Bluegill in MO

[MOturkE]

Hi all. Temperatures were not too bad this week. After a long stretch of very hot weather - heat indexes of 100-105- that lasted a couple of weeks, we finally had a bit of rain and a cold front that went through on Tuesday last. Wished that I could've gone out that morning before the rain, but had to wait it out and hope the hot weather held off 'til I could get to the water's edge.
Made it out there today -Saturday- and used my go-to-bluegill-fly (see fly swap board), a blue(wool) and red (furnace) woolly worm tied size 12 with black thread. It didn't let me down a bit. This particular fly was tied a little heavy by using 4-5 wraps of copper wire under the body to get down in the warm water.
The gills were holding a foot or two deep and 10-15 feet from shore. Casting on a WF4F line with about 9 feet of leader/tippet, the action was fair. In the 3-4 hours of fishing in one spot in a large cove, I C&R'ed about a dozen and a half 8-10 inch gills. All of them healthy, but certainly a bit sluggish from the heat.
They all took with a good tug and then shook fairly strongly. Most had small reddish spots/sores around the base of their dorsal and/or tail fins, likely from some parasite, though I couldn't guess what it would be.
I saw a couple of people watching from the swimming pool deck nearby and they seemed to be enjoying the action as much as I was. It's still amazing to be able to take up such a graceful sport that delights the fisher and spectator alike.
I had one guy walk over and say, "So, that's fly fishing, huh?"
"Yup, and great fun too." said I. And after a couple of casts he said, "Can I just see the rod a get a feel for it?"
"Sure." So there I was, giving impromtu casting lessons to him and babysitting a 2 yr old, this guy's little boy, who had taken a certain liking to the Cortland green fly line, as well as the water's edge.
After a few casts he handed it back and thanked me. He seemed to find the experience enjoyable enough and as quick as he came over, he chased off after his boy and I was left to harass a few more o' them gills.
Well, that's about all. I thought this would give some who couldn't get out a chance to feel as if they had.
Oh, lunch you ask? Bratwurst, beans and tater salad, and hand-cranked, vanilla ice cream. Ah, summertime!

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There's almost nothin' wrong with the first lie, it's the weight of all the others holdin' it up that gets ya'! - Tim

[willisjj]

I have to say, that sounds about as close to a perfect day as you could have had. Thanks for the report. Very enjoyable reading for those of us stuck in this 110 degree heat in Arizona, lol.

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Okie in Arizona

[white43]

Mo, you're intent on making me homesick! JGW

[Rick Z]

What part of Missouri are you in. I am just over the line in Iowa.

Rick

[MOturkE]

We live just east of KC in Independence. I fish at Lake Paradise Camping Resort about 45 min. away from here. It's a 300 acre, membership camping facility which has 5 medium-small lakes stocked anually with channel catfish. One lake is stocked for trout season each year as "put&take." All of them have bluegill & bass, a couple of the lower ones have crappie and at least 3 have carp.
Crayfish aren't too bad, bullfrogs vary from year to year, we have a resident blue heron and far too many geese this year, since nobody got around to oiling the eggs.
Mayflies are doing well recently, sulphurs about an inch and a half long are the regular fare. Dragonflies are good, as well.
The only permanent structures on the property belong to the membership. Members all pay the same amount in dues each year and they get 40 nights free camping annually. They're free to camp on any site available with whatever type of rig they have, a few sites are tent/awning prohibitive since electrical lines are not buried very deep. All sites have electric and water and very many have sewer. Memberships are $950 the first year and $425 annually thereafter.
The resort requires use of their own fishing permits and state permits are not required. Permit moneys help pay for stocking.

I'm not trying to sell the place, just wanted to answer the "frequently asked questions" that tend to follow. We've been members there since 1978, originally with my parents then after I left the USAF my wife and I acquired our own membership. Great place to take the kids. Huge pool. They have a ".org" website.

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There's almost nothin' wrong with the first lie, it's the weight of all the others holdin' it up that gets ya'! - Tim