waterpossum Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 My first time on this site. Have viewed and enjoyed reading for the last couple of years the messages all of you have posted. In 1981 I took my first trip to Stockton Lake fishing with a bass club out of Joplin. Loved the lake but the fishing was not very good for numbers or quality. Most of the members said it was fantastic when it opened, but had steadily declined because of overfishing and a lack of regulations on size and creel limits. I would have to agree with that assessement at the time. A limit of any species of fish was hard to come by, and the quality of bass and crappie was poor. Still in 1984 I purchased a tract of land because my wife and I loved the beauty of the lake and shoreline. I still own the land, but still live here in Joplin, but do get to the lake fishing quite often. In my opinion the number one reason the lake has become so good is the greatly increased population of forage fish. The shad population in the early years to say the least was pitiful. I became President of that bass club and wrote the biologist back then and he said that indeed was their biggest problem in trying to increase the fish populations. At one time or another I have probably fished nearly every shoreline on the lake. I gave up the big bass boat years ago and mainly fish for crappie and walleye out of an old Ouachita boat with stick steering and a 65hp Evinrude. Hope to see you on the lake some day. By the way somewhere in my basement is a dryed up head of a Tiger Muskie my wife and I found on the shoreline back of our property back in 1986. By that time I think they had quit stocking them.
zarraspook Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 Great information... I moved here in 1986 and on my first trip to Stockton my son and I seen what we thought might been an ALLIGATOR in the back of Maze creek... Later we were told it was probable the LAST "Tiger Muskie" left in the lake... I have not seen one since .... Thanks for the "where we come from" account of Stockton....... "Look up OPTIMIST in the dictionary - there is a picture of a fishing boat being launched"
junkman Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 I remember the early 80s quite well was pretty young maybe 12 or 13. Church group was going to Stockton to go swimming, so I convinced my dad to let me go fishing instead. it was evening as we worked our way along 100 yards of shore line on foot. never even got a bite. it was pretty depressing for a kid that had never fished a lake before. Thought I would tear them up but just lost out on swimming. have only been back a couple of times since and fished with the same results. that's why I don't care to fish there. Now put me on Truman and its a totally different story.
straw hat Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 I remember the 80's also and unluckily I was not 12 or 13 (big sigh). lol Reading your account brought back a lot of good memories. I agreewith your accounts of the fishing except for the crappie. It was a lot easier for me to catch a limit of crappie but they were nearly all black crappie. That was probably because of the area I was fishing at the time. I also agree with the attractiveness of Stockton. When the lake is calm and no one is around I think it is the most relaxing thing in the world. All seems to be at peace at that time. I feel sorry for those who will not be able to enjoy it as we do. Eventually with time the "flying carp", zebra mussels and increasing boat traffic will change the lake but until then I plan on enjoying it (and my freinds on this site) as much as I can. Best to you all and see you on the lake soon.
Members paintnfurdoe Posted August 15, 2011 Members Posted August 15, 2011 Old Waterpossum also enjoys 80 mph blasts in my Bullet Crappie boat as well!
junkman Posted August 15, 2011 Posted August 15, 2011 Enjoys 80 mph boat rides??? Don't know if that would be that enjoyably on Stockton. Sounds down right scary to me, at least with the experience I have had with Stockton. Remember several years ago that the wife wanted to go to Stockton for a party. me not really wanting to go told here to go alone. Then I remembered I had never tried out my 9.8 Mercury yet on my 12ft V bottom river runner. I figured hay why not take it down there and give her a try. Now did I mention it was Labor Day weekend? got the boat in the water and wanted to open her up and see how much better she was then my old 5.5 which I did. Plainly said it scared me to death with all the swells from other boats crisscrossing the lake. Didn't take me long to creep back to shore.
waterpossum Posted August 15, 2011 Author Posted August 15, 2011 When Paintfordoe gets it up to 80 his guiding fee goes up to 3 dollars a minute. You can recognize him by the junebug imprints on his forehead.
Stockton Lake Guide Service Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 I remember the early 80s quite well was pretty young maybe 12 or 13. Church group was going to Stockton to go swimming, so I convinced my dad to let me go fishing instead. it was evening as we worked our way along 100 yards of shore line on foot. never even got a bite. it was pretty depressing for a kid that had never fished a lake before. Thought I would tear them up but just lost out on swimming. have only been back a couple of times since and fished with the same results. that's why I don't care to fish there. Now put me on Truman and its a totally different story. come down sometime. you are missing the best lake in the state for crappie and walleye and bass. it is on fire!! you will change you view of this lake fast! Bob Bennett Stockton Lake Guide Servicehttp://fishstocktonlake.com 417-637-BASS"Our Service is Crappie" ”And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms….The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants” ~Thomas Jefferson
denjac Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 Was the bass club Midstates or Backlashers? Dennis Boothe Joplin Mo. For a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle." ~ Winston Churchill ~
junkman Posted August 23, 2011 Posted August 23, 2011 Stockton Lake Guide Service, I imagine fishing is much better now then it was 30 years ago but when I can drive 45 miles and reach Stockton or 45 miles and reach Truman, I choose Truman just for the fact it seems pretty easy to fish even without a fish finder. Also I don't think there is nearly as many skiers and pleasure boaters on Truman. But yes, the next time the wife wants to go to a party down there, I plan on throwing in the poles and giving it another try.
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