Help Me Become A Better Lake/river Fisherman.....open Topic

[Jack Jones]

I'm just going to throw it all out there. I'm huge novice who just got back into fishing about two years or so ago. I usually enjoy fly rodding at the parks and Taneycomo. Trout fishing has been a lot of fun, but I also own my solo canoe and want to increase my proficiency in lakes and rivers. Below is a description of me and my gear. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I own a few cheap BPS Stampede spinning combos, and one ultralight combo (BPS). I'd like to upgrade if it's necesary and if I honestly would benefit from better equipment. I can probably reasonably drop $100 to $125 on a new rod/reel/line. I fish either Lake Springfield, the Finley River from the Ozark park, the James River putting in at Hootentown and paddling up, and occasionally Shadow Rock park from the banks. I intend to get a sticker for Fellows Lake this spring. I typically am throwing 4 inch finesse worms or a jig with a smaller plastic craw. I fish them in pumkpinseed colors. I own a few 1/8th ounce spinnerbaits. I own one Wiggle Wart, and a few Rebel Wee-craws/hopper cranks. As I've mentioned in other posts, my prior fishing experience was reservoirs and lakes in Connecticut as a young guy from the bank with live bait mostly.

So....I'm taking suggestions on how to be a more productive fisherman. I'll take gear suggestions, lure suggestions, and even technique suggestions. My only request is that no one suggest throwing in for $500 or so in gear. I'm not a pro. I'm just someone who goes out every weekend or every other weekend in the nicer weather and who wants to get more enjoyment out of fishing beyond just the floating and being in nature.

This year I do intend to explore other rivers as time permits, so maybe suggest one or two.

All of that is me in a nutshell. Now it's open to you guys.

[fishinwrench]

Best advise I can give is to pick a species, learn everything you can about them, and concentrate only on one species of fish for awhile until you gain enough confidence that you feel like you could catch one just about anywhere one lives....and maybe even a few places they "aren't supposed to".

The learning curve takes alot longer when you allow yourself to be distracted by "other" fish.

[RSBreth]

First off I'd skip the paddle up from Hootentown - probably the least productive stretch of the James for me during the last half-dozen years. Paddle up from H.L. Kerr (Horse Creek) or Shelvin or the unofficial access of McCall Bridge road, or even Galena. Much better fishing. The other thing would be fish the same place (like Lake Springfield or the Ozark Park) alot - like every week for a year or two at least. I know about the fish in both by fishing them often - a really great day can be as much of a fluke as a day that you get skunked - time on the water will tell you what usually works, and what doesn't.

As far as/gear/lures go - I'd keep using some of the finesse type stuff you're using, but branch out with some topwaters and cranks - small swimbaits are really good, too.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I agree with Wrench and RS and I might add many lures tend to be suited to water conditions, time and season. You should be able to pick up a lot information on when, where, and what from the posts on here.

[Jack Jones]

Thanks for the start. I haven't done too bad up from HootenTown but nothing of size. I was going to paddle up from Kerr last year but it was so low. I do have to learn more about Springfield.

Any recommendations on top waters, size, color? Cranks other than warts?

[Mitch f]

The best, cheapest, quickest way to learn is to take a canoe trip with an experienced fisherman and observe. They can point you in the right direction quicker and save you a bunch of time and energy. I would also recommend a subscription to a good fishing magazine and read the articles involving patterns. Third, maybe join a local bass club or maybe the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance. You really don't need that much money to get started, just a willingness to learn.

[rps]

Jack,

You have the best 20 years of learning in front of you.

At your price range, you want/need to buy good condition but good quality used/refurbished rods and reels from sales on this forum or ebay. $125 for "new" quality rods and reels will make you crazy, but it would not be your fault.

