Fish Missouri

St. Francis River, Wayne County, Missouri October 14th, 2011: Got a little action before the front moved in

2011-10-16T08:20:00.000-06:00

Kayak fishing St. Francis River, Missouri

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Missouri

I put the kayak in at the Greenville area (run by Corps of Engineers). This is the point where the St. Francis River starts to turn into Lake Wappapello. I decided to paddle up stream on the St. Francis River side. The weather was interesting. It started at about 80 degrees and sunny. As I set out to paddle, it started to get real windy. By the end of the trip, it was cloudy, cool, and I ended up putting on the sweater I had packed earlier. I am really glad I brought it. The high cirrus clouds looked like they were moving about 80 mph. It was a cold front moving in for sure.

I really thought there would be a shot at some smallmouths, but they were quite. I did catch a fairly nice sized Largemouth Bass on my standard- texas rigged Zoom trick worm. I only caught one, but the fight was excellent with this guy.

It is interesting the difference in the experience kayaking in regards to comparing a SOT fishing kayak vs. a sea kayak. I really enjoy fishing off of both, and can see now why both are excellent. Soon I will probably be moving back to the sea kayak with the temperatures getting cold. My intent is to kayak all year, including the winter time. I know that I can navigate the SOT with a pair of waders and a rain jacket, but my hopes are to get a Kokatak wet suit this year. The cold weather should not stop us from getting up on the water.

Fish ON!

Mike

Lake Atkins, Pope County, Arkansas: Great lake with lots of structure

2011-10-15T08:54:00.000-06:00

Kayak Fishing Lake Atkins, Arkansas

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Arkansas

Lake Atkins is located in central Arkansas between Little Rock and Ft. Smith. I brought my SOT fishing kayak, "The Bossy Flossy" along for the trip. I was able to get a couple of hours of fishing in before the sun started to go down (I figured the fishing would turn on towards sunset). I paddled across the lake and drifted along shore. This lake is chock-full of trees, stumps and structure. I had read that it was drained in 2002 and restocked with Florida-strain Largemouth bass.

It is a nice sized lake, and looks like one that does not receive as much pressure due to the stumps and the location.
I was throwing a lot of stuff out trying to get something to hit. I have not had a lot of success the last couple of trips, so I was really hoping to catch something (It is funny how if you do not catch a bass after about the 3rd trip you start to wonder if you can remember how to fish!!).

I put out some white spinners, mini spinners with minnow, stand up jig with hula grubs, texas rigged dark worms. What I had success on was what my go to has been for 2011- watermelon zoom trick worm texas rigged on spinning rod. And sure enough, caught it in some trees, right about sunset.

Fish ON!

Mike

Lake Sherwood, Warren County, MO September 10th, 2011: Some action heating up with the Largemouths!

2011-09-17T11:21:00.000-06:00

This was a kayak fishing trip that I had set out to harvest some fish for an evening dinner. The day was cool and beautiful. I have had some incredible stringers and large catches in the month of September, so I was really looking forward to the fishing!

I was on the main lake and kayaked most of it.....cool temperatures after Labor Day are excellent for kayak fishing, due to the fact that you have most of the lake to yourself, without much motor traffic.
I had a spinning rod with a bottom rig/night crawler set up (which can be a great rig when the panfish really fire up) however, I did not have much luck with that rig. Lake Sherwood has a "Under 12" take all you can Largmouth Bass" set up, so I figured I would try and take enough for a small meal for myself once I got home. I accomplished the goal on this trip!

I had the most success on a texas rigged watermelon trick worm (6")....that has been my "go to" worm this year in regards to bass fishing...once again it delivered!

fish ON!

Mike

Loutre River, Montgomery County, Missouri Sept 5th, 2011: lots of fish in shallow pools- but you have to get to them!

2011-09-09T07:02:00.000-06:00

This was a challenging kayak fishing trip on the Loutre River, Missouri. The word "river" really should be replaced with "stream". I ended up going about 4.5 miles total, but I think half of that time was spent portaging with my kayak cart (really glad I decided to bring it along!). No complaints, however. It was a really nice day to be out, cooler than normal, and windy.

As I looked at the water on this stream, I really started to wonder if there were any fish. Some spots had quite a bit of bright algea growth (I bet some of it had to do with some agricultural run off- some was probably natural).

About half way through the trip, I caught the shadow under the kayak of a huge Gar..big fish, small pool!.

As you watch the film , you will see the typical catch on this stream. No smallmouths, but all Largemouths. I also caught quite a few really small sunfish as well. I had a gold mini spinner, with a red jig head and a plastic minnow. This seemed to really tear them up. Almost all of them were laying deep in structure or in grass next to shore with heavy rocks...structure is key in a small stream.
Now here is what is great about small stream fishing- you are probably the first fisher they have seen! I could tell that this is a spot that a lot of people do not fish. Probably due to the fact that the fish are typically smaller and the effort to get to some of these spots is intense at times. It is a lot of fun to see what you will pull from a stream in Missouri!

fish ON!

Mike

Coffeen Lake, Montgomery County, Illinois, August 14th, 2011: Incredible day of Largmouth fishing!

2011-08-15T06:37:00.000-06:00

Coffeen Lake is one of 3 nice size lakes around Litchefield, IL. I fished this lake in May with my friend Ray off the kayaks, and we had a little success then, so I figured I would come back. I am glad I did....This lake has some really nice Largmouths in it!

The lake is still a little high- I was going to try and paddle the whole lake, but there is a railroad track levy half through it. Due to the high water, you cannot go through the tunnel (it is almost entirely under water.

I caught over (7) bass, a few in the 15-16" range. What I noticed about the ones I caught at this fishery were how fat they were. Little footballs! Also, I noticed what fight they had! I have caught a few bass in last months that have been like catching a branch, but not these. I really thought at first I had landed a smallmouth or something.

My success was based on a spinning rod, with a carolina rig, and a zoom trick worm. I think the secret today was the carolina rig. I think this rig causes action on the worm, but not as much horizontal movement. Could that be the secret to getting on large numbers of bass in the late summer? I am looking forward to trying this at Table Rock Lake in a few weeks as see if it holds true there as well.

Fish ON!

Mike

Trout Fishing Roaring River SP and Bennett Spring SP, Late July 2011

2011-08-14T05:26:00.000-06:00

I took a few weeks off with the kayak, and decided to dust off the trout gear and fly rods and head out to Roaring River SP (near Cassville, MO) and Bennett Spring SP (near Lebanon, Mo) on this particular week. It felt good to get the waders on again, but it was very hot out.
At Roaring River we fished about 1/2 day, and I caught one on a silver/blue Little Cleo spoon. We also worked powerbait trout worms and eggs, but that was all we caught for the day. The fishing seemed to be a bit slow, possibly due to the heat.

A few days later I hit Bennett Springs. I caught one nice trout on a spoon, and fished every zone.
Started in zone 3 with soft plastic worms, then I went to zone 2 and threw a Little Cleo Spoon (this is where I caught my fish at Bennett, and finally I ended the day in Zone 1 with a fly rod (no luck there). Overall, it was great to get out and do this type of fishing. A lot of things differ between going after bass/panfish type fish and going after trout. It was good to at least get re-versed again in the differences.

Fish ON!

Mike

Table Rock Lake, Stone County, MO July 6th 2011: Very, Very light bite on Table Rock

2011-07-09T06:02:00.000-06:00

Table Rock still is a little high, but it is much closer to normal pool than when I had kayaked it 4 weeks ago. This weekend (the 4th) the boat traffic was incredible. I am thinking it was good for the local economy, at least I am hoping it was.

I was using Zoom Pumpkin trick worms on a texas rig when I caught the bass in the video above. I was getting a lot of taps, but it seemed eveytime I pulled back to set the hook....nothing. I had debated going to a small set up on the spinning rod (maybe a small spinner) but decided to keep with what I had. I also was throwing a Chomper Hula Grub on a stand up jig. This time of the year, the smallmouths really seem to be prevalent when it gets warm, so I figured that would be a good strategy...not this time.

They are really deep so I was fishing 14' of the shore and points....sometimes it is just hard to figure them out.

Fish ON!

MLT

Niangua River, Laclede County, MO. June 28th: Beautiful Ozark river with some incredible smallie fishing!

2011-07-03T19:23:00.000-06:00

I have always wanted to hit the Niangua River in the Missouri Ozarks, and finally got an opportunity to kayak and fish it. The water is fairly swift, so kayaking upstream and drift fishing down was a challenge, but I was able to get it done. Did a little over 2 miles, due to the fact that I had to portage quite a few times due to the depth and swiftness of the current.
If you take a look at the film, I caught the first small Smallmouth on a Rattle Trap. It then got a tad slow for about an hour, but really turned on right before I was getting ready to take out. River bend + current in grass + Gene Larew Salt Craw= success!!

Felt so good getting up on these incredible bass....I have quite a new addiction now- Smallie Fishing! Caught one at 16" and one at about 14" and then the small one before I headed out. This strip had quite a bit of canoe traffic, so I do not know if it would be a good weekend river (maybe in the fall when people do not float as much).

Fish ON!

Mike

Kayak Fishing off Hatterras Island, Pamilico Sound, North Carolina: Wide variety of saltwater fish in the sound!

2011-06-25T10:24:00.000-06:00

This is a compilation of a couple of days of kayak fishing on the sound in North Carolina. I ended up renting a Necky kayak (very happy with) instead of bringing either my sea kayak or fishing kayak. It was easier than loading on top of the durango we took to get there.
The needle fish was a real kick to catch (it is the gar looking fish about halfway in the video). This was the one I landed (I lost 2 other due to the fact that they snapped the line with their sharp teeth). These fish are fun to catch. They hit the bait hard and run with it, jumping out of the air and flipping around....what a rush!
I got a better nav map of the sound, so when I go back next year, I will go out even farther and catch even more fish. What a great experience!

fish ON!

Mike

Fishing the Miss Hatteras, Odens Dock, North Carolina: Great time saltwater fishing on the gulf stream

2011-06-17T05:48:00.000-06:00

I know this does not count as the Midwest, however, as director of the site I am going to take artistic license and allow occasional Outer Banks, NC post on this, as well as other locals as I see fit. We come out to the Outer Banks every year for our family vacation, and it is one of my favorite places on earth. I have another post coming soon in regards to some kayak fishing as well.

The Miss Hatteras is a head boat (which means you pay by the head, not by the boat). We first went out with them a few years ago and really enjoyed the experience. Captain Ron and Natalie do an incredible job and work real hard to get the clients on fish. The fishing was not as good as a couple of years ago, but we still got on some fish, which is more than I can say in comparison to some of the trips I have gone on this year myself. They are docked at Odens Dock, North Carolina. I do not think they have a web site (or else I would link it) but you can look it up on the dock site through the Internet. If you are coming out, I would recommend them highly.

