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Whether you are a recreational fisherman or a competitive tournament
fisherman, smaller bodies of water have something to offer you. Remember
now those ponds and streams of yesteryear where we set goals, fishing landmarks,
that set us above those who didn’t possess the passion we felt for fishing.
Those places made us who we are today.
Much like advancing through school all of us can remember our
first fishing experience. We can remember our first rod and reel
and the first time we heard “adults only, maybe next time.” A few
of us are lucky enough to remember our first fishing derby at age three
when we didn’t catch a fish but drank more than our share of SUNKIST.
Some of us are even reminded constantly of the 8-12 year old tournament
when your sister won a trophy and it still sits on a mantle at your parents’
house. The point being that we all started somewhere and someone
cared enough to show us. Even now as adults there are many resources
and people to offer up opinions, techniques and helpful hints. Internet
websites like www.northmosportsmen.com and the Missouri Department of Conservation’s
“Conservation Café” offer profiles and forums about locations and
topics throughout the state.
Ponds you circled as a child and creeks you waded while Grandpa
fly-fished all seem like mud puddles today. It seemed like a baggie
full of baits was all you needed in those days. You were confident
in your baits, knowledge and ability. It was about this time that
you made the decision to practice the art of fishing as a pure recreational
sport or a competitive sport.
The Missouri Department of Conservation offers many areas with
lakes smaller than 1000 acres. These areas provide productive waters
for recreational fishermen and ample training grounds for tournament fishermen.
If you’ve ever been out with the family and felt like you were holding
on more than you were fishing or you’ve been in a tournament and felt like
you had 10,000 acres of water and nowhere to fish, smaller bodies of water
are for you!
Recreational fishermen often get sick of dodging wave runners,
frustrated by partygoers, and generally disappointed by unproductive fishing.
Smaller lakes offer a less crowded, more productive and fun fishing environment.
They are free and open to the public. Handicap accessibility is available
and the locals are friendly. The areas hold good numbers of a variety
of species, which creates good fishing. You can spend more time catching
rather than casting. Scenery is a big focus and the parks are always
clean and clear. Walking, hiking, and riding trails are abundant
so you can enjoy the view from the shore as well as the lake. If
boating is not your pleasure rest assure that there is plenty of shoreline
available for bank fishing. Shockingly, there are even conservation
lakes where you don’t hear highway noise or boat motors from anywhere on
the lake.
Tournament anglers often view these smaller lakes as “after work”
lakes. Sometimes competitive anglers don’t realize that these lakes
can be incredible training grounds. Quite often fishing clubs have
fun tournaments as practice sessions for new members and upstart tournament
fishermen. These practice sessions help experienced anglers get back
into shape, get back to basics, and get focused. For inexperienced
competitors it is a non-competitive setting in a more focused area.
It teaches them how to breakdown lakes section by section based on seasons
and weather, structure and contour and differing forage. When overwhelmed
by a large reservoir sometimes tournament fishermen get jumpy. They
jump from spot to spot and bait to bait. The smaller lakes allow
for the development of patience, successful patterns and ultimately confidence
in your skills. With the move by MDOC to allow idle speed for motors
over 10 horsepower these smaller bodies of water are now more appealing
to the competitive angler.
If you are tired of being tossed around like a tin can on the
ocean or tired of sub-par performances in tournaments then get back to
basics at your local conservation area. Visit www.conservation.state.mo.us
today to find out where these lakes are located. Surf websites like
www.mosportsmen.com to view pictures and profiles on some of these lakes.
Furthermore if you have pictures, fishing reports or articles you want
to share contact the webmaster at www.tmvideo@kvmo.net.
Frogging season opens at sunset
June 30
Frogs taste like fish, but you can take them with
a hunting permit.
JEFFERSON CITY -- Time to brush up on your frog-catching techniques. Missouri's frog season opens at sunset June 30 and runs through Oct. 31.
Frogging is one of the few fishing or hunting activities that allows participants to go afield at night and use artificial light to pursue wildlife. A wide variety of methods can be used to capture frogs. Legal methods vary, depending on the type of permit the frogger has. Those with fishing permits may take frogs by hand, with a handnet, gig, longbow, trotline, throwline, limb line, bank line, jug line, snagging, snaring, grabbing or pole and line. With a hunting permit, froggers can use a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or use a pistol, pellet gun, longbow, crossbow, their hands or a hand net. Firearms may not be used when frogging on Missouri Department of Conservation lands.
Hunters should take precautions with firearms at all times. A .22-caliber bullet, like all firearms projectiles, can ricochet off water or rocks. For safety's sake, use hollow-point ammunition or a less powerful pellet gun for shooting frogs.
Almost any recipe that works for fish will do for frog legs. Battering or rolling in beaten eggs and bread crumbs and then deep-frying is a traditional favorite. For a switch, sauté in garlic butter and serve with lemon wedges.
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