A Better Day for Morels

Although we didn't find many, at least we got a start. A few yellows were east/northeast facing slope. They were new. Probably laszt night or this morning. I really want to try one of the islands on the river, but if I'm on the river, I might as well be fishing.

Mississippi River - Alton Pool (Pool 26)

Adam and I made a quick run on the river tonight. We got on the river around 6:00 or so and ran south to Aiport Lake. We rolled in there and it looked promising. Water temp was between 57° and 58° and really shallow. Majority of the time we were in 2 foot of water. The river is falling with Grafton at 18.36 and Windfield TW at 23.64. Basically, at Riverside it was just inside the bank across from the ramps. So if the water is down, you can't really get in there. But man it looked promising. We threw white and red spinners and then a black with a big carolina blade. Adam threw a black and blue jig and then a small Zera Spook. Nothing. I cannot wait until the first bass I (or anyone with me) catches on the river. Right now I don't think they are in there. At the same time, if we can learn to fish the river, we can fish anywhere. The boat ran great. We found out that when you slow down from 60 to go over a boat wave, you should probably slow way down, not just down to 50. Let me just say that both Adam and I were shaking a bit after we got the boat running flat again. But all-in-all everything keeps right on clicking with the boat. We've got a lot more places to fish. I haven't ruled out Airport Lake. We only fished the upper portion. We did not fish down around the docks where its about 3 to 4 foot of water. Bitch is, how in the hell do those boats get in there when the water is at normal level. We're fishing again Saturday morning, but we're taking Savannah so I doubt we run that far. Keep fishin' keep learnin' that's all we can do.

Morels... Finally

My buddy Jeff finally found our first morels of the season yesterday. Hopefully by Friday we'll have a couple pounds.

Pre Spawn Bass Fishing - Route J Lake

Henry and I got out EARLY on Friday morning, the water was very stained from the rain and snow but we finally figured out what they were hitting on. We threw everything from crankbaits to worms, the only bites we got were on black and blue jigs. When I was pulling in my first fish Henry was already tying on a black and blue jig before I got the fish to the boat. All together we landed 4 fish all day weighing in at a 14lb bag, not bad for two guys. As we were moving through the grass that was about to start growing big, we moved a ton of fish... each of these fish were 5lb+, no lie. Can't wait to get back there in a few weeks when the water is clear and pitch pig and jigs at these monsters.

 
 
 
 

Mississippi River - Alton Pool (Pool 26)

First time out by myself. Got on the water around 9:00. Air temp was 60F with overcast skies. Sun poked threw every now and then. Electronics showed a rising barometer most of the morning and then switched to steady. Ran up to Cuivere Slough and headed up in a creek. It was 8' deep at the mouth but got deeper as I went back. 11' was about as deep as it got. Started throwing a blue jig w/a blue craw trailer at flooded timber, then switched to a shad rap along the edges of the creek channel. Water was out of the banks so I tried to keep it along the edge of the flooded timber. Had something bump it, but nothing other than that. Then I switched to a white spinner w/a bleeding hook, but nothing on that either. Then I made a run to Woodland Marina. On my way there I hit 67 @ 5300 going down river in a little chop. I was pretty stoked about it. I think I can get more out of her, but so far so good. Threw a shad rap and a jerk bait up in Woodland. Nothing. Water temp in the creek was 54F at Woodland it was a bit off of that at 52F. Water is still up, but falling.

Mississippi River - Alton Pool (Pool 26)

Matthew, Savannah and I went out on the Mississippi around 4:00 Saturday afternoon. We fished St. Louis Yacht Club Marina. Water temp was right around 50F but fluctuated up to 53F and down to 48F by the end of the day. We fished for about an hour. Both of us started with Jerk Baits and then Matt switched to a jig and craw and I switched to a Shad Rap (7'-11' suspending). We got 2 hits in the hour we fished. Both were out in the middle between the docks. They just tapped the bait. I'm thinking they weren't bass. It was a good trip & Savannah loved it. Air temp was about 65-68 with blue skies and a bit of wind. Water was up and over the bank at Riverside.

