What a strange spring it has been
It’s been a long wait, but the crappies have finally moved to the spawning banks on Missouri reservoirs.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
It’s been a long wait, but the crappies have finally moved to the spawning banks on Missouri reservoirs.

Tuttle Creek Reservoir near Manhattan, Kan., is enjoying a rebirth. Its crappie fishing is once again booming, and the fishermen are showing up in force.

After several hours of failing to call in a turkey on a farm in southeast Kansas, Paul Curtiss of Kansas City and his friends decided to take a break and go bass fishing at a pond on the farm. He ended up hooking an 8.2-pound largemouth.
Check out where the fish are biting — and where they aren’t.
Results from fishing tournaments in the area and upcoming events.
The Kansas Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus is striving to create awareness of how important hunting and fishing are to the economy in the Sunflower State.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback advanced quickly in the fishermen’s ranks when he experienced his state’s reservoir fishing for the first time last week. After he got off the water at Milford Reservoir, he was talking about the big one that got away, not the fish he caught.

Kansas City man delights in the season. He shoots a big turkey in the morning in Miami County, then catches a big crappie that afternoon in Linn County.
Brent’s best bet: Looking to catch a limit of crappies? Try Smithville Lake. The fish have finally moved to the spawning banks and the fishing has been hot. Fishermen also are catching some nice-sized bass in the shallows, and the channel catfish have started to hit, too.
The Fishing Tournament Trail is published each Tuesday of the fishing season. To report upcoming events and results, call 816-234-4319 or send email to bfrazee@kcstar.com by noon Monday. For upcoming tournaments,, list the lake, tournament hours, takeoff site, entry fee and contact information. To report results, spell the first and last names of the top two places and big-bass winner.

When Jeff Fletcher wants to get back to basics, he launches his johnboat on the Kings River and chases smallmouth bass while soaking in in the spring beauty of the Ozarks.

Shawnee fisherman in search of foul-weather trout ends up reeling in a lunker wiper at Shawnee Mission Lake.

Brent’s best bet: The bass fishing has been excellent at Bull Shoals Lake, with the fish moving to the spawning banks. Keeper fish have been caught on topwater lures early and grubs during the day.
The Fishing Tournament Trail is published each Tuesday during the fishing season. To report results or upcoming events, call 816-234-4319 or send email to bfrazee@kcstar.com with information by noon Monday. For upcoming tournaments, include the name of lake, the takeoff site, entry fee, and a contact telephone number. For results, include spellings and hometowns of the first two placers, plus the big-bass winners.

A legendary fishing guide and a newspaper writer reunited last week to relieve the good old days and fish for one last time at Table Rock Lake.
Unusually cool weather is leaving its mark on spring fishing, delaying the spawn of species such as crappies and testing fishermen’s patience.

John Hayes must have taught Eric Sanders well. The pupil caught a trophy bass as the veteran fisherman who gave him lessons looked on.
Brent’s best bet: Looking for some good bass fishing? Head to Bull Shoals Lake. Though the Ozarks reservoir isn’t producing many giant fish, it is providing impressive numbers of keepers. And that includes all three species of black bass — largemouth, smallmouth and Kentucky. The fish are heading toward the spawning banks, and they’re being caught on topwater lures early and grubs during the day.
A listing of tournament results and upcoming events in the Missouri-Kansas region.

DNR director Sara Parker Pauley can’t wait until the Missouri spring turkey season opens and she can fool big gobblers into walking with shooting range

A Mission fly fisherman didn’t have to travel far from home to catch a huge rainbow trout. But for his big salmonoids, a Fort Leavenworth angler had to journey to another continent.
The Ozarks region is renowned for its shallow, scenic float streams. Whether you'e traveling by canoe or by johnboat in search of fishing adventure, the area has plenty to offer. Here are 20 rivers and creeks that offer great floating.
Looking for a way to hike into Missouri's outdoors? Here are plenty of options.