Big Tavern Creek

[creek wader]

Ok, Where to start. The the beginning is always a good place. I've been in the process of converting from soft plastics to spinnerbaits and top water for smallies, at the suggestion of some guys, on this forum. I've been having pretty good results. Also, I've been exploring new sections of streams, that I haven't fished before.

Oct. 30

I put in at the swing bridge near St. Elizabeth. I've fished downstream several times in the past. So, I decided to try something new, and went up stream. Since, I had my yak, I took 3 poles. One with a WTD top water, one with a spinnerbait, the other with a 3 " Yum dinger. This section started out with a shallow riffle and a long pool between 1 and 4 ft. deep. The water was still and pretty stained. One side had a mud bank with overhanging trees and cut banks . The other side was a mix of mud bank and chunk rock. I started out working the top water with no takers. I switched to the spinnerbait and caught a 10" smallie, 8" rock bass, and a stout 16" largemouth. Then........ I reached behind me to grab the pole with the dinger on it and it was gone! It was nowhere in the yak. Don't know when it fell out or what happened to it. The spinnerbait pole was a $50 Cabela's Fish Eagle Tournament II/Pro Guide Spinning Combo. The topwater was on a $19.99 Wal-Mart Zebco 33 combo. The missing pole was my 2 month old, $90 Pflueger President - IM7 Spinning Combo.. I felt like I just got punched in the gut. I tried snagging with the spinnerbait for awhile and finally gave up.

I figured I'd make the best of it and portaged to the next pool. I tried top water to no avail. So, I put on another dinger and switched back and forth between the spinnerbait and dinger. I caught several Kentuckies, largemouth, smallies, goggle-eye, green sunfish, longear sunfish, and bluegill. Then I caught two hard fighting meanmouth, (Kentucky/smallie hybrid). I thought 4 bass species was kind of neat, Then something hit like a freight train. After a hard fight I boated a nice white bass. Pretty rare this far up on the Tavern. That made 5 different bass species and 9 fish species total. Kind of cool. It saved the day. Plus, I caught several of the smallies on the spinnerbait. Which was my original goal.

Sept. 2

Got into Jeff. City in the wee hours. Brought down my baitcaster w/ 14lb. test. , and about a doz. large snagging trebles. Got up early and headed to the swing bridge. I knew it would be a needle in the haystack but, I was going to try to recover the pole. The swing bridge was 30 mi. from Jeff. and I didn't have much time before I'd have to go to work. Still, I had to give it a shot. Put the yak in and headed upstream. I was a little nervous having large trebles in an inflatable yak, but what the heck. I figured I'd have to cover a lot of water, since I didn't see where I lost it at. After about 30 min. of dragging and my hopes rapidly disappearing. I snagged my pole. I couldn't believe it. It was covered with sediment and didn't reel well at first but, it came back to life. Figure I'd give it a good cleaning later. I did catch a few sunnies and a 12" Kentucky off of it. Then switched to the spinnerbait and caught a couple of 12" largemouth, before I got back to the take out. I got lucky, and decided to quit while I was ahead.

All is well that ends well. .... Wader

[eric1978]

Can't believe you got your rod back, that was a miracle. That first largemouth you got was a fatty. Perfect looking spinnerbait water...nice job

[fishinwrench]

You are definately living right. Congrats on the catch....all of'em.

BTW....Is that a White or a Hybrid ? Just looking at the lines (all the way to the tail).

[Buzz]

Great report. Glad you found your rod. I lost 3 last year and only recovered 1. Sometimes it gets expensive.

I see you got that spinner bait bite you were looking for. Those grubs make good additions. I like to use a grub on all of my SB's, usually a twin tail on the bigger baits and single's on the smaller baits.

[creek wader]

Thanks guys. Yes, I got real lucky. The whole time, I kept thinking, "Why couldn't of been the $20 pole."

mrbuzib1, Yea, I'm doing much better than I ever thought, on the spinnerbait. I've been changing trailers. All have worked so far. I've got several packs of twin tails. I'll give them a try, next trip.

fishinwrench, Thanks for noticing. I just assumed it was a white. Now that I got looking at it, 3 lines extend to the tail like on a hybrid. On a white it says only one does. Anybody out there know? Here's another pic. ... wader

[goggleeyes]

Its great you found your rod and reel and surprising since it was the next day. The only thing the would have made it better was a big ole smallie on the end of it!

[Bird Watcher]

Thanks guys. Yes, I got real lucky. The whole time, I kept thinking, "Why couldn't of been the $20 pole."

mrbuzib1, Yea, I'm doing much better than I ever thought, on the spinnerbait. I've been changing trailers. All have worked so far. I've got several packs of twin tails. I'll give them a try, next trip.

fishinwrench, Thanks for noticing. I just assumed it was a white. Now that I got looking at it, 3 lines extend to the tail like on a hybrid. On a white it says only one does. Anybody out there know? Here's another pic. ... wader

I thought the exact same thing when I saw the picture, "little hybrid" the way you describe it hitting and fighting is more like a hybrid too. I'm sure Bill Butts on this site could tell you for sure if you PM him.

[creek wader]

I thought the exact same thing when I saw the picture, "little hybrid" the way you describe it hitting and fighting is more like a hybrid too. I'm sure Bill Butts on this site could tell you for sure if you PM him.

Thanks Chris

[eric1978]

My vote is for hybrid, too. Not an expert on striper/white/hybrid distinctions, though.