4-11 And 4-12-09 Just Below The Park On The Niangua

[FishinCricket]

(Note: These next couple weeks I am harvesting stocker trout, and won't bother taking pictures, unless I can't a larger one (15+ inches), in which case I will try and get a photo, then I always release the larger ones if I can... I am keeping them because I have family that needs the food, so I don't wanna hear any crap about keeping fish. Just be happy I am putting the lunkers back and leaving the park alone.. LOL)

4-11-09

Got off work at 5 pm and had the boat loaded up and down below the park, in the water, by 6:15. I used my same old black and white 1/16th ounce maribou's and kept em right off the bottom. they started hitting them on a slight retrieve with a subtle, crappie style, bump at the end of the pole. They were actually picking it up pretty hard. I limited out in about 20 minutes.

4-12-09

It was looking horrific this morning, so I decided to sleep in with the beautiful wife (good decision, .... But at about 2 o'clock I noticed on the radar that the clouds had conveniently parted in a wide berth around Lebanon. So off I went, and glad I did. I had to get a little farther from the boat ramp, but that was OK because there was no one down stream wading, which is where I usually go, if I can. About 100 yards downstream from the mouth of the spring there is a ledge that runs out into the water about 25 years, it's the beginning of a fantastic holding area for stockers. I broke out the Kastmaster spoon and hooked up 4 within about an hour. The only bad part about the kastmaster spoon is that I lose twice as many fish as I get to the boat.. It gets frustrating, especially when you factor in that they always look bigger and meaner from 30 feet away when they are spitting the hook.. LOL

[FishinCricket]

Caught a little bit bigger one today, and took a picture.

Interesting difference a little bit of rain makes though.. The river was up to 4 feet over night, and even thought it is dropping quickly it is still muddy and fast. Today I had to resort to marshmallow bait (pink) to get the job done. That's the main reason ikept the fish in the above picture actually, otherwise he was pretty enough I would have thrown him back, he fought really hard and jumped about 6 times.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the reports...

[ozark trout fisher]

Caught a little bit bigger one today, and took a picture.

Interesting difference a little bit of rain makes though.. The river was up to 4 feet over night, and even thought it is dropping quickly it is still muddy and fast. Today I had to resort to marshmallow bait (pink) to get the job done. That's the main reason ikept the fish in the above picture actually, otherwise he was pretty enough I would have thrown him back, he fought really hard and jumped about 6 times.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the reports...

Nice looking trout.

[DoveTail]

How long does Zone 4 take to clear out after it's muddy?

[hfdhoosier]

Keep the reports and trout porn coming.

[creek wader]

Cricket, Don't worry about people giving you crap about keeping stockers. That's just what they are "stockers". They are a renewable resource. That's why the mdc raises and stocks them. Glad you let the lunkers go. If you weren't keeping stockers, someone else, would be. I respect anybodys choice, to do whatever with the fish they catch, as long as it's within the laws and regs. I let almost all my fish go but, keep crappie and white bass, to eat. I mainly fish for bass in streams and C&R. I love to eat fish and am curious what a smallie would taste like. But, have not and will not ever find out. Maybe next time I go to Canada, walleye fishing. After all, they think anything other than a walleye are "trash fish", lol. Thanks for the reports.

[FishinCricket]

Nice looking trout.

Thanks...

How long does Zone 4 take to clear out after it's muddy?

Just depends upon how much the river went up, but normally two or three good days of sunshine does the trick. For instance, by today the gage at Windyville is back down to 3 feet, and I am sure it's just about cleared back up by now.

Keep the reports and trout porn coming.

Sure thing, trout perv.. LOL Any particular areas (like certain areas or zones in the park) that you would like me to check in on, get reports from the fishermen there, etc.. It doesn't seem like it would be too hard to find a fisherman in each zone that has a stringer and ask him what he was using.. Think I will start doing that so I can legitimately keep posting in the BSSP section (rather than the Niangua River section)

Cricket, Don't worry about people giving you crap about keeping stockers. That's just what they are "stockers". They are a renewable resource. That's why the mdc raises and stocks them. Glad you let the lunkers go. If you weren't keeping stockers, someone else, would be. I respect anybodys choice, to do whatever with the fish they catch, as long as it's within the laws and regs. I let almost all my fish go but, keep crappie and white bass, to eat. I mainly fish for bass in streams and C&R. I love to eat fish and am curious what a smallie would taste like. But, have not and will not ever find out. Maybe next time I go to Canada, walleye fishing. After all, they think anything other than a walleye are "trash fish", lol. Thanks for the reports.

I am with you completely.. Oh, and you ain't missing out on nithing with the not having ever eaten a smallie. All this "conserve and protect the smallie population" stuff would go rght out the window with many if they were a good tasting fish.. LOL Thanks for the support.

I did see a guy at the mouth of the spring hook a 2 lb smallie and toss it back. He almost allowed me to take a picture, but decided against it when I said all I could do was email it to him. Too bad too, it wasw a beauty.. Hopefully I can catch it soon and take a picture so you can all see just how fat these smallies bellies are right now. Every one that I have hooked has been 50% belly, no joke.

[brittsnbirds]

Is the limit on the Niangua the same as the Park?

[FishinCricket]

Is the limit on the Niangua the same as the Park?

4 a day, 8 possession....

[rcguy]

Nice fish Cricket. I'm hoping to get down again in the next few weeks. Hard to get away right now.