What A Trip!

[Smalliebigs]

Been there done that.....there's nothing like getting out to a section of the river thinking you will be the only ones out there fishing like you are and there they are all day long. It sucks and worse they were keeping fish, oh well it sounds fun anyway......every spot is getting pounded on every stream no matter where it is, trust me on this it's a harsh reality my crazy butt smashes thru my brain every day.......where is the next place I am going to fish that hasn't just been totally boofed by somone recently??? If I find those spots I catch tons of fish and big ones.

Had a good friend get a hold of me early in the week and wanted to do some floating. Well, sure thing. He wanted to take the same float I took him on early this spring. Sounded good to me, I hadn't fished since that trip either. He asked what time to meet up. I think he was quite surpised when I said 9:00am. I think he was expecting something much earlier since we had a bit of a drive and getting vehicles in place.

We meet up at the aformentioned time and I then say tell him I need to stop and get some beverages and snacks. I could tell he wasn't real happy with that move either. But I knew on the inside we would be just fine, the fish will wait on us. I did end up telling him that after about 1:00 the fishing will really heat up and we won't miss a thing.

So its now 11:00 and we have set sail. We negoitate a little dead water and soon find a canoe of two and yak of one right a head of us working good hole of water that I had hoped would jump start our day. I tell him we will paddle on down and let them have this hole. As we are working our way past them, the guy in the yak makes a connection with a brownie. Doesn't look very big to me. He paddles over to the canoe and hands it to the guy in the back. He seemed to be the leader of this expedition. He appeared to measure it and yelled out 12incher and promptly strung it up.

We got past them and began our days challage of getting the skunk off. Didn't take long and we both had scored our first brownies. Very soon, the party we past was gaining on us. I paddled us on down. They promptly caught us again. I soon tire of this game and decide that if they want to lead this bad, go ahead. I have caugh just as many behind a group has I have in front of one. So has they are getting very close, they string up another one.

Now this is maybe an hour into the trip and there is a long way to go. I start having thoughts of calling the number and having someone waiting at the take out. We also thought of confronting him, but it was legal, and he looked to be well on his way to severe intoxication. We both decided to just let them pass and continue with our day. I am proud of that decision I will tell you.

We started right in behind them and quickly resumed catching fish. For a moment it seemed they just wanted in front as they slowed to an almost stop. It was at this point I was tired of dicking with them and I think they knew it. I was fixing to go by them again only at a much slower pace than I did the first time. They decied to get on down the way and and we didn't see them for the next 7 hours we we finally took out. I didn't get to see if they had a stringer though. Probably a good thing.

So, our trip. After getting some space between us, we started working certain holes and not messing much with others. I knew on this float I only needed 2 rods at the most. But I again packed 4. I had a blast using the spinning and one bait caster. Water was gin clear and lower than I expected. It was superb for taking dips in the heat and we did numerous times.

Soft plastics was king today. Soft craws, ned's, worms, you name it. We worked the brush in strong current and just caught one after another. Wading these areas was the most effective way this day. We would catch 8-10 or so at every one. At most of the slower water areas, we would just drift with the current and pick off fish. When we got to slower areas with lots of boulders we started catching a ton of Goggle eye. They were biting any thing you toss at them. As the day wore on, we actually tired of catching them. We got to where we would just kind of rest and float on through these areas. I know, it sounds crazy. And it is!

Neither one of us counted how many fish we caught. But if I was to put a number on this day, it was in excess 100 a piece. A good portion of those were, close to 50%, were goggle eyes. The last couple of hours of the trip we just kind of floated and hit a spot here and there. Then we just decided to call it a day and and paddle on. The sun was getting low, we had to get vehicles together and make the long drive home. So the last mile we just kept moving.

One oddity. As we floated that last mile we encountered a lone fisherman that was doing a little wading. As we made small talk, he made the comment that he couldn't big ones in here like he used too. I agreed and we drifted on. Out of ear shot, we began talking about his comment. I asked my friend if he noticed that stringer he had. He said yep. Case solved. So anyway that is about it. You know its a good trip when you get tired of catching fish.

Was that too much drama?

[Chief Grey Bear]

Now this is maybe an hour into the trip and there is a long way to go. I start having thoughts of calling the number and having someone waiting at the take out. We also thought of confronting him, but it was legal, and he looked to be well on his way to severe intoxication. We both decided to just let them pass and continue with our day. I am proud of that decision I will tell you.

I am NOTproud of that decision I will tell you. I feel I should have said or done something.

[Smalliebigs]

You have done plenty for the advancement of smallies, specifically Neoshos. I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, you were being polite and nice. Possibly you should get me down there and I will be your hit man, I will take care of your dirty work and be very nasty.....trust me......someday possibly???

I do think your comments are spot on as to why it seems pretty hard to catch a trophy these days.....but, I digress....keep up the good work brother, you're doing nothing wrong.....just look at the ethics Dylan exhibits.....you have done good.

I am NOTproud of that decision I will tell you. I feel I should have said or done something.

[mic]

LMAO Funny Right There....

[Chief Grey Bear]

You have done plenty for the advancement of smallies, specifically Neoshos. I wouldn't beat yourself up over it, you were being polite and nice. Possibly you should get me down there and I will be your hit man, I will take care of your dirty work and be very nasty.....trust me......someday possibly???

I do think your comments are spot on as to why it seems pretty hard to catch a trophy these days.....but, I digress....keep up the good work brother, you're doing nothing wrong.....just look at the ethics Dylan exhibits.....you have done good.

Sometimes it is a tough call to make. I think you have to take each situation and individual separately. In this case, I don't think it was going to do any good. Knowing me, I could see the situation escalating to a point it would have ruined the day.

I have never seen as many people C&K on the rivers as I have this year. It is just nuts! They are out in droves it seems.

[fishinSWMO]

I have never seen as many people C&K on the rivers as I have this year. It is just nuts! They are out in droves it seems.

I blame Facebook

[Chief Grey Bear]

It sure doesn't help.

Everyone is a fishing hero now.

[SmallyWally]

Good point. Another reason for me not to be a fan of f b.

[Buzz]

I saw something interesting on Shoal Creek today. A jet boat came up the creek just before I started fishing. I asked the guy how far down he went and he said, " About 2/3 the way to Gateway drive." Also there was probably 9 Kayaks that put in. No one in the kayaks were fishing though.

[fishinSWMO]

I saw something interesting on Shoal Creek today. A jet boat came up the creek just before I started fishing. I asked the guy how far down he went and he said, " About 2/3 the way to Gateway drive." Also there was probably 9 Kayaks that put in. No one in the kayaks were fishing though.

That's what those concrete ramps are good for.

I counted 14 vehicles last week at that access.