I suggest you hunt down a good condition, lightly used baitcast rod and reel combo in your price range. Revo and Falcon. Diawa and Fenwick. Shimano and Shimano. Look for a medium to medium heavy rod with a fast action. Spool the reel with 10 pound Trilene XL or 10 pound YoZuri Hybrid. Put a 3/8 ounce practice plug on it and learn to throw it accurately at 10 to 25 steps, both overhand and snap roll underhand.

Buy a Norman Top Dollar or a Norman Chug Bug for a topwater plug for bass. A Storm Wiggle Wart for a bass crank. A War Eagle two blade spinner bait at 3/8 ounce for bass. Some 1/8 ounce bullet weights with 4 inch worms and 3 inch grubs for bass and walleye.

Learn to fish these over the next year or two and come back for more advice. By the way - read everything Al Agnew, Bill Babler, Champ, and RSBreath have ever posted.

[Al Agnew]

Nothing beats QUALITY time on the water. As Mitch said, wrangle a trip or two with an experienced angler, watch closely and ask questions. A lot of us could write a book on how to catch stream bass, but one day on the water with a good angler will give you several chapters of information.

One of the things you said struck me...you said you avoided going to one spot on the James because it was so low. You will learn MORE about a river when it's low and clear than at any other time, because you can see all the cover, all the deep spots, and maybe even see a lot of fish. If you're padding upstream anyway, just plan on getting out and walking the canoe up the shallow areas.

Get a couple of small buzzbaits. They are no-brainer lures you can fish anywhere, they let you cover a lot of water, and they catch fish. On a good buzzbait day (especially in that low, clear water), you'll learn a LOT about where fish are and how they ambush lures.

I'm sending you a PM about another lure you should definitely have in your arsenal because it's easy to fish, it doesn't get hung up much at all, and if the water has some color to it you'll catch fish on it.

[Quillback]

Come May or June there's a real good early morning topwater bite on and around the point by the Viney creek COE launch and park on the White river arm of Table Rock. I don't know if that's within driving range of where you are, but it would be an excellent spot to fish from a canoe, or you could wade fish there also. You can launch your canoe and be right into the fish. It's mostly Spots with an occasional smallie or LM. Once the early topwater bite stops you can pick them up dragging a 3/8 oz football jig in green pumpkin with any trailer (I like Zoom Creepy Crawlers in GP, cheap but effective), across the point. Only drawback is that if you go on a Saturday morning you will have company.

If you want a little space for yourself, there's another launch about 3/4 mile north of Viney, I don't know what it's called, but I believe you can find it on GPS. You can launch a canoe there, paddle about 200 yards north, and you'll be on a point with ajacent flats that holds fish May through July, same deal, early topwater then drag jigs, again mostly spots with a SM or LM every once in a while.

[Feathers and Fins]

Jack; this scenario is basically a new to fishing person thread. For a rod I would suggest a 6.5ft uglystick rod combined with a decent spinning reel spooled up with 8lb test line, which will cover most Ozark lakes and streams. With leaders it can be used for trout to medium size catfish.

I would set up for a tackle box basic terminal tackle; hooks from size 18 to 1/0. Egg sinkers from 1/8oz to ½ oz and swivels to keep the sinkers from hitting the hook. I would have at least 8 castmaster spoons in gold and silver 4 in 1/4oz 4 in ½ oz in both colors and load it with some rooster tails in various colors. Toss in some bobbers. Add in other lures you may be interested in or experimented with in the past.

That’s the basics; I would set any new comer up with. But as we all know when you get hooked the cost factor goes out the window and people start buying quality gear and find what gear they prefer based on the species they target. No conversation with an adult fishermen who enjoys it and wants to get the most satisfaction out of fishing can really have a limiting price tag, I have been around way to many years and read these threads over and over and within a year the person is wanting upgrade advise.

With that last bit in mind I suggest people start saving from day one and make many trips with friends or just to tackle shops to try out reels and rods. Though any starter gear can catch fish the higher the quality the gear the more enjoyable the experience will come. A Moped will get you where you want to go but a Corvette will make it much more enjoyable.