Caught a nice Sea Bass, but that was about it. Charlie got on a few more fish than I did, but none of his were keepers (he even caught a shark)

Really looking forward to coming back to the OBX to get back on the Miss Hatteras

Fish ON!

Mike

Kings River, Arkansas June 8th, 2011: Smallies really were turned on, fishing excellent!

2011-06-14T06:50:00.001-06:00

It is kind of funny how it works sometimes. The weekend before I was fishing a kayak fishing tournament in Faytteville, Arkansas on the Illinois River and just could not get up on any kind of substantial fish (did catch one smallie that was about 9")

The table turned on the Kings River on this day. The river is still really up, due to the fact the Table Rock Lake is up. The first fish I started to catch were Largemouth Bass. As I started to paddle in, that is when the Smallmouth Bass started to hit, and they hit strong. Caught a nice 16" beauty that really made my day! I ended up paddling about 6 miles that day (3 in against the current, and 3 back in drift fish mode) Incredible day of fishing, will be back sometime soon.

It seems like the best success I have had this year in the Ozarks has been from about 4:00-7:30 p.m. in the evening (seems like this pattern was even true in March).

Flow(cfs): 880
Guage Height: 4.5'

Fish ON!

Mike

Illinois River, Benton County, Arkansas, June 4th, 2011: Competed in Riverbassin. paddle fishing tournament for first time

2011-06-08T16:29:00.001-06:00

Illinois River Arkansas- Kayaking and fishing

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I got a chance to compete in first every kayak fishing tournament for the riverbassin' tournament trail , which made a stop in Fayetteville, Arkansas. I really did not due too well on this tournament this time. I originally had kayaked the day before on the White River just south of Beaver Lake, but at the last minute I changed my strategy and fished the Illinois River, a much swifter, colder river than the White River at that point. I am not really sure if that affected the outcome or not....I do have to say that the river as absolutly beautiful, as the video below will show. I got some great shots and really challenged myself as a kayaker and sometimes that is just as important as getting on fish....except when you are fishing a tournament!

I did catch one smallmouth that measured out at 9", but I did not catch the fish until almost 2:00 p.m. Very unfortunate considering I struck out at 6:00 a.m..
I think the biggest mistake I made was not bringing some full sized spinner baits with grubs as trailers. I have caught some huge smallmouths in the past with that lure, and for some reason or another, I did not included in my tackle box. My concept was throw hula grubs on stand-up gigs (Chompers plastics)...no go on this run.

Here is what is cool about fishing the rivers and lakes from a kayak- you always are learning new things. A few days later I tore it up based on some of the lessons I learned on this outing. Life is good :) Watch the video below- I think you will dig it!

Flow (cfs): 1100
Guage Height: 6.5'

Fish ON!

Mike

Table Rock Lake, Aunts Creek Access, Stone County, MO: Lake still real high, got a little action in the trees

2011-06-05T14:29:00.000-06:00

I got a chance to get a nice kayak paddle in on Table Rock Lake, Aunts Creek area. I did about 5.5 miles to end of the Aunts Creek arm and back. The first half was all about getting to the mark with the kayak, the second half was about the fishing. Was a little slow, but got a couple of hits and a small smallmouth on a zoom finesse worm, Texas rigged. Was throwing right in the trees.
The second video below was from kayaking a couple of nights before, right as the sun was going down....no fish pictures in this video, but there are some really gorgeous shots, and if you have not been down here, it gives you a visual of how high the water is. Good news is that Beaver Lake, Arkansas is down, so Table Rock Lake should be next...enjoy!

Fish ON!

Mike

Kayaking 5.5 miles on Table Rock Lake, Missouri

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Lake Kincaid, Jackson County, Illinois May 29th 2011: Lake and small creek fishing all in one trip!

2011-05-31T05:53:00.000-06:00

Windy kayaking adventure at Lake Kincaid, Illinois

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This was a fun fishing trip on a really hot day. Launched the kayak on the north part of the lake, but was really having to fight off the wind and the boat traffic. Decided to paddle to my right and go about 3/4 of a mile into a small creek that empties into Lake Kincaid. Was catching some Largemouth Bass on a roadrunner with black/yellow grub. I almost forgot how much fun it is to fish smaller flowing waters. Due to water levels, it has been real difficult getting out on the streams and rivers this year.
I look forward to coming back to this lake....it is a lake know for it's Muskie fishing. That would be a real trip catching one on a kayak sometime!

Fish ON!

MLT

Coffeen Lake, Montgomery County, Illinois: Very nice Illnois power plant lake with a lot of potential!

2011-05-28T08:14:00.001-06:00

Got a chance to get a quick trip in to Coffeen Lake, Illinois yesterday. This lake is very close to Litchefield, Illinois, and is about an hour north of St. Louis. A lot of time Illinois lakes are overlooked by Missouri anglers, including myself. It is official- I am now licensed in Illinois! So I intend on coming back often. What I like about the lakes in Central and Southern Illinois is the fact that they are closer to the St. Louis metro area than comparable lakes on the Missouri side (and that is not a criticism of Missouri lakes!)

This is a power plant lake, so I can imagine there are parts of the lake that you can fish all year. I can also imaging that the growing season is longer, and the potential for monster bass is definite.
We put in on the north side of the lake, and paddled for about 2 miles or so. My friend Ray went about double that, but I was getting on some fish, so I slowed down to fish it. Did not tear it up, but caught a small one and a medium sized one. The regulations on the lake for Largemouth bass are (1) over 15" and (2) under 15" (no slot). I also noticed that the lake has stripers, and a (10) total, 10" limit on crappie.
Caught my first small bass on a roadrunner with a white grub (kind of my go to since I caught that huge bass on Table Rock) and then with the overcast skies, I switched to a texas-rigged black culprit worm (this is my go to when it gets cloudy out). That was the bait I caught the biggest bass on.
I spoke with another fisherman who was tearing it up. He was catching on a white/chartreuse spinner (which out of all the lures, did not have that day).

The bass were literally jumping out of the water.....this is a lake I intend on coming back to in the future, as well as the other lakes that surround this area.

Fish ON!

MLT

Kayaking Coffeen Lake, Illinois

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Lake Sherwood, Warren County, MO, April 20th, 2011: Panfish are starting to warm up.....

2011-04-21T03:48:00.000-06:00

Lake Sherwood is probably like most lakes in east central Missouri right now....high with water! I did not know how the fishing would be after we had that massive cold front move through yesterday. It was colder than I expected when I got out there. I am glad I keep my gore-tex jacket stored in the kayak just in case.

Picked up some nightcrawlers and had one of the rods set up for a bottom rig, but due to the wind and the fact that my sea kayak does not have an anchor, I went back to mini spinning rigs (silver or gold spinner, jig head and mini grub). Caught a couple of nice bluegill and a small slot size bass (the slot at Sherwood is 12-15"). Really enjoyed my time out in the water.
If you watch the video, I get the jig stuck in my hand about 2/3rd through it. I like how I just tried to shake it off.

The thing to remember about sea kayaks and fishing is that there are some limitations. I bought a rod leash and some foam rod floats.....leash D hook was cheap, fell off, and actually lost it in the water. Rod fell in water and turned kayak around to find in floating. Rod leash= FAIL Rod Float= thumbs up! Keep that in mind if you are fishing from a sea kayak. I will be breaking the SOT fishing kayak out very soon.

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake Sherwood, Warren County, MO, April 17th 2011: Fishing a little Slow, great day for a kayak fishing trip!

2011-04-18T08:16:00.002-06:00

Lake Sherwood- kayaking and fishing

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Lake Ft. Smith, Arkansas, April 8th, 2011: Some success with Crappies!

2011-04-14T05:37:00.000-06:00

What an incredible lake! I only had a few hours to kayak and check this lake out, but I made sure to bring my fishing pole along. Caught a few small Largemouth Bass, and then hit a log with a bunch of "bigger than your hand" crappies. What a fun spell of fishing!

It seems like right now the roadrunner/white grub is the lure of choice with all the fishing I am doing. Started throwing a small beetle spin and then switched to the roadrunner. I was using 6# test, which I think helped with this lake. Seems almost as clear as Table Rock Lake.

The lake has expanded....according to my GPS, I was on land the beginning of the paddle trip. Lake Shepard Springs had the dam breached and it merged with Lake Ft. Smith. Nice, large lake in NW Arkansas. Really looking forward to going back.

Fish ON!

MLT

Table Rock Lake, Stone County, Missouri March 25th 2011: Dogwood trees start to bloom, monster pig bass come out to play in the ozarks!

2011-03-25T06:16:00.000-06:00

I got a chance to get the kayak out for a few hours and decided to paddle and fish Table Rock Lake. This is the largest bass I have caught in a really long time (maybe ever). I was fishing a cove with a white roadrunner with a small white mister twister grub attached, kind of bouncing off the bottom. When she bit, I thought it was a snag, but then the line started moving the other direction. It was a real challenge landing on a sea kayak. She had me running around the cove for a little bit.

I was really concerned because I was using a spinning rod with 8# test. I was thinking "this water is so clear, I should have packed the rod that had 6# loaded"...glad I did not! I did not have a measuring tool, however I got it laid up against my rod and it went past the Shakespeare ugly stik logo. When I get back I will get it measured out.

I am almost thinking this is a spotted bass. I know the second smaller one is. The lateral line on the fish would leave me to believe that it is....

Fish ON!

MLT

We have a new website featuring hiking and backpacking- www.hikethemidwest.com

2011-02-10T07:58:00.000-06:00

We are proud of our newest online newsletter, http://www.hikethemidwest.com/ . I promise this will be the last website. I have had so many cool and incredible outdoor adventures that go beyond fishing and kayaking, I felt that it needed it own website. I think it is also important to keep blogs and newsletters on focus with the definite purpose of why they are created in the first place.

Currently in the St. Louis area as I write this it is -5 degrees, so all I have to say is "Think Spring"!

If you are into hiking and backpacking, please check it out, and feel free to scroll to the bottom of the page and subscribe if you would like.

Fish ON!

MLT

Clarksville Dam- check out the piled up ice on the Mississippi River!

2011-02-08T06:17:00.000-06:00

I almost bet you could walk across the ice to the other side- but I wouldn't try it!

Think Spring!

Fish ON,

MLT

We have a new newsletter/blog to compliment Fish Missouri!

2010-12-29T11:55:00.000-06:00

I look like General McArthur coming back to the phillipines
However, this photo is not "staged" (LOL)

We are excited to announce our newest blog, http://www.kayakthemidwest.com/ . If you get a chance, check it out and feel free to subscribe to it like you have this blog.
I still have every intent of getting some serious fishing shots in this newsletter in the upcoming months. The reason I developed another blog was the fact that my hobby (or obsession) has been steering me to take up tour kayaking as well. For awhile now, I have been posting some of these adventures here. I realized that it probably needs a dedicated site just for the "pursuit of kayak mileage", so http://www.kayakthemidwest.com/ was developed.
The trout have been stocked up in the St. Louis Metro area (namely Busch Wildlife CA), however, it has been so cold, the lakes have frozen over (but not quite enough to hike on them and ice fish). So I have been out of the loop in regards to fishing as of late.....we are working on changing that!

