Quinn

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1140053667/0 this is also in another thread from someone looking for MO fishing buddies, just read through and send a PM to any in your area

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1140053667/0 Try reading this thread, I have met Jon and I have fished with Valascus and Harshman and his wife, they were all good folk. And Val lived near St.Louis.

I saw the subject of this thread then I saw RW was the last one to post, and I knew it would be a link to the "Bass guarantee" thread. This thread has taught me more about finding bass in uncharted water for me than any so far. Note: I didn't follow the directions exactly, but I used what I had to closely match what Kent is teaching. This technique works to teach you to use plastics and find fish, remember what he said about putting time in to this, especially in new areas. Thanks RW I enjoy fishing in new areas allot more because I can learn to fish a certain lake or pond

Interesting, I have had a lot of success in a different area of a lake I fish. There were allot of carp thrashing around.

What did your friend tell you, I assume you have asked him/her ?

I think it makes sense if you do know the bottom colors then what most of what the other guys said makes sense too. :-/

Sorry for your loss, I'm going to call my Dad right now and see if I can get together with him. Your post helped me to understand that I have time, God forbid any "unseen" accidents, and we need to make the best of the time we have. I have a bunch of nieces and nephews that have no fathers near, so I try to get them out as much as I can.

That's kinda what I was getting at sorta,kinda... However, I agree with the limits (size and length) http://www.crappie.com/crappie/missouri-crappie-fishing/80012-what-keeper.html this is a question I asked

I agree with the Pirate, if it will work for your circumstance, I caught fish off and on all day with really snotty slimy moss dropping my stuff into areas from the bank. I had to pick the junk off on nearly every cast but that was where the fish wanted to be I suppose

I have learned from this forum that this is kind of a touchy issue with some folks here, some will refuse to keep any bass, some because they just don't eat them, some because they really want to let the BIG ones get bigger for others to catch. I was swayed to the releasing side for a while but after awhile, I learned to understand that some culling will help keep the fish healthier, weight and size wise. I would recommend contacting the department of conservation in your area, most are biologists and I follow the limit size for the lake I am on if I feel like cleaning them and I always eat the ones I keep. just my $.02 Q PS. Welcome to this forum from Mid. MO

I don't know specifically but they seem to work for me most of the year, I suppose in some areas, it may be because of a territorial defense?? :-/

I was at the local area fishing after the rain let up today and a couple of kids approached me and asked me what I was fishing with and where I was going to fish. I told them where I was going and showed them the plastic worm I was going to try and they said "we tried those but we didn't catch any", then one asked "how do you use them, hang them off of a bobber ?" So I showed them how I rigged a Texas rig with a small bullet weight, offset hook and how to tie a Palomar knot. I had them watch how I worked it a couple of times and let them try my spot I was working (I had caught one during the demonstration). It worked well, two casts, let it fall, twitch, reel up the slack, twitch etc. and it worked. They were catching fish. I loaned them a couple of hooks and weights and told them that if they lost them then thats all I had left. It was fun, I know that kids should be taught not to talk to strangers, someone had left them there alone(allot of kids will ride there bikes to this lake with no adults) but I hope it planted a seed with them to keep fishing and they would be more interested because they caught some. I managed to catch a few my self, and it feels good to pass it on to the next generation. Q

On the bank, I suppose it is the same as being alone even when friends are along because you need your space. If I had my own boat, I suppose I would prefer being alone unless the guest in my boat was up for what I wanted to do (sounds selfish but let me explain:) I usually get to fish from a boat with my step brother in his boat, but when we are in an area/condition where plastics fished on the bottom would work, I can't convince him to anchor the boat and give it a good try before he wants to blast off to some other spot. God bless him for taking me and I appreciate the spot in his boat, but many times we get to the ramp and he says "Sorry I couldn't put you on any fish". We have a great time anyway, so I don't complain. Q

Thank you for the elaborated response cart7t. I have seen the MDC prospects page but never paid allot of attention to it, but thanks for posting it, I bookmarked it and plan on reading up on allot of MO lakes!

I have noticed some interest in this lake. It was closed for a few years to drain it and dredge the silt out. It is open as of March 1st. It was stocked with catfish and bass. I have tried it a couple of times so far with no luck (It could just be me) but I have also talked to a few that have fished there with no luck with the bass. A few have caught some nice catfish. I wasn't sure how good the bass'n would be for a while, but the MDC believes that it can handle fishing pressure. I live just down the road from there and plan on being there often so if anyone would like "reports" PM me or I will post pics of any success I have had there. Quinn PS leave your boat at home, they have 20 boats to use free of charge on a first come basis, no private boats or float tubes. You can bring an electric trolling motor.

