Post-dispatch Article

[Guest kevinkirk]

What is the missouri and arkansas smallie record? I think around 6 lbs in kansas. I had some close tothat in my private pond but of course, some jerk came in and cleaned them out when I was gone on vacation. I gave up on that .

[jjtroutbum]

Welcome to the sight Rick you should have lots of things to read and hopefully add as well.

Tight Lines

JJ

[shawncat]

(sigh) I shouldn't have said anything.

Dont sweat it Joed,they dont call this the "show me state" for nothing.

[shawncat]

Welcome Rick,glad you found the site.We can always use someone with your river knowledge.I know you'll fit in here right nice. Oh yea.............we like pic's.

[Danimal]

Arkansas record is 7 lbs. 5 ounces caught from Bull Shoals. Not sure about Missouri. Dan-o

[cwc87]

Read the atricle and found it to be true about Rick's passion about river fishing. I've seen him fish alot and he KNOWS what he is doing. About his big fish it probably is true and I can vouch that I have personaly witnessed on a certified scale a 5.4 oz. (2002) Aug. and a 5.1 oz. (nov.2007) smallmouth out of the Gasconade. I have caught a lot of big smallmouth on both rivers However none have been over 21 inches.

With the up coming gigging season starting on Sept. 15 I hope the illegal harvest of smallmouth goes on red alert for us folks that persue them with a rod and reel. Then only way we will ever get our true trophy smallmouth fishing would to see gigging cease on designated strecthes of our rivers. I have many smallmouth fishermen (who happen to gig suckers also) who have told me they wish gigging season woud be pushed back till Oct. 15 because the rivers seem to be still a bit murky and that telling smallmouth apart from a yellow sucker is impossible. Hence, many smallies get gigged because of water clarity. Another point, when new giggers are introduced to the sport it seems any fish gigged to them is some great feat.

Sorry about getting off the main thread. CWC

[joeD]

Thanks Shawncat and Steve I(1?) My question was meant more as fact-finding than a personal attack on Rick. You just don't know these days. Also, this might explain why I've been losing at Texas Hold 'Em- calling everyone's bluff and getting smoked.

[cnr]

Here's the topic author joeD at work on the Meramec. No matter what the size, all Smallmouth are a treat to catch and the locations are beautiful!

How about posting some Smallmouth pics from you folks out there. I would add one of mine but it always seems like joeD is doing the catching when we go out on the river!

[steve l]

OK, how about a 3.9 lber from the Jacks Fork in 2005. I scaled this fish, and it had also been tagged in 2000 or 2001 (can't remember, it's at work) at 18 inches and 3 lbs. Didn't measure it though. Interesting the tag was still there that many years later. Either it was caught & the tagged not removed, or it was not caught at all in that time.

They may grow bigger in the larger rivers, but I suspect they don't get much bigger than this in the JF.

And then one from my daughter at 2 lbs same trip. As Yoda would say, very proud she was

[shawncat]

Yes,this is a 5lps smallie.No, It's not me.It's my friend Kurt.Yes,I did used to dress that way.