Mitch f

I've never fired a riffle in my life, sorry

Great posts all!

Desperation move, with a jet boat I just bounce off the logs like a pinball machine and try not to miss the spot for the perfect cast!! once I ended up in the river doing that

If they are generating and you have enough water; then run your boat from Cooper Creek up as far as you think you can. Drift back down throwing jerkbaits worked very quickly. Favor the right bluff bank and throw right up to the bank. Always use a pause in between fast twitches. You should catch some quality browns and rainbows. I use those Lucky Craft pointer 78 in chartreuse shad or Aurora black. Hope you have fun! Next time go to Lilleys Landing.

That's a Hawg! There is something about that big 10" worm to catch big bass.

Well, did you catch any fish?

I don't even think it's a bass, but I love he way he uses the pliers.

This is a textbook example of the proper way to catch and release a trophy bass. I hope all of us can learn something from this video.

I know I would! Let's plan a trip in the fall.

I agree with ya Ronnie! the problem is that some see Missouri as being an east side-west side thing like the crypts and the bloods. Chief doesnt want the "few controlling the many". Well, the sword cuts both ways; so it comes down to which streams are more important? I guess it depends where you live. I don't think anyone can try to say what regulation will work for a particular stream, that's crazy. All it takes is 3 hungry, out of work rednecks with jet boats and a pack of M-80's (it does happen), and hundreds of bass are gone forever. Then the surveys will not not draw any conclusive results, big surprise. The MSA at least trys to enact regs that will benefit the overall streams in Missouri. Lets go Chief, support us like most of us supported you in the Prater fiasco. Don't get hung up in the minutia of one or two streams, it sounds like the gridlok in our current debt ceiling situation.

obviously go big and loud when the fish might have trouble finding the bait, like in murky water or at night. Just remember how many times you caught a big fish and had it spit up a bluegill or an 6-8" shad?

Having lived with it for the last 11 years, I have become somewhat used to it. Agreed both sides lack common sense on another note, what exactly do you have against the MSA? I'm a member and I'm having trouble understanding exactly what your beef is.

I agree, if I wanted to catch a trophy brown I sure wouldn't go to a park. But your reference to the MSA about the few trying to control the many is falling on deaf ears. When a statewide 15" limit is considered a step in the wrong direction then I think you are wrong. BTW, the few trying to control the many reminds me of the present political situation.

I'm in the process of making a realistic plastic craw that looks like these. When you gently lift the rod tip, a football jig mimics the defensive posture just like these lures do. The bass are trying to kill or stun the crayfish first before they eat them, hence the really hard strikes. I used to fish the football jigs in 30-40 ft water at Table Rock and those bass would still strike them so hard you could really feel it, even at that depth. This lure looks great, thanks for the post!!!

Which lake were you fishing up there?

Ditto on that, there was one guy at Montauk that had a group of guys on each side as a sheild so he could snag the fish with a white marabou jig. What a pathetic guy. This was going on 10 years ago. Had several people repeat the exact same story. Setting the hook and snagging require the exact same motion. Makes you wonder why he uses a white jig huh, go figure.

Enjoy the cool weather!

I have a copy that I almost never refer to anymore; if you really act nice, I'll give it to you. There might be a couple of pages missing regarding the St. Francois, a friend borrowed it to copy the pages and I'm not sure he put them all back. ps. It's signed by the man himself!

I hear ya! Whoever invents the zippered waders that won't leak will be a millionaire! I once went wading/duck hunting at Grand Pass in waist deep water. We drug a small boat behind us to hold the decoys. We soon discovered that we all had to pee after drinking coffee all morning and had to hold the boat while we all climbed up one at a time take off waders enough to go pee. I guess the zippered waders would have made that process a little easier. Sorry, more of a comment than useful info! But I don't know of anyone with a pair that works.

Mo Smallies.......nice on all levels

Here is a start to the invasive species problem... http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/article_9492759b-5968-5021-9c13-23168664f0d3.html?mode=story

If I need them I can get live crawfish from Seafood City in Chinatown St Louis

Ha ha, you know good and well the bite comes first!!!!

First I wanted to say THANKS to all who attended! Our kick off event was a success on many levels although the fishing was mediocre at best. The food was great, the music was great, and the comradery was even better. I arrived Friday evening to everyone sitting around the non existant campfire, chatting and rehashing the events of the last 2 days of fishing. Introduced myself to Gavin, Coldwater, Jeremy, and Cricket! I already knew Al. After an hour or so of great conversation, Cricket, Al and I decided to get a little evening/night fishing in before calling it quits that day. Ran up stream to hwy 28 bridge to start, throwing topwater lures and hoping for "Old Walter" to smash our offering. This must have been a foreshadowing to the next days fishing. We only caught a couple, which included a gar. The next day started later than we anticipated (we slept in way too late). Al and Jeremy were tired of paddling for 2 days straight so they decided to take advantage of a jet boat ride. We put in at Riddle Bridge, which is the start of the Smallmouth SMA and went upstream. I think God decided to turn off the fish that day.....Wow, was it slow. The enjoyment of the day for me was to learn from Al and Jeremy. Jeremy is a terrfic fisherman and managed to catch more fish than the rest of us fishing in the back of the boat! I considered myself pretty good at a "walk the dog" lure until I watched Al fish a Sammy, if you want to witness a true thing of beauty, Just watch Al Agnew work a Sammy! he's the best I've ever seen! We took a much needed dip or 2 in the river because it got so darn hot and the fishing was slow. The water was pretty small in some spots and we had to get creative with our return routes with the boat. I don't know why the launch ramp at Riddle Brige is such a magnet for people but it is! They dont really want to get out of the way so you can trailer your boat. Had great steaks that night and retold some fishing lies! I had had a not so good nights sleep the night before so I left with our Newly arrived guests form the Missouri Smallnmouth Alliance, Matt Wier, Steve Harrison, and Dan Kreher. Went to a local flee bag motel and then found out the next morning about the "Beer Pong" Event. Cricket, Al, and Jeremy.....What goes on at Boiling Springs campground, stays at Boiling Springs Campground!!! Went out the next moring With Cricket and Jeremy, watched Cricket out fish us with a flat sided Rapala jerkbait in the faster riffles. Cricket is a great guy and a terrific fisherman as well!(not to mention he should try out for American idol!). Ended up being ejected from my perch in my Jetboat while drifting into a log! My IPhone was toast and lost my glasses but all worked out well! Got a free IPhone replacement andused a old spare pair of glasses and am back to 100%. All in all, a successful adventure with a great group of gentlemen! Ready for next year at a different location, maybe Corey's place!

Mr Dallas, Wish I could have been there earlier so we could've spent more time together. Nice meeting you and thanks for sharing the pics! looks like you guys had all the good fishing before we got there!