Bird Watcher

I can't agree with either side of this debate 100%, but I do agree 100% with what Bill is saying about the basis of decisions by the MDC. It has nothing to do with Biology, It's about cash. How it's made and how it's spent. The MDC is a business. Plain and simple. Don't think they just arbitrarily go around protecting wildlife. I mean, they will, if the price is right.

sorry if the picture of the beer bottle offends anyone. It was the best reference object I had handy at the time. This thing was right at 16", sorry for the grainy picture, I took it on my phone.

Carp definitely deserve some respect. No other fish in the state can come close to their endurance.

I'm down in the SW corner. I have heard reports of them being found North of me though. That's why I thought I had better get out there. I ended up with 112 and the weird thing was I found everything from blacks the size of my thumbnail to whites the size of my fist. Thanks Martin. It was kind of fun taking pictures of mushrooms. I might have to carry a real camera somtime.

I took these just for you guys. They are kind of grainy becuase I took them on my phone. I went last night becuase I had been reading this thread.

I was nabbed by this on Friday. I had to be towed in by another fisherman. Come to find out it was the ethanol in the gas. It had attracted water and ate up the fuel line. I didn't even know it was a problem, but my mechanic says it's an epidemic. Stabil or Seafoam year round for me now.

Had a good evening on Indian creek last night. The water is down, but the fish are hungry. Caught a 14", a 15", a 16" and an 18". All I was missing was a 17" to give myself a good hand. I had two other fish on that were in this same "trophy" category. It was a great night for big fish. There was a fish chasing the 18" when I was reeling him in that made him look small. I think he might have pushed 20". It was the biggest smallmouth I have ever seen in the creeks down here. Maybe next time. The 14" The 15" Kind of a shaky photo, but you get the idea. The 16" The 18"

Bob, Are you fishing with Tony Peterson? I mounted a big ol' 9lb (I think) walleye for him about 6 years ago when I was doing taxidermy down at Riesenmy's in Joplin. He's a hoot.

Marty, Thanks for the Report. I have read in the past what you have written about this full moon walleye bite. Could you elaborate a little on what you do when fishing like this? Maybe the type of water and techniques? I think I would like to try that this weekend maybe. Thanks, Chris

Is there any of this going on at all? A buddy of mine wants to go do it this weekend, but I don't think it will be worth the time and money. Any of you have any input? Thanks

We caught them all on "creature" baits. I was fishing a Reaction innovations smallie beaver and my buddy was fishing a baby brush hog. All of them on stand up heads.

Floated from Prosperine to Lead Mine Friday night through Saturday eve. I was struck with a liitle bit of irony regarding the trash in the river. It now appears that the river is completely covered in the orange mesh trash sacks that they pass out to put your trash in. There were some stretches where you can stand in one spot and see 8 or 9 of them caught in root wads. We did catch some fish. A couple of unintentional trout, largemouth, smallmouth and goggleye. Saw three really nice bucks, turkeys and a lot of wood ducks. Overall a really nice float. We put in on Friday at 6 pm and took out Sat at 5 pm and only saw 5 other canoes in all that time and that wasnt' until the last mile of the float.

Oh, and topwaters, I always fish either a small black buzzbait or small black jitterbug the last 30-45 minutes of light and get a ton of bites on them.

I don't know about the logjam, but the fishing really got good again. The water had come up about 8-12" late last week, but I went on Tuesday night up above Anderson and it had fell back out real nice. Lots of fish, even caught a nice 16". It will be good float fishing for a little bit, until it falls too far down and you have to drag. Then it will still be good fishing but kind of pain to float because of all the dragging.

Has everyone seen this? http://www.ky3.com/news/local/25524059.html

Went again Sunday. The best big fish day of the year. Had one that pushed 18". Three others over 15" and prob. 6-8 over 14". I agree whole heartedly with what you guys are saying about releasing those creek smallies. They just take so long to get that big and they tast like week old salmon. I know it's legal and I have no desire to start a debate with anyone, just venting. I floated past Indian Creek campground the other day and saw a guy cleaning a two man limit of them. Made me want to cry. To expand on that, to finally catch those big fish on Sunday, we had to go way up the creek to launch on a landowner I know. I think you just have to get above the Catch and keep anglers to find any. Larry- You can launch under the 71 hwy bridge. You have to get to it off of 59 and turn down towards the campground and industrial park. you can also launch on up Indian Creek road about another 2 miles. Just look for the big rock and the rope swing. You might see me. I'll be in the red ford ranger with the green canoe in the back.

Wacky, I always float somewhere above Lanagan. Sometimes as far up as Boulder City. I've been going a lot lately from Mayfield down to Town Hole. It's close to the house. There are two strainers between the Interstate Bridge and Town Hole, but with the water down, you can see them coming before they are a problem.

Floated the last 3 of the last 4 evenings down Indian Creek. The water has finally fallen out enough that the fish are predictable again. The downside is that you hit the gravel in a few riffles. Unreal how the fish are biting right now. I'd say that the last three trips have had a 15-20 fish per hour average. The only thing that is really missing are the top end fish. Caught one over 15" the other evening, and I'd say a dozen or more over 14", but still have not seen a 17"+ fish. Don't know if this helps anyone, but it's the only report I have to give.

Thanks for the help. We are going to try Joe Farkas.

Me and a buddy want to take a trip for our Birthdays this year and I think we have settled on a guided striper trip. Can any of you reccomend a good one? I googled, but the sheer number of striper guides that came up was kind of daunting. It looks like they ranged from fly-by-night operations to outfits that were running 3 or 4 boats and crews. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.