment trip up below Bagnell yesterday and we were pleasantly surprised. We fished less than 3 hours and ended up with 19 really nice whites and threw 2 back........ The key was SLOWWWWWWWW. We caught most on chartreuse swimming minnows. they were running just a little water and we were fishing about 12 ft...... Good luck all and lets really wack em in 09.

Von what have you been catching your crappie on? I have been catching bunches of whites and Hybrids and a few crappie on 3 inch white sliders with a chartruse tail, (been cutting about a third of it off. )

Three of us fished the tailrace last night from a boat. All I can say is WOW. Best trip of the spring so far. We got there about 5:30 and were off the water before dark with 3 limits of whites and Hybrids and 7 nice crappie. Almost forgot 1 Striper. Mostly caught on white and chartruse plastics. Hope everyone gets a chance to catch some this week. I dont know how long it will last but it is really on right now.

Which way are you coming from on 7? Either way if you go to hwy 65 and turn north you will come to an exit by walmart that is maked as Truman dam access road. Take that down untill you see East Bledso ferry road. If you are bringing a boat or want to fish from the bank on the East side turn there. If you want to fish from the West side go across the dam and turn on the West Bledso ferry road. Hope that helps. There might be a shorter way if you are coming from North 7. I think you will come to a Truman dam access road on North 7 before you get to hwy 65 but I never come that way so am not sure. Good luck and there are really truned on up there right now,

I talked to Vince yesterday. Sure hope you didnt put any scratches on his new boat Phil . He said it was a little rough finding the slot through the brush back to the truck.

Was off on vacation all last week and finally made it to the Tailrace on Friday. Not a bad trip with the front moving in. Three of us left Marshfield about 8 am and I think the fish count was 28 whites, 2 hybrids and 4 very nice crappie. I wish we had been there a little earlier. When the front started pushing through things really fell off. The water temp was around 56 or 57... Some warmer water in the creek by the power lines below town but didnt find any fish up in it. By the looks of the boats and trucks I probably dont need to make this report as everyone in SW Missouri was probably already there . Hope everyone had a great weekend and made it to the water somewhere.

Bryantsmallie. I work with Jeremy and trust me after a day at this place that is how everyone looks

Sam you bring up an interesting issue..... you been spoiled by too many good crappie filets.....Hmmmm do you keep crappie that are full of eggs? I am not really pointing this at you. There just always seems to be someone very vocal about spawning fish of there faviorite species and many of those think nothing at all about keeping fish of another species that are spawning. The main thing to remember here is to enjoy the time on the water and not let someone else who is within there legal rights upset us and ruin a good spring fishing trip. Once again Sam the comment was not pointed at you. You just left the perfect opening

Well I guess I am a sucker for punishment Started the afternoon yesterday at Bagnel. We didnt see much going on there. As a matter of fact we talked to the MDC creel survey lady and she had only had 3 boats come in with any fish at all ao we pulled out and headed back to Truman tailrace. fished a couple of hours with no luck. The water temp is right.... 50+ and they were running plenty of water but it sure has more color than I am used to for that area. Maybe a little too much Kansas mud. Anyway I know it is going to get right VERY soon but not yet for me....Hope everyone got out and enjoyed the nice weather this weekend weather you caught fish or not

Von I know just how you feel. I drove up from Marshfield yesterday after reading Jens "good to Great" report. fished about 3 hours and caught 1 crappie and lost one fish....... HMMMMMM something must have changed pretty drasticly since Jen posted!!!!!!!!!!!!. Btw I fished all the way from the slack water side by the launch ramp to the creek below town. Water temp still around 48. the creek below town was 50 but that was the only place.

My wife and I made a run up to the Dam on Saturday. It sure was a beautifull day on the water but that is about all the good I have to report. Water temp 38. They were running just a little water and we fished about 3.5 hours middle of the day. I dont think either one of us got bit. We fished from the launch ramp to the power lines just below town and finally did fowl hook one gar at least it was a tug on the line... I sure am ready for some warmer water.

your right about the sleepy part. All I have done lately is work and work at home.... I really need to catch a fish!!!

Troutchaser. I am so sorry it took me this long to respond. I have not been on the site since I posted the question. I appriciate the help and when things get back to normal here we will send you a pm and try to plan a trip together if your interested

I wish I understood more about what is really going on with the Crappie this year. I had a friend up on Truman last weekend who said the water temp was 62--65 and they could not find anything on the bank. Do you know what the temp was where you were fishing? Someone tell me please.... are they going to come into the bank or has this spring messed things up so bad that they will not come in this late? I know they had started up before the cold snap but I have not talked to anyone who is finding them shallow(with any consistancy) since.

