September 24, 2003

Flyfished a new-to-me spot on the Missouri River, called Centaur Chute.  Caught Largemouth Bass, Bluegills, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Orangespotted Sunfish, and Shortnose Gar.

The Orangespotted Sunfish is just the 2nd one I've ever caught on a fly, and was the 80th Fly Rod Species for 2023!

Orangespotted Sunfish

Redear Sunfish

Longear Sunfish

Shortnose Gar

 

September 21, 2023 - BOWFIN GOAL REACHED!

I had a rare opportunity to fish on an afternoon during the week.  I took it!

I reached my 100 Bowfin on Fly in a calendar year goal!!  I just needed 3 more, and I caught 3. 😃👊

Lost a few others.  Also had a Grass Carp on (fair-hooked), but after a decent fight, it got off.  Lost a gar, too.  I did catch a Common Carp, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Green Sunfish.

I'm so glad to have this goal behind me.  I REALLY love catching these Eyetail Bowfin, very fun, very challenging.  

In about a 13 month span (although this fishing area is closed for 4.5 months over the winter...so really 8.5 months of actual fishing) I caught 145 Bowfin on Fly.  That was over a span of 30 fishing outings, so an average of 4.8 Bowfin on fly per outing.

September 17, 2023

 Spent the bulk of the weekend in Kirksville, MO....for the Truman State University "Parent's Weekend".  Had a good time hanging out with our son. :)

We got back home at a decent time on Sunday, so I headed out fishing.  Got to the parking area around 3pm.  Only fished 3 spots, out of the 9 or so I usually hit when I have a full day to fish at this location.

Still working on my 100 Bowfin on Fly in a Calendar Year.  Caught 3 Bowfin, lost another 3 or 4.  Brings my total for 2023 to 97!  I just need 3 more before fishing here closes on Oct. 15.  I feel pretty good about my chances. 

I also caught a bluegill, some green sunfish, some warmouth, a tiny common carp, and a mussel.  Also caught a bullhead, that I suspect is a Black Bullhead.

Here's some pics from this outing:

September 9, 2023

Another tough day, but the weather wasn't as hot as it has been.  I caught 3 bowfin, 3 largemouth Bass, 2 warmouth, 2 channel catfish, 1 warmouth x green sunfish hybrid, 1 white bass, and 1 freshwater drum.

September 2, 2023

Tough day... hot... overheated.  Fished for 3 hours before I caught my first fish of the day. Fished for 5 hours before catching the first target species of the day (bowfin).

Only caught 8 fish total, 5 species.  These were: Grass Carp, Common Carp, Bigmouth  Buffalo (79th species on fly for 2023), Eyetail Bowfin (4), and a Largemouth Bass.

Accidentally caught yet another Snapping Turtle.  Not the one below...the one below was sitting on top of a larger one that you can't see.

Bigmouth Buffalo mouthing at the surface:

Red Velvet Ant, a.k.a. "Cow Killer" due to its very painful bite/sting.  Actually a wasp species, and the female (here) is wingless.  Never stopped moving, so the pictures are blurry.