Lake of the Ozarks

This was the Tarlton Spring Bass Tournament. Shotgun start at 7:00 AM. Steve and I got to the ramp (Larry Gale CA) at 6:50 and had a 5 minute run to check-in. When we pulled up to the prep area there was a crappie tournament putting in. Luckily Dustin Norton was fishing a different tournament and was able to drive my truck in line while Steve and I prepped the boat. We made ran 5 miles in under 5 minutes and got there in time to hear the horn. A quick live well check at the dock and we were off. Air temp was around 35F it was windy and spitting rain. Water was still around 49F. Wind was out of the NNE at 10 with gusts up to 25. It was NASTY weather. We hit the first cove and caught a 15" bass on the same jerk bait we had been using. It was only 7:30 and we had a keeper in the boat. However, by 9:00 we were on our 3rd cove and had only caught shorts. Every place we pulled up to we caught fish, just nothing 15" or better. Then the rain, thunder, lightening and ice started. It poured and we waited it out under a dock. About 11:00 we were fishing again. Steve put a 2.6 pounder in the boat and that was our last keeper. We also caught one crappie on a jerk bait, but didn't keep him (11" crappie). Check in was at 4:00 and 15 pounds won the tournament. The boat ran great and toped out at 61.3 @ 5200 with both of us, all our gear, full tanks and soaking wet.

Lake of the Ozarks - Niangua Arm

Steve Moore and I fished this Friday afternoon as a pre-fish for the tournament we had on Saturday. We put in at Larry R. Gale Access, part of the Missouri Conservation Department. We ran up around the highway 5 bridge and started fishing a cove on the north side of the lake. We fished 4 coves over about 3 hours. It was partly sunny and the air temp was 45F. Water was right at 50F. A low front was getting ready to move threw overnight, so conditions were going to change. We were using crank baits in about 4' - 8' of water. Caught 4 fish between the two of us. Jerk bait (light green on top and white/silver on bottom) for 3 of them and a sexy shad for one. Only one keeper (Steve's fish). They were on small rock bottoms (pea gravel).

Mississippi River, Alton Pool (Pool 26)

First day with the boat. This was more of a test drive than a fishing trip. Adam and I took the boat through it's break-in period (or at least a couple hours of it). The air temperature was around 50F with water temp around 47F. We hit the water around 9:00 and just ran the boat until about 11:00. Then we headed for Lake Center Marina to see how she fished. We threw spinners and cranks, but didn't even get a bite. We finished up around 1:00 PM

The Arrival

Here it is. I got the call this afternoon and went and picked up my new 2009 Skeeter ZX190 with a 2009 Yamaha 175 VMax HPDI. The dealer tells me it should hit 70 MPH, but we'll see.

My New Tackle Box

Well, we made a sweet little purchase today. My wife allowed me to order a brand new tackle box. That is, a very expensive tackle box with a Yamaha 175 on the back of it. That's right, we got a bass boat. It's a Skeeter ZX 190. For the most part it's black and white with a 175 Yamaha, a Humminbird 997cSI fish finder in the dash and then my 787c2i will be mounted on the bow so I can still use it in it's portable function. We ordered it today and will take possession around March 19th. Here is the list of all the goodies.

Cockpit Features
Cockpit Command Center w/ Tachometer, Speedometer, Fuel Gauge, Water Pressure Gauge, and 12V Acc.
Volt Meter and Trim Gauge
Passenger Custom Console (Installed)
Bolstered Full-Flex Driver & Passenger Seating
30-Quart Ice Chest between Driver & Passenger Seats
Fold Down Center Seat
Driver and Passenger Glove Boxes
Drink Holders
Bow Panel w/ Troll Receptacle and Trim, Courtesy, & Anchor Light Switches
Passenger Grab Handle
Modular Consoles
Interior & Exterior Decals
Fish Chair with 13" Fixed Extension and Bike Seat w/Power Pro Pole

Electronic Features
Humminbird® 787c w/GPS Antenna & Transducer (Bow)
Humminbird® 997cSI w/GPS Antenna (Dash-Ram Mount)
Minn Kota® 10 Amp x 3-Bank Battery Charger
6-Gauge Troll Motor Wiring System with 3 Battery Trays


Construction & Safety
Composite Construction
Torque Transfer Transom and Stringer System
Insulated Aluminum Doors
Stretched Sponsons
No Splashwell Design
Aluminum Frame Deck Inserts (Front & Rear)
Gas Assisted Lifts on Storage, Rod Box, Bilge Access Doors
Livewell System w/ Independent Fill, Recirculating, and Drain Modes, with Timer and Pump-out
Interior Lighting
Integrated Rod Storage System
Retractable Rod Staze (3)
Skeeter Measuring Board w/ Storage
Bow and Stern Lights w/Holders
Flush-Mounted Latch/Locking System
Stainless Steel Pull-Up Cleats (4)
Tinted Windscreen
Bow Traction Mat
Jackplate Mount Boarding Ladder

