My favorite time is anytime I get get out there anymore. But most productive times right now here are when it cools off at night until 11am or so, fish are still cought all day but more, better bites at night. My experience anyway!

Good afternoon sir,
I’ve read your post and see your not having any luck with the bass lately, have you tried throwing any trick worms? I’ve been doing really well with 4.5 “ weightless trick worms, I use a heavier gage hook for a little weight, the water is warm so the bait works better with a slower presentation, right now anyway.Good luck my friend.
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom lure & Fly

Sorry I read the post wrong, I thought it was a spinning reel we were speaking about.

Good day,
The reason the line is spooling off after cast, there is too much line on spool, and might be spooled on reel backwards. Easy fix.
I recommend to use backing so u don’t waste a bunch of good line.

Fishing has been good, of coarse post cold front conditions are usually tough but I did get a few large and smallmouth to bite. The fish of coarse were tight to cover and seamed to be suspended around 4’ to 5’. Cought most fish on trick worms with a slow presentation. As the sun came out later in the day the bite was tougher but kept flipping brush and stumps and got lucky every 30 minutes or so. I fished the same water precold front and cought over 40 in 5 hrs on the river with 3.5 being big fish, post cold front fished 12 hrs and cought approximately 20 big fish being 2.25 still had fun and enjoyed myself, I love fishing in the ozarks even if fish aren’t active. I recommend down sizing baits and line diameter and slow down fish the conditions and match the hatch. Good luck and be safe.
Arron Colby
Niangua custom lure & fly

It’s my opinion that the lure size must mimic primary food, size is the most important, colors can be off and it’s not so critical.Type of water and location play factors in lure selection, clear water light colors, deep or dirty stained or off clear bright colors work or extremely dark with highlights on ends. Hope helps as I generally just hunt smallmouth, here in Missouri’s Niangua River. Not sure of your location but if I can ever help feel free to contact anytime.

It definitely depends on the type of fishing u wanna do? But depending where u are a ned rig works wonders

I would start with a ned rig craw, seams to be working good on the Niangua still, also the early and late top water bite is good on chugs, and prop style torpedo Style baits.
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom Lure & Fly

I have been using copolymer line for 20 years, I use it on my ultra lights and my heavy bass rods I absolutely love i, it’s superstrong but it does have a memory but I control the memory with a good line conditioner and I try to straighten my line as much as possible. I find it to be abrasive resistant and easy to work with. I use P line it seems to be the best for me and I would recommend it to anyone. Thanks and good luck.
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom Lure & Fly

No cal Steve, if your ever out and about in Missouri please feel free to reach out, wouldn’t have an issue showing you a few of our great rivers and creeks, take care and good luck!
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom lure & Fly

That is known as a google eye or a rock bass, they can get up to 2lbs but uncommon now a days, they are in the sunfish family and are pretty tasty if harvested. They are fun to catch and are a pretty fish.
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom Lure & Fly

Here you go a couple random photos of google eye and small mouth I had in a file from the Niangua river and a couple branches off the Niangua. Caught these on Niangua custom Lures.

Arron Colby
Niangua Custom Lure & Fly

Random catches from the Niangua river and local creeks these are a couple pics I had saved in file , all caught on Niangua Custom Lures, and all fish were released. Hope you enjoy because I sure did.
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom Lure & Fly

No Cal Steve, I appreciate the reply but I’m really not one to bring phone with me on the river to many distractions, I”m just giving friendly reports on my daily finds here on our river systems in southwest Missouri, I understand the need for photos but during my research is not the time, when I take youngsters out on trips I may bring a camera for memory photos but other then that not a big fan. But just for you Nocal Steve I may bring camera next trip out.
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom Lure & Fly

Started later then usual today but was able to get a few good small mouth and a couple fair google eye, Smallmouth wanted slow moving 3”swim baits in @ 3’ to 4’ of water, weight and speed was critical today. Google eye were a little finicky today as small crank baits around bridges with a slow presentation was productive but not as many today. Lot of debris in the water due to recent rain. looking forward for more rain so the rivers will come up another foot or two so the larger fish will be on the move, remember you want to be where their moving to and not moving from, pay attention to current and cover. Good luck.
Arron Colby
Niangua Custom Lure and Fly