Finally got myself a decent Missouri striper!!!

[Gavin]

Good for you!

[fishinwrench]

Heck yeah !    👍

[Gavin]

Nice job! What a thrill!

[FishnDave]

Wow, beautiful fish!  Congrats! 👍

[snagged in outlet 3]

On 8/19/2023 at 12:29 PM, Ik314 said:

 

Thought you all might enjoy the pics

 

Sweet!   
Two things though.  
Firstly, if that’s a “decent” one I wanna see one you consider a “nice” one.  

Second, tell me it took you 15 trips and $1000.00 in gas money over two years to catch one   Please tell me that😂

 

[Ik314]

41 minutes ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Sweet!   
Two things though.  
Firstly, if that’s a “decent” one I wanna see one you consider a “nice” one.  

Second, tell me it took you 15 trips and $1000.00 in gas money over two years to catch one   Please tell me that😂

 

HahAhaha I’m not greedy or anything, but I have seen quite a few hanging out in this river that would dwarf my 36 incher.  I hope to figure them out more in the coming years.  They’re definitely finicky, spooky and very hit or miss.  It didn’t take me 15 trips ,but probably not far from that many lol.  Truth be told, I lucked into my first one last May on my first float of the season down there.  It was 26.5 inches and it just made me want more miserably.  I lost a few more last summer, but didn’t land any more.  Super painful! This year I desperately wanted to make it happen, but the low water has been making it significantly harder in my opinion.  They can just see you coming from a mile away in low clear water.  I think I’ve done about 6 floats since the start of May down there and usually 10-13 milers each time.  So far, I’ve caught more walleye than stripers, but me and a buddy did mange to land 5 stripers last Saturday - three 20 inchers, one 27 incher and then my 36 incher pictured above.  the rain and slightly rising water definitely helped I think .  I try not to think about the amount of money spent on gas and megabass jerkbaits lol 

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, Ik314 said:

and megabass jerkbaits lol 

I just lost my the very first one I bought years ago.   Paint was mostly gone and on its 4th set of hooks.   My buddy told me retire it to the fireplace mantle.   That thing had the juice I’m telling ya!  
I was on the hybrid kick after catching a few “decent” ones but I don’t live close enough to keep up the trips and cost.   Stupid things are totally unpredictable.  Nice fish!!!