Thread: Truman, Fairfield area 9/28-9/30

Originally Posted by Baitwaster

Even with a fish finder you can’t tell if they’re at home or not hungry…at least I can’t.

But I got a fish finder for ya. Nothing fancy but it works. I’m near Clinton.

I appreciate that & thank you for the kind offer. A more accurate statement from myself however, would have been that I don't have a fish finder mounted. I've got a Garmin Echomap UHD 73SV waiting to be mounted, but I've been putting off upgrading to a good deep cycle battery to run the trolling motor & Garmin. That & I had my brain & hands full trying to learn to fish & run a boat & didn't want to add another distraction quite yet. I'm trying to figure out the optimal mounting location & method for my jumped up little jon boat.



My uncle & I have talked about going in together on a couple guided fishing trips, specifically to learn the hows & wheres of catching certain species. Crappie, naturally & I'd love to learn whites & wipers as well.

Like I said, I know it's been weather & timing, coupled with inexperience, that have been keeping the fish away in droves, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

Good lookin Lowe. That should get some feesh.

I was thinking about docks so I took a drive tonight.

I was SHOCKED! Deep water/ cooper creek has a dock but it’s blocking the ramp because the ramp is dry. The lake isn’t that low.
Anyway Tally Bend did have a dock and Brush Creek there in Osceola had one too. Is that ramp still open?

Launching without a dock is a no big deal assuming your still a little nimble. Just tie a 25’ bow line to the front of the trailer. Back down till she floats and pull up gently until the trailer is dry. Pull the rope up to the bank and tie off while you park. But here’s the hard part. Make it a ritual tying the rope and triple checking it.

Originally Posted by Baitwaster

Good lookin Lowe. That should get some feesh.

I was thinking about docks so I took a drive tonight.

I was SHOCKED! Deep water/ cooper creek has a dock but it’s blocking the ramp because the ramp is dry. The lake isn’t that low.
Anyway Tally Bend did have a dock and Brush Creek there in Osceola had one too. Is that ramp still open?

Launching without a dock is a no big deal assuming your still a little nimble. Just tie a 25’ bow line to the front of the trailer. Back down till she floats and pull up gently until the trailer is dry. Pull the rope up to the bank and tie off while you park. But here’s the hard part. Make it a ritual tying the rope and triple checking it.

Thank you. It's actually a fun little boat. I'd found some deals on some fancier/bigger boats, but I wanted something better suited for the rivers & skinny water around here. Also left room in the budget for decent electronics, which I am itching to try. Fish finders weren't a thing last time I fished as a kid, so modern fish finders/GPS plotters are mind blowing to me. I know they're not a guarantee of anything, but will hopefully give me useful information to work with.

Corps took the dock & vault toilet outta Talley Bend sometime late last year or early this year. I heard due to low use? Brush Creek is closed. A culvert across the road on the way in is collapsed/washed out & the Corps won't fix it or let anyone else fix it.

I heard they took the dock from Talley up to Shawnee Bend. No idea. I do know there is not a single Corps dock in St. Clair county. Crowe's Crossing's ramp is useless- it's dry at normal pool. I'm less than 2 miles from the ramp in town & a hair over 4 from the Sac access on 82, so they'll likely become my go-to spots to put in.

Neighbor/friend's been here almost 60 years & said there was bad blood between Osceola (& possibly the county) & the Corps over the lake since the Kaysinger Bluff Dam and Reservoir was authorized. Seems odd there would still be any animosity after all this time, yet here we are.

Wow all that water and such poor access.
Hard to believe Tally bend was underutilized. People were parking in the grass every time I've been.

Maybe you should set up for walleye. The Sac is supposed to be premier `eye fishin.

Originally Posted by Baitwaster

Wow all that water and such poor access.
Hard to believe Tally bend was underutilized. People were parking in the grass every time I've been.

Maybe you should set up for walleye. The Sac is supposed to be premier `eye fishin.

That is what I’ve heard & it is definitely on my list. I hear it’s a pretty good all arounder for crappie, whites & cats as well. I want to explore the Sac & Osage both. It’d be fun to see just how far upstream I can motor.

I dunno. I think living here has awakened my inner Huck Finn, ‘cos I used to be freaked out by water & now I’ve got a little fishing boat & am itching to go explore the rivers.

back when I was young I had a big 4WD I used to fish a private lake with no ramp, I had to back in at almost a right angle because there was a cliff close to the bank. the shore was really steep also, so the trailer just kinda dropped off, I always had it in 4 low with my door opwn and window down, did it all by myself......not anymore LOL

My impeccable timing continues unabated. Missus & I rode up to Fairfield today, but no bueno. Had hoped to go up the Little Pommy some & the west side of Indian Island, but it was really windy & water way too rough. Backed the boat in & floated it & it was bouncing around & splashing water over the transom. Yeah, nope. My little boat rides way too low for that kinda water & my carcass all the way aft would not have helped that situation at all.


6 or 7 rigs in the parking lot when we put in around 1:30, so I'm guessing it was worthwhile to be on the water, but judging by the size of the trailers, they were in much bigger boats than mine. Could've just lit a $20 bill on fire & saved myself an hour & a half's worth of aggravation. Told the wife on the way home that with what we paid for the boat, every fish we've caught in it has cost us about $1000 apiece so far.

Originally Posted by Crazy Carl

My impeccable timing continues unabated. Missus & I rode up to Fairfield today, but no bueno. Had hoped to go up the Little Pommy some & the west side of Indian Island, but it was really windy & water way too rough. Backed the boat in & floated it & it was bouncing around & splashing water over the transom. Yeah, nope. My little boat rides way too low for that kinda water & my carcass all the way aft would not have helped that situation at all.


6 or 7 rigs in the parking lot when we put in around 1:30, so I'm guessing it was worthwhile to be on the water, but judging by the size of the trailers, they were in much bigger boats than mine. Could've just lit a $20 bill on fire & saved myself an hour & a half's worth of aggravation. Told the wife on the way home that with what we paid for the boat, every fish we've caught in it has cost us about $1000 apiece so far.

Not sure how you posted that in white font.... but it's alway a nice drive to the lake.