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake Lincoln, Lincoln County, MO, November 26th, 2010: Great winter paddle across Lake Lincoln

2010-11-26T19:53:00.000-06:00

It was a windy, 45 degree day however sometimes those can be the best days when you want to just get out and paddle. The trip did not disappoint at all. I just picked up a really cool spray skirt for the kayak, and it was worth every penny....what a difference a good spray skirt makes in a touring kayak! I am ready for some even bigger trips this year.

MLT

Meremac River, St. Louis County, MO. November 21st, 2010: Great maiden voyage of the new Feelfree Atlantis 14 sea kayak!

2010-11-21T20:21:00.001-06:00

This is the video from our "maiden voyage"of the new touring/sea kayak I purchased this weekend. It is a Feelfree Atlantis 14 touring/sea kayak. I got it at Branson Kayak. I have known Rodney for a number of years, and it is the spot I picked up my first fishing kayak. If you are looking for an excellent kayak, the Feelfree Kayak brand is a good way to go. Branson Kayak is the only distributor in Missouri. It was worth the drive from St. Louis to Branson

Once I got all the kinks worked out in regards to the rudder and balance, the paddle today was incredible. It really started to get windy, but fortunately it was on our back heading downstream. We did about 6 miles or so, and saw wild turkeys and kingfishers. Ray was throwing a mini spinner, but the fish are seemingly dormant at this time. Time spent paddeling with friends is always good time spent. I am exciting about all the possiblities this winter now I have a touring kayak. This will be the kayak I race on the Missouri River next year....very excited!

Flow (CFS): 700
Gauge Height (ft): 2.2

Paddle ON!

MLT

Last September fishing trip at Table Rock Lake (Aunts Creek) Missouri- Peaceful!

2010-11-21T20:04:00.000-06:00

Clean Water Challenge 2010- 20 Miles- Weldon Spring CA to Frontier Park, Missouri River, Sept 4th, 2010

2010-09-05T11:58:00.004-06:00

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Ater the 20 mile race

It was so incredible to go for 20 miles on the Missouri River with a Kayak....I will be back. I did not place tops, but I placed, and that is something I am proud of. It was so great to kayak with Ray and see him kick butt with his Necky tourning Kayak...I think a touring kayak will be in the works real soon. I was so suprised to see Mel, Mom and Shelby at the fishing line...they got some cool shots of me coming over the finish line. We also really appreciated my sister Jenni coming out to support us and help us get the car from Weldon Spring...I was exhausted after...It was such a big help. This was something so worth doing...It had been a dream of mine since I was a kid...being able to navigate the big river.....About 1/4 into it, I almost got taken out by an Asian Carp...saw it in the corner of my eye and it hit the aft of the kayak...good deal. I stayed in the middle of the channel almost the entire trip.

Getting ready to get my land legs

My littlest fan...she gives the race a "thumbs up"

Very Cool Stringer...Blue Cats from the Missouri River, Weldon Spring CA, St. Charles, Missouri

2010-09-05T11:33:00.001-06:00

Asian Carps have become a real problem on the Missouri River....They take the food and resources away from the native Spoonbill and Sturgeon...The fisherman is referring to this problem in the first video

If you fish, this is as good as it gets....not only do you have a massive stringer, but you have 30+ people hanging out at the boat ramp getting ready to launch for the Clean River Challenge 2010.

Fish ON!

MLT

Table Rock Lake, Aunts Creek, Stone County, MO August 28th, 2010.: Largemouth Bass in Summer Pattern

2010-08-30T15:55:00.001-06:00

Spring River, Twin Bridges SP, Oklahoma, July 29th, 2010: Fishing a tad slow, great potential!

2010-07-31T09:40:00.001-06:00

Fishing barge- has indoor fishing spots!

Paddled all around these islands...very scenic!

I arrived at Twin Bridges SP, Oklahoma around 3:30 in the afternoon and got the kayak launched- extreme heat both air and water. Paddled all around the islands in the middle of the channel. There is a really good put-in point for kayaks and canoes if you go up the hill in the state park...great vista to see the entire river as well. This is the point where the Neosho River and the Spring River merge to form the Grand River and Grand Lake in Oklahoma. I got a chance to chat with the fishing barge operator...this is an incredible catfish fishery. On the way out, he was cleaning a very large flathead catfish caught on a jug line. I am going to come back later and target some of these catfish!

Fish ON!

MLT

Oklahoma Yard Ornament..my compliments to the designer!

Grand Lake, Deleware County, Oklahoma, July 28th, 2010: Little bit of action near marina, bass are deep

2010-07-30T04:53:00.000-06:00

Marina near Bernice State Park

My first Oklahoma largmouth!

I got a chance to fish Grand Lake O' The Cherokee's (Grand Lake) after working in Kansas for the day, and hit the water around 3:30 p.m. or so. The put in spot was Bernice State Park. Grand lake is a beautiful lake and today turned out to be excellent. I paddled up to the bridge that crosses the arm of the lake and went to the other side of the bridge.

Grank Lake Largemouth Bass

There was a marina and a shady rocky shore with docks, shade, and depth, so I chose to fish that area for the day. I was using a natural colored Wave Worm on a texas rigged baitcasting rod. I got a couple of really small taps and caught a 6" green sunfish (the bait was as large as the fish!). After fishing the drop off points for about an hour, I paddled to the cove that had the marina. About 10' out on the corner of a dock, I landed my first and only fish for the day.

They call this spot the "Crappie Capital", so I will make sure to come back to it soon, and most definitely check it out for spring crappie fishing.

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, July 26th, 2010: Nice size bass caught on texas rigged plastic worm off kayak

2010-07-27T21:30:00.003-06:00

I only had a couple of hours after work on Tuesday to hit Lake Springfield. The last couple of times I have launched off at this point, I paddled north where it turns from Lake Springfield to the James River. This time, I decided to head west towards the railroad track bridge and bluffs.

I was using an 8" purple/black plastic worm, texas rigged on a bait casting rod....I got a hit immediate and thought I had set the hook. When the first bass surfaced, she shook her head and spit it out. I knew it was a really good sized bass, and for a split moment I had some disappointment...then I realized how grateful I was just to be able to be out kayaking and doing what I love to do. I never have understood the people who curse and carry on when they lose one....give me a break! If you fish enough, you will catch another one- promise! So I just leaned back for a moment, took a deep breath, and said "perfect"!

Here is what was cool...after a couple of cast, BAM! Another big hit! Was it the same fish? Or was it the brother from another mother? These are the mysteries of the universe. I currently have an elbow that is out of place, so landing this one was a real challenge, but we made it happen. I love fishing for bass this time of the year- especially in the evening!

fish ON!

MLT

Lake Springfield, Greene County, Missouri: My attempt at a Bill Dance Moment

2010-07-27T21:11:00.000-06:00

Lake Sherwood, Warren County July 25th, 2010: Catfish hitting on bass worms!

2010-07-26T06:32:00.000-06:00

Needed the net for this one!

I decided to come back to Lake Sherwood after a great day of fishing yesterday (even with the heat). A front moved through, so it was cooler than yesterday by a little, with more overcast than sunny skies. This time I launched at the dam and fished the first cove by the lakes largest (and only) island. I figured I would leave the bottom rig at home and just go for bass, so I had (1) spinning rod and (2) bait caster rods on the kayak.

Two Nice Lake Sherwood Channel Cats

Tried a lot of different things....started with yesterdays "go to" the red jelly worm with no success. I brought a tin of Berkly Gulp Alive worms, 7" watermelon and started to cast those. I caught one very small bass, but did not set the hook hard enough to get into the boat. About an hour into fishing the shore lines I got a mighty hit. This happened the minute the worm went about 6" into the water by a log. This was the first and largest channel catfish. I am glad I had my net in the kayak...this was the first time I have had to use it on a fish. The water temperature is so warm right now, it really does not surprise me that they are hitting like this. I have caught many a catfish in the spring on rooster tails fishing for other species. I continued around the cove and about 40 min later, caught the second catfish, in the same manner. I am really glad I came back for round two on Sunday!

fish ON!

MLT

Lake Sherwood, Warren County, July 24th, 2010: Panfish off, but Largmouth On!

2010-07-25T10:40:00.000-06:00

I got out to the main lake at Sherwood around 1:30 or so. The story of the day really was the heat....the index was up over 100 degrees! However, I know that sometimes the best fishing is during high light, high heat days, especially for panfish....so that is what I was targeting on this day. I got a new kayak wheel set and so I wanted to try it out. It is going to take a little getting used to....my kayak is a little heavier, coming in at around 75# (much like a canoe in that respect). So I decided to park at the Lake Sherwood marina, unload it from the top of the car, and "wheel it" over to the boat launch.

Paddled out of the cove and went to the beach area of the lake to get all the rods set up and ready to go and fished that cove. Got absolutely no interest in the nightcrawler/ bottom rig set up that traditionally works so well on Lake Sherwood. I got bored so I started to throw a texas rigged red Manns Jelly worm (6") towards the shore...started to receive some taps, but was not able to set on any....after about an hour or so fishing the shale banks, I paddled past the swim beach into another cover that has a lot of hydrilla and moss cover. As I was speaking with another fellow Kayaker, a hit....16" Largemouth!

I then paddled toward the marina and decided to use the canoe/kayak landing. (very dangerous, might I add....straight drop off w/ concrete and wire). I knew my brother in law, Rob, was getting ready for a tournament that night and spotted him at the boat launch, so we had a quick convo....As I was packing up, I decided to fish just a couple more times towards the dock and BAM! An even larger Largemouth Bass...hit on exact same set up. As you can see from the photo, he is probably about 18" or so....overall, great day on the lake! Finished up around 6:00 p.m. and headed home.

Fish ON!

MLT

Crane Lake, Iron County, July 17th, 2010: Fishing slow, but paddle trip excellent

2010-07-21T04:33:00.000-06:00

Ray and Jenni in Kayaks- this was her first kayak trip with us

Small Bluegill caught on bottom rig- water is really clear!

Crane Lake, Iron County, MO, July 17th, 2010: If you kayak the lake, make sure you check out the Shut-Ins below the dam!

2010-07-19T16:40:00.000-06:00

This is the Shut-In area below the dam at Crane Lake. This area really reminds me of either West Virginia or Colorado, the way the rocks are structured. This is a part of the Mark Twain National Forest and is in the "Arcadia Valley" of Missouri.

Crane Lake, Iron County, MO, July 17th, 2010: What a beautiful lake!

