Want To Catch My First Smallmouth

[fishinwrench]

12 hours ago, WannabeAngler said:

Fortunately I didn’t say how large of one I wanted to catch. The monkey is off my back in the sense that I caught one on the Black River. So next is the learn more and catch bigger ones. Thanks for the encouragement. 
 

Hoping to get back out today and get more. 

They don't have to be much bigger than that to be a blast.   A day of catching 13-16 inchers is all it takes to make me feel like I had a great day.  👍

[fishinwrench]

13 minutes ago, ColdWaterFshr said:

Tax return please 

No problem.  Just have your people call my people.  🐌

[Quillback]

OK, in the name of fairness I'll remove the above 3 posts.  Political is political whether nice or not.  I would've moved this to the politics thread but the OP is a new member looking for some fishing advice.  

[WannabeAngler]

13 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

They don't have to be much bigger than that to be a blast.   A day of catching 13-16 inchers is all it takes to make me feel like I had a great day.  👍

Yeah. It was an enjoyable day. Went out for just a few hours while the kids played in the creek downstream from me. It was a learning day. Caught three more from about 10a-1pm. Biggest was about 10 inches, but I'm still content, just because I was able to learn a little bit.

The early morning one I actually caught on a whopper plopper. That was easy to figure out if they were biting. Missed a second one right before I went back to the cabin.

In the afternoon, I caught the first on a Zman Hula Stickz in a hole on a  mushroom head jig, Ned Rigged. Got hung up shortly thereafter and switched over to a Ned Zman Crawz and caught two more. Figured out where to cast and where they were staying and how to fish. Still learning how to "feel" them bite in current and on gravel with a jig head, but still had a blast and it was the first day I haven't been skunked in over two weeks, so I'm happy.

[fishinwrench]

7 hours ago, Quillback said:

OK, in the name of fairness I'll remove the above 3 posts.  Political is political whether nice or not.  I would've moved this to the politics thread but the OP is a new member looking for some fishing advice.  

Had we all not already given him the best advice we had?   

Good luck with your Yokohama's!  

[405z06]

On 9/8/2020 at 10:21 AM, WannabeAngler said:

Yeah. It was an enjoyable day. Went out for just a few hours while the kids played in the creek downstream from me. It was a learning day. Caught three more from about 10a-1pm. Biggest was about 10 inches, but I'm still content, just because I was able to learn a little bit.

The early morning one I actually caught on a whopper plopper. That was easy to figure out if they were biting. Missed a second one right before I went back to the cabin.

In the afternoon, I caught the first on a Zman Hula Stickz in a hole on a  mushroom head jig, Ned Rigged. Got hung up shortly thereafter and switched over to a Ned Zman Crawz and caught two more. Figured out where to cast and where they were staying and how to fish. Still learning how to "feel" them bite in current and on gravel with a jig head, but still had a blast and it was the first day I haven't been skunked in over two weeks, so I'm happy.

Cool Deal! Glad you got your first MO smallie, plus some more! 

My advice for any MO smallmouth newbie is as follows:

1) Pick a day that you would be able to get down to Leasburg/Steelville or surrounding area by 8am

2) Call Ozark Outdoors to reserve a canoe for said day

3) Reserve float from "The Bluffs" back to Ozark Outdoors. Something like 9 miles. You wont want to do this on weekends between Memorial Day and  Labor Day, typically, due to crowds.But during the week, it's fine. It's not the best fishing spot in Missouri, or even the best stretch of the Meramec, for that matter, but it's pretty darn good, and Ozark Outdoors is very accommodating to fisherman. That's the important part.

4) Focus on faster moving baits: When in a canoe, you are typically moving fast at the exact same time you are in the best water. Throwing a slow, bottom-bouncing lure in fast current while moving in a canoe is not optimal. You can take multiple rods, (I usually take 2 while in a canoe: a spinning real with a jig/bottom-bouncer, and a baitcaster with a fast moving bait). but take a rod/real that has the ability to throw something you have confidence in that is fast moving. If you don't happen to have confidence in anything like that,, throw a 1/4 oz tandem spinnerbait of some sort. Strike King, Booyah, War Eagle, whatever is available. Pick a bright colored skirt, if possible, so you can see it better in the water.

