senile1

Welcome to our illustrious forum.

Off the top of my head the first place I would tell you to go for bank fishing would be James A. Reed wildlife area on the southeast side of the metropolitan area. Crankbaits, Spinnerbaits, plastics, or jigs should all work in June.

Thanks for the explanation, Hooligan. I do agree with you that sharpening the hooks would make a difference but I have basically stopped sharpening hooks over the last few years and just started replacing them with hooks that I know are sharp to begin with like Owner brand hooks. Call me lazy but I have read that it is impossible to get a modern hook as sharp with a file as some modern hooks arrive in the package due to the methods used in sharpening at the factory.

Hooligan, that's one heck of a fish for Northwest Missouri. I haven't caught one that big but I hope to eventually. Bilby has some pigs. Thanks, Mike.

There is obviously disagreement about the possible results of this, but the facts from the previous blowing of the levee in 1937 would seem to support those who believe much of the land will be negatively affected for a period of years. There are sections of land that were flooded in the 1937 flood and some of these are still unsuitable for growing the main row crops in that area: corn, soybeans, and wheat. I grew up there and farmed this land with my Dad. I have seen these areas. A particular type of silt is needed to make a land fertile. Washing away fertile loamy soil and replacing it with four to six feet of today's Mississippi silt creates a soil that has all of the wrong components needed for the row crops mentioned above. During those previous thousands of years of flooding that you mention, the pollutants found in the Mississippi, today, did not exist. I know that all of our history books tell us river valleys are fertile due to the silt from flooding and this is true in many instances. The devil is in the details. All flooding does not produce fertile soil. This type of flooding is like a mini-tsunami. Two miles of the levee are removed and a torrent of water rushes through carrying a tremendous amount of polluted silt. Some estimates of the silt level are as high as six feet. That's not standard flooding that was experienced on the Euphrates, Tigris, or Nile rivers that we read about in our history books. This is why Missouri's attorney general tried to take this to the U.S. Supreme Court. The economic impact to Mississippi County could be devastating and the poverty level in that County is already 26 percent (2008 Census data).

Dwight is in it to win it!

I grew up in Mississippi County, Missouri just a few miles West of the Mississippi River from Cairo, Illinois. The plan is to blow up the first levee on the Missouri side of the river to save the town of Cairo. If they don't do this and the levee breaks at Cairo it is predicted that in some areas the water will cover two story buildings. Cairo is at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and the crest there is currently higher than it has ever been at 60.6 feet which is 20.6 feet over flood stage. It is expected to crest at 61.5 feet. This was done once before back in 1937 I believe. At that time there was plenty of forest to slow the deluge down and the secondary levee held on the Missouri side. This time the forests are gone and some people are worried that the deluge of water released from blowing the first levee will break the second levee and flood every town in Mississippi County. It could be a no win situation. The farmland in Mississippi County is some of the most fertile anywhere in the United States. Many believe this ground will be buried in a few feet of silt and will be ruined for a generation. I just hope the water doesn't reach my parents who live in Scott County, now, just a couple of miles from the Mississippi County line.

Well,it is highly likely that it isn't pilot error in my case, and yes, swapping hooks does often make a difference in fish throwing them. Many people use a hook change to avoid this circumstance including KVD himself when the stock hooks are not up to snuff. I fish plenty of crankbaits and have fished them for years so I learned years ago not to horse a crankbait fish, especially one of size. Also, as I said I use a pretty soft medium action rod, not an ultra-soft or light rod, but I first tried it with a medium-heavy. The first two fish I lost on the bait were with the medium-heavy which is why I went to my softer crankbait rod. I have also read of a number of others who have experienced this issue with these baits. It may not be every bait but it appears to happen enough to warrant a hook change. And to add more evidence, I do not lose fish with my other crankbaits. By the way, I have only experienced it with the 2.5 size, but I assume the 1.5 will be similar. I have caught well over 60 fish with this crankbait this Spring and I have lost three fish, including one of decent size. That's three too many. It is a good bait, but I am definitely going to add hooks that I know are good quality to eliminate that possibility.

Wow! That's a nice fish! Congratulations to her and you, GMAN!

Welcome to Bass Resource, Mitch.

Welcome to the community.

Wow! That's a nice one and she has a long frame to add some bulk. She will be extra huge some day. What does she weigh now?

You were obviously slaying them. I can think of little that is more fun than 40 plus mean smallies trying to pull the rod from my hands.

I just lick my fingers when I am finished using it.

Maybe I could have made a better choice of words. I wasn't necessarily chopping and clearing a path like Daniel Boone. The weeds and briars were waist high in a number of places and I had to pick and choose my way carefully using my legs and feet to push briars down so I could step over them.

Without seeing a map or knowing the lake or pond I would be guessing as to why fish like the area. It is good that you are learning the spinnerbait. Keep it up and learn as many lures as you can. Versatility is a huge asset when chasing these green creatures.

I believe if I am not mistaken that you are using your "grasshopper" skirt color there, Mike. I love that color for imitating Missouri craws. That surely looks sweet with that jig head and the falcon craw color. It's a match made in heaven.

You guys are making my mouth water. My favorite craw baits right now are Strike King Rage Tails in Summer Craw, Bama Craw, and Green Pumpkin.

I like the action of the 1.5 and 2.5 square bills. The bait almost rolls over on its side and it draws strikes from active fish, large and small. I have heard some complaints about the hooks ripping out and fish coming unbuttoned. I have fished the 2.5 quite a bit lately and, during that time, I have had three fish come unbuttoned and one was pretty large. I use a pretty soft medium action crankbait rod and I don't horse crankbait fish so it could be the hooks or just coincidence. I'm going to replace the hooks and see if there is an improvement.

Place a little dab on your fingertips and rub it all over the bait.

Welcome to the community.

Welcome to the community.

Those are some healthy fish you guys are into, MaineBassMan. Nice catches!

There's nothing better than having a significant other that fishes. I hope she is hooked.

Wow! Thats definitely a day to remember. Those are some beautiful fish.