Shore bound, upper end

[kjackson]

We moved into the lake place a month ago, and I tried to get he boat to the lake only to have a hub go out on the way. For the last three weeks, the tire shop has been trying to find an axle that would work...the spindle is fried and apparently welded, but that's a different story.  

In the meantime, I've been restricted to fishing off the dock, catching mostly blue and channel cats on the small side. Today, I decided I'd had enough and grabbed a rod, a few spinners and jumped in the kayak to see if I could at least catch something.  The score was one decent fish on for a bit, three small whites/hybrids and a tiny largemouth. It was better than waiting around for sure. I did see a school of whites/hybrids blow up on shad, but it was a long paddle to get to them, and they went down before I could get there.  I've been seeing quite a few larger fish on top, but until this morning, they've been scattered. I'll see what tomorrow brings.

[rps]

Good luck!

[fishinwrench]

3 weeks and hasn't even found an axle ?

Welcome to the Lake.  😀

 

If they don't come thru gimme a call.  

[kjackson]

I will... first attempt was to a supplier who sent the wrong axle.  Now he's ordered two...one from the manufacturer, who, apparently is "backordered".  He's suggesting welding a new spindle onto the old axle.  

This is what I get for having a very slow leak in a tire fixed instead of pumping it up and running then worrying about the leak later.  

[fishin_addict]

Glad to hear your seeing some big whites and hybrids blowing up on the surface.  I'll be up that way the weekend of the BBB in October, unfortunately as I'm not a fan of crowds on the water.  We're around 9 miles below Truman and I've been hoping to hook into a big hybrid or two as we make this a bit of an annual fall fishing trip, but haven't found any big ones up that way yet.  

As of a week ago, I hear a buzz bait has been doing well in the evenings.

[kjackson]

Still waiting on the trailer axle spindle, supposedly.  My patience is wearing thin.  But enough of that.  Finally started fishing from the new kayak, and did a bit of trolling two days ago. Landed a pair of nice crappie and a pair of decent whites.  Lost more, maybe four or so.  How can a fish hit a bait with two super-sharp trebles and then get off?  I accidentally dropped the bait-- a #5 Storm Smash Shad-- on my shorts and spent maybe five minutes trying to get the hooks out without hooking myself or ripping the shorts to ratfeces. But a fish can hit that same bait, bend the rod in a U and still get off...BTW VMC trebles are as sharp as any out there... And the more I fish it, the more I like the Smash Shad--especially in the purple UV tiger. It's done well for me in Table Rock and LOZ.  

Didn't see much else except one big blowup that looked like a pig jumped in the river.  Never saw a scale of that fish afterwards.

Went out yesterday, and it was a big change. No shad on the surface to speak of, and despite Ameren pulling water, the surface of the arm/creek looked like slack tide. No bites, no fish and no pigs jumping in the river. The same area where I caught/lost fish the day before was the Dead Sea.  Colder yet this morning and no sign of the schools of small shad on the surface. But the sun is out today, so maybe that will change.  Have to work, so it doesn't matter if the bite is on or not. 

[fishinwrench]

When you're not hooking fish on crankbait bites you need to upsize the crankbait, or at least upsize the hooks.  The fish are likely engulfing the whole thing and closing its lips around it, so when you jerk on it all you're doing is wedging the lip of the crank against the inside of the fishes jaw.  You're not putting any pressure on the hook points.   So as soon as the fish opens its mouth again....your crankbait swims free.