2010-07-19T16:34:00.001-06:00

Meremac River, Crawford County, MO: Canoe fishing not bad! River just a tad high

2010-07-19T06:54:00.004-06:00

This was the first time I had paddled the Meremac River near Steelville. I got a chance to canoe with my friend, Art McCall. We ended up doing about 6 miles, and outfitted canoes with Garrison's Resort (friendly outfitter). It felt a little weird being on a canoe vs. a kayak. I am still very partial to kayaks, but I can see applications for canoes on occasion.

The float was fast, and we stopped several times at some sand bars to fish. I had some success with a brown rooster tail. Art caught a couple with a natural colored plastic worm , texas rigged.

I caught all of mine inside a root wad/tree that was in the middle of the channel. Current was going both ways, and there was slack water in the middle, with shade. I fished the seam and had success. The smallmouth was not a bad sized one for a river this size. I think I am going to come back to this spot with my kayak, and charter Garrisions to drop me off, that way it is a one way trip (too swift to paddle upstream with my kayak).

Gauge: 3'

Flow: 1,000

Fish ON!

MLT

Meremac River, Crawford County, MO: View from the Canoe

2010-07-18T09:06:00.001-06:00

Lake Sherwood, Warren County, July 13th, 2010: Main lake home to huge Bluegills!

2010-07-17T03:29:00.003-06:00

I had an opportunity to go to Lake Sherwood in Warren County after work, and I am glad I did. Very rarely will I fish the main lake and not have success fishing, especially for large Bluegill and Red ear Sunfish. This day was not exception.

I used the traditional bottom rig with a nightcrawler and paddled around the main island. I was fishing off the main "channel" of the lake. You can do this on a week day, but on the weekend there are too many skiiers and tubers who make it almost like ocean fishing (kind of like Lake of the Ozarks, except not nearly as bad). Only had a couple of people in powerboats, and it got real calm after 6:00 (that may be when no wake regulations come into place.

Finished around 7:00 p.m. and headed back home.

Fish ON!

MLT

Meremac River, St. louis County, MO. July 4th 2010: Paddeling was awesome, storm not as good

2010-07-11T08:00:00.003-06:00

Paddled from the Route 66 State Park boat launch to the confluence of the Big River. I got a chance to film it with my HD camcorder (see previous post). This is one of my favorite stretches of the Meremac River. In the past, the fishing has been really good. This is the spot that I caught a huge smallmouth- my personal best so far.

I had a bottom rig out with some nightcrawlers and caught several drum....this part of the river has a ton of drum. I bet it has some large catfish as well. It is 2.75 miles from the boat launch to the confluence point. I felt the workout the next day, big time (close to 6 miles total)...because my thought was to paddle up, drift fish back for about 3 hours or so. In reality, I paddled up, and then had a thunderstorm on my back going the other way. So I had a "sense of urgency" to get back to the ramp. Did not make it....found a tree to hang out under until it blew over. I got soaked. There is a saying "cotton kills". This is a correct statement. I had a cotton sleeveless shirt on, and it stayed soaked the whole time. In a cooler environment, I could have got hypothermia (even in the summer!). That is why a dry bag with dry clothing is always a good idea (I usually keep extra cloths in the car, if possible).

Flow: 900 (cfs)

Gauge: 2.75 (ft)

Fish ON!

MLT

Big River confluence point at the Meremac River- STL and Jefferson County, MO.

2010-07-06T04:15:00.001-06:00

Meremac River at the confluence of the Big River- border STL and Jefferson County, MO. July 4th, 2010

2010-07-06T04:10:00.000-06:00

Sugar Hollow Lake, Warren County, MO. July 2nd 2010: Fishing a little slow, a couple of nice fish

2010-07-05T05:54:00.003-06:00

This is the second largest lake at the Lake Sherwood area. Gas driven engines are not allowed on this lake- trolling motors only. This keeps the traffic down on this lake. Everytime I have taken the kayak out here to fish, I have been the only one on the lake.....good set up!

Fished on this day about 4 hours.....caught a couple of nice panfish (see photo above), but not a lot to write about. Fishing was sporadic at best. Had a nice hit on a minnow spinner, but was not able to set. I think the fishing may have had something to do with the weather pattern or time. I have seen buckets of panfish come out of this lake in the past....fish are in a summer pattern for sure! This seems like it would be a great early morning or evening lake to fish. We will have to try that some time before the summer closes out.

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake of the Ozarks, Grand Glaize Arm, June 29th 2010: Found a nice primative launch for the Kayak

2010-07-04T08:04:00.003-06:00

I got an opportunity to kayak Lake of the Ozarks for a few hours last week. The original plan was to put in around the swinging bridges and kayak the skinnier waters (I prefer rivers to lakes, just so you know). The challenge I had with that plan was the portgage from the parking lot to the put in site. I really need to invest in a set of wheels for the kayak (that will be the next investment).

Drove past the bridges and found the primitive camping site on the south end of Lake of the Ozarks SP. Found a perfect gravel launch (just how I like it) and put in. Got quite a bit of paddling in and fished all the way back. Fishing was a bit slow. Had to fight a bozo on a speedboat skiing the area....I could not believe someone would take such a risk- big stumps and debris, plus the water goes from about 12' to 1' within a matter of yards. Because of this, I had to paddle against 3' waves every 1/2 hour or so..this is why Lake of the Ozarks is NOT a good kayak or canoe lake from Memorial Day to Labor Day....I will come back to this place in the fall when it calms down a bit.

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake Sherwood, Warren County, MO. June 26th 2010: Tore it up on large Bluegill and Red-Ear Sunfish- Big time!!

2010-07-02T09:39:00.006-06:00

I have fished Lake Sherwood in Warren County many times in the past from shore, but this is the first time I have kayak fished the main lake at Sherwood. My opinion is that Lake Sherwood in Franklin County is the best Red Ear Sunfish lake in the state of Missouri, and is one of the top large Bluegill lakes in the state as well....what an incredible fishery!

I put in near the island on the main dam and paddled into the first cove past the island. The day started off with a couple of large bluegills. Started with a slip bobber, but soon moved to a bottom rig with a nightcrawler...that was the trick!

When I paddled back, I anchored up at a point and started to cast out...BOOM! I must have hit a whole school of large redears! We ended up with a nice stringer at the end of the day, big time. Ended up cooking the filets baked over cajun rice...yum!

Fish ON!

MLT

James River, Deleware Town Access, Christian County, MO. June 24th, 2010: Nice put in spot, swift in spots

2010-07-02T08:50:00.005-06:00

The Deleware Town Access is an access point for the James River south of Springfield, Missouri in Christian County. Was a very hot day, but had to get my paddle on, so we got in...there is a nice concrete boat ramp. The flow is medium, with a few swift spots and tight narrows w/ trees upstream a bit. Probably paddled about a 1/4-1/5 mile up stream and landed the yak on a rock bank to fish a bit.

I was not out there long enough to make a fishing assessment...caught a couple of small Longear Sunfish (lovely fish...look like something you would find in a saltwater aquarium) on the traditional small stream "go to"- brown rooster tail.

There are a couple of nice deep pools as you go along the river, along with a couple of swift skinny water portage points. Managed to find a snag and literally snapped one of my favorite rods, the Berkley Cherrywood in 3 pieces. We have a new rule- for the kayak, we need to be using Shakespear Ugly Stik rods.

Here is a link to the put in spot: http://extra.mdc.mo.gov/documents/area_brochures/8306map.pdf

Great day on the water!

Fish ON!

MLT

Osage Fork, Gasconade River, Laclede County, MO.: Nice river with some sporty spots

2010-06-27T06:42:00.004-06:00

I had originally wanted to get on the Gasconade directly, but the put in spot that I stopped at (just south of I-44) had the boat ramp closed..looked like they were getting ready to pour a new concrete pad. So I got out my handy Missouri Delorme atlas out in search of another put in. I ended up putting in on the Osage Branch. This spot was fabulous! It is a gravel ramp, but I can imagine the largest boat you would want to put in here is either a kayak or canoe or a small Jon Boat.

Paddled up current (as I will always do....many reasons) and found a couple of spots too shallow for the kayak, so I had to portage. I feel like I got my arm workout in within about 15 min. I found a pool upstream just a little (I did not want to go too far...did not put in until 5:00 p.m.) and beached the kayak and wade fished. My "go to" bait for small streams is a rooster tail inline spinner- 2 favorite colors...brown and brown!

Second cast caught a nice Rock Bass (in photo)....the rest of the fish caught were Long Ear Sunfish....what a beautiful fish! They are really aggressive attackers for their size!

This river system really has sparked my interest and imagination.....I plan on visiting more put in spots (especially on the main river further south)....."Life is better on a kayak!"

Fish ON!

MLT

Spring River, Centennial Park, Quapaw, OK June 2nd 2010: Very, very fast section of river

2010-06-26T06:12:00.006-06:00

This is a section north of the put in spot that I like to go to when I go to the Spring River in Oklahoma. It is technically a state park run, but it is not in that great of shape. I drove on the rock bank to get to the put in site. As I started to paddle upstream, the current got real intense w/ some undertows and sudden current changes. I was insistent, however, on getting to the other side of the bank so I made a couple of attempts before I got over. Portaged the kayak about 75' and got it back in the water (current was too strong to paddle up at that point). I had intended on fishing this point (the spot about 10 miles south was EXCELLENT for White Bass and Stripers), but with the current as strong as it was, this became a "paddle only" trip..probably was not the most safe out of all my floats....really challenged me as a paddler and kept me on my toes. The spot, however, is beautiful, big time! I do not know if the photos give it justice.

Fish ON!

MLT

James River, June 1st 2010: Good float, limited fish on nightcrawlers

2010-06-26T06:01:00.002-06:00

Put in at the boat launch at Hwy 65 near the veterans cemetary. This is always such a good float. Took the kayak all the way under the James River Expressway. As you start to paddle that direction it starts to look more like a river and less like a lake (this is right where Lake Springfield starts). Caught a bunch of small bluegills and long Ear sunfish, but nothing significant. Did have a small water snake decided to attach itself to my small toe as it was dangling in the water waiting to get on the boat ramp....biggest fear realized! :)

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake Sherwood, Franklin County, May 30th, 2010: Fish moving into summer patterns

2010-06-07T20:44:00.003-06:00

Got out on the pontoon boat with Rob and Tammy and Hunter. The weather could not have been better....seemed to get up to 90 degrees or so. We were catching them on bottom rigs with nightcrawlers. I caught the bass on a small spinner w/ jig and plastic minnow. Came out with quite a stringer of fish...took me a few hours to clean. This is an OUTSTANDING red ear and bluegill lake.

fish ON!

