Ray

Kids Fishing Fun Day!

The smiles on their faces tells you everything you need to know! The Kids Fun Fishing Day at Rutledge-Wilson Farm Park was a huge success! The Springfield-Greene County Park Board partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation for the 41st annual event.

“Living in the Ozarks it’s easy to imagine that all kids know to fish, but that’s not true,” says Jenny Fillmer-Edwards, public information administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. For those of us who were raised with a fishing pole in our hands it's hard to imagine life without fishing. For many kids that's not their reality and this Saturday's event offered the chance for kids, and parents alike, to enjoy a few hours of fishing in the parks fully stocked pond.

Getting kids into the fishing game early in life is beneficial in so many ways. First, fishing is a hobby you can enjoy for nearly your whole life, second, it's a great family activity, plus it gets everyone off those tiny screens and focused on the pure pleasure that is "reelin'em in"!

If you missed this year's event, no worries. Summer's just getting started and there are so many great places to take your kids fishing in The Ozarks. Many regional landowners will allow fishing in their ponds. Most times it just takes a knock on the door and asking, especially if you're planning to practice "catch-n-release." Again, another cool thing about fishing is that you can have the fun of catching a fish, get a quick photo, and then toss it back to be caught again another day.

If you can't find a pond, they are plenty of rivers and streams, many of which are accessible by automobile. The Missouri Stream Team map is a great place to start. They are literally dozens of locations in and around Springfield. Click the link to find an access location near you.

https://mostreamteam.org/interactive-map.html  

Take your kids fishing. You'll make memories that will last a lifetime. You just may find yourself having as much, if not more fun, than they do!

by Ray

Fishing On Holiday Weekends

It takes effort and planning but you can have fishing success on a holiday weekend. With most of the area lakes well above normal pool, and the water stained from the recent rains, game fish will be shallow and active.

This bass was caught on Memorial Day a year ago. The recently spawned female was set up in just a couple feet of water in some flooded bushes. When I rolled my spinnerbait by, she crushed it. The water level was high last year as well and the cooler water temps kept the fish shallow. After recovering from the spawn, they're usually hungry and looking to ambush what they perceive as an easy meal.

Similar conditions are setting up this Memorial Day weekend as well. This fish was caught this week on that very same spinnerbait. Notice the flooded bushes and water color behind me. A slight breeze was blowing into this pocket and within a few casts, I had a few fish in the boat. Chartreuse and other brightly colored baits will be more visible to the fish. Willow leaf and Indiana blades will work best. If the waters really stained, go with Colorado blades to add the extra "thump."

You'll want to get on the water early or later in the evening, away from the traditional skiing and tubing time. Plan to fish in the upper ends of the lake away from most pontoons and cruisers. Look for coves with scattered flooded bushes. Too much flooded cover is difficult to pinpoint where the fish may be set up. Lure selection is pretty simple too. Since you'll be fishing around cover, stay away from anything with a treble hook. Again, a spinnerbait or buzz bait will do the trick. If the fish aren't aggressively hitting the moving lures, a jig or a soft plastic creature bait pitched into the shady side of the bush will usually draw a strike.

If you're taking the kids, tie them on a smaller Beetle Spin type of bait. Those will come through the brush without getting hung up as much. Sure, you'll need to go get their bait out of a tree or a bush from time to time but they may also be rewarded with a size sized bass on their line. The smile on their face will be worth the extra hassle. White bass too may be roaming the flatter windy banks. Again, the kids won't care as long as they getting bit and 12 inch white will put up a heck of a fight.

So don't talk yourself out of going fishing this weekend because "all the crazies will be on the water." Sure, it takes extra effort and planning but holiday weekends can be productive. For me, a day on the water, success or not, is better than hanging around the house. Plus, it'll get you and kids off those tiny screens. Good luck!

by Ray

A Quick Rod Tip Fix!

Most of you know about Fin & Feather but for those that don't, here's the place in Springfield to get quick work done on rods and reels. If your rod needs a guide replaced, or your reel needs repaired, that work will be sent out to their local expert repair guy. If your tip top guide needs replaced, or you broke the end off your favorite rod and need a tip popped on, the guys at Fin & Feather do that work right there on the spot.

last week I knocked the ceramic out of the end of my tip top guide poking it underwater trying to free my snagged Road Runner. I saved the lure but messed up one of my crappie rods. Blake Haseltine wasted no time lighting a candle and heated up the glue holding the guide in place. Within a few minutes he had the old guide off and dug through his box of replacements to find a similar one of the same size.

So if you, or one of the kids, breaks the end off their fishing pole, don't worry about buying a new one, take it over to Fin & Feather guys. They'll get that tip replaced and have you back out the door in minutes. While you're there, check out their assortment of baits and tackle. I'm sure you'll find exactly what you need. If you're not sure, ask one of the guys. They all fish the local lakes and know exactly what the bass or crappie are biting on.

While Blake finished up my rod, another patron and I discussed with him our frustration with the sudden, and untimely, rise in the area lake levels. All this rain arrived just when the water temps were finally warming and the crappie headed to the banks. Now that the lake have stabilized, and hopefully the water clarity improving, I'll be hitting the water to see what's up. Of course, I'll be letting you know right here! Good luck, and happy fishing!

by Ray

Crappie Spawn Update

This spring has been another cold, and now wet, one once again. By now the crappie spawn in our region would be over. Not this year. And yes, the conditions on Table Rock are different than up on Truman Lake, so it's hard to lump all of lakes into one report, but there's no question that water temperatures are running cooling than normal and that's keeping most of the fish off the banks.

