Thomas Hill Hybrids

[ciRe]

I haven't been there yet but my dad goes there a lot with a friend during the winter time to fish for hybrids. I just bought a new to me boat and want to try it out. Does anyone go up there to do some fishing in the winter time?

BTW don't ever buy a boat where you have to work 3 weeks in a row. It's a killer!

[Smalliebigs]

Depending on what kind of boat you have there are options closer to home. Thomas Hill aint bad in the winter, you will be only fishing a small area that is effective and the wind can be a bitch but, I have caught some there and decent ones too.

I have a 19 foot Seaark with a deep V and we have been killing them out of columbia bottoms....go down to the mississippi lots of nice Hybrids,Whites, sporadic Walleye, BIG Drum,some flatheads........lots of fun ......use medium diving shad pattern cranks on any structure and hold on.

[David Unnerstall]

SB,

Do you put in at Columbia Bottoms? That ramp gives me the willy's.

[ciRe]

Thanks for the info SB. Might try it out Sunday morning and if I'm they are hitting I might be sick for work lol. I just bought a 2000 17' proweld with a Johnson 50 (I've heard mixed reviews on the motor)

I've just been really anxious to try it out and do some fishing considering the last real fishing I've been able to do was a week trip down to Taney.

[fishinwrench]

Mixed reviews? Rest assured, there isn't a better 50 on the face of the earth.

[sms_alum]

I have been thinking about hitting up that Columbia Bottoms area for a while. Never been on that part of the river anything I should be aware of? Also, you really have me interested with the crankbait pattern you are describing, any certain type of structure you focus on in this area?

[Smalliebigs]

I have been thinking about hitting up that Columbia Bottoms area for a while. Never been on that part of the river anything I should be aware of? Also, you really have me interested with the crankbait pattern you are describing, any certain type of structure you focus on in this area?

First I must agree with Wrench the Evinrude 50 hp could be the best of all time.... too east to get parts and fix for cheap compared to most outboards. Columbia Bottoms you must always use caution on the big rivers, they are both low right now and the channel is fine for a medium size boat that planes up. all of the wing dams are very much out of the water at this point so that make navigation easier IMO but the channel does snake a bit.Electronics will help, mine has the hotmaps premium chip which gives you a good idea of where the channel is........be careful!!!! also right now there is little to no barge traffic which helps, it can be a hell of lot more dangerous with several long barges navigating the channels. The pattern?? well it has been the same for years any medium to deep diving crank bait will do. Fish any structure you can find.....most people bank bang the riprap on the wing dams, it seems like the Hybrids and whites like the rock out there, so anywhere you can find some rock. The best spot of all and is one of my secerets,it is really two spots, one beeing the down side of the Chain of rocks dam or levy and the upper side. Right now it is a huge rapid as the river makes a huge ripple right over it. The spot come with caveats, to go to the down side you have to go down into the Mississippi thru the chain of rocks canal and lock thru at the end, then come back up stream to the bottom side of Chain of Rocks dam or levy. This is about a 12 mile run one way and with the lock at the end you never know what could happen but the fishing on the downside of that dam is crazy for Whites and Hybrids, walleye and cats. the upper side of the dam is good fishing too with way less runtime but, if your motor conks on you??? you may go over the dam and this is a sketchy proposistion most won't take chances on. I have a new motor that I have confidence in and take the chance for the reward. It is a very industrial looking area that scares some off but it can and does produce for us. You should expect a ton of snags and you will loose some plugs which can be fustrating.....the fish don't seem to mind cheap cranks so we use a variety of Basspro plugs and walmart will put certain cranks in a box in front of the fishing section buy those they are cheap as hell...any Gizzard shad or white color will do, then you just have to get your crank to bang some structure and hold on!!!! ......respect the river and you will be okay. Here's what you will see

Here is a chunck rock bank in the Missouri that we nail Hybrids on

[sms_alum]

Man, just committed to fishing Maremac Springs in the morning with my father. I am going to have to try to get a trip for next weekend if this weather holds up. You have have me a little scared with all the warnings about a great working motor. Knock on wood I have not had any problems, but colder weather and not having run the boat in a few weeks has me second guessing. Thanks for all the insight, I really appreciate learning about new areas to fish and don't require towing a boat 3 hours.

[David Unnerstall]

It is a shame that ramp off of Riverview Drive has been abandoned. The silt build-up was too much to deal with, apparently. Also I heard of tales of people launching boats from the bricks at Laclede's Landing. I agree with SMS_Alum in that it is nice having places to fish without driving three hours -- I live in that area.

[Smalliebigs]

It is a shame that ramp off of Riverview Drive has been abandoned. The silt build-up was too much to deal with, apparently. Also I heard of tales of people launching boats from the bricks at Laclede's Landing. I agree with SMS_Alum in that it is nice having places to fish without driving three hours -- I live in that area.

David, you are correct you can launch from the cobblestones, right now they are way up the bank. there is an area there designated for launching.....two of the best area on the Mississippi are right downtown for some truly big cats. there is tons of debris as you can imagine, just downstream from the arch .38 miles according to my hummingbird gps is THE spot for Blues. there are a bunch of dolphins on the west bank where the barges stage and the debris is abundant, the current scours out holes and ditches behind the debris and the BIG Blues hang there.