God Bless The Kentucky Bass

[Chief Grey Bear]

On this weeks fishing trip, if it wasn't for Kentucky bass, it would have been a very dismal day. But because they were active and feeding, we had a pretty good day. Most fish were in the 12 to 14 inch range with one going 16.5. There were a few LMB's scattered in but, 98% were Kentuckies. At the end of the day, we scored in the neighborhood of 35 or 40 a piece.

Over the years floating these rivers, I have days like this before. And it always seem to be in the spring and fall when water temps are changing. It seems to really trigger these bass and they just go crazy. It was really a thrill to see them come darting out of every direction to slam our cranks. A lot of them hit it as soon as it landed. Others you could see dart off of the bank towards the bait. I even seen a couple come out from under my canoe and take it just as I was about to pull it out of the water to cast again. It can pay off big time leaving the bait in the water just a few extra seconds!

[Bird Watcher]

I've felt that same way many times. I think they kind of get a bad rap a lot of times. They aren't romanticized like the smallmouth and they don't get as big as the Largemouth so I think they get lost in between the smallmouth purists and the Big fish largemouth chasers. They've saved my day a lot of times and no one can say they don't scrap hard when hooked.

[Flysmallie]

I can understand the frustration when they seem to take over a smallmouth stream, but I still like them.

There are some nice ones in the lower James and they fight just as hard as the rest.

[Gavin]

Come fish the middle Meramec, Bourbeause, or Big River sometime...You'll be hating those darn spots in no time.

[Greasy B]

Come fish the middle Meramec, Bourbeause, or Big River sometime...You'll be hating those darn spots in no time.

Yep, we use to catch some fine smallies in the Allenton, Glenco area of Meramec. I'm fine with spots anywhere they haven't displaced Smallmouth. I don't think they deserve a bum rap anywhere else. Now that you have me thinking about it, this weekend would be a fine time to fish lower Meramec and put a few spots in the live well.

[Flysmallie]

Come fish the middle Meramec, Bourbeause, or Big River sometime...You'll be hating those darn spots in no time.

Come fish the lower James and you will be loving them.

It all depends on where they are located.

[Gavin]

Guess they get big in the lake. Most of on the Meramec are 8" dinks and full of worms.

[ozark trout fisher]

I admit that when the fishing is slow I do enjoy catching the spots-even when they are in places they don't belong. Not to say that I'll hesitate to keep them on the Meramec or Bourbeuse in the least, but they're fun enough and seemingly easier to catch than the rest. Kind of like the black bass version of brook trout in that way. I don't think they fight anywhere near as hard as smallies but definitely they're no worse than largemouth. I've had the misfortune of pretty much only catching them in places they don't belong, so that does color my perception a bit unfairly.

[Flysmallie]

Guess they get big in the lake. Most of on the Meramec are 8" dinks and full of worms.

Well that's gross are not really much fun. Table Rock does have some pretty amazing spot fishing so I guess that helps out the rivers here.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Yep, we use to catch some fine smallies in the Allenton, Glenco area of Meramec. I'm fine with spots anywhere they haven't displaced Smallmouth. I don't think they deserve a bum rap anywhere else. Now that you have me thinking about it, this weekend would be a fine time to fish lower Meramec and put a few spots in the live well.

I don't know of any water system in North America that has lost its population of Smallmouth to the Kentucky Bass.