Truman Tailrace

[Jenny]

This week can be summed up real quickly by saying some are finding them and some aren't. With lots of dirty water coming down the Osage, you can look out from the Dam the last few days and see very clearly the line of stained versus muddy water where it all comes together. While you can still find very fishable water out there, your options have certainly become more limited as some folks' "Honey Holes" are darn muddy. None the less, several boasting limits of crappie caught yesterday 8-10 feet in 20+ feet of water, lots of smaller fish in the mix. Whites on the wier have been hitting real well on Sassy Shad and XL Slab Hunters. Hard to find a Hybrid up there lately though. The water is running. Lots of times this week the gates open and pretty consistantly the turbines, some whites, lots of crappie -though again many are small. And the Catfish have been biting a little better, one in the 30's reported and one 74lbs. along with a fair amt. of smaller fish. With this much water running, I'd normally expect better catfishing, however it looks as if we'll have to wait for a few more to come off the nest. I suppose you brave (insane) folks who are interested in noodling, may want to give it a go. I hear they are finding a few that way, but I'm a little too fond of the skin on my arm, and afraid of what else I may find in there. I'd sure like to see first hand someone else "grab a tiger by the tail," so if you need someone to take notes, let me know.

[PoisonSnake]

I didn't think noodling was legal except for in 3 or 4 different river systems, one of which is the St. Francis. Don't remember the others, but it seems they were in NEMO.

[Hellbender]

You get a star PS, its legal in the Fabius, Mississippi and the St Francis, not all but parts. You know how these natives are, they probably heard it was legal and they could talk about it without worry.
I have to admit that though I never did it, it was so common when I was a kid I thought it had always been legal.