MLT

Ted Shanks CA, Horseshoe Lake,Pike County, MO. May 29th 2010: Very Interesting large lake

2010-06-05T11:12:00.002-06:00

Ted Shanks is an incredible Conservation Area just north of Lousiana, MO. This area consists of Mississippi River-like sloughs and lakes. I got a chance to kayak this lake on a very warm and windy Saturday. It was about 17-20' deep in the middle. This lake is chock full of carp and other types of rough fish. I was fishing a slip bobber and bottom rig the whole time with nightcrawlers. You would think with that type of rig you would catch something- not on this day. I did get a small little bite on a roadrunner with a white grub, but that was it. I think when I come back, I am going to get a couple of cans of corn and chum some areas and mark them and fish...I bet there are some HUGE fish in this lake...I just was not able to get up on any on this day. I want to come back and kayak the 3 mile ditch section and see about getting into the Salt Flats area (near the confluence of the Salt River and the Mississippi River)....looking forward to a return trip!

Fish ON!

MLT

Cuiver River SP, Lake Lincoln, Lincoln County, MO: Several trips to this very deep little lake

2010-06-05T11:00:00.003-06:00

We had several trips to Lake Lincoln in May....this is one deep little lake. If you go about 50' from the boat launch, it is 70 feet deep in the middle. Almost the entire lake has straight drop offs by the edges of the lake....I would imagine the swimming beach area is the only area that has a gradual depth. This would be a great lake to practice if you had a week at Table Rock coming up. The water is very clear (I would not say "gin clear"...but close).

Ray and Myself hit this about the beginning of the month....Ray had a fly rod and was catching quite a few small bluegill and bass on poppers. I was using slip bobbers and caught a few as well...nothing really all that large.

I came back for a second visit the next week...the weather was very warm and sunny. I caught a bass on a white spinner, but did not have a lot of success past that point. This is a very nice lake that is close to home. I think the extreme depth provides some real limitations....it would be great to figure this deep little lake out.

Fish ON!

MLT

Spring River, Oklahoma, May 3rd, 2010: White Bass and hybrids on Brown Rooster Tails

2010-05-03T21:52:00.006-06:00

I got a chance to fish Oklahoma for the first time in my life today....what a kick! I was working in Neosho, MO. during the afternoon and had a couple of hours to get the "Bossy Flossy" out on the water. I originally went to the state park by where Grand Lake starts, but after taking a look at a map, decided to head north of the lake to the Spring River (which empties into Grand Lake).

This is the perfect river for me....it has somewhat of a sporty current, but not too much to overwhelm. Launched off around 3:30 p.m and started to paddle up stream. Got a quick bite on a roadrunner w/ a small white grub, but was not able to land it. This river has a TON of small shad running about all over.

Stopped at some wood structure and started to cast on the west bank as I was letting the current take the kayak down river. Got up on some white bass...what a kick!! They fight like trout! I forgot how much fun they were to catch. Caught 7 or so (released all of them). The biggest one was about 13", but you would not know it with the fight they provided...had a sensitive rod w/ 6# test, so that added even more to the excitement!

Left around 6:00 p.m. or so.....will be back!

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake Sherwood, Franklin County, MO, April 25th, 2010: Huge Redear Sunfish and Bluegill harvested, despite rain and wind

2010-04-26T06:53:00.004-06:00

We got a chance Sunday to head out to Lake Sherwood for some fishing. I just had a feeling that the fishing would really be on. The weather was not very encouraging. It seems the best time to fish would have been on Saturday morning before all the really big storms moved in. On Sunday, the cold front had already passed and it was windy with intermittent showers, some were fairly heavy at times. That forecast usually spells for bad fishing. However, I do believe that the spawn is on, so sometimes, especially with panfish, that rule is not always applicable. In this case it was not.

We started out with slip bobbers down about 10', but soon found that the bigger fish were closer to shore. My nephew Hunter came out with Rob, and he tore them up...very, very large Redear Sunfish and Bluegill. The most productive rig was the rig that is always productive at sherwood- bottom rig with nightcrawlers.

We got out around noon and left around 4:00 p.m. or so....Rob and Hunter had 30# worth of fish, we came close to 10#....great day at the lake despite the weather!

Fish ON!

MLT

whetstone Creek CA, Callaway County, MO., April 17th 2010: The SPAWN IS ON!!

2010-04-18T17:03:00.003-06:00

The title should say enough....THE SPAWN IS ON!! Got out to Big Lake on the Whetstone CA around noon or so and the fishing started off a bit slow. Hit the first cove that I had some success on a couple of weeks ago first, but only caught one smaller bluegill. What was nice about this trip was that we did not have 20 mph winds coming in from the SW, so I was able to get some decent paddling in as well. Paddled to the back of the lake and fished that spot for a short period. I had a strike on a Gulp! nightcrawler texas rigged, but that was it.

As the sun started to go down lower as it got later in the day, I decided to paddle to the east shore of the lake (where the sunlight was in direct contact). Parked the kayak and got out to stretch and shore fish for a bit...this is when they really started to hit. The bluegill are obviously starting to spawn about 10' from shore. Got on them using a slip bobber and night crawler outfit about 6-8' down.

The most exciting part was catching the large Channel Catfish on 6# test on a kayak...at one point he tried to go under the bow of the kayak...really thought I might lose him- what a fight! The fish are on again, off again, but if you follow water temperature, you should really do good this time of the year....finally, the spawn!

Fish ON!

MLT

Finger Lakes SP, Boone County, MO, April 15th, 2010: First nice crappie of new year!

2010-04-17T06:45:00.004-06:00

I have fished Finger Lakes SP in the past, but due to the fact that I did not have a kayak, it has always been from shore. Finger Lakes is a reclaimed coal strip mine area north of Columbia, MO. This is an EXCELLENT area if you are into Kayak fishing. The "fingers" are like little canals that span all over the place. The largest lake is actually outside of the state park, called Rocky Fork (which I have fished w/ the kayak last year, see earlier post).

It got very windy, which made the kayaking and the fishing interesting....a current actually started to develop, so it almost felt more like fishing a small river. The strips are narrow, but they go down 20-30 feet in some places.

Caught the nice 11" crappie on a jig/spinner set up, as well as the couple of smaller bass, especially as the sun started to provide shade close to shore. All fish were released on this trip, but I am considering coming back to do some harvest fishing....overall great day. Water temp is still a little cool, but we are really on the brink of a heavy spawn....my prediction is any day now.

Fish ON!

MLT

Truman Lake, Benton County, April 14th 2010: Bass starting to come up closer to shore

2010-04-16T06:09:00.003-06:00

Had the rare opportunity to fish Truman Lake on Wednesday on my way up from Pittsburg, KS. It is great having a proper Kayak rack this year on the car.....a lot more quick fishing opportunities are presenting themselves to me this year- very cool!

Launched off at the State Park marina boat launch. I was able to get about 2 hours in before it was time to go due to sunlight. The water temp is still a little cool. Note to self- received the Missouri fishing forecast a day later that said the lake was high- I think that is old news. It looks like they have been drawing down at the dam big time- looked very low.

Had some success on little mini spins w/ a jig and Tree Top black/magenta grub. I figured I might get on some crappie. Just bass on this trip. The spinners I like to use this time of the year are kind of like Beetle Spins, except instead of attaching a "beetle" I attach a small jig and whatever small soft plastic that I think will look good (I usually let sunlight, wind, and water clarity effect my color choice). This is my "go-to" rig this time of year....excellent on a kayak and spinning rod.

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake of the Ozarks, Grand Glaize arm, April 9th: Fishing a little slow, but the kayaking was excellent!

2010-04-10T13:24:00.006-06:00

The wind in central Missouri finally calmed down on Friday and I was able to get some kayak fishing in Friday. I had been to Table Rock and Stockton earlier in the week, and it was WAY to windy to get any fishing and/or kayaking in.

The paddling was incredible....the coolest part was the cave located in the cliffs. I got a chance to shore the yak, and went up to explore. A kingfisher was nesting in the cave and was not to happy about my presence. I was hitting the rocks and timber with a white spinner, then a chartreuse spinner as well....no success. Threw Wiggle Warts and little micro spins with Treetop grubs, still no success. I think if I would have had a nightcrawler and slip bobber set up, the results would have been different. Looks like the water temp is around 55 degrees (60 on top) so the fishing should get good real soon...the paddling was AWESOME!

Fish ON!

MLT

James River/Lake Springfield, April 6th 2010: fishing still a little slow, Kayaking was fun, however

2010-04-09T04:27:00.004-06:00

Got a chance to hit the James River Water trail right by Hwy 65 south of Springfield. I have fished this portion of the river/lake a few years ago with one of my friends. Decided to paddle up stream and drift fish back.....threw spinners, plastic worms and rattle traps without much success.

The paddeling was excellent. The only drawback was the wind (which was blowing opposite of the current) at quite a clip. Had a shot to do Table Rock the next day for a few hours after business, but it was so windy, it looked like the Atlantic Ocean...maybe next time?

Fish ON!

MLT

Whetstone Creek CA, Callaway County, MO. April 4th 2010: First stringer of new year!

2010-04-05T06:30:00.004-06:00

The wind was a challenge again, but that is why kayak fishing is part workout, part fishing. Found a nice cove and anchored the kayak in about 14' of water. Caught my first nice (9") bluegill on a treetop jig w/ spinner close to shore. The rest of the stringer was caught in about 20' of water with slip bobber and night crawler rig.

Fishing action was slow (as expected) due to the fact that the water temp is still quite cool. Whetsone has a slot on bass (12-15") with a limite of 6. The bass I caught was 11". Got the stringer home (6 bluegill, 1 bass) and fileted them on the back deck, and baked them and served on top of brown rice....great meal!

Fish ON!

MLT

Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO. April 2nd 2010: Rough waters...fish appear to be before the spawn still

2010-04-03T08:41:00.003-06:00

The kayak made it's first appearance of the season. It was outstanding getting out on the water again (it has not been out since around Halloween). The water temperature is still really cool (around 55 degrees surface) so with a sit on top kayak, you have to dress accordingly. I wear jeans and hip waders due to the nature of the kayak.

Council Bluff lake is run the the National Forest Service and it is located in the Mark Twain Forest (just south of Potosi). The water is incredibly clear. This would be a good training lake to practice up for Table Rock...the water reminds me of Table Rock. From what I understand, it also has smallies like Table Rock does as well. It appears to be about 50' or so in the middle, but I bet you could find a deeper spot. I make an attempt to fish the point, but I was dealing with some serious white caps. Found it hard to keep the craft stable, so I ended up fishing the wood lines. The wind gusts were so bad, you could hear their roar ahead of time. I threw a slip bobber/nightcrawler rig, white spinner baits, rooster tails, and even a jig with no success...glad to have found this lake, however....will be back!

Fish ON!

MLT

Meremec Spring Park, Phelps County, March 30th, 2010: Water is high and fishing was challenging

2010-04-03T08:09:00.002-06:00

The warm weather may finally start to be upon us....got an opportunity to fish Meremac Spring on my way back from Springfield for a couple of hours. Arrived around 3 p.m. and fished until about 6:00 p.m or so. Used just my fly rod on this trip. This park can be a challenge on a fly rod, at least in my opinion, due to the fact that there are no zones. So you can be throwing flies and the next guy 10' from you is throwing Power Bait. I think that can throw it off for fly fishing sometimes. Let it be said, I have nothing against Power Bait....matter of fact, I have an entire kit dedicated to bait and artificial fishing. I may come back later and do some bait fishing, matter of fact....this would be a good park to do so.

