Fishing report 6/11

[riverrat]

Floated the Gasconade yesterday with my fishing buddy. Caught 40 bass between us with about 75percent smallmouth. Couldn't really figure out a consistent pattern, except they bit better after the sun hit the water. Really enjoyed the float only saw one other boat in 10 hrs of floating and this was on a Saturday- no aluminum hatch here!

[Phil Lilley]

Lots of questions - since I've never floated the Gasconade, where did you put in and take out? What all did you try lure-wise?

No canoes... that's incredible. What was the condition of the water? I see that they're getting rain today so conditions I'm sure are changing.

[riverrat]

I put in on private land and floated to Schlict Springs, but that doesn't really matter because if you stay below Hazelgreen and above Hwy 28, you're not going to see floaters in any numbers. The public accesses in this stretch are far apart, which doesn't hurt the fishing. The only float I wouldn't recommend is from Schlict Springs to Hwy 17. The river loses some of its volume here and doesn't get it back until just above Hwy 17. The river was in good shape-easily floatable and the color was just right-the Gasconade is never really clear except in winter. My buddy started out with a buzz bait and ended up with a buzz bait, I think he threw a beavertail for about 5 casts-he's pretty hardheaded, but he caught the biggest and most fish of the day. I started out with a spook and had some hits but no hookups. Switched to my personal favorite-Super Fluke. Caught a few on it early but they were grabbing it by the tail. Since my buddy was catching some on a buzzbait, I thought a topwater with more noise would work. I tried a pop-r skitterpop and torpedo all with no luck. I then tried some bottom lures(spidercraw and centipede) with no bites. Switched back to my fluke, but used a 5/0 instead of a 4/0 hook(my usual) and this seemed to help. By the way I would have thrown a buzz bait some but a clumsy oaf(me) stepped on my rod and broke it at 5:30 in the morning. Despite breaking a rod, the fish not biting very well, and it being hotter than blazes, I really enjoyed myself-that's because I am a riverrat.

[Wayne SW/MO]

There are a couple of good floats below Hazelgreen. The put-ins and takeouts aren't canoe trailer friendly.

[BrianK]

Fished the JacksFk on Sat. will report on that thread separately.

Good to hear the positive report.

The Gasconade is on my radar to hit soon either by canoe or with a small johnboat (no jet).

How was the size? any big fish (for me that is about 15+ ")?

Anyone with any experience on the 18" mgmt area further downstream?

Good accesses? bigger fish? Is the lower river overrun with jetboats? canoes? I've only floated the upper Gasc. above Hazelgreen and above Hwy 42.

bk

[riverrat]

We caught 2 16" smallmouth and 4 more 14-15. The gasconade also has some good largemouth in the eddies. My buddy caught a 4-5 lber running a buzzbait over the logs. I fish the management area a lot, had some very good days on it. There is a little more traffic on this section of the river-but by no means crowded, with most floaters seriously fishing. When I go during the week I might see 2 other boats in 10 miles. The accesses are a problem . There is a MDC ramp at riddle bridge. The next public ramp is at Jerome-20+ miles. There is a pay ramp at Boiling Springs Campground. I think there are more smallmouth in the 14-18 in range than on other sections of the river. Jet boats are not a problem until you get below the mouth of the Big Piney- I only fish that section in winter.