Torn

[Hog Wally]

Question: Does anyone else have a checklist of fishing destinations that they try to fish every given season? Do you start freaking out if you don’t get to hit each spot? I live on the Meramec river so I really just want to fish anywhere but here.  But here I am, going back on the river. 

[FishnDave]

Not really a list of destinations.  There are places I like to visit each year, and hope to get back to them each subsequent year...like NE Iowa streams for smallmouth bass, trout, rock bass, etc.  If it doesn't happen, no biggie.  Life happens.  There are places I've fished that I enjoyed so much, I certainly want to return again.  There are some new-to-me places I'd like to fish, but no set-in-stone timetable for getting there.  Generally, if I've picked a place I want to fish, its because its a good place to catch a new species.

I can understand if some folks might want to hit all the top bass tournament lakes they've heard so much about...or the top crappie lakes, or walleye tournament waters, for example.  That's not as interesting to me personally, but I can understand the draw.

You living on the Meramec...the fishing is probably so good, why go anywhere else, right? 😜

[tjm]

I want to fish under every bridge that I pass over and I'd like to fish that piece of water that you want to leave. But, I'm perfectly happy to fish wherever I can and whenever I can, I put the fly rod and tackle in the trunk when we go to the doctor or a wedding or wherever, just so I can take any opportunity. But on the other hand I'd rarely drive more than a couple of hours just to fish. Set goals and keep a list of destinations? No, for me that would make it too much like a job.

[Harps]

Not so much destinations, but species. I try to catch as many species as I can each year on a fly rod, and hopefully add a couple I've never caught before.

[top_dollar]

                    Ya know, I get bored when I fish the same bodies of water over and over again.  I like to mix it up and fish for different species, and use different techniques.  That said, the reason you're one of the best at catching walleye out of the Meramec is because you're always fishing it.  I would love to catch a 12# river walleye, but doing so requires all the time and effort spent fishing that one particular fishery.  If you're willing to put in the hours, you're likely to be rewarded with something special.  I fish all over Missouri, but generally no one body of water more than say 10 or 20 times per year, so Ill never really get to master any of them.  If I fished one lake or river 100 days or more a year, id probably be one of the best at fishing it.  It kinda seems like you wanna see something different, so go for it! 

[top_dollar]

Congrats on that walleye BTW.  That is a real trophy fish! 

[Seth]

I get burned out on the river bass come July/August when the bite gets tough and would rather go fish for something else. I'm good outside of that though when I can go after trout, crappie, etc.

[fishinwrench]

I have to find something that I dislike about other destinations in order to help fight the urge to move there.  😅 

I work hard to convince myself that I'm perfectly central to everything that I love to fish for......but it's undeniable that I should actually be about 60 miles south.   I NEVER go north.

[Hog Wally]

9 hours ago, FishnDave said:

Not really a list of destinations.  There are places I like to visit each year, and hope to get back to them each subsequent year...like NE Iowa streams for smallmouth bass, trout, rock bass, etc.  If it doesn't happen, no biggie.  Life happens.  There are places I've fished that I enjoyed so much, I certainly want to return again.  There are some new-to-me places I'd like to fish, but no set-in-stone timetable for getting there.  Generally, if I've picked a place I want to fish, its because its a good place to catch a new species.

I can understand if some folks might want to hit all the top bass tournament lakes they've heard so much about...or the top crappie lakes, or walleye tournament waters, for example.  That's not as interesting to me personally, but I can understand the draw.

You living on the Meramec...the fishing is probably so good, why go anywhere else, right? 😜

Well, today wasn’t so bad    

[Hog Wally]

3 hours ago, top_dollar said:

                    Ya know, I get bored when I fish the same bodies of water over and over again.  I like to mix it up and fish for different species, and use different techniques.  That said, the reason you're one of the best at catching walleye out of the Meramec is because you're always fishing it.  I would love to catch a 12# river walleye, but doing so requires all the time and effort spent fishing that one particular fishery.  If you're willing to put in the hours, you're likely to be rewarded with something special.  I fish all over Missouri, but generally no one body of water more than say 10 or 20 times per year, so Ill never really get to master any of them.  If I fished one lake or river 100 days or more a year, id probably be one of the best at fishing it.  It kinda seems like you wanna see something different, so go for it! 

Actually, I just have to cycle through several rivers around me that I feel the constant urge but conditions on the BigRiver and Bourboese aren’t always favorable, even for my RiverPro jet boat.  I hate crashing my stuff up, but I will.