Used several jigs in different colors, as well as both an orange and red San Juan Worm, which I thought would tear them up. This park is famous for drift fishing plastic worms w/ small bobber, wacky rigged....maybe next time?

Fish ON!

MLT

Roaring River, Cassville, MO. March 17th, 2010: Trout hit on San Juan Worm

2010-03-17T21:11:00.004-06:00

Got to the Roaring River around 3:30 or so...I was on my way from Joplin to Branson, so I had a couple of hours this week to get into the water for a short spell. Fished just zone 2 (Flies, Catch and Release only) at Roaring. This is one of my favorite areas in one of my favorite parks..had this streach of the river all to myself. Threw some Wooley buggers first, then a few brown/tan Zebra Nymps with no success. The river is real low right now and gin clear....I went ahead and tied on some 7x tippet as well, just to give myself a better shot at getting on a fish.

Hiked past the first riffle into a deeper, slower moving pool area and switched to a red San Juan worm with a yarn strike indicator. Caught this gorgous fish on my 4th cast out....barely knew I have one on...was getting ready to pull it back to cast again and there it was!

Very nice sized Rainbow Trout! Largest one I have caught on the fly rod this year! Kingfishers were going crazy....spring must be right around the corner. Left around 6:00 p.m. .....started to really cool down. Cannot wait to get back to Roaring River!

Fish ON!

MLT

Bennett Spring, Laclede County, MO March 15th 2010: Some Success on Nymph fishing

2010-03-17T04:25:00.003-06:00

I got a chance to fish Bennett Spring for about 2 hours on my way down to Joplin Monday. I had to re-spool my fly line onto my reel, and it was tangled up, so the first 40 min. was dedicated to getting that task done.

Hit one of my favorite spots in Zone 1 fly waters. Weather was overcast and cool. Started throwing a brown bead head Wooley Bugger, with no success.....As I was in the water, I noticed a hatch going on, so I switched out to a brown/tan zebra Nymph w/ a yarn strike indicator (was using a 7.5' leader, by the way. Got the trout to hit as I was still rigging it up. Lovely fish, lovely day! Short visit this time.....

Fish ON!

MLT

Montauk SP, Current River, March 10th, 2010: Weather held out-not bad!

2010-03-14T07:42:00.004-06:00

The weather looked to be bad up in the St. Louis area, so I decided to head south for one of my favorite places to stream fish in Missouri- Montauk SP and the Current River. It was overcast all day with some moments of drizzle....it stayed cool- around 40 degrees all day. I am glad I was able to dress warm. I just got a TFO Lefty Kreh rod at Feathercraft Fly shop (off Manchester by the Innerbelt/40- very knowledgeable) and I really was wanting to use it it bad....I have been having some casting challenges, especially in casting Wooley Buggers and heavier jigs, so I wanted to help fix that this year. The rod, along with some study of what I have been doing (too much wrist) really helped.

I got to the park around 8:00 a.m. and went to the fly only waters first. Hit a nice hole right by a big rock and caught a couple of trout right off the bat with Brown bead-head Wooley Buggers. Was not able to hook enough to land. I think I figured out what the challenge was- I had my rod in my sleeve to keep me from using my wrist when I cast....unfortunately, I think you really need your wrist to set the hook....hmm, real dilemma. They hit them real hard, however.

Got some lunch and came back, but there were 4-5 people "asses and elbows" on the hole, so I decided to go down river. That is the only thing I do not like about the trout parks. If you find a spot, you really need to hog it to keep it.

Went past the park and fished the Current River right around Tan Vat Access point....that is where I got the "moment of Zen" video. Did not catch anything in this area, but I belive there are fish...I just was not able to get on them.

Cannot wait to go back!

Fish ON!

MLT

Busch Wildlife CA, St. Charles County, Lake 24, March 10th, 2010: Still have some smaller trout in lakes

2010-03-11T14:12:00.004-06:00

This was an absolutely gorgeous day. The temperature got up to 70 degrees and felt AWESOME! Keep in mind, the water is still really cold. Good conditions for the remaining trout that are stocked in the lakes. These lakes were stocked this winter, and then froze over several times. I know there were people who were ice fishing them this year (probably one of the first years you could do that this far south), but I think there are still plenty trout.....just a little more challenging to come by.

Caught my first one on a single egg hook with a red trout bait nugget. The second one I caught was of better size, and I caught this one on a brown rooster tail. The muskrats are actively nesting, so that means spring is right around the corner. Lake 24 is one of my favorite lakes at Busch Wildlife CA for trout...great day to be outside!

fish ON!

MLT

Meremec Spring Park, Phelps County, March 6th 2010: Park very crowded, as expected

2010-03-07T08:16:00.005-06:00

We got to the park around 7:30 a.m. or so and started to fish using bottom rigged power eggs. Usually this is a pretty effective technique for this park. Jenni got a nice hit on a yellow/green one and I got a nice hit on a purple one. Started off very overcast for the first 3-4 hours, but then the sun came out and warmed it up nicely.

The only fish I caught was a Rock Bass. Here is what is interesting.....Conservation agents were on patrol heavy (probably due to the huge crowd) and they were writing tickets for people who were keeping these fish. The Missouri season for bass in Ozark streams (anything south of the Missouri River) is May 26th. As my grandpa used to say "Ignorance is no excuse for violation of the law". The agent busted the people next to me, went to their car and looked through their cooler. I believe that small little fish (like the one that we took a photo of and released) was about a $150 ticket, as well as $50 or so for each additional fish. It was interesting listening to these people afterwards talking about how they were "victims" in the whole matter....very interesting!

All I have to say is, thank God we have agents on patrol. If we did not, these are probably the same people who would use dynamite or something down stream and then have one of their crew with a net....all about the meat, less about the experience. What a shame!

The video shows the action down by the falls/bridge. Watch it carefully...at one time I saw (4) lines get tangled up. Jenni said there was almost a confrontation when one of the guys on the bridge smacked someone below with a clod of bait and hook.....maybe the foundation should consider not allowing fishing from the bridge?

Cannot wait to go back when it is less crowded....gorgous day anyhow....great to get out in the waders!

~Fish ON!

MLT

Meremec Spring Park, Phelps County, March 4th 2010: First Trip of new year

2010-03-05T16:24:00.004-06:00

This has been a very unusual winter we are coming out of in Missouri. Usually by this point, I had quite a few trips either to Busch Wildlife to fish the winter trout, or the trout parks for the weekend catch and release season. Seems like the last time I went fishing was in November. This has to be the coldest winter I can recall in a real long time.

This is a short report....fished the spring for a couple of hours in the afternoon after work. Used the fly rod.....all I have to say is that you would think that I had not ever used one. My casts got better towards the end of the day, but really was rough the first hour or so. Threw some wooley buggers and a copper john nymph with no success....the day was most beautiful, however, and the tranquility was just what I needed.

This is going to be the best year ever in regards to fishing and kayaking.....see you on the water!!

Fish ON!

MLT

Bennett Spring, Laclede County, MO. Oct 29th: Streaming Wolley Buggers is the key!

2009-10-31T08:11:00.003-06:00

Arrived at Bennett Spring around 2:00 p.m. and had a chance to hit the water for a couple of hours....fished it about 2 1/2 hours. A big rain front was moving in for later, so I was curious how well the fishing would be....either real good or real bad.

I spent the whole time in the spot right below the first falls. Flow was very sporty and was at a nice pace. Some things I have learned this year as an angler: I think 9' leaders will work better for you in most applications opposed to the 7.5' leaders.....just a thought. When I rigged up this time, I made sure to strip off the tippet and tied on 5x tippet for stripping wooley buggers.

Cast out into the current and let the current strip out the bugger....got it down stream about 15' and then slowly stripped back to me....so the wooley bugger was actually swimming up river. Caught (3) trout using this method. I was using this technique right in the seam of the river (where the fast pace hits the slack water). I really enjoy this technique to acquire trout. It seems like as we get later in the year, this is a great method (opposed to dead drift fishing nymphs).

Even if I was not to catch a trout one, the day was absolutely gorgeous and well worth the couple of hours spent...what a great day!

Fish ON!

MLT

Montauk SP, Current River, Oct. 25th: Fished in and out of the rain

2009-10-30T19:20:00.006-06:00

The weather was very changeable on this day, but we decided to head out super early....we have had so much rain this month! My sister got a new pair of waders and we wanted to try them out, so we headed down to Montauk on the Current River. This is one of my favorite parks and probably the least fished due to location.

When we got out on the water, we hit the fly waters first. I was in the water for a while and noticed a hatch. I also noticed that there were trout together right in front of a rock coming up and hitting on things towards the top near the film of the water. I took the wooley bugger off and tied on a really, really small emerger type nymph and cast out in front of where they were at. Second cast caught a really nice one. Seemed like it took at least 10 min. to land it...I had really thin (7x) tippet tied on, so I did not want to horse it in and either break the tippet or leader. I was also upstream from where it struck, so that made it a bit of a challenge as well.

Jenni did not fare quite as well, but she was still getting accustomed to the spinning rod and rooster tails. We will get her started off on the fly rod once she masters the spinning outfit.

Took a lunch break and it was raining very, very hard. We sat in the car for awhile afterwards, and then decided to get the rain gear on and fish anyway....like some kind of a miracle, the sun came out, and the rest of the day ended up being better than the first half!

Fish ON!

MLT

Roaring River, Cassville, MO. October 14th & 15th: River up, Trout hitting on Wooley Buggers big time

2009-10-17T07:36:00.004-06:00

I got a chance to get on the Roaring River for two short spells this week. I got a new pair of waders (we finally retired the old Hodgeman waders due to leaks that we could just not fix) so I wanted to give them a try out as well. They performed excellent and were so much lighter than the old Hodgman rubber/canvas one boot waders. I got a pair of Simms goretex w/ seperate felt soled boots....big difference!

The first visit I got out on the water around 4:00 p.m.--fishing closes at 6:30, so I only had a couple of hours to really fish. My favorite part of Roaring River is the fly fishing/catch and release waters. Started off throwing a Zebra Midge...I have had success throwing these along with a yarn strike indicator. The water is up about 5-7 " with quite a pace, so I figured maybe I should move to something else. Tied on a grey wooley bugger and started to get hits right off the bat. Caught a nice one right before the horn went off, but it snapped the tippet I had on....I had a 7X tippet tied. After some thought, I realized that the tipppet really needs to be adjusted to the water conditions. Light tippet is great if you have gin-clear waters that are low and especially if you are fishing midges, but for these conditions, and throwing heavier flies like wooley buggers, I realized I would need something like a 5 or 6x tippet. Weather was overcast, cold, with moments of drizzle....perfect!

