Good Times on a new water.

[Hog Wally]

I’ve never been a huge fan and or impressed with the Smallmouth on the Nade.  But, yesterday I changed my mind.  I put in at a public ramp solo and ran a couple miles up before I noticed my fuel gauge was at 2.6 gallons !!  Not cool.  I guess I fish nearly every day and sometimes it slips my mind but I reacted instantly and decided that whatever looked good in the next mile or so I would sit on it and figure something out.   I guess I’m a good judge because I set down and immediately see I am in 16’ of dead water with maybe a slight bit of back flow.  That means water is literally running the wrong direction.  I immediately toss a swim bait as far as I can  and let it slowly fall to the bottom.  As soon as I moved it a few inches that oh so familiar feel of a winter smallmouth loading up on my rod.  I fished for 2 hours without moving off the same spot. 40-50 fish.  8 smallies and the rest were spots.  All keepers or bigger.  4 of the smallie were big imo.  I didn’t try any different baits on them because it was clear they were on bait fish and the 3.5” swimmers I throw were the ticket. Water was dirty and deep.  Fish were glued to the bottom.  I don’t know any other method that would’ve worked. This is strictly my opinion, but the Meramec has bigger Smallmouth, and the Nade has the numbers.  Don’t attack me on this one.  Just my opinion.  I think I’ll go hunting tomorrow.    

[Al Agnew]

Couldn't have proved it by me today.  I fished my stretch of the Meramec near our cabin today, which I am more and more convinced has to be the worst section of the middle river.  Caught about 10, more largemouth than smallmouth, none over 14 inches.  There is this one pool that I have always been convinced has to be a terrific winter pool...deep water, good slow eddies, plenty of rock structure on one side and log structure on the other, even has a south-facing bluff.  And got, as usual, zero.  Just shows I don't know as much as I think I do.

 

[jdmidwest]

Ran out of gas on the Gas can!  What's the rest of the story?

We were 5 miles from the ramp on the Duck River 2 summers ago.  Engine sputtered.  I went in to get drinks and ice and left buddy filling up rig that was almost out of gas. He forgot to check the boat.

We floated down stream for a while on trolling motor and came on a house. We bought his mower gas and made it back to ramp.

[thewhitesnoop]

Hard to believe that with the fish glued to the bottom that Hog wasn't throwing the vaunted HD craw.

Also hard to believe that with anywhere from 32-42 spotted bass caught, that not even a single one was a non keeper.

Hog fishing almost every day.... not hard to believe

Hog having trouble counting, and can only estimate within 10 fish..... I don't know if that is hard to believe or not, only those who know him well could answer that.

[thewhitesnoop]

Yes Mitch, I am bored again

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Good to see a Hogwally post.  Thanks for the info.   City boys need direction.  Lol

[thewhitesnoop]

The direction you were given here was to forget to gas up, scrub a swimbait when you should have been throwing a jig, only somewhat accurately count your fish, and fish dirty water.

City boys beware

I suppose the part where he mentioned that back flow means that the water is flowing in the wrong direction could be informative to the most novice of city folk ..... it's basically a free clinic 😂

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

10 minutes ago, thewhitesnoop said:

The direction you were given here was to forget to gas up, scrub a swimbait when you should have been throwing a jig, only somewhat accurately count your fish, and fish dirty water.

City boys beware

I suppose the part where he mentioned that back flow means that the water is flowing in the wrong direction could be informative to the most novice of city folk ..... it's basically a free clinc 😂

I'm not usually a spelling checker, but I believe you meant clinic. 

[thewhitesnoop]

Sorry, I was laughing as I typed.