smallmouthjoe

That was also a nice luxury , today I only took three rods and could have fit another if I wanted to. All my fish today were located with a SB and then caught with a dinger. It was really nice to be able to have a throw back rod sitting waiting to be used. In my kayak I pretty much had to sit on my rods and switching rods in a timely fashion was impossible.

I'll try to move the seat up a few inches and that may solve my foot rest problem. The real problem I have with the seat is what it's made out of. That hard plastic is something that my tail bone is not used to and it's a pain to try to keep from sliding off of. I think I may steal Eric's idea and put a little tilt in the seat, or I may just switch the seat out for one of the wicker seats in my tandem and put a sitbacker on it. I usually don't like using an anchor but it's nice to have when the wind is howling. Do you have any photos of your anchor set up Wayne? I was thinking of a way to put an anchor in without making one side of the canoe heavier and therefore more prone to turning over and the best I could come up with is just tying an anchor to a rope that is attached to my seat thwart. I really didn't know what I was missing, fishing from my little kayak is something that I could never do again. It's really nice being able to stop paddling and have the canoe go straight instead of spinning around like a top. Thanks for showing me the light guys.

Hit Springfield Lake today in the new canoe and caught a few fish. The seat in that thing has to be replaced, I might try to put a backless wicker seat in it. I'm also trying to think of something I can prop my feet up on. I also need to put an anchor attachment in it for the times I'm fishing still water. But I really enjoyed fishing out of it, I can't wait to get it on some moving water.

I tried to use it on valentine's day but the trip ended before it officially began. Me and a friend were going to celebrate our bachelorhood this valentine's day by going fishing, so we went to Springfield lake to see if we catch some fish down by the dam. As I was standing on shore getting my rods ready my buddy was at the end of a little dock at the access trying to get into his kayak. I heard a grunt and turned around to see him with one foot in the kayak and the other on the dock almost completely doing the splits. The look on his face was the same as an Olympic weightlifter who is trying to steady 400 lbs across their shoulders. Hilarious. Instead of helping him out of the strenuous situation my first reaction was to reach for my camera, but by the time I grabbed it he was in the water. What could I have done anyway? He's a real cocky guy so maybe this experience will humble him some. I was going to go this morning being that I had the day off of school but with the snow and the nasty wind I decided to stay at home and get some work done. Next Sunday I'm taking my canoe somewhere, I don't care what the weather is like.

Finally found a solo, what a ride its been. But it's been worth it. http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/generalFamily/discovery_119.html It's a good looking canoe that's light enough for me to haul around but big enough for a overnighter. Now I can take my fly rod along with me on trips, as well as my usual complement of rods. I think I'm going to take it out on Springfield lake this weekend for a test run. Thanks everyone for your help.

I'll see if I can get out of working that day.

That shot of the Blue Heron is beautiful. Great pics.

Glad to hear you had a chance to get out there. This wet, rainy weather has given me spring fever, hopefully I get a chance to go out sometime. Thanks for the report.

Nice, I'm going to have to make it out to the Eleven Point sometime this summer. It's one that I still haven't gotten a chance to experience. Thanks for the post.

If we really need a place to meet I could talk to my manager at panera and see if we could use the meeting room there. The only thing is we wouldn't be able to use it between the hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Just throwing it out there.

Thanks for the spots. If anyone hears of the run let me know, I didn't get a chance to fish for white bass last year on The James because of school and work. I can't remember when spring break is but I hope it coincides with the white bass run this year.

I ,personally, could never go back to mono. The advantages of super-line far out weigh the extra cost. Wayne, do use a brightly colored braid when tying direct to jerkbaits? I've been using a leader for fear that the fish would be spooked by the line when the bait was suspended.

Have the people at riverside closed up shop yet? When they move out I would have to assume that the property was then county land and one could access the river without fear of trespassing. I'm hoping that the county and city turn the area into an extension of the park but who knows if they will or not.

This is the last semester of my junior year, but it is only my second semester at MSU. I'm a wildlife bio. major and I can't express in written word how much I enjoy studying it. What is your area of study and who are you studying under if you don't mind sharing it with me? I have never fished The Sac white bass run but I have heard good things about it. How far do they push up stream? Besides my friends farm I have had trouble locating additional access points to The Sac, do you have any suggestions? Thanks

I might actually be going to this event, but I don't know why anyone from the conservation department would care about what a little pee-on undergrad has to say. However, I will ask the biologist that is associated with the MSU chapter of AFS a few questions as soon as I can get a hold of her. I'm interested to hear not only what she has to say in regards to this subject but also her take on the smallmouth bass white paper summary.

I'm sure they're well above where a stream in winter should be. I might try to hit it again before the week ends so I'll give you a better idea later.

