Saturday April 11, 2009 Fishing Report

[DoveTail]

Forgot the camera! Surprising results today. First 5 fish were browns, started quick and fell off very slow. Finally caught 3 rainbows but quit around 4pm. The numbers of fish in the water does seem to be much lower than last year, it is hard to see many around. There are the usual groups feeding on gut piles that gather up. The water level is not that bad as opposed to last year this time.

Fishing selection. The browns came on a gray sowbug early, then I couldn't beg a fish to bite. I did see some surface action and had some lookers but zero fish were on dries. I tried every color and size from #14 - #26. Frustrating. I could see a few fish that were coming up time and time again but none of them like anything I threw, and I tied everything on.

The 3 rainbows came on a meal worm pattern in white #14; scud #20 in black; pheasant tail #18.

The parking lots were not very full but everyone must have loaded up vehicles as there were crowds in the water. Enough room to fish but more people than you would expect for the number of vehicles.

I think everyone would rate the fishing as slow as I did not see that many people hooking up fish. Usually, you can look up and down the stream and someone has a tight line. Seems very slow today. The weather was perfect, so a great day to get out. I would have stayed later, but not catching anything, I called it a day.

[FishinCricket]

Glad to hear the report. If you don't mind I will make mine here as well, since I didn't bring a camera either and you just happen to be using the same title I would be.. LOL

However, as usual, my report is technically for the Niangua river, as I was fishing the "infamous" Zone #4 from my boat. And as usual I didn't get but about 45 feet from the boat ramp. I was there about 20 minutes and had my limit to hand. 1/16th ounce maribou jig, kinda stripping it like you fly guys would, but keeping it just out of view of the surface. I kept 4 for dinner tomorrow (inviting friends over), and was ready to leave when a guy came over and asked what I was using. I showed him my lure and he asked if he could try it. He had a park tag on his shirt, but as you know the "fly" I was using isn't legal in zone three, so I had to explain to him why I couldn't do that.

then a lady asked if I could take her stringer out there and fill it up for her, and I had to explain why that wouldn't be right (or legal) either.

then the eagle decided it wasn't happy with the Vulture that was eating fish guts on and it gave me enough of a distraction to load the boat up and leave.

thanks for allowing me to post my report below yours, let me know if you ever wanna get in the front of the boat..

[Bman]

Glad to hear the report. If you don't mind I will make mine here as well, since I didn't bring a camera either and you just happen to be using the same title I would be.. LOL

However, as usual, my report is technically for the Niangua river, as I was fishing the "infamous" Zone #4 from my boat. And as usual I didn't get but about 45 feet from the boat ramp. I was there about 20 minutes and had my limit to hand. 1/16th ounce maribou jig, kinda stripping it like you fly guys would, but keeping it just out of view of the surface. I kept 4 for dinner tomorrow (inviting friends over), and was ready to leave when a guy came over and asked what I was using. I showed him my lure and he asked if he could try it. He had a park tag on his shirt, but as you know the "fly" I was using isn't legal in zone three, so I had to explain to him why I couldn't do that.

then a lady asked if I could take her stringer out there and fill it up for her, and I had to explain why that wouldn't be right (or legal) either.

then the eagle decided it wasn't happy with the Vulture that was eating fish guts on and it gave me enough of a distraction to load the boat up and leave.

thanks for allowing me to post my report below yours, let me know if you ever wanna get in the front of the boat..

Cricket, If your jig had rubber legs on it, I'm thinking it would have been legal zone #3. But would it be illegal zone#4? Right?

[FishinCricket]

Cricket, If your jig had rubber legs on it, I'm thinking it would have been legal zone #3. But would it be illegal zone#4? Right?

Don't fall for the wording, zone 4 doesn't exist. It's the open river, so no rules other than regular state regulations.

As for using that Jig in Zone three if it had rubber legs, I think so, but I am not sure. I will find out.

[Bman]

Dude, I'm hip to your wording for zone #4, just not sure of the regs. in the river. I used to flyfish zone #3 with a nymph with rubber tied in, but that was a few years back. I knew it was legal then, but I'm just not sure if regs have changed. I think the middle of zone#3 is the prettiest part of Bennett, and hardly no one fished it. Kay who co-operates Springview motel, and works now at Larry's made the cover pic of the Missouri Conservationist Mag ( March 1991) the pic was taken right smack in the middle of zone #3 with Kay fly fishing. Cool cover pic, I've got it framed in my tying room. Ed & Kay & Charlie got me started fly fishing.

Bman

[DoveTail]

I'm pretty sure anything goes for the river as long as you have trout stamp.

[laker67]

Don't fall for the wording, zone 4 doesn't exist. It's the open river, so no rules other than regular state regulations.

As for using that Jig in Zone three if it had rubber legs, I think so, but I am not sure. I will find out.

Not correct. Cannot be tied, superglued, roped, lassoed, half-hitched or permanently attached to the hook. The way that Bman and I used to fish zone 3, is a no-go these days, thanks but no thanks to jim rogers and company. That grumpy old b--s---d should have been kicked out of bssp years ago. He has way too much power and say in a taxpayer funded operation.

[FishinCricket]

Not correct. Cannot be tied, superglued, roped, lassoed, half-hitched or permanently attached to the hook.

so a rubber tube would work? is it allowed to have a feather? Like a really small maribou jig with a rubber crappie tube shoved onto it?

The way that Bman and I used to fish zone 3, is a no-go these days

Not sure what you mean, how did you fish it exactly? I assume you guys liked to wade the riffles between all the holes that people congregate around in zone 3 now, right?

[Bman]

Laker67, Thanks for your insight on my question!

Best Regards