MO_LMB

Cranking Trees.

You guys have any tips for fishing Ft. Gibson?

I mean I get what you are trying to say here, BUT... 2 moons in a month ... - 2 days +/- 3 days on each moon ... - 12 days 14/32 = 44% This is basically half the month when you add in +\- 3 days on each new/full moon. So half the fish were caught in the "moon" periods and half were caught in the rest of the month. Sounds to me that you should just fish in May in VA, bc this is basically just spawning time? Maybe a little heightened around the moons but sounds like you have just as good of a chance the rest of the month. There are only to facts when it comes to fishing. 1. Anytime, anywhere you fish you have a chance to catch something. 2. You can't catch something unless you fish. Go when you can.

You're best bet is to contact Strike King, tell them what happened, and see if they will send you a new lure. They have done this in the past.

I keep my finger under my line above my baitcaster typically. One time I went to set the hook with new reel and braided line, next thing I knew, I had sliced my finger open from the braid. I guess the line sits lower on that reel compared to my others. It hurt like a b...

I think the TP is much better than the Tatula. I got rid of my Tatula for a TP. IMO better tolerances, better braking system, smoother reel.

Depends on how you like to fish and what you like to fish for. The rock is a much deeper fishing fishery with a lot of rock type cover and structure. Dropshotting, jerkbaits, wiggle warts, flutter spoons, ned rig, jigs, and the a-rig in the winter and spring are all popular techniques. If you like fishing deep and looking at electronis than I'd say go for it. You can catch spots, largies, and smallies. If you're more interested in pitching and flipping docks and or finding deeper brush piles or just like shallow fishing better, I would stick with LOZ.

I shared the photo and tagged you in it Wayne!

Hey Wayne, I couldn't find the instructions on your Facebook page...

Al Agnew... nice. He is a regular poster over at Ozark Anglers.

12lb Mono - Cheap and effective.

You get to test these out at all? Interested to hear how they worked.

If you think the bass are eating them I would go with gold. Gold rattletrap Spinnerbait with gold blades Gold Crankbait Gold Swim Jig Gold Popper

Its always good to see the official rules first before talking to someone... http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/hunting-and-fishing-equipment

If you are going after docks, just pitch it in by each of the pilings. You can move pretty quickly, usually they will hit it on the fall so i let it drop, sit a second, if no bite jerk it up real quick and fall one more time. If nothing, pitch to a different spot. After a while you can tell if they are biting on the initial fall or the second one and change your strategy from there. If you are fishing rocky areas i would use a wobble head and crawl it over the rocks, alternating between a steady retrieve trying to bump as many rocks as I could or by retrieving it with hops and or jerks.

I think you are worrying too much about color. As long as you get the right fall rate I think any of those wil be bitten. I would personally throw bama bug just because I like that color. I would throw it on 12lb mono, 7ft medium heavy rod, lews tourney pro, texas rigged or on a wobble head.

On Fridays during the summer, my employer let's you take a half day if you work an extra hour the rest of the weekdays, so with a forecast for sun and a heat index of 105 I figured what better way to spend it than by going fishing! Well I wasn't too excited for the heat, but I've had things going on with the little ones at home the past couple of weekends and I hadn't been out fishing for a while. Today fishing sounded good, regardless of the temps I was going to wet a line. Today would be the day I finally headed to the Meramec River in Missouri to go after smallmouth bass. I was heading to a pretty public area, that probably receives a lot of urban pressure. My goal was to just catch one. I have never been smallmouth fishing. Outside of some trout fishing, I have zero experience fishing on rivers. I can hold my own on a lake, pond, whatever, but I have no idea what I'm doing on the river. I headed out to a spot on the Meramec in the Saint Louis area and started scoping out some fishing areas. Like I may have mentioned earlier, I had no idea where to fish on the river... in the current? in the slack water? before the riffles? after the riffles? by the laydowns? I apologize if my descriptions of the water are off, I don't know how to describe them in technical terms. I didn't start out with much luck - switched between a buzz bait, crankbait, wtd lure, and soft plastic. The only action i had was spooking some carp and the occasional take of my lure by a gar. But I finally stumbled upon a spot that looked good to me. There was a small point looking area on a cut bank of the river, current ran right in front of the weedy point, behind which was some slack water. I tossed my plastic almost right onto the bank by the point, behind the current and slowly twitched it into the water. I gave it about two more twitches and let it sit. My line started darting to the left, towards the current. I gave it a good whack and felt something big. Catfish? Gar? This seemed to big to be a "good" fish i thought to myself. With one leap out of the water, I knew I had found what I was after. She jumped two more times, each time I was praying I had her buttoned up well. I finally landed her and knew I had caught a beautiful fish. Nice bronze color, healthy body, no wounds or sores. This was a fish that has swam in these waters for a long time. Took a few pics and a few measurements and she was on he way home to swim another day. In my excitement i forgot to measure her girth. I was hoping I could come on here and say I hit the magic 20" mark (a rarity in Ozark streams), but she came in right at 19".

I've had this same idea Blue. Could you show a pic of the top of the hook and where you have the skirt tied on?

Ned Rig - Cut a 5" Senko in half and rig it on a 1/8 or 1/16 oz ball jig head. Zman Zinkerz work best b/c they are so durable. Super glue one to the jig head and it should last you all day. Thow that a on spinning rod with 6lb test and you should catch all types of fish- bass, sunfish, catfish. There's no wrong way to fish it - dead stick it, hop it, steady retrieve. My theory is that its like a small non threatening snack to bass - they'll eat it up all day long. Should give you more than enough action.

Does a bear sh^t in the woods?

PM Sent

No, I think he means a private lake community in Missouri. Do you have a friend/relative that lives there that can let you in? There is no shortage of places to bank fish, too many to list really.

I mainly fish the public lakes managed by the Mo dept. of Conservation - Jefferson, Queeny, Simpson... etc. I also fish a private lake complex called Innsbrook near Wright City. Finally if I get the chance I go to Tablerock, LOZ, and Taneycomo.

No, Eric, I haven't been to Carlyle before.