I did manage to scratch out few last weekend but the wind and cool weather made the fishing spotty. I'd find one or two and then go for some time before picking up another. The ones I caught were mostly males and the water temps were running in the lower-to-mid 60's. Not ideal to move the fish up in significant numbers. I was fishing on an upper-tributary on Truman Lake because that's where you find spawning fish first. As the water and weather warms, the spawn will move down towards the lower part of the lake. That rule holds true regardless of the body of water. That's because the water towards the dam is deeper, and usually clearer, and takes longer to warm.

Next weeks forecast looks to change all this.

That's what's predicted for the Springfield area. Most of the local lakes were running at, or near, normal lake levels. Had we not gotten this flooding rain, everything was setting up for a massive move to the bank. However, a quick rise in water levels can throw fisherman a curve-ball.

Rising water can help move fish up, but too much of a good thing can make fishing much more challenging than it should be this time of year. Fish tend to spawn deeper, usually out near the old shoreline. Newly flooded brush can make casting and fishing around more challenging as well. Plus, a quick change in water color can make it tougher. Muddy water means you literally have to stick a jig right in front of the fish to draw a strike.

We'll see how it shakes out. I'll be posting an update next week. Good luck! Enjoy the warmer weather and your time on the water.

by Ray

It's Mushroom Hunt'n Time!

It's another reason we love The Ozarks! Conditions are finally right to get out in the woods and gather some of Mother Natures very best treats...morel mushrooms! I'm a member of the Missouri Morel Mushroom Hunting group on Facebook and over the last few days there have been several members showing off their finds.

There's a lot written about where to find them. If you ask those that hit the woods every spring and ask "which trees are best to look around?", you're likely to get several different answers. One of the best places to start is around dead trees, specifically elms, ashes, cottonwoods, and domesticated apple trees. Other traditional hot sports are areas impacted by recent floods, fires and logging activity.

There is some guess work however, morel mushrooms are most likely to appear when daytime temperatures are in the low 70's and lows overnight in the 50's. Soil temperatures are critical as well. Ideally, mushrooms prefer soil temperatures between 45-50 degrees. Another tip to remember is "morels peak when lilacs bloom!”

Enough about tips, it takes effort to get out and walk, at times for hours, to find the suckers. But when you do and fry up a batch, you'll know for sure it was well worth the effort!

by Ray

Spring Has Sprung!

I'm calling it! It may be late, but it's here! "Spring Has Sprung!" Red Bud trees are in full bloom, may-apples are up on the forest floor, and swollen rivers are filled with spring rainwater. Those three things tell me its time for the annual white bass migration. Over the weekend, I took my aluminum fishing boat up as far up-river as I could get and caught white bass all along the way.

This year, the action hasn't been as good as it usual. Of course, this spring hasn't been "normal" either. The recent cooler weather has spread out an event that usually lasts a couple weeks into something more like a month. If you've not made it out yet, there's still time. However, after another week or so, it will be time to turn your attention towards the crappie.

Another sure sign that "Spring Has Spring" are morel mushrooms! The area around small feeder creeks are prime mushroom hunting territory. Check around Elm and Sycamore trees. River bottoms and south facing hillsides are great places to search for the tasty fungus too. There were numerous spots that fit those descriptions along the river. The recent rain and warm nights get the mushrooms going too.

Jackpot, baby!

It's official, "Spring Has Sprung!" Get out and enjoy the things that make The Ozarks special! Fishing, turkey hunting, looking for mushrooms, a bike ride, or a hike, whatever you're in to, it's a wonderful time to be outdoors!

by Ray

Bass Pro Shops Motorsports Museum Is Fun and Free!

It's inside Bass Pro Shops, the Motorsports Museum! It features a variety of cool racing memorabilia, including fire suits, helmets, collectibles, and of course...cars! Visitors can get an up close look of the actual cars drivers ran, including the famous Dale Earnhardt #3 he drove in 1998, the year he won the Daytona 500.

Most of us have heard of the Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium at Bass Pro Shops World Headquarters here in Springfield. It's amazing! There's nothing quite like it perhaps anywhere in the world, however there is an admission fee. The Bass Fishing and Motorsports Museum's are both free and should be included during your next visit to the store.

With summer right around the corner, be sure and take your visiting friends and family to Bass Pro Shops and take in the free attractions. The fishing and racing exhibits are located upstairs inside the main entrance of the store. Just head in the front door and keep walking up the stairs or ride the elevator to the next floor. Both free attractions, as well as the entrance to the "Wonders of Wildlife Museum" are at the top. It's a great way kill a day when the weather's not cooperating and you can't get outdoors. A visit to the Bass Pro Shops museums are the next best thing!

by Ray

It's White Bass Time In The Ozarks!

It signals the start of another fishing season in the Ozarks! I know many of you fish year around. I wish I had that kind of resolve. For me, those early spring days up a river is where and when my fishing season starts. It's a great time to get outdoors and a perfect chance to take the kids. When conditions are right, you can catch a bunch in a short amount of time, and in some places, a boat isn't required to have success.

Most springs, the white bass start moving into the tributaries to spawn in late March. It appears to be a bit behind schedule this season. The recent cooler weather has moved things back a couple of weeks so if you've not made it out yet, there's still time. That red bud tree in the background of this picture is the best sign that "it's time." Another key is current. A few days after a "gully washer" is better. The warmer rain water and runoff helps pull the whites upstream. The added color in an Ozarks stream helps too. Below dams, under bridges, or any place where the river is constricted helps congregate spawning white bass. They're hard fighters too! Add in some current, and you're in for a good time!

Not much tackle is required either. A lite action spinning rod and reel or spin-casting outfit will do the trick. A handful of Roadrunners, Rooster Tails, or crappie jigs, is all you need. White or shad colored baits usually work best. So gather up the kids, an ole fishing buddy, or whomever, and head up stream! Spring is back and there's no better way to celebrate it's return than white bass fishing.

by Ray