Pothole... Heating Up?

[Phil Lilley]

Not sure I'm going to get to go tomorrow but I heard that they are catching lots of whites, some walleye and stripers below Powersite Dam the last 10 days. Throwing rouges is the only thing I've heard. From a boat or bank- I don't know.

My schedule just freed up for tomorrow so I'm going to try to go.

Also heard of stripers on the flats at Lead Hill. Big ones.

[randyw]

Not sure I'm going to get to go tomorrow but I heard that they are catching lots of whites, some walleye and stripers below Powersite Dam the last 10 days. Throwing rouges is the only thing I've heard. From a boat or bank- I don't know.

My schedule just freed up for tomorrow so I'm going to try to go.

Also heard of stripers on the flats at Lead Hill. Big ones.

[randyw]

I think all the stripers took off south for the winter, they are underneath BS dam eating rainbows for xmas like good stripers do. They wanted to winter in Taneycomo but the purists said no

[Phil Lilley]

Actually they've been catching stripers at Powersite and in the Lead Hill area for a week now. Also, Taxidermist (John) says they've been catching them further down lake on Bull Shoals. None below the dam on the White and none in Taneycomo.

I don't think it's the "purists" who are saying "no" (not sure who's asking). It wouldn't make much sense for MDC to stock stripers and rainbows in the same waters. It sure would hurt the tourism biz and completely change any management plans MDC has for Taney.

I'm going to try to get down there soon to see if it's true- about Powersite. I know for sure on the Lead Hill report cause I've talked to the source personally.

[randyw]

Phil, I was joking about the "purists", it is interesting how other states do make that particular combination work though. As a Pothole regular for about 25 yrs I can say that the FISH are there. Never used to catch short walleyes, now you need to catch a few to get keepers. Caught a baby yellow perch this spring (my first) then later in the year a stringer Cant tell me there hasnt been more than '1' accidental stocking, when stripers range from 30# to a new state record of over 55#. Now if they would just get the water right for this spring what a RUN we will have for all species. Good Luck Randy

[Phil Lilley]

I guess you could say both trout and stripers are being stocked in BS. Arkansas is stocking stripers and trout are coming over the dam from Taney. I'm sure the stripers are keying in on both shad and rainbows. I'd be very tempted to troll a Castaic rainbow bait down there.

Vince Elfrink caught a 1-12 oz yellow perch there last spring and broke the state record. There are quite a few of them in the lake now.

You're right about water and the run this winter. We may see a fantastic walleye run if it all goes right!

[Sam]

I'll watch for your report on the Pothole. I've got my boat all winterized in the garage - gas line disconnected and motor run dry, Stabil in the gas tank. But, that could get undone in a hurry with a good Pothole report.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Didn't AR stock trout in BS at one time?

[randyw]

I hope Santa remembers my rainbow King Kong

[Gatorjet]

Didn't know there were yellow perch in Missouri. We used to catch a lot of them in Minnesota while crappie fishing. Back then they were considered a trash fish and bait stealer. You would just get mad at them ant throw them back. Most were a pound or better in size. We just went by what everybody up there said and never bothered to keep any for the table.