FishinCricket

Hey all, sorry if this report is late for some of you, but... The Gasconade river was LOW on 11-11... I didn't realize the gravity of what I was doing when I put my 5 hp B&S and my 16 foot john boat on that river at the Hazelgreen access and began my journey to the 133 bridge, all by myself for the first time in months! I was so excited... So excited, in fact, that I didn't put my fishing pole down until I realized it was getting dark and that I still had a ways to go.. That's when I figured out that the rivermay have been high enough to use the motor, but not if you can't see the channels! It started getting dark quick, and I was forced to used the oars to paddle my way in.. I started paddling at the corner with the Huge steeple on the hill (about halfway along the 4 mile float) and continued to paddle until almost 8 M (between bouts of paranoia and anger at myself) I had to get out four or five times to pull the boat off of a stump or rock or sandbar that I had hit, in the dark, at full speed (which is considerable with two oars)... It wasn't the smartest move I had made in a while.. However, before the worst part, I did manage to catch some fish... Mainly Goggle eye, but man did I hit a hole of them! I cast in the same spot almost 50 times, and hooked up almost 50 times! Litterally batting 1000 for like, an hour! Here's a pic.. (It was cold outside, you can see I brough my space heater...) I hooked two pretty largemouth and almost managed to get one in the boat, but they weren't hitting the topwater very hard (sorta slurping it in, to cold outside) and they kept spitting the hooks... The week before I was banging em, here's a pic of that, one mile upstream from the 133 bridge... Not the greatest picture, but all we had was mom's cell phone... A wonderful place to fish, that stretch of river.. May I politefully ask that we keep the fish where they are though? In the river, I mean... Keep the future in mind, and put my big ol' largemouths back!!!!! Thanks for listening, tight lines...

Hope you don't mind me adding my report to yours.. Next time you are going to be down there on a sunday catching monsters....... feel free to gimme a call if you catch that monster and want a picture.. I will drop everything and run to zone one and snap a photo in time to release her safely.. 718-8666 Anyways... my report only includes one trout in zone three, amongst about 75 goggle eye (or the same three 25 times, can't be too sure...) i was fishing the suzy hole only, and using a bronw micro jig (barbless) only... Here's pics of the prettiest goggleeye.. No pic of the trout, he wasn't that special. (how could he be, he was feeding with the goggle eye!!) I stood in that same spot from 1 pm until the bell, I think... The wife used the same lure but couldnt' get the jig down, and was afraid of letting it sink too deep (and rightly so, she lost about 5 of those microjigs on the weeds) but I was just letting it sink and slowly bumping it until one of em picked it up.. I still say if I was 6 years old you couldn't provide me with much better entertainment.. I only cast out maybe 20 times where I didn't get a bite... Fast paced fishing is the best way to get anyone interested.. Thanks for listening, tight lines..

If all else fails the Suzy Hole is full of goggle-eye.. They are right off the concrete too, so it should be an easy and exciting catch for a 6 year old.. Good luck, I will be down there sunday.. Would be happy to do some pro-bono guiding if I can...

I knew I shoulda laid a five on the barrel head on that one... LOL Jacks a wonderful fisherman, definitely congrats...

As to all this other debauchery about people climbing up into trees or making food pellet shaped flies... If somebody is goofy enough to spend $400 on a rod then you shouldn't assume they aren't crazy enough to climb up into a tree with a pair of binoculars, use a grappling hook to make a hanging ladder accross the river, drop his fishfinder down into the weeds, pray while he puts on his waders, or whatever.. Give the man a break, he fishin'!!!!! Jeeeeeeezzzzzzzz......

Lebanon Daily Record just reported that this fish was actually 18 pounds and was a new park record!! Also they reported that this isn't the first time you've held the record, sir.. Congrats on that sir, will you take me fishing next time?

I was down there last week "hiking" with the wife.. But I didn't catch much, and I believe someone else has already posted a good report that would have trumped mine anyway.. Seems as though the trout are filtering out from the deep holes and into the riffles as the water cools off...

I will be below the dam on Sunday morning... Looks like they have had some pretty hectic past few days as far the generators are concerned, anyone have any guesses as to what the river will look like tomorrow? Depth, water speed, # of generators running, etc? Any advice would be appreciated.. I only have 5HP on the John boat, am I crazy to think I can get in there and tangle with the big boys and the current?

