Mississippi River action no bigguns

[oldstylelight]

Today was a fun day.. was out on the miss. we didnt get to fish where we wanted to cause driving full throttle was pretty tough with the fog that didnt lift until noon! This am fished from 9 to 1:30 and got 15 cats the biggest about 2.5#. Had to come in and get home to the family and my fishin buddy went back out and fished from shore and really got into the numbers. From 3:00 to 5:30 got 28 fish but the biggest again was about 2.5#. All fish were caught in shallow mud bottoms out of the main current... We tried one deep hole in the main channel area.... but 5 oz was the biggest sinker we had and not enough to hold it on the bottom in the high water.

My question is where are the big ones!. the bite is pretty good and should be even better tomorrow..... God bless the catfish.

[FishinginDavenport]

You HAVE got to show me where to fish. Boat is still shrink wrapped but Grace Marine said they would be ready to work on it soon. I see they still have not put thier docks in..Guess I'm getting anxious...

[Longjohn119]

What were you using for bait, Dave? If I remember you right you were using a lot of stinkbait last year but I never had much luck this time of year with it, seems to need warm water to work good

I can't believe how fast the water is warming up, dams 13-18 are all reading between 54 and 57 degrees which usually doesn't happen until mid to late April

[oldstylelight]

longj, i have transformed for the most part. shad guts recently.. last summer only stinkbait if i couldnt get fresh shad and believe me on the river around here was tough at times to get em.... Anyone can catch small cats....

[Longjohn119]

So you did finally find a spot to net some shad? I remember you were having some problems last year which is normal when the water is low

Wait until late May and early June, I don't even have to net them I can just drive my boat through Credit Island Slough after dark and have several jump right in the boat

Don't just use the guts, I use small ones whole and slit there bellies, and cut chunks and fillets (Fillets work well for me in current to give them some 'action') and heads with the guts hanging out ... If one presentation isn't working I try another and usually find one that is working best ....

[oldstylelight]

had a good time in the rain friday. sat there with a big smile while getting rained on, rod tips bouncin, no "curfew", just me and my boat and dog till a buddy joined me about 10 am. Still no real big ones, but i aint gonna complain. I have never really started fishin in march until this year...

I just learned how to post pics so i prolly will keep doin so as long as people dont make fun of me .. HA HA. Runnin down on shad guts.

[oldstylelight]

i can only do one thing at a time

[oldstylelight]

gonna try again

[barnold]

We went 4-15 and didn't get a single tap. The water at Keokuck was 48 and moving pretty hard. The water below the dam was smoking. Used shad gut and worms. Couldn't even get a drum on worms. I guess we'll have to wait for the water to warm. Bo