I too would like to think that it is not an impossibility to enforce the game laws that we have in place but everything I've experienced tells me it is. At least it is with the current numbers of CAs that are out there now. I don't know about other places in the state but I've only seen a CA on the water twice in southwest missouri, once at fellows lake, and once on The James. Both times they didn't ask to see my fishing license and just gave me a wave and were on their way. I would have to assume that the lack of CAs it is due to a lack of funding. They most likely focus their efforts on bigger bodies of water where their will be a higher number of anglers and must sacrifice all the smaller rivers and streams. The idea of a few publicized busts is a great idea, get people thinking that there is a chance that they will get caught if they break the law. I wonder if the state shifts their agents around? Do all agents have to work out of centralized location? It seems to me that if they could take some agents that would normally work lakes during the summer months and put them on a river patrol during sucker season it might help this problem. Almost like Wayne's idea of a group of agents who are free floating and can go anywhere.

Sir, if you read my post I said IF the giggers were involved with the dead deer. Obviously I can't say if they were or were not involved in the killing and wasting of the deer. To me whether or not the deer was killed by the giggers or by someone else is is not really the point. The point is that they both are wasteful and unneeded so in a since they are the same thing, abuse of the natural resources. In my post I also didn't advocate the institution of new laws or new taxes for more enforcement, I too advocated personal responsibility. I feel it's my personal responsibility to alert law enforcement of any poaching, be it of deer or fish. If you have anything constructive to add please go ahead and add reply to this, but there is no need to insult me. Have a nice day.

A few weeks ago I was on Beaver Creek and saw three dead smallmouth lying on the stream bed all of them were about as big as the biggest smallmouth I've pulled out of that stream. On my way up river right at the access point where I started I saw twenty or so cut up suckers and a dead deer that had it's antlers cut off and the rest was left to rot in the river. I can only assume that the dead smallmouth were a result of giggers and if the deer was something that they were apart of then my god these must have been some very revolting people. If the conservation department doesn't have enough money to spend on law enforcement and they are unwilling to deny a small portion of people their right to gig, in certain areas or at all, all we can do is guard the streams ourselves. If I see anyone poaching or abusing wildlife or the land they live in I will turn them in, I wouldn't care if it was my own grandmother. It's sad but we have to deal with people who just don't care about the greater good of anything.

I would love to go to one of those secluded lakes in Ontario where the only way to get there is by float plane. Really, I would love to experience a fishing trip anywhere. I've only fished in The Ozarks and honestly I've only really fished for bass, I haven't experienced Missouri trout fishing at all.

Yeah I'm thinking that I may cancel the overnight trip and maybe just go down there and camp at different spots and fish the water in that area. I might do some hiking as well. I don't think I'll be able to handle my canoe by myself and If was going to do an overnighter I would need to be in my canoe because I can't cramp all of it in my kayak. No matter how comfortable or experienced you are at paddling there's always a chance of going in and I don't want to risk it. Thanks to everyone for their advise and thank you glorydaze for you offer.

Wow, there's some really good advice here thank you to everyone for the pointers. I've run into a small snag, it appears that my friend is not going to be able to go because been fighting some kind of respiratory infection and he doesn't want to make himself any sicker. So it looks like this is going to be a solo trip. This of course make me very apprehensive to go being that if I did get into any sort of trouble I would have to be totally self reliant. But this new set of circumstances also makes the trip appealing because it would be nice to get some solitude and try to get my head where it needs to be before I start another semester of school.

Trying to get off the ground is something that I haven't considered. Maybe I'll go out and buy one of those foam pads I've seen. Thanks for the float recommendations guys this will only be my third trip down there, your input is very valuable.

Thanks for the ideas guys, it's safe to say that I will be bringing a bottle whiskey with me to at least help me feel warm. All my dry bags have been tested and I'm planning on bring all the necessary equipment needed to build a fire quickly. My tackle has been organized and the only thing I should be needing is a fishing license. Does anyone have any suggestions in regards to what section we should float this time of year? Thanks again guys.

Even though it's currently 28 degrees in Springfield and as bleak as Northern England outside I can't get over this desire to be outside surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape. A friend and I are planning a winter float on The Buffalo next week and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to which section to float. And also if anyone has any suggestions as to some equipment to take. This will be our first attempt at a winter overnighter and if anyone can think of any equipment besides proper clothing,neoprene waders, a good tent, good sleeping bag, dry bags in case we happen to get wet, a sunflower heater, hand warmers, etc.., please let me know. I know it may sound a little crazy given the recent temperatures but both of us would like to experience a small adventure before we have to begin the grind of school and work again. Thank you for any suggestions. Tyler