I am using my first apple product to type this (iPhone) and other than the Swahili customer service reps I have been extremely happy with my Mac.. I agree with the above sentiment about the tutorials.. It seemed like a long video, but it has been extremely helpful..

that's the funny part, if you see an exit in america with a truck stop at it, you're there!!!

that sounds like a job you might enjoy Phil..

hahahaha lol.. man that's funny... The other lady got responses like "Walgreens will have to quit selling back massagers an anything long and thin and smooth as well.. No body lotions, etc.. It was hilarious!

Yeah the ozarks regional online forum has some pretty funny stuff.. I am a member but never post really, just read.. One lady wanted the Lebanon Walgreens banned because they sell massage oils and this is the "BIBLE BELT!!! we don't do that kinda thing round here!" or something to that effect.. Another posted about how the local truck stop is full of hethens (lot lizards) and should be burned down or something.. and a guy replied that he had "looked into it and the lot lizards are actually doing bible study with the truckers in their big rigs and that she had misunderstood... It's all pretty hilarious.. And kinda scary at the same time... I found this there as well, so pretty good stuff...

Yeah, not really actually.. i have been really busy with al the big discounts that they are giving, and all the little 4 door 33 MPG pontiacs... But, yeah, I am off today and messing around on the net.. Looking forward to opening morning of Catch and Release at Bennett... That's when sales will be off! LOL

Doesnt' actually reflect this forum, but it's still funny as all ge out... SO HOW MANY DOES IT TAKE? 1 to change the light bulb. 1 to post that the light bulb has been changed. 14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently. 7 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs. 18 to flame the spell checkers. 2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term for "light bulb" is "lamp". 15 know-it-alls who claim they were in the industry and that "light bulb" is perfectly correct. 5 to email others that the light bulb posters are in violation of the list etiquette. 10 to post that this list is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a light bulb list. 12 to demand that cross posting to the hardware list, off-topic list, and light bulb list about changing light bulbs be stopped. 17 to defend the posting to this list saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant to this list. 25 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique, which brands are faulty, and URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs. 14 to post that the URLs were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URLs. 33 to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers and signatures, and add "Me too". 4 to suggest that posters request the light bulb FAQs. 13 to ask what is a "FAQ"? 19 to say "do a search on 'light bulbs' before posting questions about light bulbs". 27 to complain that "we've already discussed light bulbs." 42 to post "if you don't want to read it, skip it." 12 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy. 1 new forum member to respond to the original post 6 months from now so it will start all over again You really need to keep your sense of humor on the forums

Not sure on the regulations for overnighters at the park that night, but you can easily call and ask them at th store, they will know... If you are hitting the river definitely use crawdad lures.. Fish are holed up in the bigger holes and coming out for food.. So everywhere that you see a big rock in the riffles.. you know what I mean, drag the lure across in front of the hole and they will turn on it.. I am giving away all my secrets, I had better stop! I seem to be hitting all the fish with those methods and the trusty John Boat while people cuss me from the bank! Deep and practically stationary is the trick though right now...

I can only give you a report on spin-fishing the pouth of the spring on the river, but it has been a blast! 10 an hour sometimes using crawdad lures deep.. Seems they will hit on anything that makes alot of noise too, as long as it's deep and stationary (think a rattletrap on a sinker, hugging the bottom)

ditto..

Oh, Lord, forgive me, but I covet...

Ditto...

Oh, you poor tortured soul....

Tell em the truth.. There is no water.. That's the first ever picture captured of the illusive "flying" smallmouth... Now your photo is worth millions!

well it was obviously an illegal catch.. Didn't you see the pic? He caught it with a net!! (just a joke) Seiously though, very nice fish.. That definitely looks like the Suzy hole. How in the world did you land it between all those lines and legs? I can never seem to elbow into that hole, it's always chock full of anglers and powerbait!

Awesome report.. And look, you guys even have on matching outfits! How quaint.... What kinda topwater were you using?

My plan is to get an inexpensive fly rod and training video and try it out all winter til I get it down a little, then go back to the park and watch the pros do it this spring.. Then I will feel confident enoug to get in the front of your drift boat and see what I can do with some guided assistance.. Why don't you and Ryan plan a trip up here this winter? I won't charge you to take you out and see how well you guys do in my "secret" spots..