Power & Performance Features
Minn Kota® 70Edge F, 42" shaft Troll Motor w/ Mount
12" Manual Jackplate w/ 2 Stern Eyes
1500 GPH Bilge Pump and Auto. Bilge Switch
Tilt Hydraulic Steering
Interior Decal Package
Foot Throttle & Pro Trim
Livewell Lights

Trailer Features
Single Axle Tube Trailer
Disc Brakes; One Axle
Spare Tire with Carrier
Ratchet Tie Downs
Back-up Lights
Skeeter Cutouts
Torsion Axles
Chrome Wheels
Custom Boat Cover

Fantasy Fishing

Sign up if you want to play, You can earn serious CASH!

Rifle Season

I was finally able to get a few pictures of my deer. I took this 8 pointer at 7:05am on 10/21/08. It was about a 15 yard shot, and the deer ran about 20 yards before plowing into a few small trees.

Meat On The Table

It was a successful hunt. Les invited me (or I invited myself) to hunt with him this year on opening weekend. The place is just northwest of Truxton. Jeff and Les had their stands picked out so they gave me the remaining stand. This worked out in my favor. My stand was setup for a bow. It had the start of a power cut in front of me which turned into thick brush about 50 yards past my stand and there were woods on the other side of the power cut. To the left was a small grassy strip between the edge of the woods and some thick cedar trees. Behind me and to the right was thick woods that you could hardly see through, more less shoot through.
About 7:30 Saturday morning I had a deer come out of the woods across from me and step into the brush in the power lines. I knew it was a buck, but didn't know how big. I could have probably shot it, but didn't want to get into a situation where he was only a 6 pointer. (New conservation laws state that a buck has to have at least 4 points on one side to be legal to shoot). So I had my scope on him and started counting. There were only 3 on the right side that I could count. Then it turned back and I counted 4 on the left side, which means he was a shooter. When he turned back to move into the woods I saw two, nearly 3 inch long brow tines. This made this a 9 point deer. At this point I only saw the body of the deer when it moved into the brush. As it moved into the woods it kept stepping slightly away from me and I never got a clear shot. I did notice it was limping on it's left front leg a bit. Then, just like that, it was gone.
After going back to the truck to get a bit of coffee and a bite to eat, I went back to the stand. It was probably around 11:00 when I thought I heard a squirrel almost under my stand behind me. I turned my head to see a really small button buck. He walked right under my stand, smelled the air, looked at me but must not have seen me and then walked along my right side headed toward the power cut. He stood in the brush a bit and then moved away down the north side of the power cut.
After letting that one pass, I kept thinking to myself that it may have been a mistake to do that. Les and Gary had only gotten one deer off this property since they started hunting here 6 years ago. Now it's starting to get dark and there is only about an hour left in the hunt. I'm hoping that I stick it out longer than the neighboring hunters and they may kick something my way. The wait worked out. I spotted this doe walking up on me from behind me and to my left. She was in the grassy area between the cedars and the woods. About 75 yards behind me she started into the woods. That gave me the opportunity to flip my seat up and turn around in my stand. I had my sights on her, but there were so many trees that I didn't have a shot. I had one opportunity to shoot between the trees and above and below two branches if she kept walking in the same direction. She wasn't in a hurry. She finally reached my shooting lane, but was angled away from me. After letting 2 deer get passed me, I wasn't going to take a chance to let this on e get passed. She took one more step and I shot. It was dark enough that I remember seeing the muzzle flash in my scope. She ran 75 yards in a circle fell down and did the death thrash. It was dark by the time we got her field dressed. But it all worked out. We hung her at Linda's cousin's house over night and got her cut up on Sunday.
Sunday mooring I saw one more 5 point buck. He was coming from my left just on the other side of the power cut. He was carrying his left front leg next to his chest. It looked like someone had shot him in his leg but he seemed to be OK. My guess is that he will make it.
Sunday night Linda let me debone my deer at the kitchen counter. After I set the back straps and tenderloins aside, I ended up with 30 pounds of meat to be processed and I didn't have to cut on the front quarter that was mutilated by the gun shot. I'll be taking the meat in this week for processing.

Saw a 9 point

Saw a 9 pointer move through here at 7:30 but he stayed just beyond the brush and I never got the shot.

Opening Morning

Sitting in my deer stand waiting on a deer.

