Spoonie Season In Missouri

[Itch2Scratch]

Could someone please enlighten me as to the start and close of Spoonie season. Since I am pretty sure it starts next month it seems appropriate to start talking about it now. While we are at it could you please tell us what rigging you feel works best as well as the equipment you use and type line. Thanks Guys.:)

[Chanellocked]

Hey Ken, spoonbill season starts March 15th and runs through April 30th. There is an Ozark Snagmasters Tournament on April 21st, Jaybird has a link somewhere in the tournament talk forum:thumbsup:

[Itch2Scratch]

Thanks for the update Channellocked..:)

[Crispy Critter]

I think I might give it a try this spring.It looks like it would be fun.As long as I'm not required to put 15 people in my 16' boat..I watched them out here last year and some of the boats reminded me of the ones I would see the coast guard turn back south on the news when I lived in south Florida..LOL...I have never tried it but I used to grab suckers on the river.I don't think I ever caught a sucker that size though, might pull me out of the boat.

[Boogan1]

I am also thinking about tryin it this year, never done it before. Could someone explain how to rig for them? How do you fish for them? What rythm or method do you use? Thanks, Boog

[Chanellocked]

Dang Wolfman, you must have peeked in my garage, how'd you know I used a pool cue for a snaggin' rod(lol);). All kiddin aside, I do use a Penn 309 for snaggin and an Okuma levelwind as a backup clamped to a broom handle(lol):rolleyes:

[Chanellocked]

No problem Itch, always willing to help out a brother...Good Luck this snaggin season(it may be short but oh so sweet):thumbsup:

[Chanellocked]

Boog, if you're snaggin from a boat, I use a Penn 309 with 130lb dacron line(you could use 80lb dacron w/Penn 209) and a heavy duty catfish rod with a roller tip(optional) tie on 3 to 4 14/0 treble hooks with 8-16 oz bank sinkers. From the shore use a 10-15ft long heavy duty rod with a big spinning reel, use 2 12/0 hooks with 4-5oz bank sinkers and 40lb test. If forgot anything, pm spoonfish, he'll always steer you right:thumbsup:

[Boogan1]

Thanks for the info guys, can someone post up a pic or instructions on how to tie the hooks so they lay along the line? And how much weight did you say for snaggin from a boat......8-16oz?????? as in eight sixteen ounce sinkers? I am not sure how many times I can yank 8 pounds of lead through the water, I am guessing not that many! I have two sinker molds, 10 oz and 16 oz but may pick up a 12 and 14. Thanks for all the help, sorry so many questions, still a newbie. Boog

[Believer]

No, they mean an 8 oz or 16 oz sinker. Man that would be tough trying to use 8 lbs of lead! :eek:

I've never done it from a boat, but would like to.
I'll be using 2 10/0 hooks & a 5 oz sinker.

Eric

[Boogan1]

Can anyone post up a pic of how you tie the hooks? Thanks, boog

[Boogan1]

Thanks Wolfman, that's what I was looking for, a pic would be great if anyone had one, but I think I can figure it out. Boog

[Sinker]

Watch what yer doing! That second half hitch is made in the line between the eye of the hook and yer sinker. If you use the other side, yer hook is on upside down, and running backwards. It's all the same to me tho. I've just never seen it work. I've tied on hundreds of them and still every once in a while screwed up. Ain't never seen it work! I hope this guy I'm gonna tell about reads this. Years ago, on the bank of the Osage a few miles below Osceola, this loudmouth blowhard was slinging his rig right along with all of us. Lots of snags there and eventually everyone snagged one (snag that is).
Blowhard never did, and not only that, he would belittle everbody else when they did. We all saw what he was doing, but nobody ever told him! For all I know he's still snaggin that way.....with the hooks upside down!!!

[Chanellocked]

Hey Boog, didn't mean confuse you on the sinker weights, I should have said 8oz to 16oz depending on boat speed and river current. Don't have any pics either, sorry bud. But if you can tie a palomar knot that 's half the battle(it's the only knot that I know how to tie well) then a couple loops on the hook shank to help keep it straight when you pull. Listen to Wolfman, he explains it better then I ever could...Good Luck

[NoCat2Big]

First week of snagging season go down to truman. Watch the guys below the dam on the banks and then on down in the boats. You'll see all kinds of methods and rigs.
Some advice. Watch the bank snaggers on their back casts and don't cut the boat snaggers off...lol


WHOAA THERE Wolfie, Don't let them get the wrong idea..:eek:

It is illegal to snag spoonbill from Truman dam down to the 65 hwy bridge. That is a spoonbill refuge area.

Now, That only cuts a couple miles out of the river becuase 65 hwy bridge is only 2-3 miles down river. You can start snagging right there at the Roadhouse (next to 65 bridge) and points down river from there.

[NoCat2Big]

Another tip for snagging past the 65 bridge on Osage river (below truman dam)..

If you are in a boat DON'T drop your line until you are about 75 yards down stream from the bridge.. The old bridge, or parts of it, is still down in the water.
You WILL snag into it... I've busted a pole there before, and lost a few hooks and weights.

I've had the best luck on that part of the river running down the right hand side near the bluffs about 20 feet from the bank.. water averages around 30 ft for a while and then shallows up when you get down towards the bend. Then on past the bend it gets pretty good again but the right hand side there (going down stream) can get pretty shallow so watch where you are going!!!

Good luck, and see you on the water.

[Tulcat]

Thanks Wolfman, that's what I was looking for, a pic would be great if anyone had one, but I think I can figure it out. Boog

Boog,

Here is a ROUGH drawing I did a few years ago and had posted on the old BOC site. Let me know if you need any clarifications.

[NoCat2Big]

Only 9 more shopping days until Snagging season!!!!!!!

[Mr.T]

Right now on the Men's Channel, there's a program where they're snagging spoonies down on Grand Lake of the Cherokees.

That same "unnamed professional guide" who was on the catfishing episode a couple of weeks ago is in this episode as well... ;)

[Mr.T]

Another tip for snagging past the 65 bridge on Osage river (below truman dam)..

If you are in a boat DON'T drop your line until you are about 75 yards down stream from the bridge.. The old bridge, or parts of it, is still down in the water.

Hey! That's supposed to be a secret for those of us who remember driving across that bridge! Seems like the pilings used to be just below the water surface many years ago - either they've taken some off the top or the water level is higher than it used to be...

[spoonfish]

Whats a spoonie any way LOL........:006:

[jolle]

We're bank fisherman converted to boat, so we use 10-12 foot surf rods, 40-50 pound mono or spiderwire, with 5 oz. of weight and 2 hooks. We usually fish up around the Niangua and have found a hole that holds them early in the year and usually get around 10 keepers in a weekend. I'll be down there this coming weekend and hopefully we hit them again. We troll slowly over the channel yanking away as we go. Sometimes you'll hit a school and we work the spot over until they move on. You would think you could go up or down the channel and find them again, but I guess they split when you pull out a few fish and they're thrashing around down there.

Anyway, good luck to all and it looks to be a cold one.

[jolle]

In the lake . . . :D

[cook]

Just where might this Hole be?...lol
Good idea...GPS numbers might help so we can avoid this hole...hate to damage the boat:rolleyes: