Report, Bonus Fish, Fishing W/ Wife Manners

[Fly_Guy]

Living in North Carolina, let me first assure everyone that the fishing in NC doesn't even compare to SW Missouri. We'll be moving backto the KC area in a month, and I had a chance to run down to Stockton and bank fish for a few hours the 17th.

Report 1st. Aldrich area from the bank - fishing stumps and laydowns using any color swimming minnow or curly tail. Around 6-10 feet of water. Reeling slow, but with this weeks weather, it'll speed up. Cleaned one femaie full of eggs, so with this next week, they'll be approaching the bank. Caught 14 keepers, no shorts. Never had a trip where every fish kept. If you're bank fishing, it's worth downloading Google earth and scouting some roads and areas from the bank. Google earth has been my best friend.

Talked to a few boaters who had been catching scattered small whites, but not consistantly.

Caught a bonus fish - and not a walleye or catfish. A drum. If you haven't eaten drum, DO IT! I used to think they were trash fish, but now I'd take a drum over a crappie, catfish, and white bass. Just under a walleye in quality.

Saw a man fishiing with his wife across the way - he was in the front and pulled up to a large stump and had his wife anchor the boat. While she is struggling with the anchor, he is already fishing. He is right next to the stump, and she is in the back, with no way to cast to the only piece of structure in the area. He had 4 crappie (loudly exclaiming how much fun he was having), and she had zip when I left. Little tip guys - if you take your lady fishing, make sure she catches a few fish!

Haven't fished Stockton in 4 years - good to be back!

[duckydoty]

Nice report. Welcome back to the area. A little keeping the wife happy goes a long way.

[zarraspook]

Great report... and like the old saying goes -- "If mother is not happy - nobody is happy" !!!

[Sac River Jim]

thnx for a good report and welcome back to the are

[fishinSWMO]

What size was the drum?

[Walleyedmike]

My wife always either catches more than I do, or catches the biggest fish of the day. I like to think it's because she has a great guide!

WM

[fishbait3]

WEM thats a good phrase LOL

[Fly_Guy]

Drum was about 14 inches. tasty! Its good to be back for shore

[farmer 11]

How do you clean and cook the drum? Never tried it and will be at Stockton next month. We always catch a few but throw

them back.

Thanks

[Fly_Guy]

Clean em just like a crappie - and cook the same we - we fried ours. There's a little red meat you can trim off, but nothing like a white bass.