Phil, I saw the word fools, idiots and "have a word" with these people in some of the posts. What constitutes mud slinging? I agree the lynch mob comment was uncalled forand I appologize. I hope you guys dont take me to seriously. I am not upset with anyone here for there opinions. I just want us all to remember that we all have our own opinion and we should respect each other. There was a post going around about fishing docks and what is legal earlier. I think we all agreed the water doesnt belong to any one person but to all of us and we have a right to fish there without being harrassed. What is the difference in yelling at someone for fishing next to your dock and yelling at someone for keeping a legal fish (and yes I know it has not gone that far yet)? I would have been better off to say nothing and I hope I didnt ruffle feathers too much. You are all a great bunch of guys and I respect all of you. I just dont think it makes someone a terrible person for keeping a legal fish.

Bill I understand your feelings but in all fairness I just dont think it is right for you to consider Bass the only Improtant fish in the lake. I know you have a special love for them but otheres have a special love for diffrent species. A friend and I have kicked this issue around about Walley for a couple of years. Is it wrong to keep a Walley female during the spawn? You have admited to keeping crappie that are spawning and yes I read your excuses about crappie only being fished for durring the spring but I have many friends who crappie fish all year. I know that bass fishing generates a ton of money. Especially in the Tri-Lakes. I grew up there and still live withing an hour or so but I believe that ALL sporsman should be considered not just the "Elite" bass fishermen. I have the utmost respect for you but I think this is an issue that needs to be looked at by the MDC not by individuals. If you watch many outdoor shows (and I am sure you do) you will see tounament fishermen sight fishing for spawning females. What happens to these beds? How many bass that are never eaten are caught and killed durring tournaments? I have nothing against bass fishermen. I used to fish a few tournaments and lived 5 minutes from old 86 launch ramp. I spent many many nights on the rock and still remember how great it was to be out there bass fishing. Things went down hill for me when Big Cedar went in and so many guides started fishing the same water I was. They were, as you are much better at the game than I was and my fishing suffered. I am not saying that to run guides down. I just think that as long as people are staying withing the MDC regs. we should not get so emotional and start mud slinging. If there is a danger to the population of bass because of what is happening then it should be addressed by the MDC not by a lynch mob. If there is a need for a regulation to correct this it should be imposed on all fishermen including tournament fishermen. I fish mostly for White bass, Crappie, and Walley now days. I probably have my legal limit of fish in the freezer right now and I can garantee none of them are in the Black Bass family so I know the lynch mob wont show up at my house. I know I am not changing your oppinion but I hope you understand that the fish and wildlife are out there for all of us and that as long as a person is staying within there legal rights we have a responsibility to be coruteous to them even if we disagree with them.

Gone, We need to get together sometime. Do I know you? I live in Marshfield and fish up at the tailrace a lot this time of year. Send me an e-mail sometime at k0ni@centurytel.net. I am off work all next week and am sure I will be up there part of the time when I am not in the Turkey woods. By the way guys. If you want to make a 2 day trip out of it there is a Motel at the 83 exit called Headwaters. Not real fancy but its clean and very inexpensive. I have stayed there twice so far this year and was happy both times. It cost my wife and I less to stay up there than it would have to drive it again the next day.

Ok guys this is a rumor and rumor only. I was told third hand today that the MDC released a large number of Hybrids in Bull Shoals this year. Can anyone confirm this? I know some of you have contacts with MDC officials. I would really like to know if this is true. If it is things are gonna get interesting at the Pot hole in a few years!!!!

We went back up for the weekend. Got on the water about 5 or so Saturday night 2 boats of us and I think we all ended with limits of whites. I had 3 Hybrids. One of the Women with us caught her first hybrid. GO TINA!!! We fished untill about 9 Saturday night and started a little late on Sunday (I am getting to old for that late night and again early in the morning stuff). Sunday it was a little slow but we found some fish down river a ways. My wife is the multi species Queen I guess. She had crappie, whites, catfish,drum, and a nice Largemouth. Anyway ended with a nice bunch of whites, a nice bunch of crappie and some catfish fillets. They were not running the water while we were there.

We tried the area below the power plant a couple of years ago. Caught a few VERY nice baits but before it was over I tore up a good net. I dont think I will try that spot again. I have seen people throwing a net below the darn. Dont know if they were doing anygood or not.

Fished the tailwater several times in the last 2 weeks and it gets better everytime. A friend and I fished from 5:30 to about 9 on Tuesday night. We had our limit of whites and 16 or 18 crappie. Wish it wasnt such a long drive from Marshfield

Just remember reall trophy hunters start out as "wannabe " trophy hunters. Many times how they turn out is determined by what kind of help they get from the real fishermen.

My wife and I made a trip to LOZ on Saturday looking for whites. Found a few but not what I hoped for. Anyone have any advise for this time of year up there? We fish mostly on Stockton and Truman and this was our first trip to the BIG waters. We fished up in the Grand Galze arm and ended up with 12 really nice whites and one nice crappie. We threw back probably 6 small whites and one small striper.