DADAKOTA

I realize that the habitat will change. Some brush and laydowns gone and new ones deposited. Figure it may create some new holes and fill in others. Be like floating a new river.

What is all this flooding going to do to the smallie fishing?

Hey Dutch - Where on that site tells you they will have the gates open? Looked around and didn't see it.

How much rain ya'll get down there? they gonna open the gates up again?

Any Senko type bait cut in half works great. You can also employ a split shot rig with fish doctors or french fry worms.

Have they shut the flood gates on Stockton yet? When will the turbine work be completed and when will they start generating again?

Appreciate the info... Floated a lot from where the little Piney dumps in down to Jerome when I was living in St. James. Lots of smallies and lots of goggle eyes. Looking forward to floating way up river. Thanks again.

I am floating/fishing the Gasconade from Hwy 133 to just below HWY 7 in a couple weeks. It will be about a 9 mile float. I have never floated the gasconade this far up. Any idea as to how long this float will take? Is this an area of canoe/tube flotillas? Anything else I should know? THanks

My wifes grandpa used to guide on James River before Tablerock was impounded. He and his wife owned the drug store in Galena and outfitted overnight float trips. He always liked a Lucky 13. He also said they sold a lure call a Peck's Bait at the store.

Used to flat wear them out on floating #9 jointed rapalas in Chart back and white sides. Then they quit making it for awhile and I started throwing flukes/sluggos. Haven't thrown the j-9 in years.

I should have said river/stream/creek.

If you were limited to 5 lures to catch smallmouth what would they be? 1. Jig and trailer 2. Buzzbait 3. Senko 4. Rebel Craw 5. Baby brush hawg

I guess it depends on the definition of World Class. Is it quantity? quality? or both? I believe a lot of it has to do with water quality, fish population, habitat, the size of the stream, the nutrient load in the water, forage base, and harvest rules and regulations. A released smallie has the chance to grow and be caught again. I too wish there were catch and release only on smallies and that artificials only were allowed. But there would still be a lot of folks fishing bait for other species that would catch smallies. Any day I get to spend on a creek, stream, or river chasing smallies is a world class day to me.

I totally agree with you Al. On July 2 Smalliebigs identified the location/river. Smallies are quite special and I would not think of keeping one. Way too many goggle eye, walleye, crappie and gills to eat. As to why I inquired about the high schools? St Louis is the only town I know where folks identify you by the high school you went to. When in the Lou and you are asked what school you went to is does not mean college.

Ya'll just crack me up. No I am not editing my post. No need to. BRL in the original post was descriptive enough. Your beef is not with the fella that kept the smallie to release in hot grease. He was legal and has the same right to that fish as you or I do. Your beef should be with MDC as they set the limits. Of course they base there decisions on the fish populations and wise use of the resource. Might I suggest that you address your issue to them instead of blathering on the internet about some dude that wants to eat a fish? Maybe you should have offered him a couple of 16 ounce ribeyes if he released the fish. Or a cold 12 pack of craft beer. I can assure you that I am no other person on this site. My problem was not with the term Hoosier but with the arrogance of belittling someone you know nothing about. Do I like folks keeping and eating smallies? Not something I would do and not something I would hope others would do. But it is their choice as long as they abided by the rules. Now what high school did all you Saint Louie boys go to?

Boy did I hit that one on the head. From the St. Louie part to looking down your nose at others you feel are beneath you. I was not the one that put BRL in his post so my stating Black River Lodge does nothing to identify where the fish were caught other than possibly the black river. It really cracks me up that folks want their "secret" spots to remain hidden yet they post pictures of the fish they catch, the ducks they kill, or the deer they shoot and often times the background of the picture is readily identifiable. I have caught smallies in many rivers and creeks in this great state and have no qualms in saying the names of them. Some of the best have no names. It provides no one any idea where I fished. For the record I do not keep smallmouth at any time. I enjoy catching them way too much. Although I wish others would release them, the law says they can keep them. You see folks of all types on the rivers and streams and they are all there to have a good time. I don't judge a man by the money he has but by his character and how he acts. Feeling the need to put down another to make yourself feel better is a testament to your arrogance. Not everyone is as fortunate or had the opportunities and environment that you did growing up. Did you ask where the dude went to high school?

I could have guessed from your posts that you were from St. Louis. The pics confirmed it. I am sure that big one you caught really benefitted from laying on the gravel. But then again I guess you couldn't gloat about the fish you caught without a picture. Black River Lodge is a popular place with the St. Louis crowd and Hoosier is their deragatory term for anyone the feel is beneath them or does something they do not agree with (although completely legal). If a feller wants to eat his catch so be it. Get over yourself. On the positive side ya'll did catch some nice fish.

Did real well on Pearl black back and threadfin shad. At Jacomo the bone color is hands down the best color to use. Can't seem to catch them with it at Stockton though. Have done real well with the black one at Stockton as well.

Sounds like fun. I figured with the dropping water level and the clear water they would have left the bushes. Shows what I know.

The crappie at LOZ are much thicker across the back than the ones I caught at Stockton last weekend. HAd some real nice 12-14 inch fish but they are not real thick across the back. Not many 10" or better fish as compared to LOZ.

Spent some time trolling Stockton this weekend. Lots of small crappie. Cleaned 15 over the course of the weekend that were 12" or better. Stockton crappie are not nearly as thick as the LOZ crappie. I am guessing a lack of nutrients in the water. We also managed 6 keeper walleyes. All caught on Bandit 300 cranks 17 to 25 FOW.

I am quite confident that the MDC knows what it is doing with the crappie and walleye length limits. You might check with the MDC fisheries person in charge of Stockton and review the data he has on the lakes fish population. I don't keep bass so I don't know what the length limit on Kentucky's is on Stockton. It should be 12 or 13 inches if it isn't. The biggest problem with Stockton is the lowering of the lake during the crappie spawn. Makes for poor year classes.

Bandit 300

What you did for that young feller was awesome. The world needs more folks like you.

Crappie are spawning now.