St. Louis folk

[Old plug]

There are public lakes( and ponds) in the St Louis area that provide Catch and release with a size quality. Comparable to LOZ.  I forget where when and how though. But I gat pictures now and then from somebody up there.

[snagged in outlet 3]

10 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Earlier today it was alligators, now it's spiders.  It's getting worse all the time!

I could probably you with a spider instead of a gun

[Blazerman]

Here is my experience with fishing in and around STL.

When my kids were young I spent many days on the Meramec, either wading or in a canoe. We would haul them all ( I have 3) along with other family or friends to the caverns and hang out there on the gravel beaches alongside the parking lot. Sometimes we would camp there. But mostly it was just a day trip where the kids would swim, fish and play in the water and I would wade and fish as I could.

Then later as they were getting older I found property that I bought on the Meramec and ended up going from the canoe to a jet boat. I had 3 different jet boats while we were there and still have the last one I bought in 2015, which was a modified V Blazer.

We spent 14 years there and loved it until they got older and went off to college and we got tired of the flooding and finally sold it.

When we sold the river place we bought a condo by the Grand Glaize Bridge at LOTO and I had the Blazer on a lift there 18 months and loved it.

Recently we bought a house by Linn creek and now the Blazer is sitting on the lift there.

I have also hauled my boat to many of the smaller MCD lakes where it is trolling motor only, like Little Dixie. And also to the Quiver river state park and the lake there.

I got the Blazer I did because I knew I could use it on the river and also on area lakes.

I think many people do not realize how versatile a modified V on the front of a jet boat is. I have had no issues with my boat on rivers running shallow and also had no issues using it on big lakes. I use it on LOTO, and have been to Tablerock, Bull Shoals, and hauled it to Rainy lake in Canada for two different week long trips. I also haul it to the White river below Bull Shoals every year.

Like any other fishing boat, there are times I do not run the main channel at LOTO. But for almost 8 months of the year I can go about anywhere I want as long as I use common sense.

 

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

37 minutes ago, Blazerman said:

2015, which was a modified V Blazer

What size motor?

[jdmidwest]

My new favorite boat is a Bass Pro Panfish 17 with a 60/40 jet on it.  Pulls easy.  Open design.  Semi v to cut waves.  Easy on the gas, Merc 4 stroke.  The only drawback is that some rivers and lakes require 25 hp or 10 hp.  If those did not exist, the boat would be the only one needed for fishing.

The jet is really the way to go for all around fishing.  We run rivers, dodge stumps on Reelfoot, and took it up Normandy Lake a few weeks back to the river source and wet waded from there.

It has plenty of power, runs faster than we normally need to go, trolls good, and is a good stable fishing platform.  The stick steer helps retrieve lures that snag quick.  Someone is always sitting where you can run the boat and fish at the same time.

 

[Blazerman]

5 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

What size motor?

It is an 18/56 and has a merc 90/65. It is not a go fast boat by any stretch. I can cruise between 25-30 when it is loaded. I actually wish i had gone up to the 115/90. But because it is a 4 stroke i get great mileage for a jet. Neat thing at LOTO was taking it up past the swinging bridge on the glaize a couple different times last summer. And i plan on running up the nianguas too very soon.

[snagged in outlet 3]

9 hours ago, Blazerman said:

It is an 18/56 and has a merc 90/65. It is not a go fast boat by any stretch. I can cruise between 25-30 when it is loaded. I actually wish i had gone up to the 115/90. But because it is a 4 stroke i get great mileage for a jet. Neat thing at LOTO was taking it up past the swinging bridge on the glaize a couple different times last summer. And i plan on running up the nianguas too very soon.

I think that’ll be my next one.  

[David Unnerstall]

14 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

My new favorite boat is a Bass Pro Panfish 17 with a 60/40 jet on it.  Pulls easy.  Open design.  Semi v to cut waves.  Easy on the gas, Merc 4 stroke.  The only drawback is that some rivers and lakes require 25 hp or 10 hp.  If those did not exist, the boat would be the only one needed for fishing.

The jet is really the way to go for all around fishing.  We run rivers, dodge stumps on Reelfoot, and took it up Normandy Lake a few weeks back to the river source and wet waded from there.

It has plenty of power, runs faster than we normally need to go, trolls good, and is a good stable fishing platform.  The stick steer helps retrieve lures that snag quick.  Someone is always sitting where you can run the boat and fish at the same time.

 

JD, my Ouachita had stick steering.  I had to remove it and install a console with a wheel when the rod cap on the 55-horse came loose at WOT and I bought a 75-horse and rebuilt it.  The stick steering unit was rated for a 35-horse outboard.  I came to miss it.

Advantages:

• It takes up no room in the boat where a console, or two, does.
• When you stop the outboard and decide to fish you don't have to move seats.
• You have better visibility.
• Casting decks are overrated -- bending over to lip a fish is a lot of work these days.  

Disadvantages:

• A bit of a rougher ride being in front.

[Flysmallie]

I love stick steer boats. 

[fishinwrench]

55 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

I love stick steer boats. 

Wanna buy one?