More Flooding

Got the call to go get the boat this morning due to more flooding. I was also warned that Huster was already under. When I got near Huster on Hwighway B water was over the road. B was covered from there as far as I could see. Huster looked like a river coming down the pavement. I'm going to guess it to be 18+ inches deep between Huster and Riverside.

Lake 33

Adam and I went fishing last Monday. We went out to busch wildlife early in the morning to fish lake 33. The place was packed because it was opening day of dove season too. We rented a boat so we could try out the trolling motor i got. IT WORKS GREAT!! Fishing was slow i caught one crappie and Adam caught one nice bass.

Opening Day of Dove Season

As most hunters know today was opening day of dove season. As we usually do, Les and I headed up to Blackwalnut to the Wehmeyer's place to see if we could take down our dozen birds. We didn't expect to see any, just becuase we had not been seeing any flying in the days leading up to today. We suspect it is due to the cold snap we got for the few weeks prior to today. I picked Les up about 5:30 and we were at our spot before 6:00. We finished our coffee and watched the sun start to give the back side of our hunting area an early morning glow. That was our signal to load the guns and take our positions, dove season was open. We sat for a while with some gun shots off in the distance. Distant shots are good, because it wasn't long after that and we had our first round of birds coming through. Most of the morning they would come in waves. A few at a time, mostly towards Les. They would circle in the field next to him where the neighbors had a decoy line set up and when they missed, Les would BLAST them. Brad showed up about an hour after we got there. We each had about 4 birds, and it didn't take long and Brad had 3 on the ground. Brad and I hunted 75 yards from each other facing opposite directions and calling out birds for each other while Les sat over behind the barns in his perfect spot, blasting one bird after another. By the end of the day Les had 10 with one lost, I had 9 with one lost and Brad had 4, two lost and one on top of the barn. For not expecting to even see any birds, we had a really good morning. By 11:00 we were home with the birds soaking in brine just waiting to be wrapped in a half a slice of bacon with a jalapeno pepper slice and a slice of pepper jack cheese sandwiched between the two pieces of breast meat, grilled with a dab of barbeque sauce. Now that is some good eatin'!

River Fishing

Matt, Uncle Steve and I spent Saturday morning fishing the river for catfish. We did pretty good. 7 landed so far 4 on a stringer so far with about a half hour left. The bait to use has been stink bait. Matt did get some hits on shad, but nothing in the boat.

BULL SHOALS

Here is a nice 3 lbs. that i caught on vacation. I caught it trolling with a firecracker grub.

FISH ON!

Went down to new town last night and caught a bunch. Seems like the Bass are just getting ready to spawn. Crazy how late it is, but the Bass belly's looked to be full of eggs. Check out the pics.

Clarification on the Number of Rods

So I was always under the impression that we could only use 3 rods a piece to fish on the Mississippi... I was wrong. We can use as many as we would like as long as we have less than 50 hooks and we label rod number 3 and over with our name and address. This is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of the Missouri Wildlife Code: Sport Fishing: Seasons, Methods, Limits, part 3 CSR 10-6.410 Fishing Methods
"(2) Number of Poles and Hooks.
(A) Not more than three (3) unlabeled poles and not more than thirty-three (33) hooks in the aggregate, for any or all methods, may be used by any person at one time.
(B) On the Mississippi River, not more than two (2) unlabeled poles and not more than fifty (50) hooks in the aggregate may be used by any person at one time. While fishing concurrently on the Mississippi River and other Missouri waters, not more than fifty (50) hooks in the aggregate may be used and not more than thirty-three (33) of those hooks may be used in waters other than the Mississippi River."
Just thought I'd throw that out there. I didn't realize this.

Tuesday at Twain

My boss, Joe, and I played hooky from work today and ran up to Mark Twain. Since neither of us have a fishing boat we rented from Indian Creek. The morning was pretty bad. Tornadoes rolled through which forced us back into the harbor. The afternoon wasn't much better but I did manage to catch a nice 12" crappie. With the water up this high and the changing weather they don't know if they want to spawn or not. Guess we'll just have to keep going back!

Fish ON!

Bryan and I (Adam) did some fishing at the regular super secret lakes around town on Sunday afternoon. As you can see from the second picture the females are just about ready to bed. Biggest of the day was 23 inches (Bryan's) and my biggest (above) was 21. Caught around 30-40 in the 11-20 inch range also. We also caught about 15 crappie, a few keepers. Only got one picture of them below.

Air temp : 75

Sunny, no clouds.

Water Color : Gin Clear

Water Temp : Getting There. :)