Shore Fish Woes

[Bimmer]

Well as you can see, I'm still basically a newcomer here. I have to be honest with you though, my fishing experience here in SW Missouri is horrible at best. My wife and I love to fish but I'm originally from Seattle and she's mostly fished the gulf near Corpus Christie. We tried a few places last year. Rockaway Beach and then down by Branson Landing with no success. This year, we JUST got our licenses last Friday and went to Fellows since it's really close to us and close to the dock at the dam end, it was dead. Nothing biting at mid-morning. Not to be totally outdone we decided to see if we could find Stockton Lake. Nice lake, nice drive but again, not knowing where to go we struck out again. We were at a spot where we could look straight across the lake and see the dam.

Maybe it's the method too. I'm used to fishing off the bottom with a worm and some powerbait to raise it off the bottom. I use a #6 hook on about a 20" leader with a swivel and 1/4 oz slip egg lead weight. We both tried bobbers also but just a few blue gill. We don't mind driving a little ways to find good fishing from shore. I am disabled with a back injury that is still in litigation so I cannot work. I do attend MSU full time but my classes are in the late afternoon so I have pretty good access during the week. As soon as my work comp gets settled we're going to buy a little used boat, 16 or 18 feet that we can utilize to get us to better fishing.

If any of you have ANY suggestions on methods, best times to fish, gear or just need a fishin' partner, hit me up. We're both very easy going and in our 50's. We're both devout Christians but don't worry, we won't preach your ears off. We're not bible-thumpers that way, just very dedicated in our personal lives.

Thanks folks for reading my post and hope to meet some of you in the future.

Until then let your reels sing and may your creels be full!

[Dutch]

What species are you hoping to catch?

[Bimmer]

What species are you hoping to catch?

I don't know if there are trout in Fellows or not. I do know that there are cats and muskie. Muskie I've never fished for, but my understanding is they're not a candidate for fishing from shore. Perch and Walleye are good. Finally of course I know there are bass there but that requires usually artificial bait and the ablity to move around in a boat as does the muskie. I may be wrong about some of this but these are my speculations.

[Fly_Guy]

well right now, its slow due to the past heat. It should pick up though. As for fellows, you have to get there very very early (before sunup) to have decent success from the bank. you'll catch white bass and largemouth on small spinners and crankbaits, and catfish on cut bait (or using a 1inch chunk of hotdog.) Fellows lake is a tough lake most of the time. (and there are no trout)

It's tough around here if you don't have a boat. ?I don't either, and I've had to scrap to find good fishing locations, but they are there. Look through the james river and little sac river forums for ideas on spring walleye and white bass fishing. If you look through some topics (and find maps), there are good bank fishing accesses. And a lot of folks aren't keen sharing their 'spots'.

Taneycomo is good for catching trout, but certain conditions are better than others. Early am and later evening are best with powebait (use Berkely Gulp brand). Fishing ahead or in a rainstorm is also helpful. Ideally, there will be 1-3 units generating to keep the fish active, but not make bank fishing difficult. It's been rough this summer in the heat, but wait till fall and winter - it'll pick up in a big way.

Keep looking around the forum, and ask questions - people are glad to help.

[Trout Commander]

Two words: Fly fishing. End of story. Get some waders at the BPS outlet, get an inexpensive combo that includes everything from rod to leader and add some tippett. Take a free casting lesson at BPS. Pick up some strike indicators and flys then head down to Taney and viola, your shore fishing woes are over. P.S. don't forget the trout stamp.

I make it down there quite a bit and although I am no pro would be more than happy to show you the ropes, and also some pointers to save money.

[Redman Safety]

Check out http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/19680.pdf fro the location of the brush piles. This should help locate were the panfish are located. My son-in-law and I had some success at one of those brush piles we located by accident. We were using a bobber and nightcrawler. I like slip bobbers myself. Should also work with some small jigs that I couldn't find that morning. By afternoon the lake shut down. As for Stockton Lake, get a topographical map of the lake and look for brushpiles. As for lures, you will probably have to do like me and do some research.

[Fly_Guy]

Two words: Fly fishing. End of story. Get some waders at the BPS outlet, get an inexpensive combo that includes everything from rod to leader and add some tippett. Take a free casting lesson at BPS. Pick up some strike indicators and flys then head down to Taney and viola, your shore fishing woes are over. P.S. don't forget the trout stamp.

I make it down there quite a bit and although I am no pro would be more than happy to show you the ropes, and also some pointers to save money.

there's always that too - fly fishing taneycomo was my most productive method of bank fishing when I first moved down here. Up by the dam when the water's low. put a brown or gray weighted scud a few feet under an indicator. Plus, fly fishing is more fun than spin fishing.

[nathan RN]

Bimmer,

hands down in my opinion is bull shoals. head down to forsyth and and fish swan creek up to the tanny darn. great spots to catch fish, lots of state records have come out of that stretch of water and its a nice shore fishing area. From springfield it is about a 40 minute drive if that. good luck. i have also caught some really nice fish out of springfield lake, i don't fish the warm water oulet very much. If you go down the park road you can fish by the canoes and over along the bluff some. i have a 10ft john boat that i take out there some and you can really catch some nice topwater bass out there. there is also a decent crappie population in springfield lake that nobody really ever targets that i know of, well i guess till now. ha ha. a bad day on the lake is better than a good day at work though.

good luck

[Bimmer]

Bimmer,

hands down in my opinion is bull shoals. head down to forsyth and and fish swan creek up to the tanny darn. great spots to catch fish, lots of state records have come out of that stretch of water and its a nice shore fishing area. From springfield it is about a 40 minute drive if that. good luck. i have also caught some really nice fish out of springfield lake, i don't fish the warm water oulet very much. If you go down the park road you can fish by the canoes and over along the bluff some. i have a 10ft john boat that i take out there some and you can really catch some nice topwater bass out there. there is also a decent crappie population in springfield lake that nobody really ever targets that i know of, well i guess till now. ha ha. a bad day on the lake is better than a good day at work though.

good luck

Thanks very much for the info. I can see where the overly hot weather would probably be factor right now even. Hopefully in a month of two, things will pick up. Thanks Nathan!

[Bimmer]

Two words: Fly fishing. End of story. Get some waders at the BPS outlet, get an inexpensive combo that includes everything from rod to leader and add some tippett. Take a free casting lesson at BPS. Pick up some strike indicators and flys then head down to Taney and viola, your shore fishing woes are over. P.S. don't forget the trout stamp.

I make it down there quite a bit and although I am no pro would be more than happy to show you the ropes, and also some pointers to save money.

Actually JD, that's an very good idea. I've always wanted to learn to fly fish and although I know there is a finesse to it, I'm sure I could learn over time.