Cast from the Past - Ozarks

It's that time of the year when the days are short, the weather is fickle, and I'm missing my time on the water.  When I can't get out, I start dreaming about my spring adventures.  Which causes me to relive some past adventures.  Decided to share a few of these, pre-blog, adventures under the title, Cast from the Past.

April 2012,  2 night solo float trip in the ozarks.  It started out as a fishing trip with friends but as the weekend got closer, everyone found something better to do...hard to imagine.  Guess it's my...fish all day...eat when you can...sleep if you want...WINNING personality.

Streamside B&B (won't find in the phone book)

I can honestly say it was their loss...some of the best fishing I have ever experienced.  It was the beginning of the spawn.  The SMB were either on beds or feasting in preparation of bedding up.  Soft plastics were all that was needed...flukes and craws...1 on each rod.

3lb

2.64lb 

Measured and weighed most of what I caught before releasing

I would throw the fluke between shoals in the calm water and watch them attack it from 10ft away. They were on a search and destroy mission....as soon as the SMB heard a splash they'd key in on it and go on the hunt.  Several times I would see the wake before the fish....a second later I'd feel the heaviness as they found my fluke sinking slowly.

2.66lb

When I got to a shoal with a protected backwater, I'd look for bedding activity...

Off the bed

It didn't take long to locate a few and the craw didn't stay in the water long.  There were usually 2 or 3 beds in an area.  I didn't fish all of them...just a few b/c I don't like fishing over beds.  But I couldn't pass up on the opportunity.

Chunk of a bronzeback

My favorite time to fish the Ozarks is anytime but I really like, March - early May.  Very few people are on the water.  The ones who are, are anglers...too cold to get drunk and swim!  Just the way I like it, early and empty!