conorsixtakc

As everybody probably already knows, float trip season is upon us! This year I plan on seriously pursuing smallies in the small rivers of Missouri, and I was hoping to get some advice on presentations. Can anybody provide insight from personal experiences fishing these smaller rivers for smallmouth from canoe or kayak? I plan on starting with the North Fork of the White River later this month. I was planning on starting with 1/4 oz rooster tails and small plastic craws from May-June, and then switching over to topwater frogs as things heat up in July. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! -tight lines

Went to SMP over lunch and pulled this 6.5#er to shore on a BPS rattle shad. No surface activity does not always = no wiper. They've got some big ones out there!

Now that's how birthdays should be celebrated! Congrats on the catch!

They've got King Shads on sale at Tackle Warehouse right now for $7.88, for what it's worth.

Fished LOZ this past Saturday at the 7mm. After a few lackluster largemouth I switched over to crappie... I couldn't help it. I was hungry, I had a feeling they'd be hitting, and they sure were! I know this is a bass fishing forum but who in their right mind doesn't enjoy slaying fat slabs by the masses? I stopped short of a limit to give myself enough time to clean them before dinner with the family, if I wasn't pressed for time I'd like think I could've found 3 more keepers.

Spend my Saturday on the water at 7mm. High skies, lower 70's, murky/stained water and a light breeze. After a few small largemouth I switched over to crappie, and man they were on... I know this is a bass forum but I couldn't help it, I was hungry!

Thanks! @Hi Salenity

Oldplug, I hear you about the moss. I quickly lose patience while bass fishing if I can't get my lure halfway back to the boat or dock without a ball of moss on the end of my line, at which point I usually target another species. I'll be heading down Friday evening to get after some crappies on Saturday. I've been monitoring the water temperature over the past week and it seems that they're finally starting to balance out in the low to mid 50's. Based on what you've seen, would you say the crappie are staging for their spawn yet? Assuming this cold front doesn't drive them out too far. I'm at 7mm on the KC side, so with you being on the Gravois I figure your input will apply to where I am as well. CS

Anybody here know Chris's username? We talked for a while at Bass Pro in Olathe but he forgot to give me his username

They can be elusive, but definitely worth searching for. They'll tear your tackle up.

Slow rolling a lipless crankbait that's now in dire need of a new front treble lol!

After a ten minute fight on 12# mono and getting run around a submerged tree, I landed this tank of a wiper at SMP on Saturday. Successfully released her after the photo. Go figure I'd forget my scale down at LOZ and come back to KC and catch a personal best!

I was down at North Buck Creek cove this past weekend and noticed the moss as well. Saw a 6.5#er get boated on a jerkbait, aside from that just a few keeper sized fish all weekend. I agree with you Oldplug, we definitely won't see spawning for a while but it does look like we're finally settling into a warming trend. Crappies are another story though...