March 24, 2023

 Out of order...I forgot to post this fishing outing.  On this outing, I was hoping for Warmouth, and maybe some other different stuff, along with the usual species.

I didn't get any Warmouth.  I did catch a couple Bowfin (and lost another), some Shortnose Gar, a Grass Carp, a Freshwater Drum, a Channel Catfish (I think that's the first on of those from this spot for me), Largemouth Bass, Bluegills, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish.  I think that's all.

I saw this snake swim from the opposite shoreline to my feet.  Then later I saw it checking out a dead carp.

May 28, 2023

 Got out flyfishing on Sunday.  Was hoping for a new species for the year... White Bass or Spotted Bass, or maybe a Goldeye or Longnose Gar.  That didn't happen, although I may have had a Spotted Bass on...and might have even had a Longnose Gar on.

Instead, I ended up catching 5 Grass Carp (biggest measured 31", ~ 12 lbs), 5 Shortnose Gar (biggest 3 measured 26", 25.5", and 23"), 3 small Channel Catfish, some Bluegills, Green Sunfish and Hybrid Sunfish, and a Largemouth Bass.

May 21, 2023 - Iowa

They day after my daughter's wedding, I was able to meet up with my buddy Jay and do some fishing.  I wanted to add a Pumpkinseed Sunfish to my 2023 Flyrod Species list, since they don't seem to be in Missouri. 

Where I'd hoped to catch them, the water was low, and the pond edges were choked solid with weeds.  Took a very long cast just to reach beyond the weed edge.  Caught a bluegill there, but soon moved to a nearby pond instead.  Caught one!  Flyrod Species # 59 for 2023!

Next, we visited a pond to see if there were still big bluegills in it...worried after hearing reports of folks harvesting them in the past year or two.  Happy to have found some.  I caught maybe 10-11 Bluegills, but all were 9"+, with about 6 being 10"-10.5"!  BIG!

Also caught some bass.

Great day!!

May 13, 2023

 Caught Largemouth Bass, Bluegills, Green Sunfish, a Grass Carp, several Shortnose Gar, a Warmouth, and a Yellow Bullhead.  Also had a Bowfin on that shook free.  

Although I couldn't see nests and there were no squirting eggs or milt, based on the way they seemed to be grouped, I suspected the bluegills may be spawning or preparing to do so.  The bass were also tucked in tight to the rocks.

May 5-7, 2023

 Cinqo de Mayo:

Got out after work.  Caught some fish, including 3 Grass Carp.  The last one was the biggest (30"), caught as light was fading.  It was feeding amongst some rocks along the opposite shoreline.  I cast out in open water behind it...and it turned, swam out of the rocks and dove down to the fly and ate it!

Saturday...I got a late start, as I couldn't decide where to fish. Finally decided to drive 5 hours round-trip to fish for 3 hours.  Was home well before dark! :)

Caught Largemouth Bass, Bluegills, Green Sunfish.... the highlights were Redspotted Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, and (new to me) Blackspotted Topminnow.

Sunday:

I tied some flies for a friend, then had some time to kill before picking my wife up from the airport...Hadn't really planned to fish...plus it was 90 degrees.  But I went anyway.

Caught 3 more Grass Carp, a hybrid sunfish, and my first (and little) Channel Catfish of the year.  Brings my 2023 Fly Rod Species List to 58 species!  Best year ever!

28":

Didn't measure this one..it was smaller:

32":

May 4, 2023

Fished late, after work.  Went to a spot I've fished maybe once before.  Caught a bunch of small bluegills.  Saw a catfish of some sort, but it disappeared by the time I got into position.  Saw this Freshwater Drum, and got it to eat an unweighted white woolly bugger.

 

April 28, 2023

 Targeted Eyetail Bowfin, mainly.  Caught 5.  Lost others.

I caught the first 2 and the last one on a Bass Master fly.  I had 3 or 4 (maybe 5?) hooked up on a microjig while trying for warmouth.  I managed to land one on it, even though it bend the hook out.  I bend the hook back into place, then caught another bowfin on it, before losing the next.

Common Carp and Grass Carp were active, but it was really windy, which made strike detection nearly impossible.  I had a nice grass carp on briefly.

I had a LOT of Shortnose Gar eat the fly, but never managed to land ANY of them!

I caught a little Largemouth Bass, a Bluegill, and some Green Sunfish.

I wanted to show these Green Sunfish (above) to then show these unusual suspected hybrid sunfish (below).

I ended up dragging two turtles to shore who I assume tried to eat the fly.  They were released in good shape.

Also saw lots of snakes out.