Finally we have open water! Latest winter ice I have yet seen. Anyways went to skunk for pike and was not dissapointed. Lots of post spawn fish actively feeding and we did well. I caught 6 fish, most being about 5 lbs with the biggest at 16. Smelt, minnows, and artificial worked.
Crappie were also there, they are still in pre spawn, will need to look for when they move and see if I can’t target them year round there.
Went out on the Missouri River today in the yak in search of catfish. We are one week out from the catfish clash so I was hoping to find some nice cats. Put the yak in and paddled down the end of the sandbar that starts under the Lewis and Clark bridge. There was great structure and current there, with good eddies and some good split in the river chanel but I wasn’t able to put any big fish together. Found a lot of really small cats and a few shiner mostly on worm with only one hit on cut frozen white sucker and a few taps on the smelt. Weather has been nice with 75-85 high temps. I talked to some game and fish guys and they said that the cats basically spawn all season randomly as long as the water is at or above 70 so who knows where they are hiding. May need to try slower slack water next ti.e instead of deep faster pools. Water depth was around 9-12 feet in some places so it was a deep hole.
Well I think the fish are just coming out of spawn and are biting again. Managed to get one at the Lewis and Clark bridge in relatively deep water on smelt. It was the first day of warming weather after 2 straight days of rain a cold. Nice fish though in the 3-4 lb range.
Went to try catfishing on the river today. It’s near the end of July which apparently is catfish spawn here. River temp is right at 65-70 degrees and the only fish I could catch was bullhead. I assume they are holed up in their nests, it will be another few weeks before they are biting again.