5) If you do well on that stretch, or enjoy it, then there are years worth of exploring at your disposal just in this area of the Mermamec, Huzzah, Courtois, Big Piney, and Gasconade.

*I left off the Bourbuese and Big because they both suck and are chocolate-milk, frog-water waterways of Hell,  and neither should really be considered an "Ozark Stream"

5) Bank fishing the Big River is a like the fat girl you try to pick up at closing time at the bar. Pure desperation. Sometimes you gotta do it just to get it out of your system, but the Big River is for addicts and hardcore folks only. I, too have driven down to Morse Mill or Rockford Beach when i was jonesing early in the season, so I understand your prerogative. I also recognize  your shame. But don't do it. Just don't. Big River fishing is for super advanced fisherman or nihilists, it's not worth the stress. Certainty not from the bank, and usually not from boat/canoe, either.

 

 

 

[WannabeAngler]

2 hours ago, 405z06 said:

5) If you do well on that stretch, or enjoy it, then there are years worth of exploring at your disposal just in this area of the Mermamec, Huzzah, Courtois, Big Piney, and Gasconade.

*I left off the Bourbuese and Big because they both suck and are chocolate-milk, frog-water waterways of Hell,  and neither should really be considered an "Ozark Stream"

5) Bank fishing the Big River is a like the fat girl you try to pick up at closing time at the bar. Pure desperation. Sometimes you gotta do it just to get it out of your system, but the Big River is for addicts and hardcore folks only. I, too have driven down to Morse Mill or Rockford Beach when i was jonesing early in the season, so I understand your prerogative. I also recognize  your shame. But don't do it. Just don't. Big River fishing is for super advanced fisherman or nihilists, it's not worth the stress. Certainty not from the bank, and usually not from boat/canoe, either.

 

 

 

Thanks for all of the awesome advice. I'm still learning, or really playing catch up since I haven't fished in over a decade.  And I realize that the Big River in this area is FAR from ideal, but with being able to fish easily in 15 minutes from my house, I think I just have to do it. Knowing the difficulty. Knowing the lack of bites...it's just there. But...it's at least good to know how difficult it will be. Interestingly enough, I went down there this afternoon to Byrnes Mill and fished for about 90 minutes. Caught two (Kentucky and smallie) on a knock off Whopper Plopper from Ozark Trail that were about 9 inches long. Better than being skunked.

But I've been intrigued with the Neko Rig and found a Mustad kit at Academy today for like 9 bucks on clearnace (I think it has 60 hooks and an O-Ring tool for like $8). Caught a PB Kentucky Bass for me. Didn't weigh it, but it was 14 inches long and fought like a champ. So, surprisingly, it was a good day...even there.

[top_dollar]

11 hours ago, WannabeAngler said:

Thanks for all of the awesome advice. I'm still learning, or really playing catch up since I haven't fished in over a decade.  And I realize that the Big River in this area is FAR from ideal, but with being able to fish easily in 15 minutes from my house, I think I just have to do it. Knowing the difficulty. Knowing the lack of bites...it's just there. But...it's at least good to know how difficult it will be. Interestingly enough, I went down there this afternoon to Byrnes Mill and fished for about 90 minutes. Caught two (Kentucky and smallie) on a knock off Whopper Plopper from Ozark Trail that were about 9 inches long. Better than being skunked.

But I've been intrigued with the Neko Rig and found a Mustad kit at Academy today for like 9 bucks on clearnace (I think it has 60 hooks and an O-Ring tool for like $8). Caught a PB Kentucky Bass for me. Didn't weigh it, but it was 14 inches long and fought like a champ. So, surprisingly, it was a good day...even there.

Being so close to your house, just go fishing there all the time and change your tactics if it doesn't seem to be working.  You will eventually figure it out, and there are plenty of fish there.  If you wanna built your confidence up,  bring a crappie rig.  Either a tiny jig under a float, or just casting a twitching a small crappie jig.