08-14-10 Spring Creek, Grand Neosho River System.

**Paddletrucker** · 08-15-2010, 02:42 AM

Well, it was HOT here in OK today. We had a cool front come through last night, they say. It was hotter than that all week. Heat indexes of up to 116 some days, so I guess I am thankful it got all the way down to 104 at one point today!!

It was 108 on my front porch at 1630. So, I decided to go fishing, loaded the kayak and took lots of water with me. I decided on Spring Creek, off of the Grand (Neosho) River. It is a clear, rock bottom, spring fed creek that has COLD water. That sounded good!

Heading up-stream to "my" spot. It's only about a mile and a half, but it felt like more in the heat. I drank almost two gallons of ice water from about 1830 until I got off the water at about 2100.

Last week, when loading the kayak at the lake, I left my PFD (with my dive knife in the pocket) on the bow of the kayak and drove off. It blew off somewhere and I couldn't find it. I'm sure someone else did. And the knife. So, here I am in my new MTI Solaris F-Spec PFD. I really like it. The back is cut very high, so it doesn't touch my seat back at all. The lower back is mesh and the sides are wide open. I don't care for the "fishing bridge pocket" but you don't have to use it. It has a spot for a small tackle box on the front that holds my camera perfectly. It was comfortable, as far as PFD's go, even in this heat.

I continued to paddle up stream, and saw this guy. He was fishing for, and catching, small minnows along the bank. I interrupted his supper, I guess, because he made some racket and headed away from the water until I had passed.

Then, I came across these guys. Maybe they thought I looked a little weak from my mile and a half paddle up-stream in the triple digit heat. These things REEKED, too. I mean they really stink. Noisy, too.

Finally, I came to this little spot. It narrows and gets really shallow. After a short portage, you come to water that is 5 to 30 feet deep.

**Paddletrucker** · 08-15-2010, 02:48 AM

More.........

I came to the first spot I like to fish. It was full of bait fish. I was getting all kinds of tugs, but nothing but little bitty fish. I grabbed some underwater pics. Can you see the little largemouth with all the bluegill? This river system is FULL of bait fish. I'm always amazed at the shad and bluegill I see.

Took some video, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsGkt...eature=channel

I was playing around with a worm the little fish had pretty much destroyed. I was trying to chase them around with it. I was hoping to get a shot of one of the little largemouth attacking it, but they all left. Some of the bluegill checked out the worm, some ran away from it, and some totally ignored it. Anyway, I wasted a little time with them, because I thought it was cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJdll...eature=channel

Then I decided to actually get fishing.

**Paddletrucker** · 08-15-2010, 02:54 AM

I started with a Baby Bass colored Strike King Ocho, and got some bites, but nothing solid. I did get this one small fish on it.

I changed to my old standby.....A Strike King Kevin Van Dam 3/8 ounce rattling swim jig with a Rage Craw trailer. This one was blue/black fleck, but I have very good luck on the green pumpkin, too.

Here's where there's a good part and a bad part. On the second cast to a stump next to some rocks.....WHAM!!!!!!
Came up with this guy right here.

I reached back to get my identifier and Hawg Trough for a challenge on another site. Oh, NO! The Hawg Trough was GONE! It had fallen off somewhere on the paddle up stream. CRAP!! When I get another one, I'll build a spot for it.

I took a pic of the fish from gunwale to gunwale. I measured that when I got home. It's 23 inches, and this fish almost covered it, so I guess it was about 21 or 22 inches.

I fished until it was time to start heading back and this little guy took my jig on the last cast. I released him and headed for the truck.

So, I'm looking for suggestions on an easy to get to solution for Hawg Trough Storage. I'm thinking of making some sort of sheath on one side of my crate attached to my rod holder.

Oh, well. It was doubtful he'd have won, anyway. It was still a great evening of fishing, even with only three fish.

By the way, after dark, it had cooled ALL THE WAY down to 101 when I got home. It's about one in the morning now, and it's 91 outside. I'll still take it over winter!!

**PawPaw** · 08-15-2010, 09:32 AM

Wow!!!!! Great report, photos and videos! Sorry about you losing all your stuff! You probably made someone's day.

**FlySlingerCole** · 08-15-2010, 10:55 AM

Very nice report! I am glad someone is braving the heat, with me working in it during the week I am so drained on Sat/Sun I just want to stay inside.

We need to get together this fall for some fishing.