I am wanting to take my older cousin (81 yrs) on a bass fishing trip in spring. Which lake would you recommend for a numbers lake also a good Smallmouth lake? I have a boat and am an experienced angler just looking to provide a good trip for him. We are in S.E. MO and willing to drive for a good lake?

Thanks... Kevin

Table rock and Lake of Ozarks right in your home state.

Thanks

Pickwick lake, good for numbers and trophies.

?

1 hour ago, AstroFishingTV said:

Pickwick lake, good for numbers and trophies.

Pickwick is a VERY GOOD option.

Best day ever for numbers was 78. Best for size was 15, eight over 5 lbs. 

Biggest smallmouth 8 1/4 (in my avatar). Additionally, largemouth, spots, white bass, 

buffalo, drum and crappie. We got it all!

 

LOZ has very few smallmouth, but Table Rock has an excellent population. Problem with Table Rock is it can be a very difficult lake as well. If you can figure out the fish on that day (because it will be different the next day almost without a doubt), you can really catch them. It doesn't have the biggest fish, but plenty of quality keeper range fish up to around 4 pounds are available with some even bigger occasionally. There's a couple really good smallmouth lakes in Kansas, but that all depends if it rains and floods them out or not. They were flooded this last year until late summer, but it was excellent once the waters finally came down with 100 fish days not being out of the question.

I took my 80 year old dad to Camp Manitou in NW Ontario in June a few years back. We had a couple 100 fish days.  All were smallmouth between 14-16 inches.  Not much bigger than that except some lake trout and the occasional muskellunge.  

PICK WICK!!

The consensus appears to be Pickwick. 

My suggestion to up your odds for a enjoyable outing is you go to Pickwick and hire a guide to get dialed in before taking cousin fishing. At 81 your stamina isn't up to a long day so productive time on the water is very important.

Good luck,

Tom

8 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

I took my 80 year old dad to Camp Manitou in NW Ontario in June a few years back. We had a couple 100 fish days.  All were smallmouth between 14-16 inches.  Not much bigger than that except some lake trout and the occasional muskellunge.  

We are planning an Ontario trip in June for Smallies. Hopefully we can make that happen. If so we will post some photos. Thanks for the reply... Kevin

Thanks for the info guys. We will get a guide and be on Pickwick in spring... Kevin

In south Florida, if you can catch the Everglades during low water conditions in the spring, at the end of the dry season, a two hundred or three hundred day is a real possibility.  This will continue day after day, until the rains come, and the fish move back into the massive Everglades Marsh.  Because of global warming, and changes in the normal weather patterns, this has not happened in several years.

When would be the best time to catch the low water condition in the Everglades?

A couple years ago I caught a 149 bass in less than 6 hours fishing in the Everglades from land. Also caught another +150 fish such as bowfin, gar, warmouth, Oscar, and other fish which means I caught well over 300 fish in 6 hours of fishing. I caught all these fish on artificial lures. This was during a time when the water level was low and other factors that made it a great time to fish. Others have had +100 bass days in the Everglades as well so I would say the Everglades is probably the best place in the USA to fish if your goal is to have a 100 bass or better day.

No matter where you go please consider using live bait.

I wish Roadwarrior would quit showing his workout vids.

You guys are all awesome. Thanks for your input!!!

On 12/19/2019 at 1:25 PM, soflabasser said:

A couple years ago I caught a 149 bass in less than 6 hours fishing in the Everglades from land. Also caught another +150 fish such as bowfin, gar, warmouth, Oscar, and other fish which means I caught well over 300 fish in 6 hours of fishing. I caught all these fish on artificial lures. This was during a time when the water level was low and other factors that made it a great time to fish. Others have had +100 bass days in the Everglades as well so I would say the Everglades is probably the best place in the USA to fish if your goal is to have a 100 bass or better day.

 

That's casting, hooking, landing and releasing a fish almost once per minute. You did this for 6 hours? I'd be in traction after that!

21 hours ago, schplurg said:

 

That's casting, hooking, landing and releasing a fish almost once per minute. You did this for 6 hours? I'd be in traction after that!

Yes it was one of my most memorable fishing trips that I have had. At one moment I caught 6 or so bass in a minute. I spent more time walking along the shoreline than I did fishing. The bite seemed to go on and off but when the day was done I caught well over 300 fish in less than 6 hours of fishing, 149 where bass. I am certain I would of caught over 200 bass that day if I would of fished earlier but that is ok with me since it gives me a better chance to beat my best numbers of bass day. I weight train, run, and swim often so I have lots of endurance which I feel helps me a lot in fishing.