June: Small streams and more

Last weekend there was a significant rainfall with many streams in SW Missouri rising 10-15 feet. With NW Arkansas getting pounded with storm after storm, the dam at Beaver Lake had to open the floodgates, releasing water over the top and passing the water through Table Rock Lake, Taneycomo and pooling water in Bull Shoals Lake. Bull Shoals Lake is now at 677.5 feet, I started fishing it in February at 653.4 feet. You do the math, that’s 24 feet of extra water in Bull Shoals. The Little Sac River did come up ten feet and I was wondering if there are any fish left in Stockton Lake to make a run up stream. By most accounts, the white bass run and spawn is done by Mother’s day. But this has been a usually late spring, and if one wonders, load up the kayak and take a day to fish it.

Keith Coffey with a sixteen-inch large mouth bass

June 9, 2015 (Tuesday):I called Keith Coffey, a long time member of the MTFA and asked about his last trip to the little Sac River. He and John Dozier had a good day fishing a few days before the rains. Keith and I spent the entire day covering water from Taylor Bridge to Mackey/Lumpe hole. Stockton Lake came up 21 inches according to the USGA web data. So the lake is past the second power line hole and S-curve. There was little shade and the sun was sending down ninety-degree heat. It left a sunburn patch on my wrist.

We managed five white bass, two channel catfish and Keith picked up a sixteen-inch large mouth bass. I saw Eagle fly off, with deer chased from the water’s edge. There were rabbits scurrying about near the bridge, with turkeys in the fields, and a woodchuck along the road on our drive back to Springfield. The fishing was great, with the catching less than desired.

May: Bennett Spring SP and Lake of the Ozarks

May 21, 2015 (Thursday): Desmond and I had an opportunity to fish Bennett Spring State Park. This was his fifth fishing trip together and our second time to Bennett Spring. Des has fished Roaring River several times and went with me to the Little Sac River for a white bass outing a few weeks ago. Des is four years old and has more fun collecting rocks and stomping in the water than holding a pole. Which is good, Des is learning to enjoy the outdoors. 

May 29, 2015 (Friday): Warren Wilkerson, Joe Davis and I helped with Discover Nature Women at Windermere Resort on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 29 – 31, 2015. We provided instruction for the construction of a wooly bugger, a DVD presentation (Bugs of the Underwater) and hours of hands on fly tying. There were four classes lasting four hours each with 12-15 participates in each class. Our club has been involved with this event for past eight years. They keep asking us back and we enjoy teaching and helping with the Discover Nature Women program.

Friday morning I walked the water’s edge and caught a dozen small blue-gills and a line bass using a short roll cast and dragging the fly to shore. 

It started to rain at 5 PM; we made the decision to pass up fishing and went to the dining area for our evening meal. The rain continued for an hour after supper. We watched the radar and saw a small window to fish. We put on our rain gear and we walked to the marina to wade/walk the lake’s edge fly-fishing until dark.  I was using a medium size Clouser minnow and small purple jig throwing deep sinking line with a slow strip and caught a 20-inch channel catfish, five white bass and a line bass. Kevin caught thirteen blue-gills and kept them for the fishing class. We finished the night of fishing at 9 PM and used a flashlight to locate a loud tree frog half way up a tree.

  

May 30, 2015 (Saturday): I took off for the lake after dinner (Bandana BBQ) and fished the lake front beyond the marina. The lake came up six inches from the recent rains and the cove was muddy. Warren and Joe came out an hour later. I caught two channel catfish the largest was 23-inches, two small drum, an 18-inch walleye, four blue-gills and a white bass. Joe drove us back to Old Kinderhook where we lodge the past three nights. We swap stories with the MDC staff before turning in for the night.