Spoonbill

[kelly]

I used to snag for Spoonbill on the Neosho above and below the Twin Bridges area. My fiiend and I would use his pontoon boat and swivel bar chairs. Casting below the boat and trolling fast or slow, depending on current, we would hang into some real whoppers by just swiveling the chairs. With the river running high we could snag all the way up to the Dam at Miami. Gets pretty busy sometimes.

We also snag the park at Chetopa KS. Standing on the bank elbow to rod tip, there is usually quite a run most years. The season runs March 15 to May 15 anytime the water is up. 60 puonders are commonplace with occasional 75-80 pound behemoths.

I like to use 40lb big game line and a ten foot Ugly Stick, barbless (its the law) treble hooks about the size of a silver dollar and a three ounce sinker. One can catch them in the middle of the river out in the current or my favorite range, three jerks from the shore (forty feet).

All Spoonbill must be checked in at the conveience store in town, even if you are going to give them away, otherwise it is $90.00 and court costs to the state. And yes I know that for sure. java script:emoticon('', 'smid_6')

smilie

Kelly

[gonefishin]

I used to snagg for 'bills a lot in the Neosho. It appears rules have changed somewhat. When you mentioned checking them in at the convinence store--are you talking about in Kansas or in Oklahoma? I had never heard of such but I havent been snagging over that way for a lot of years.

Apparently the fishing has gotten better since I have been there. The normal sized fish used to be in the 20 to 30 lb range with a 50 pounder being big... At least in Chetopa Miami was a different story.

I havent been snagging for more than 10 years. I will have to see about giving it a try this spring.

gonefishin

[kelly]

There is a jump Start? Store at the corner of 59 and 166 hiways in Chetopa. All bills are supposed to be checked in there when you leave the river.

Sizewise the bigger fish show up when the water is above 50 degrees and high for a while, at least ten feet above normal. When the conditions are right there are some bigguns caught everynight.

Water flow at Miami is different that Chetopa since Miami is almost the upper end of Grand Lake. A three foot rise at Chetopa will be about ten feet at Miami most times and thus more big fish.

The regs changed a few years back with the requirement of barbless hooks and now a minimum length limit which is better than the previous law af keeping the first two you catch. Now it is the first two over the minimum. Let me know if you want to go I will meet you there. Incidentally when the water goes down the White bass are in there by the ton and Wallies by the... well there are quite a few, then till about July the flatheads can be torn up on a flyrod and fifteen lb line. They love those Hellgrammites (Dobson fly larve to a flyfisherman)

Kelly

[gonefishin]

That would be great. I plan to come over sometime. Would love to catch a big flat on fly rod. That would be a blast. Heck they catch Tarpon and Marlin on flyrod why not a 'bill. Seriously I would love to get into some white bass using fly rod.

[kelly]

I used to travel from Parsons to Chetopa for White Bass but since Big Hill has exploded with them I just drive west of town and in fifteen minutes I'm in the fish. However, I dearly love Chetopa for Whities. I like to fish on the west side of the river just below the dam, thirty feet or so. Any color jigs do the trick. The water really boils but there is an eddy right in front of my favorite spot and the hooked fish wash right into it.

Now if you really want a fight just wait until you hook into a big buffalo or carp on your fly rod, whew!!!

For flatheads I would use a small net in the riffles and stir up some rocks just upstream then pick Hellgrammites out of the net and put 'em in a can. Two of them on a #1 hook, hooked between the collar and the body, will fight each other for an hour or so. If you throw them against the dam from directly downriver into a space between any two boils it will stay there (with enough lead). The bigger fish will be right up against the dam. Forty pounders are quite common.

[gonefishin]

I lived in Ft Scott and Iola KS for several years. I used to fish the Neosho from Iola all the way down to Miami Ok. There is a lot of good fishing along that river. Would love to get over that way again.

There on the west side of the dam where you are talking about, I have fished a lot for 'bills and cats. I have never fished for Whites there. Would love to tho.

[Bill Butts]

I've enjoyed the Neosho River discussion.

I've caught Channel Cats on flies, but never a big Flathead.

What a hoot, and strain on your tackle.

Did anyone catch hybrid, stripers or whites in the lower Neosho in 2005?

Would appreciate knowing where best stretches are.

Is it wadable like the Spring River?

I know nothing about that big river, but we do fish the Spring River east of Miami.

Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.

Check out the new Striper Family category on this Forum, too.

Would love to have you participate in that too.

[gonefishin]

BB:

Mind if I PM you?

[Bill Butts]

BB:

Mind if I PM you?

Sure, I'll look forward to it.

BB

[kelly]

Did anyone catch hybrid, stripers or whites in the lower Neosho in 2005?

Would appreciate knowing where best stretches are.

Is it wadable like the Spring River?

I know nothing about that big river, but we do fish the Spring River east of Miami.

The Neosho is wadable in some areas but it is very muddy and has a mud bottom unlike the Spring.

The Miami dam and the Chetopa Dam and any riffles between the two are great places for whites and a few hybrids. I don't know if I have ever seen a Striper up that far, are there stripers in Grand? My dad always said if the Neosho came up two feet in the spring and then cleared up a bit thats the time to go. Have you ever tried the Spring River dam at Baxter Springs? I have caught a lot of Whites there and it is fun to wade.

There is a store in Chetopa, KS called Warwicks Jump Start-telephone #'s 620-236-7524/7200. If you call them they will tell you if the Spoonies are running or not and how many they checked in the last day or so. I live in Parsons which is 30 miles away so I call every time to make sure.