straw hat

Being laid up right now it gave me the chance to call Tim Banek with MDC. He enformed me that there was a new fishery biologist for Stockton. His name is Adam Bowman and he located in the Springfield office. I just had a nice conversation with the young man about gar in Stockton. He has visually seen a few in the CC area and during a recent bow tourney on the lake a nice size one was weighted in. I thought the one I caught was a short nose and he confirmed that his opinion was they were short nose as well. So it looks like the one I caught wasn't the only one. lol I think that Adam will do us an outstanding job and I asssured him that if we on this site can ever assist him in any way we would be glad to do so.

Thanks for your feed back. What amazes me is that those catchable bass are actually have a specific genetic profile. Other genetic variations are much less catachable from birth It is not just a matter of the bas being eduacted by being caught before. Now I am not saying that bass don't become more wary with experience but it is shown that genetics plays a more impotant factor. I agree with your comment on those fisherman who "stock" a certain brushpile before a tourney ... except they are not real fisherman. They are just self-centered greedy little men. Amen to the log piles!!! II am glad you enjoy the articles as much as I do. To my way of thinking fishing is only half of the enjoyment of going to the lake, the other half is understanding and enjoying how the rrest of the fishes world ticks.

Witht he water low I need to get to the lake and look for big logs laying on pea gravel banks. Read this and fnd out why. lol Fishery Articles largemouth2.doc

You summed up fishery biology and fishing perfectly Kevin. It is all about the variables. Basically that is all we think about as a fisherman. Color, wind, prey, lure speed, .... If you stop and think about how many variables there are in fishing it is amazing we even catch any! lol

I found these ral interesting. Fishing Articles Largemouth.doc

FYI The MODOT website says that the work on 215 should be done around Oct. 7th.

Thanks for asking minnowhooker. There was some complications during surgery but the doctor was able to handle it. Looks like I will be flat on my back for a week or two though. The Dr said that my second surgery may not be necessary so that is good news. I should know for sure in about 4 weeks. My only connection to fishing right now is this website so you guys be sure and post your fishing trips. I hope all of you do great and I expect to see some photos posted this fall of some big fish!!

Well done sir!

Thank your daughter for the info! I am glad to hear it will be 7.6%.

Good crappie trip Evinrude 18! That 16"er is a hog!! Thanks for the report.

Thanks Gilly. This first surgery is an outpatient so I will be able to rest at home. As soon as I recover the doctors will probable do a second surgery so the outlook for fall fishing is bleak. Maybe I can slide in a trip or two if I am lucky. You guys are going to have to keep the fish on there toes for me. lol

I have been laid up the last two weeks in preperation for a surgery on Wed of this week. I thought I would pick up a few fishing magazines so I would have something to read while I recover. Usually I just stop by Walmarts and pick some up. First stop walmarts, NOTHING. I asked the sporting goods man and he said that beginning this year Walmarts would only carry hunting magazines fron Sept 1 to Mar 1 and fishing magazines from Mar 1 til the next Sept. BUMMER So not wanting to drive around much I just went straight to Bass Pro. Just inside the door I asked the lady where the 'fishing magazines' are. She then told me were the catalogues were. I said "no, not catalogues, fishing magazines." She said she didn't know what I was talking about. Up to the cash register I went. I ask a clerk and he said "Do you want these for reading or something else?" I wasn't quite sure what the 'something else' was. Since the invention of toilet paper I wasn't sure what else to do with them. lol The magazine rack he directed me to had only 2 fishing mags. At least I had two. Went to the fishing department at BP and they said they are only carrying a small display of magazines now. This display will change to different magazines each month. This month it was 8 different flyfishing magazines. Not my thing. They sent me to Barns and Noble. They must have had 15 or so different magazines. Finally success. The moral of the story ... If you want a fishing magazine just go to B &N!

Although I am looking forward to the new store I wanted to mention something to you The tax rate at Academy (just like the Sam's next door) will be 8.7% while it will be only 7.6% at BassPro. On a big purchase that can make a big difference. Just something to think about.

A few articles on whites that I found. I noticed one thing interesting in reading the articles. The fisherman they checked rarely had a fish over 14"(maybe .1%?) BUT the electrofishing by the researchers caught around .05 to 1% over 18". Neither number is very high but that is a difference. Maybe we are fishing for the big ones in the wrong spots or (as some researchers suggested) teh smaller males are just too aggreessive. Any way, enjoy the reading. Fishing Articles Whites.doc

I don't know if it is restricted access or not BUT when they blow the horn announcing they are about to release water you better move quick. It comes up verrrry fast and you would have little time to get out of the way.

I stand corrected Walcrabass! You are right. Under those conditions I would watch football too. Sounds like you are a good father. Best of luck to your son.

I would imagine carp. I have caught a few down there several years ago. I have also seen a few cats caught there but never in any numbers. Just guessing though.

Walcrabass, shame on you! Football is on? Priorities, priorities. The only football I want to hear about from you is football jigs. lol The good fall fishing starts soon. Don't give up now..

I dug and couldn't find anything more recent. I sure would like to know what the current phosphorus and nitrogen levels are. Stockton does not have any higher form of plant life in it that I am aware of. No milfoil, coontail. etc. Most of the plant life in stockton is in the form of algae (both free floating and attached to rocks and such).Some algae is good. To much can lead to oxygen depletion during low water or high temps (we are far from that luckily).

Well, my wife is excited about it opening. That means I am not sure if I am or not. lol

I may have already posted one of these, sorry if I did. StocktonLake Water Quality Information 2006COE Report http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/lakes/WaterQualityReport/06_Stockton_Lake.pdf http://www.missourilakeinfo.com/stockton/trash.shtml WaterQuality of Little Sac before it enters Stockton Lake; http://mo.water.usgs.gov/Reports/WRIR02-4154/report.pdf

98 on Saturday? You got to be kidding me! Enjoy the articles. Fishery Articles 4 & 5.doc

Your welcome guys. More to follow, some may be helpful and some may not but I will try to stick to the most practical ones.

More light reading! Fishery Article 2 & 3.doc

I thought that as I come across interesting fishery articles I would post them for any of you who might be interested. The fisrt one deals with shad in Stockton. Fishery Article1.doc