Clear water

[MoCarp]

 

1 hour ago, Seth said:

I've gigged plenty over the years and I can tell you one thing. There have been far more smallmouth killed in my boat due to being hooked in the gut or in the tongue than there ever has from being gigged. I guess for the sake of the fish, MDC should ban all recreational fishing so we don't wipe the poor things out!

but it takes skill to fool and land a 4# smallmouth...all it takes is ONE fool in a boat to wipe out a wintering hole.......I grew up gigging flounder in the gulf..its way easier to gig them than catch them...just saying....and your not gig n releasing ether

46 minutes ago, Smalliebigs said:

Well there is a reason why streams in Missouri just don't produce 19+ Smallies very often....see states like Indiana who regulate the very small amount of gigging allowed on a few watersheds. Streams like the Tippecanoe are full of 19 and 20's.

Missouri is what it is and it isn't going to ban gigging so don't worry.....traditions are thick in this here state.

You just have to be used to smaller fish here  and there are many reasons why.

People who covet bigger fish like me know you have to go to other states and that's what we do. That is where my money will go when I want a better fishing opportunity.

Do Missouri streams have the potential to grow big Smallies in greater numbers than what exist now??? I say yes only because I have fished other watersheds in other states that are not as fertile or as deep as most Ozark streams and they flat out produce big fish....obviously not the opinion of a MDC employee who has Alterior motives. Sorry but some of things that have been said to me and others about river Smallies from the agency are so absurd it hurts the brain.

Why isn't gigging allowed in the Red Ribbon areas of Missouri streams??

Really who cares??

 

 

perhaps a test stream with no gigging and compare fish sizes? 

29 minutes ago, CityFishin said:

Wait a minute, let me get this right....fish aren't biting so we go gig now? And on top of that we gig a smallie? What is this amateur hour. If ur gigging fish and not frogs your in the wrong sport. Go shoot some carp with a bow if you need to let some agression, there's no sport in standing naked after dark with ur 5 buddies in a two man boat stabbing fish keep that monkey dodo up on the big river.

Your naive to think Bfers just shoot rough fish many a bass/walleye/trout/even muskie get shot ether straight up poached or woopsed.....stabbing is stabbing poachers poach

21 minutes ago, Smalliebigs said:

Standing naked after dark with ur 5 buddies in a two man boat???....kinda sounds like a George Michael song.

I don't recall anyone saying "The fish aren't biting so we go gig now" ...hmmm

The bottom line is some people have a much better skill set for gigging than others....dexterity and eyesight help.

My Uncle will only hit the suckers and Redhorse in the head of the fish 98% of the time...it's amazing.

People who are new to gigging....not so much.

City Fishin you do realize gigging is a time honored tradition in Missouri?? Really I think you are being tounge and cheek because I think you spear fish in Ark.

back in the day they used to allow TNT fishing or phone cranking......laws change...just saying 

[Seth]

If you are comparing a suckers to common carp, it is very obvious you haven’t ever ate fresh deep fried suckers....... one of the best fish dishes MO has to offer IMO. Add in some fried potatoes, onions, hush puppies and some ice cold brewskies and you are living right!

I’d give it up in a heartbeat if it 100% meant we would have much better quality smallmouth fishing.

[MoCarp]

suckers are great sport on a rod n reel...don't have to gig them to harvest some for the pan

[joeD]

We do have quality smallmouth fishing. We're just too dumb to appreciate it.

 

 

[MoCarp]

4 hours ago, joeD said:

We do have quality smallmouth fishing. We're just too dumb to appreciate it.

 

 

it could be FAR better if we had the will to manage it for bigger fish

[Seth]

9 hours ago, MoCarp said:

suckers are great sport on a rod n reel...don't have to gig them to harvest some for the pan

I agree as I have targeted suckers on Taneycomo for years. I'd spend all day long walking around the Lazy Valley dock sight fishing for them. Gigging is far more effective when it comes to harvesting suckers though. Anybody who says otherwise is blowing smoke. We can go out gigging for 30 minutes, get 10-20, scale, fillet, score and be feeding the group of people standing around the campfire in an hour and a half from taking the boat off of the trailer.

[Seth]

4 hours ago, MoCarp said:

it could be FAR better if we had the will to manage it for bigger fish

Good luck with that. Unless you just flat out make it illegal to harvest nice fish, your average Joe weekend angler drowning night crawlers or minnows that lucks in to those nice bass is most likely taking them home. There are far more of those types than those with our mindset when it comes to managing quality fisheries. Just like when it comes to managing deer for mature bucks. If you do your part to allow the little bucks to grow in age and everybody else around you shoots them on sight, you're just peeing in the wind.

[Mitch f]

9 hours ago, joeD said:

We do have quality smallmouth fishing. We're just too dumb to appreciate it.

 

 

A matter of opinion...IMHO I think not, unless mediocre is the new high. If you’ve been anywhere North, South, East or West it doesn’t even come close.

[Flysmallie]

21 minutes ago, Mitch f said:

A matter of opinion...IMHO I think not, unless mediocre is the new high. If you’ve been anywhere North, South, East or West it doesn’t even come close.

 

You are right it is a matter of opinion. But you could also say the same thing about largemouth bass fishing, catfishing, crappie fishing, walleye fishing, trout fishing. ALL of those could be considered better someplace else, depending on your opinion of what makes it better. But have you noticed that when you go to these other locations that the locals aren't as impressed as you are? You can go to Texas and catch a 10 pound largemouth and they are like, ehhh, it's pretty good. The same way we would look at a 6 or 7 pound bass around here. So while you may be catching better fish than you would here you really aren't doing anything special. In my opinion it just cheapens the whole deal. 

I have been fortunate enough to fish in a lot of different locations, and have caught some nice fish doing it. But in my opinion it doesn't get any better than fishing in the Ozarks. It all depends on your goals. While catching a nice, big fish is on everyone's list of goals some of us have it pretty far down the list. Not saying that's better or worse, just saying it's different. 

[ness]

Seems the winter pissies have arrived early this year. Might make for a long winter.