OzarkFishman

All I can say is thanks. That is a lot of info for a bank fisher like me. I am looking for a boat, but like you said, bank/wade fishing is so much easier (to plan at least). OzarkFishman

I know this is probably the 1,000th similar post, but here it goes. I am part owner of a corn maze up in Lowry City. Once the money comes in after this fall season (mid November), I have talked my wife into letting me spend $1,000 to upgrade from no boat to a 10 - 12 ft john boat (you got to start somewhere). The necessities are a boat and a good trolling motor. I would also like to get a small outboard (3 - 4.5 hp). I PLAN ON USING THIS BOAT ON RIVERS (James and Finley) AND SPRINGFIELD LAKE. Here are my questions (any answers/opinions are greatly appreciated). Is 10 ft too short? Should I go with a 12 ft? How much thrust is needed to move a 10 ft johnboat with a trolling motor? 12 ft? How much should I expect to pay for a decent small outboard? If I have to go with just a trolling motor, then what type of battery should I get to handle a long usage? What battery charger would you get? I am stingy with my money (teachers have to be), but when I buy I like buying quality. I’ve seen a lot of crap on craigslist and eBay (crap is in the eye of the beholder I feel sorry for the smiley face, he got crap in his eye and is still smiling). I would rather have a good boat and good trolling motor, than a less than average boat, trolling motor, and outboard. OzarkFishman

P-line floroclear is the way to go for spinning gear ... unless the situation calls for braid (i've only used powerpro and it works great).

I went to Lake of the Ozarks and was finally ready to try out my jugs. I was located on the Osage arm (34 mile marker). Baited up with live bluegill and green sunfish on most hooks, but put dead gills and stink bait on a few hooks. I tried a lot of different combinations with hooks (Kahle, Circle, Treble). From the fish I caught, I found that live bait works well on Kahle hooks and stink bait on treble. I didn't catch anything on my circle hooks (that could of been chance, but fishing is all about confidence). My highlight was an 11-pound Blue (caught in 12 feet of water, 3 feet deep, live bluegill). I also had one leader broken of. My leaders are 50 pound test, so my guess is it was a really pissed of 20 - 30 pound flathead or a toothy critter (walleye, gar, etc). It was fun, thank you all for the advice. OzarkFishman

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will try the Bass Pro scissors (at least I will get Bass Pro points for my buy). OzarkFishman

I love nightcrawlers under a bobber in any small river, but I have had a ton of success this spring with a 2 inch Zoom shad (green/silver or black/silver))on a 1/16th jig. It has caught me everything from small goggle-eye on the Finley, to a 1.5 pound channel cat at LOZ, to a 3+ pound bass out of a farm pond. OzarkFishman

I tried nail clippers, 2 pairs of scissors and my needle nose ... all frayed the line. Maybe I am being OCD here, but line is important and I want to have confidence in my knots. What do you all use? I know there has to be an easy remedy. There are the cool hotwire superline cutters for $20 plus. Anyone use these? OzarkFishman

I think I am just going to buy Bass Pro Shops® 4'' Braided Line Scissors for $4.

"Now, I gotta know.. How do you catch fish with a cell phone?" I have to hand it to CadillaCricket for being the first person to make me laugh out loud on this website.

I recent spooled one of my reels with PowerPro 20 lb braid. This is my first go-round with braid. I put some mono backing to avoid slippage and applied KVD line and lure while spooling. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, I tried to cut this line. My needlenose plyers that I use for mono and flourocarbon just smash the line and scissors seem to fray the line. What is the best tool to cut braid so that it doesn't fray? I know I can use a lighter to "cauterize" the line, but that doesn't work on a windy day. I am on a budget so that may limit me. OzarkFishman

Not that this is the most difficult way to fish, but ponds offer a lot of enjoyment. What is your favorite pond lure? My favorite has to be any swimbait 2 to 4 inches (fished on either a jighead or swimbait wide-gap hook). Best color has to be baby bass or black and silver. OzarkFishman

Forgot to mention that I was throwing a 1/32 jig (red hook) with small swimmin minnows (smoke).

I have went the past two nights from about 7 to 8:30. I waded behind the Jeep dealership and went down a little ways. I finally took my good waders (no hole in the crotch and breathable), so I could get to a few spots that I couldn't before. Only picked up 4 total: 1 goggle-eye, 1 largemouth, 1 smallmouth, and 1 longear sunfish. No size, but it was fun to find a few new spots. OzarkFishman

Fellows

2-inch golden shiner swimbait 6 pounds 2 ounces (I know that is just an average day for some of you) Farm pond (early spring) I have tried everything in a farm pond and NOTHING beats a 2 - 4 inch swimbait.

Fished today for 2 hours and only got one fish. At least it had a little size to it.

I do what I can .

I've been seeing a lot of small to average catfish caught by the warm water outlet at Springfield Lake.

I'm mainly fishing 2 - 4 inch swimmin minnows and shad. Natural colors on a 1/16 ounce jig. I haven't pitched into the weeds ... yet. Most bites are coming about 10 feet of the bank/weedbed. But, the best one this week came after casting straight out and bringing it in slow and steady. OzarkFishman

I've been hitting any piece of bank I can find, swimming soft plastics. Probably 20-25 fish ranging from small sunfish to the slot bass attached below. Nothing real big (I lost another nice bass when it flipped my jig on 4 lb line). I haven't really found a pattern. Some fish are tight to cover, while others are hitting when I cast straight out. If you keep casting, they will bite. OzarkFishman

"What lake are you going to fish on?" I will be jug fishing on Lake of the Ozarks and private ponds/pits. Chris, Thanks for the info. That sounds like a pretty good set-up, looks like I will be going to Wally World tomorrow. OzarkFishman

Maybe I didn't ask the correct questions to get a response. I am mainly a bass and crappie fisherman, but I would really like to get into jug fishing. I don't keep bass to eat (unless out of a private pond due to harvest) and only keep average sized crappie (I throw back trophies to grow bigger). I plan on throwing back catfish bigger than 10 pounds, so I am really looking to catch a lot of 3 - 9 pounders (they tend to eat better anyways). Here are some new questions. 1) There are 4 types of hooks that people generally use when jug fishing (treble, circle, Kahle, straight shanked). Which is the best? 2) How many hooks per jug? If anyone has any information that could help me become a better jug fisher, it would be greatly appreciated. OzarkFishman

I was at the lake last weekend and had plenty of action around docks. All I threw was a 1/16 jig with a 2 inch Zoom shad. Caught 9 fish in 2 hours ranging from a 6 inch bluegill to a 14 inch bass. If you are only wanting quality, then throw something bigger. If you are having trouble getting a bite, then scale it down. OzarkFishman

I plan on putting jugs out this weekend. What are good depths for jug lines? What are good baits? I plan on using bluegill (live and dead), chicken liver, cut shad, and stink bait. Am I missing any secret jug line baits ?

The attachments are working now. Again, any advice would be appreciated.