The next day, I came back to the same spot. I only had a two hour break, so I knew I need to be more efficient. I changed the tippet out to a heavier one (5x) and started to throw grey cone bead wooley buggers with a couple of pieces of split shot as well to get it down in the water column.

Here is a technique that worked out really well for me. Cast straight out into the current, and then start stripping line. got it about 20' downstream, then started to slowly stripping it back...got it right in the seam where the main current and the slack water hit. These streams are like a conveyor belt of food for the trout, so that was the perfect spot. Caught 4 trout that day using this technique. Cool and totally overcast skies. I think this brought the trout out of structure and into the main channel.

fish ON!

MLT

Meremac River, St. Louis County, MO: Smallie was a biggie!

2009-10-04T19:38:00.003-06:00

Put the Kayak in at the Route 66 SP boat ramp just south of Hwy 44 in St. Louis County, MO. Got out about 11:30 a.m. and fished until about 5:30 p.m. Fishing today was excellent!! Water temp is running about 62 degrees. This part of the Meremac River runs about 10-14 feet deep in most spots and is nice an wide. We paddled probably about 1.5 miles upstream.

Caught several drum on bottom rigs....they were on today! Too bad drum do not make very good table fare, or I would have taken some home to eat. Figured out how to kayak w/ cooler temperatures and cooler water...hip waders. Felt a little cumbersome at first, but once you get used to wearing them while kayaking, it is not a problem.

Ancored up in a nice and rocky area with good vegetation. Caught a nice eating sized channel catfish, but chose to throw it back. Caught another really weird looking catfish. Had the head of a flathead, but with black splotches all over it.....I will have to look this one up to see what kind of a catfish it was. The weird thing was when I caught these catfish (bottom rig with nightcrawler), I actually brought up some huge shells. This is proof that their is a shell bed under that water at the bend...perfect for catfish (they like to lay in shell beds)....I will have to keep this spot in my memory.

The smallie is the real story....measured out at 15"...which is very large for a small mouth. What a pig! He was huge! Caught him on a white spinner w/white grub trailer in about 6 feet of water, pushing the spinnner bait upstream right next to the vegetation line. This is the biggest smallmouth bass I have caught so far. I caught one on the James River near Springfield, MO. that was similar in length, but it was not nearly as fat as this one....what a rush!!

Fish ON!

MLT

Mark Twain Lake, Monroe County, MO, Sept. 27th: Front moves in, Fishing a little slow- very windy

2009-10-03T06:38:00.003-06:00

The water temperature is starting to go down in the lakes across Missouri. The temperature was around 65 degrees (it was at around 72 the week before). Put the kayak out off Hwy J, Lick Creek access.

Was only out about 4 hours or so....Mark Twain Lake gets real choppy when the wind comes out. Caught a little drum on a nightcrawler bottom rig. Thinking back, probably should have thrown different crank baits, etc. Was throwing Texas rigged worms, as well as Rattle traps w/ no success.....

Fish ON!

MLT

whetstone Creek CA, Callaway County, MO.: Black Culprit worms hit again!

2009-09-27T07:36:00.003-06:00

A front was supposed to move in Friday, but the day ended up being incredible! I got a chance to head up to Whetstone CA in Callaway County, MO. to fish one of my favorite spots, Big Lake. The water temp is still real warm (75 degrees) so there is a lot of cooling down to do before fall.

This lake is so serene....it reminds me of going up north when I was a kid and fishing for Pike in Canada.

Started up by using the go-to bait for 2009, the Gulp Alive! watermelon worm. Did not have a lot of success with it, so as the shade spots started to form later in the day, I switched over to a 7" black Culprit Worm...boom! First cast caught a nice slot bass and threw him back in. I also had a spinning rod rigged with a barrel rig, leader and a circle hook w/ nightcrawler. Caught several nice bluegill with this method. I was surprised I did not catch any channel cats.

Decided to go ahead and harvest my catch...there is nothing better than fresh catch in the frying pan!....it is how God intended it for all of us!

Fish ON!

Mark Twain Lake, Monroe County, Mo: Huge Flathead caught on black Culprit Worm from Kayak

2009-09-20T08:22:00.006-06:00

Fished Mark Twain Lake Saturday, September 19th. I have not had my Kayak on a large body of water yet, so I thought this would be a good experience. I was kayaking/fishing the Elk Fork of Mark Twain. Started to kayak upstream so I could float back with the current. I think the lesson learned is that when rivers stop at large lakes, the current really becomes a non-factor. The wind and cloud bank was more of a factor than the current. Before I put in, I originally went down the elk to the Sante Fe access. The water on the lake appears to be about 4-5 feet low, so this was not a viable option for this day.

Started off throwing texas rigged Gulp Alive watermelon worms and Jig/Chomper hula grub combos along with the traditional slip bobber and night crawler combo.

Caught a nice Buffalo in about 10' of water (middle of the channel close to the boat ramp). The weather got changeable fast, so I paddled about 3/4 of a mile back towards the boat ramp earlier. After I fished the put in point for awhile, it looked like the weather was going to stay off, so I paddled toward the lake and went under the bridge into the waterfoul refuge area of the lake. It got real dark, so I went to a black Culprit worm. Spoke with a few boaters about the bass fishing....sounded like it was slow for everyone (very surprising with a front getting ready to move in).

Caught a really nice Flathead Catfish in about 4 feet of water laying close to shore. He struck on a Black Culprit Worm, texas rigged on a quantum rod and reel, 17# test. When I pulled up, I thought I had a snag, but the line started to move in the opposite direction...I knew at that point we had something good. I thought for a moment I was going to have to de-anchor the kayak to keep it from tipping over. As I was getting it towards the kayak, I still thought it was a large bass, but when it went to dive to the bottom, I knew I probably had a catfish. He was a good one!

Got back to the car soon after and headed back.....great day on the lake!

Fish ON!

MLT

Rocky Fork Lakes CA, Boone County, MO.: Main lake very healthy and productive!

2009-09-16T11:01:00.004-06:00

I finally got a chance to fish Rocky Fork Lake at Rocky Fork Lakes CA in Boone County (about 6 miles north of Columbia, MO.) I have fished this very healthy lake before, but never was able to really explore it due to lack of transportation....my kayak has changed all of that!

A nice upgrade if you like to Kayak fish is the Eagle fish finder. I have used this over the years with rental boats from the Conservation department, but never really thought about attaching it to my kayak (goes on with a suction cup, runs on AAA batteries). It has been a big difference maker...not as much in finding the fish, but determining depth and water temperature

Caught a nice sized bass (about 15" or so) using Gulp Alive! watermelon power worms. I have had a lot of success with these this year. Also caught quite a few Bluegill and a couple of channel cats using the time tested and proven method of slip bobbers and nightcrawlers.

This is a healthy lake. The main channel runs about 12-14 feet deep, with an average depth of about 6-9 feet in most places. Lots of good cover for bass.

Fish ON!

MLT

Salt River, Marion County, MO: Excellent Kayak River, some success with nightcrawlers

2009-09-14T05:41:00.004-06:00

I decided to go somewhere new, and really wanted to get some kind of a kayak-river experience in for the day. Weather was perfect- 80 degrees with a light wind. So I went up to the Salt River in Marion County (about 8 miles south of Hannibal, MO.). This is a good river to float. Flow seemed less....matter of fact, the wind from the east was so strong, seemed like I was paddling against a "reverse current". I do not know if that is a term, but it is what it seemed like.

Had some nightcrawlers on a bottom rig and caught the drum. Ran into a few other people fishing who said it had been slow. River seemed on the fall- banks were damp 5' up. Sometimes rivers are slower when they are on the fall. This is true especially when it has man-made regulations (Mark Twain Lake-Clarence Cannon dam). Used some Gulp Alive worms as well as Chompers Hula grubs on a stand up jig. Also caught a huge Gizzard Shad on a nightcrawler/slip bobber. I can see why there were so many kingfishers and hawks. I even got a chance to see an eagle flying parallel to 40/61 highway.

River varied between 2' and 12' with the average being 5-6' at this flow. I have a picture of the old bridge column before they built the 40/61 bridge- interesting!

Fish ON!

MLT

Nigangua River, Laclede County, MO, September 1st: In search of Browns-Found Chubs!

2009-09-02T08:03:00.003-06:00

I wanted to do something a little different, so I decided to fish some of the "White Ribbon" trout area located on the Niangua River (about 1/2 mile downstream from where Bennett Spring empties into it) for a couple of hours.

As you know, I am always trying to spot out areas to take my fishing Kayak, so I thought I would fish it with the fly rod and see what I could stir up. I was having a conversation with a local a couple of weeks ago. He said that the MO Dept of Conservation stocks this part of the river with Brown Trout. Seems like great habitat for Brownies and for Smallies. Waded in downstream from the boat launch....lots of structure and current and shade...great combo! The problem was the pool is too deep to get close. Did the best job I could to get near it. Caught several small chubs on a green crackleback w/ a real small piece of split shot attached. Cast out some wooley buggers as well with no success. Started with a nymph and yarn strike indicator, but did not have any success with that either.

I think next time I come back to this spot, I will go for smallmouths and bring my Kayak!

Fish ON!

MLT

Dresser Island, Brickhouse Slough, Mississippi River, August 30th: Water real, real low- found pool and has some success!

2009-08-30T19:11:00.004-06:00

This has been the most unusual August weather I think I have ever seen. Usually it is around 100 degrees and all the grass is dead. Was very cool most of the day. Towards the end I went ahead and put my sweater on (glad I had it in the boat bag!) Felt like I was living up in Wisconsin again! Got out around 11:30 and kayaked until about 4:00 pm. A couple of the places I had considered putting in were so low, I decided against due to the mud. They must have all the gates open at Melvin Price Lock and Dam.

Most of this slough is very shallow. My depth finder said it was around 1-3 ft. deep in most places. Was able to find a nice pool with another slough draining into it (due to the low water). This spot looked to be around 5-6 ft. deep. The minute I cast a black Rooster Tail (murky waters + overcast sky= black rooster tail) boom! instant hit on the white bass. Caught a smaller largemouth right after. Also caught several very, very small Channel Catfish on slip bobbers and nightcrawlers as well as a small drum.

Lots of white Egrets and Blue Herons as well.....great day to be out on the kayak!

Fish ON!

MLT

Robertsville SP, Meremac River, Franklin County, MO Aug 29th: Small amount of action, but no smallies!

2009-08-30T06:16:00.003-06:00

Launched from the state park boat launch around 11:00 or so....water was at normal level. Got about 1/2 mile upstream when I came upon a bend/riffle that was all current. The kayak I have is great on most things, but really bad on anything past class I. Paddled it and thought I was going to win it, but looked to the side and realized I was going back wards...good opportunity to hit downed tree, tip kayak, and trap gear and myself undewater, so after two attempts, turned it around and drifted back. Had plenty of shore upstream from the launch to fish, plus the water downstream from the put in was fairly calm (no riffles) so we went ahead and fished it that way.

