Headed to Mark Twain this weekend

[rlsiv]

Well, kids are off school and have been gathering our stuff to head to MTL for some fishing and swimming this weekend. Figured since we have yet to visit MTL this year and I'm fishing a crappie tournament up there next Saturday (on a part of the lake I'm not really familiar with), it may be a good idea to go pre-fish. Plus, I've got some empty freezer bags that need filled :D


If you're going to be up there, look for a black (w/red) skeeter sporting a yammie engine with a crappie.com decal on the back of the engine cover and say hello!

[Polskyboy]

I'll be up there, plan to dock in at South Fork. Where are you putting in, if its nearby I'll look for you and we'll compare notes. I'll be in a wine colored Phoenix with an Opti-max. Good Luck, probably need to cover lots of water to put something together, may be tough for one day, especially since its supposed to get to about mid 90s. May hit the AC at midday and go back out if its too bad.

[Papermouth King]

Was up there today and fished from 6 to 12. wish I could give a decent report, but all I caught was about 15 dinks. I mean small fish 6 to 7 inches. Stayed in the midlake area. Good luck to ya.

[Kokopelli]

Good luck cant wait to hear how you did and see some pics.... cant beat getting out with the kids, now go put them on some fish!

[LSL Angler]

Good luck, i know it going to be very hot up there. I'd wear my swimming trunks so i could cool off.

[bwillaub]

Good luck, Ralph. Gotta let those kids outfish you.

[gatorbitu]

Good luck and hope you guys load the boat.

[rlsiv]

Polsky - we're launching at Stoutsville ramp - only because that's where the Delta Waterfowl tournament will be out of next weekend and I don't know that NW end of the lake well at all. It'll be smokin' hot... Have the swimtrunks on and if its too hot and/or the fishing is too slow, we may just fish early morn and then evening, and play in the water during midday. Here goes nothin!

[beagle man]

HOT DANG sounds like a story commin our way, good luck and have fun.

[rlsiv]

HOT DANG sounds like a story commin our way, good luck and have fun.

Well we had quite the weekend up there... Most of the crappie we caught were in the last 2 hours of daylight Saturday evening and the first two hours Sunday morning. Dodged the thunderstorms and tornado warnings by heading into Hannibal for lunch on Saturday.

We ended up catching a decent number of fish, in fact caught a TON of no-joes, but the keepers were intermittent. Biggest one was 12". We did catch a nice flathead on goldfish trot-line along a bluff and a good channel cat hit my minnow on a 10' rod... that booger was trying to steal my hook, weight, AND all the line off my spool before I finally got him in the boat.

Also had a close encounter with a rattlesnake on one of the rocky outcroppings. Took quite a few pics and I'll try and get one posted up here when I get them off the camera. I'm guessing it was a timber rattler, but the markings don't fully match what is on the MDC website.

Most of the fish we caught were either in about 10-12' of water or over 26'-45' of water, and on or along rocky points.

They're doing some repair to the spillway below the dam, so appear to be trying to hold as much water as possible.

Keep an eye out for floating trees.