Welcome back Jon, I was thinking you and the dogs had one of those "All expense paid trips" back to the Middle East. You said there were some nice fish in Clover Dell, but thats the first I have seen of them. I haven't been there since last summer, but plan on trying it again soon. PM ME. I lost your number in my phone when it died. Later, Quinn

You could read this first: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1231026675/0 This is a very awkward topic on this forum. Also search catch and release here. Hope it helps Q

God bless this free country, this forum and all you great folks here. I feel you have set me strait. I have thought the way Triton_Mike put it in his post and it is kind of ironic that I am libertarian by nature and don't agree with govt. intervention with exceptions of regulations based on biologist and such to preserve nature and allow humans to enjoy it. I guess I was sort of frustrated reading some of the threads where some are just so....mad is the word when some see others practicing their legal rights on the lake and thought that action would do more than complaining. That's what this forum is for I suppose so we can vent, share, educate each other. Thanks again, Q PS RW, sorry if it seemed I implied that BR would endorse any actions.

Maybe I have it wrong, but I have seen many a thread here that have been about "eating bass" "It kills me to read about a bass dieing" and the thought that I had would be to change the laws/regs if it meant that much to us. Q

Well, allot of the folks on this site endorse or practice catch and release especially with the big ones. but it is not "illegal" to keep one that most would take to put on the wall.... I would like too take my niece and nephew and catch it again.

These are a few of the recent threads I have been reading here: How old is your state record http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1230996256 Where will the next World record come from http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1230757271 I've counted to ten.... http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1230515612 What I would like to do is try to band us together a Coalition if you will to see what we as a group of dedicated anglers to influence the local governments to regulate "trophy" and or record catch and release, development of fishing areas etc. I see how it burns some of you so see such large fish to be taken under legal circumstances. I have only catch and released nice big bass after being a member of this forum for a year now. If you can educate me, then maybe we can encourage others and get involved to change state regulations to help this great sport.

Moth balls help, the mice will go after the cork, keeping them out of reach is best. Cats work if you only let them eat mice. I speak from experience . Q

In the small lake I fish, the water has thawed except some of the coves. There are often shad and small fish frozen in the ice. I know cat fish will hang around under the ice to feed off of these fish as the ice is melting. Would bass do this or would they tend to go to the warmer northern sunny sides? I have some swimmin' minnows that look allot like these frozen fish. I thought I would try tossing them towards or onto the ice and let them fall and see what would happen. What do you all think, is there some other things you would try in these conditions? Thanks, Q

It was spring here in Missouri yesterday, it hit 69 degrees here with tornado warnings, and major thunder and lightning, scary, good news is it thawed my local fishing lake out so I'm gonna bundle up and give it a try tomorrow 8-) Unfortunately the next round is a day away

I found this one on Crappie.com forum: Twas the day before Christmas and all over the lake, not a boat was stirring,not one single wake. My brushpiles were marked on the GPS with care, in hopes that big slabs would soon be there. The jig poles were strung with new 6 lb thread, while visions of 3 pounders danced in my head. Me in my insulated bibs and thick wool cap, I powered up the GPS and checked out the Hot Spots map. I hit the key on that old Johnson, oh how it did sputter, it's a 73 model, it doesn't run smooth like butter. Away from the dock I left in a flash, in my old tri-hull sticksteer that cost $700 cash. The sun had just begun to rise and the wind she was starting to blow, I turned on the Hummingbird so I could see what was below. When what to my bloodshot eyes should appear, but a big red boat full of crappie fishing gear. The driver was a leathery old fellow that was spry and quick, surely this wasn't old Sac-A-Lait Nick. He had eight poles out with minners and jigs, looked like they were all in gunslinger rigs. His poles were all different, not one the same, as he checked each one he called them by name. "Thats Dasher, thats Dancer, theres Prancer and Vixen, heres Comet, thats Cupid, and theres Donner and Blitzen." He looked up from his poles and smiled at me, then said " I hear ya'll got some big ole slabs down here in Mississippi." I said " Yes sir , in case you didn't know, we got em' here " As Big As They Grow!" No sooner than I said that his poles began to jerk, you should have seen that old fat man go to work! First one slab, then another and another, I grabbed my GPS and marked that cover. When his cooler was full and minners all gone, he strapped down his gear for the long ride home. As he fired off the motor and idled out of sight, I heard him shout," Happy Christmas to ya, and may all your slabs put up a fight!" Merry Christmas to all,