Caught a small Largemouth on a Chomper hula grub and stand up jig in structure. Got some other bites as well on Gulp Alive! watermelon worms w/ texas rig. Bites were smaller in the day...should have gone with smaller baits probably.

Lots of boaters...I was suprised. Also, I do not quite get the thrill of taking a 95-150 HP boat and running up and down the river at full throttle....just do not get it.

Fish ON!

MLT

whetstone Creek CA, Callaway County, MO. Aug. 23rd, 2009: Bass a little slow but some success

2009-08-28T03:15:00.003-06:00

Got the kayak loaded on the car the night before and headed out to Whetstone Creek CA early in the morning....got out on the lake by about 9:00 a.m. There was one person on a boat w/ a trolling motor fishing, but they left a little after I put in. After that had most of the lake to myself for the rest of the day.

Was using some of the watermelon Gulp Alive! baits...these work pretty good sometimes compared to traditional plastic worms. Used them texas rigged on baitcaster rods. Tried some other things (spinner rod w/ minnows on shiner rig, hula grup on stand up jig, etc) but this seemed to be the only thing that worked fairly well for the day. Bite seemed on early, then it slowed down a little. Expected a late bite around 4:00 p.m. or so like last time, but it just never turned on so I headed back.

One item of note: There are some HUGE grass carps in this lake. I was on the south side and I casted out in some hydrilla...it spooked about 5-6 of them and it was like a shark attack! The commotion caught me off guard so bad I almost jumped out of the kayak!

Fish ON!

MLT

Roaring River, Cassville, MO. August 19th, 2009: Trout hitting on Dry Flies

2009-08-24T08:56:00.001-06:00

Hit Roaring River Wednesday around 4:30 p.m with my friend Jeff Bain, our newest chapter president of BNI Branson's Power Team. Fly fishing is a great way to have relaxed business conversations...I understand how people who golf get things done....fly fishing can do the same thing for you and your business!

We went to the Fly only, catch and release section of the park...I have always had a good amount of luck on this stretch. The trout parks seem to be clearing out now the kids are back to school. I started out throwing a zebra nymph with a strike indicator, with no luck. They were pooled up big time, so they should have took. Jeff got a dry on and started to get some strikes. I was watching him and decided to tie on an Adams and see what went down. Caught one and got several bites as well. The pictures above are before I tried to horse the fish in (totally knobbed out- grabbed the leader instead of my net--lost the trout and my fly (only one in box). Just goes to show.....great time!

Fish ON!

MLT

Might I make a suggestion?Life is better from a kayak- check out a great place to get one for yourself!

2009-08-17T23:15:00.004-06:00

As some of you are aware, I was able to get a kayak this summer....after going out with my good friend Ray several times to fish, and then renting an Ocean Kayak out in the Outer Banks, NC for a week, I decided to finally get one.

This has been one of the best decisions I have made in a long time....if you are considering getting one, or just want to rent one for a couple of hours, I have just the person for you. My friend Rodney (shown above shaking hands with me) has the coolest outfit in Branson. He is located right across from Table Rock Lake State Park. If you are in the St. Louis area or beyond, take my advice: It is worth the drive!

He has several different fishing kayaks in stock. One brand is Crow Wings and the other is feelfree (that is the type I purchased). You can tell Rodney is passionate about what he does...he can outfit you with everything you need to get started.

Here is his web site:
http://www.kayakbranson.com/

If it is something you are interested in, give him a call and mention my name....I would love to refer as many people to him as possible--It would be excellent to see him grow his Kayak business this year!

Fish ON!

MLT

Big Lake, Whetstone Creek CA, Callaway County, Mo. August 9th: Deadsticking is the way to go in August!

2009-08-09T19:43:00.005-06:00

Big lake was awesome today on the kayak. This is a nice, large, deep lake. Water quality excellent, not a lot of negative plant growth (that is something to be said for August). Paddled to the back and worked my way back toward the boat launch. Caught my first Largmouth on Berkley Gulp! minnow on a shiner rig w/ slip bobber. Was getting hits on Gulp Power Worm (recieved two of these for re-upping with B.A.S.S.).

Caught Channel Catfish on the slip bobber rig with a night crawler. Also caught a nice size Bluegill on a bottom rig....this was towards the south side of the lake around 2:00 or so. Ate lunch on the south side of the lake and started to paddle back (had the wind on my back). Got a little slow, so I started to think about the things that have worked in years past. You really have to retrieve slow in August. So I took a Gamakatsu 5/0 hook and a very, very light bullet weight (texas rig) and put a Wave Worm (Senko) Sweet Potato Pie colored and cast towards shore. These were the "hot" item a few years ago at Lake Sherwood, but have not caught anything on these in awhile. Success!! Caught about 6 or so right between 4:00-5:00 p.m. Got a lot of other bites as well....so much fun.

Life is better on a Kayak!!

Fish ON!

MLT

Bennett Spring, Laclede County, MO Aug 7th 2009- Park still real crowded. luck with Zebra Nymph

2009-08-08T07:57:00.004-06:00

Was able to get to park around 2:00. I was suprised how crowded the park still is...should start to settle down in a couple of weeks once the kids start to get back to school. I have been having some real challenges with fly fishing lately...have been "0-fering" a lot. Went to backcountry outfitters in Springfield (one of my favorite fly shops) and had them re-load my fly line. The rod I have is a good White River rod from Bass Pro, but I think the line had finally served it's purpose. I noticed an improvement in casting right off the bat.

Was trying a lot of different things in the beginning....started off by the spring and worked my way down. Tried some white jigs and different types of nymphs...probably should consider a San Juan worm next time--did not try it here.

Past the falls caught a nice one in the grass on a silver Zebra nymph....my slump is officially over! Please dig the cool underwater photos taken of trout from my underwater camera as well

Fish ON!

MLT

Mark Twain Lake, Monroe County, MO, July 5th: Largest Bass of the Year!

2009-07-07T03:12:00.004-06:00

Here is the largest fish of the season for me so far. We rented a pontoon boat and headed out on Sunday, July 6th. Torrential rains hit the day before, so water was a bit brown. Water in main portion of lake was real choppy, very windy. We got into a couple of coves and anchored up with no success. Really thought the black culprit worm would work. Even had a rod with nightcrawlers out. We saw a bass boat trolling that caught a really nice sized bass before (looked like they were throwing spinners), so after they left, we anchored close to where they were at. Charlie said that he noticed a shad run, so I took the black worm off and replaced it with a shad colored zipper worm. Big boy hit on the 3rd-4th cast- really fought hard! tried to run under the boat a couple of times as well.....was really glad I was able to land him!

Fish ON!

MLT

Whiteside CA, Lincoln County, MO: Fishing a bit slow, but Kayaking excellent!

2009-07-01T09:59:00.005-06:00

Here is a photo of Lake Whiteside in Lincoln County, MO. Fished using a powerbait worm (texas rig) and a bottom rig w/ nightcrawlers. Caught a small bass on a Rooster tail towards the back of the lake....overall fishing was slow with the few people who were out.....sometimes lakes get like that after a heat wave. Water was very clear....lots of structure at this lake. It would not suprise me if there were a ton of crappies in this lake. Kayak handled like a gem...learned how to move a sit sideways on the kayak and fish that way. Was on it at least (4) hours..never got uncomfortable and did not get "puddle butt"- this kayak is EXCELLENT!

Fish ON!

MLT

Lake Sherwood, Warren County, June 17th: Water really high, but bluegill bigger than your hand

2009-07-01T09:54:00.003-06:00

Here is a great photo of some of the panfish you can expect to catch at Lake Sherwood....caught these on a bottom rig w/ nightcrawler. Fished near clubhouse...water almost to volleyball court. This was taken a couple of weeks ago, so the water should be down by now. Great summer time fishing spot....just wait until the redears turn on!

Fish ON!

MLT

Whetstone Creek CA, Callaway County, MO, June 10th 2009: Creek up, black spinners seemed to work well

2009-06-14T08:30:00.004-06:00

As you noticed, the title says "seemed" to work well.....we caught a few fish in Whetstone Creek, and as you can tell, it was up and muddy....like fishing in chocolate milk. The reason I used "seemed" is this is the hole that I caught a 15.5" Longear Sunfish a few years ago. That is a huge size for a longear. Come to find out the Missouri state record comes from Whetstone in regards to longears. It was great hiking in to the spot, so the few fish I caught were worth the hike anyhow.

Used a black rooster tail and a brown rooster tail. Also used black jigs on a fly rod and caught a few that way as well. This is one of my favorite conservation areas in the state....acres upon acres of gorgeous land, lakes and streams. We have even camped here in the past....very primative.

Fish ON!

MLT

May Fishing 2009: Missouri River a little slow, Lake Sherwood (Warren County) starting to turn on with Red Ear Sunfish

2009-06-14T08:07:00.005-06:00

Was a little lazy in regards to posting on this web site..........a few highlights from May. Charlie caught a Sturgeon on the Missouri River, and we all went out to Lake Sherwood in Warren County and loaded up on Red Ear Sunfish....would have more details if I could remember...will post more in the future:)

Fish ON!

MLT

Red Snapper, Grouper caught along with Catfish in Lake St. Louis, Missouri

2009-05-04T10:42:00.004-06:00

Here are some great photos from my friend, Captain Raymond E. Schroeder.... This is a first- a red snapper and grouper caught in Lake St. Louis- Wow! .....just joking :)

That is alright Ray....we will catch up to you in a couple of weeks when we hit the Outer Banks!

Great catch, by the way!

Fish ON!

MLT

Roaring River, Cassville, MO. April 15th, Tippet made all the difference!

2009-04-18T12:19:00.004-06:00

Weather was really nice....got a chance to hit the river around 4:00 p.m. or so, so I only had a couple of hours to fish. Started off with the normal spot I like to hit, but with no success. I hiked across the overgrown shoal and hit a nice run w/ structure. I knew they were in that spot, I just could not figure how to get on them.

Here is what I decided to do....tie on some #7 tippet to the end of the leader. When I get these leaders out of the package, I just assume that the line is thin enough from the package. So I figured, why not, nothing else seems to work- let's see if this theory is correct. Within less than a minute, I had a trout on the other end.....I realized a valuable lesson- you need to have thin tipped on the end of the leader, even if it is new. Lesson #2: I do not really care for the 9' leaders...for now on I am going to get the 7.5' leaders.

Great day of fishing!

Fish ON!

MLT

Bennett Spring, Laclede County, MO April 14th: Fishing a little slow, nice day to be out

2009-04-16T05:53:00.005-06:00

Turned out to be a really nice day, a bit chilly, but nice. Was out a few hours and stuck w/ the fly rod....threw nymphs, San Juan worms, white and brown jigs, with no success...seemed like the fish were scattered about.....there were some people catching them right below the falls.

The muscrat video is pretty cool....these guys are getting busy! Spring is here!

Fish ON!

MLT