Huzzah May 13Th

[Scott25.stl]

Hit the Huzzah a bit today down by the conservation area. It was a beautiful day for wading and the fishing was alright too.

I started with the mindset of fishing cranks all day to get a little more practice working them in the current. I threw rebel craws in the small and medium sizes with not much success. The small one caught an 11 inched but that's it. I switched to a bandit 100 in chartruese shad and had some followers and one hit but no hook ups.

I saw a hole with a downed tree over it that held several smallies so I switched to plastics to drift them through and work the area. They weren't digging my 4 inch senko at all so I pulled a small trailer craw trailer off a big jig and rigged that to a small jig head with a single weed less wire. This improv bait was the ticket for the area! I pulled out 12 smallmouth over an area about 100 yards long just letting it drift/drag along the bottom. Wish I had more craws or tubes with me. Nothing big but smallmouth nonetheless!

I did SEE some larger fish, including two fairly good size largemouth in a slack water area, but thise guys had zero interest in what I was throwing. Not sure why. Maybe that area is too pressured?

This was my first time wade fishing and second time out--first was in a canoe on the Meramec. Overall, I enjoyed wading and felt more like I was actually fishing versus piloting a canoe and flying by good fishing holes. I lost fewer baits to snags too--just one. I definitely did not cover very much water though since I was walking. I may look into a sit on top kayak to try and get the best of both worlds.

I also saw two big black snakes and a really drunk elderly couple who were yelling at each other. Not sure which was worse: hammered old grumpy folks or the snakes!

Good times overall though. Now I just need to catch something with some decent size. The little guys are fun but I'd like to get something picture worthy!

[Addicted to Creeks]

Sounds like a fun trip. A little river side drunk entertainment isn't always bad once in a while

[Scott25.stl]

No doubt! Entertaining for sure!

[ozark trout fisher]

Very nice. That part of the creek is a fun wade. I'm hopefully getting out somewhere next weekend, and it just might be the Huzzah...

[Al Agnew]

Glad you figured out what they wanted. I've always found crankbaits to be less effective in very clear water like the Huzzah...in fact, I fish the Huzzah several times a year and never tie a crankbait on.

Solo fishing from either a canoe or kayak takes practice. Having fished out of a canoe, a lot by myself, for nearly 50 years, I think I've learned all the tricks to doing it effectively. But the one thing that will always hold true is that sometimes, no matter how "good" you are, you won't be able to fish every spot in the most effective way while floating. The trade-off is mobility and the ability to cover a lot more water. Instead of fishing very efficiently to a limited number of fish, you are fishing a little less efficiently to a much greater number of fish. In the end, neither way is better than the other.

[Smallmouth Addict]

I was down on lower Current fishing with Ron this weekend. On way back to KC I decided to take HW 8 out of Patosi as traffic was bad. Stopped by the Huzzah and they were all saying same thing. You could see the big bass but no takers. Definitely not a crank stream. Seems it would be wise to downsize on the stretch I saw. Didnt fish but I would think a 2 inch plastic craw would be the ticket.

[joeD]

1. Good job getting out and exploring Scott. Better job improvising to catch fish.

2. The Huzzah can be difficult to figure sometimes. It's the nature of the beast. Nothing you can do about it but keep going. It can be dynamite sometimes.

[Scott25.stl]

Thanks guys! The clear water of the Huzzah is absolutely gorgeous! it was really fun to wade and see the structure and the fish. But I see how it can alter the game plan as far as presentations and effective lures.

Not a fan of Bandits, huh Joe? They seem to have some good action kinda like the Wiggle Wart, which is also on the smaller side. What bigger crankbaits do you like?

I definitely want to fish the Huzzah again, but I'm planning on wading another small stream or possibly canoeing the Gasconade for the next trip. I'm trying to hit some different water before I circle back and refish the rivers I've already been on.

Though I've only been out twice, I'm pretty sure I'm officially addicted. Now I need to find more time to get on the water and, of course, catch some bigger fish!

[joeD]

I just don't like the way Bandits look and run in the water. It's been a few years though. Maybe they're better. Who knows? We're humans on land and they're fish in the water. What they see and want is anybody's guess.

Wiggle warts are good. I like them and they generally produce when used at the right time in the right place. Mann's Baby 1-Minus is also v. good. I'm throwing a big, fat, wobbly crank right now in a largemouth bass color right now. But, not the majority of the time.

I'm stuck on plastics. (Like Band-Aids are stuck on you).

The Gasconade is a big, long river. Not all sections are created equal. Research and choose wisely.

For now, skip the Huzzah, and go elsewhere.

For now, skip crankbaits. Soft plastics and topwater will be your friends for the next couple months.

[Mitch f]

I just don't like the way Bandits look and run in the water. It's been a few years though. Maybe they're better. Who knows? We're humans on land and they're fish in the water. What they see and want is anybody's guess.

Wiggle warts are good. I like them and they generally produce when used at the right time in the right place. Mann's Baby 1-Minus is also v. good. I'm throwing a big, fat, wobbly crank right now in a largemouth bass color right now. But, not the majority of the time.

I'm stuck on plastics. (Like Band-Aids are stuck on you).

The Gasconade is a big, long river. Not all sections are created equal. Research and choose wisely.

For now, skip the Huzzah, and go elsewhere.

For now, skip crankbaits. Soft plastics and topwater will be your friends for the next couple months.

good advice Joe... I do like bandits though, especially in the heat of the summer/low water when the small crank bait bite is on.