Pothole - Should Be Hot

[Phil Lilley]

I'd think since they're running water now that there should be boo-coo's of whites and walleye at the Pothole.

You guys need to head over the, fish, report back with lots of PICS! I'd love to see 'em.

[Wayne SW/MO]

There were a few people there yesterday. There wasn't enough current to form the west side eddy and there didn't seem to be a lot more water. I'm thinking that the sunshine shy fish, whites and walleyes, will be more inclined to come up at dark. In my opinion there isn't enough water for many of them to hide in during the day. If it stays cloudy and overcast Sunday there should be some reports.

[Phil Lilley]

They did run more water and for much longer today, this morning. It has slowed down now.

Just a thought.

[vonreed]

Phil, with this kind of talk, you're gonna make me drive down there for the 3rd day in a row now and gas is expensive, lol.

[Phil Lilley]

Water's off now... plus high sun and lots of wind. I wouldn't,,, just yet.

Sorry! lol

[Scott Keling]

Question for ya Phil. If TR is releasing 5000 cfs at 11am, what time is the current flowing at barker hole?

[Wayne SW/MO]

Question for ya Phil. If TR is releasing 5000 cfs at 11am, what time is the current flowing at barker hole?

It takes about 4 hours to get to the dam.

[Phil Lilley]

May be 5 to Barker. Wayne would know better than I.

[Bill Butts]

Wow, what an awesome late spring/summer-like day!!!

Like Phil suggested, with water moving thru Powersite it would be a logical expectation to find Walleye and Whites abundant.

After driving up from the Sowbug at Mt Home to Tecumseh expecting to find said Whites and Walleye this pm, we were SKUNKED.

Well, it was 84 degress, bright sun and windy, which are not very good conditions for either of the above species.

Water felt very cold at the bridge, guessing 50 or lower. To our surprise, when I checked the temp it read 58.5 on my digital.

Couldn't believe it, so asked my buddy John to check it with his infrared therm, which read 58.4 three times.

Decided the surface layer of the river must have been much warmer due to the very warm wind churning the top layer of the water column.

We decided, instead of toughing it out there, to hump it (leaving waders on as we drove) to Forsyth.

Went straight to the powerhouse side of Powersite.

Water moving thru, though not super strong, looked very good with significant turbidity (murky).

After about an hour, our total fish count was one White Bass.

With about an hour of light remaining we hopped in the truck and ran down to the mouth of Swan Creek.

Several nice male Whites, and then right at dark 3 super nice Walleye two of which were 24"+ females (released).

Nice bonus in the final moments of the day.

Water temp was 51.6.

Suggest that any day in the next 6 weeks with water release at Powersite would be worthwhile to fish, but don't stay in one place too long.

Best times I've found are dark, cloudy, rainy days, or at least the sunless few hours at the beginning and end of each day.

Always lots of excitement early in the spring run, but remember it is still early.

Be patient and don't burn your vacation and personal days off work until it gets more consistently predictable.

Blessings and good luck!

Bill

[KansasBoy13]

When you say you were out the mouth of Swan Creek, do you mean you are on the Shadow Rock Park side or across the lake where the boat ramp is? When we used to live in Branson and all the times we went down to Swan we never caught anything and was never anyone else ever fishing so always felt like we were doing something wrong there. Thanks.