DADAKOTA

Blaming the tourney is easy. Most of the blame falls on the folks that catch the fish and how they take care of them. After dragging them around all day with little to no care you can't expect the tourney directors to perform miracles and save them all.

People watching used to be as much fun as the fishing

Got to love it when a youngun gets a good job after all that schooling. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tragedy. Prayers for the families and all impacted.

Jumbo perch. Fine eating too.

Floated it many times. Biggest headache is where to take out. J bridge is used often, but it is actually private land. I have permission to take out there. J to Caplinger is a long float unless they turn the water on. There is public land at Caplinger. You can't hear the horn very far below 32 highway if they flip the switch on. If you notice the current picking up you'll know why. Best to get to your takeout as it is a gradual but quick rise and not a wall of water.

Finished the season on the last day with a great shoot in a SWMO bean field..

Shot some long sprigs this year

Birds were more spread out since MDC areas had no food. Those that adapted had banner seasons. Those that didn't complained. Limits of mallards still available on the last day.

Just make cinnamon rolls for after you eat the grilled fish.

Probably not making long runs where he needs the depth finder while operating the big motor. Put it up front with the transducer on the TM. I leave my TM on when duck hunting. Used it several times when too shallow for my outboard. If the big motor quits it sure is nice to have a TM as a backup.

Truman and Stockton

I'm pondering a move to an 18-20 foot aluminum for fishing and some big water duck hunting. Need more range on the big lakes than my 16 footer with a 25 HP. Suggestions?

Great read. I really enjoyed it.

Lots of long faces at most public places. Birds got stale real quick and avoided working into areas with cover. Tree rows and willow clumps were avoided like the plague. Those that adapted killed some ducks. Those that didn't struggled. On to the South zone.

Real good spot in Central Missouri for a preserve type hunt is the String Creek Game Bird Farm - (573) 796-4282 in Centertown, MO. Tom runs a top notch operation.

Lack of food in the MDC refuges has allowed the birds to spread out like they used to. Lots of birds still up north that have never come down. Now we know how the Arkansas folks feel when our refuges are full of ducks well after the season has closed. Been a decent year so far. Should be a major push in the next week. Hope they get here by the weekend.

Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and an awesome next year. Stickbait bite is on at Lake Jacomo.

I'm hoping to go through the enormity of tackle I have collected over the years and get rid of many, many lures I don't use. Many have never been in the water. Mostly crankbaits and stick baits. May also eliminate any rods/reels I no longer use. Would like to acquire a larger boat as well.

Let me know what fullbody duck decoys you have and whet you want for them.

Looks like way too much fun

The vast majority of tourney anglers ought to just fish for fun. Most of them do not make any money at it and in fact over the course of the year lose money. They must enjoy competing and donating.

Do the flank feathers pulsate in the water like maribou?

Hey Mike. Sent you a PM about some baits.

Found a blue heron one morning with a wing tangled in fishing line which had cut to the bone. Line was tangled in water willow so the bird was permanently tethered. Beached the boat and threw my net over the heron. Was able to cut the line and free the wing. Surprisingly after a few minutes the heron took flight. Was floating the Sac below Stockton and came upon a family group of geese in a little backwater. One gosling was in distress and the goose was honking up a storm. Figured the little one was snagged with a hook or line so I jumped out of the canoe and waded to it. Got to the gosling and started to lift it out of the water and was shocked to find a snapping turtle attached to its leg. Turtle finally released the broken leg and the gosling swam back to the flock.