Missouri great for fishing

Mike Harris, Polo, with two of the seven bass he caught during a recent bass tournament held on Stockton Lake.

Ken White

They say we fish to get away from the pressures and speed of everyday life, that may be true until the fishing really heats up.

When the largemouth bass are blasting the surface or walleyes are swirling the shallows, relaxed fishing is out the door. You are on the hunt, the faster you get a lure in the water the better.

As Spring starts walleye are notorious, for cruising the shallows chasing minnows, as they head upstream to spawn. According to several walleye anglers, last week walleyes started moving to shoals. Starting now through April the walleye will spawn. This is the time to get ready for them.

Many anglers wait too long to start fishing for spawning walleye. I used to wait until April to start serious fishing. Granted, April is one of the best months to catch fish in most years, but by waiting you miss some good catching. Like many walleye anglers, having missed early walleye runs by waiting too long. For example, in 1998, the first day I hit the river I ran into a local angler who told me about how I should have been on the water earlier. After missing out on some good fishing, I now start serious fishing in February. Several years ago I outsmarted the fish by starting early and by the middle of March I had caught limits of walleye, along with some crappie and white bass by checking some of the spots in the state that I usually don’t start fishing until April.

Last week, I caught my first walleye of the year, a four-pounder on Table Rock along with several crappie and a three-pound bass. The fishing season has opened for me, no more waiting until mid-April.

When bass fishing and asked what lure is the most effective in cold water? The answer was “Pig’n jig” It is best to pick a lightweight jig and a large pork rind which gives the lure a slower descent. Veteran winter bass anglers know more often bass will strike a lure during a drop. An angler friend, who uses a pig’n jig from December through March on both Table Rock and Bull Shoals. Last winter he caught 11 bass over the five-pound range..When the water gets cold, like it is now, fish slow down and will ignore a fast moving lure. Even in cold water, bass like a jig with a pork rind moving slowly in deep water. In our southwest Missouri lakes, black seems to work best, but you find the right color that works best especially in dingy water. Some winter bass anglers say the most important principle of fishing with a pig’n jig in cold water is to fish it slowly and then slow it down even more. The speed of the lure is of critical importance. During the cold months, a fish’s metabolism slows down so their need for food lessens, they are less aggressive and not willing to chase a lure very far or very fast. When a pig’n jig is fished right, you should get strikes when the bass are sluggish.

In a recent bass tournament anglers agreed that in the cold water a pig’n jig along with jerk baits produces a lot of strikes and catches.

It’s great to live near so many lakes and rivers here in Missouri.