OUTDOOR CORNER: OUTDOOR NOTE: FISH DON'T FLY SOUTH FOR THE WINTER

Fall is for hunting, right?

There's deer, waterfowl, rabbits, squirrels, and quail; so many critters to hunt and not enough time. There is one other outdoor activity that most folks don't think about in the fall and winter, and that's fishing.

Fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities from spring through fall, but by November most fishing poles are gathering dust. This article provides some suggestions on some of southeast Missouri's best fall and winter fishing opportunities.

Let's start with the two largest lakes in the area. Wappapello Lake is a 8,400-acre Corps of Engineers lake located north of Poplar Bluff. It offers some very good fall and winter crappie fishing. Our fall trapnetting survey found that there are lots of 9- to 11-inch crappie, fair numbers 11 to 13 inches, and don't be surprised if you catch several larger crappie.

Clearwater Lake (1,650 acres), also managed by the Corps of Engineers, is located west of Piedmont, and is another good spot to catch crappie. Last spring's electrofishing survey found plenty of 9- to 13-inch crappie and a few up to 14.5 inches.

I guess I'd better provide a few more tips. Okay, there should be no surprise that the best baits are either minnows or crappie tube jigs. A crappie jig can be just about any color, but most of the crappie anglers I know prefer black, brown, green, or red bodies with chartreuse tails.

During the fall and winter, crappie can usually be found 10-15 feet deep along the main river channel, creek channels, or points, especially if there are brush piles or stumps for cover. They may move deeper during the coldest part of the winter or they will occasionally move onto the shallow flats or along the shoreline on warmer days.

A good depth finder is a necessity to locate these deeper areas. Many anglers prefer to fish tight-line, meaning they position the boat directly above the stumps or brush and hold the jig or minnow near the cover. Other anglers prefer to back off and cast a jig to the cover. Some anglers fish a jig or minnow below a bobber in water up to 10 feet deep. This is a good way to keep the bait at the desired depth and near the cover.

Another suggestion would be to try your skill at walleye fishing. The Black River from Clearwater Dam to below Poplar Bluff has an excellent walleye population. Walleye, which taste delicious, are common up to two pounds, with some up to 15 pounds.

During the winter, they tend to congregate in the deeper holes. Some holes tend to contain more walleye than others, so try different locations until you find them. They can be found in several different locations within the pools, such as immediately below a run or riffle, on the bottom near the bank, or in the deepest section of the pool.

Hook a medium to large minnow through its lips on a large, bright-colored (chartreuse, orange, or pink) lead-head jig. You can also remove the tail from a curly-tail grub and hook it on the jig before hooking the minnow. Fish the jig by dropping it to the bottom, then continuously move it slowly up and down a few feet as you drift down the pool. If slack line appears as you are lowering the jig, quickly set the hook because a walleye may have bit your jig.

If you miss several strikes, don't hesitate to put on a stinger hook. Casting or trolling crank baits are other options.

If you don't mind traveling a little bit, you might try trout fishing. There are four trout parks in Missouri; the closest to our region are Montauk near Salem and Maramec Spring near St. James.

The winter catch-and-release fishing trout fishing season runs from the second Friday in November to the second Sunday in February on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only from 8:00 a.m. CST to 4:00 p.m. CST.

There are also numerous streams in the Ozarks that provide outstanding trout fishing. Contact any Conservation Department office for the brochure Trout Fishing in Missouri for more information, such as seasons, regulations, and license requirements.

If you desire a real challenge, then muskie fishing may be for you. Muskie offer a true trophy fishing experience. They are difficult to catch, are most active during adverse weather conditions (cloudy, rainy, and windy), but can grow quite large and offer a tremendous fight.

Lake Girardeau, located in western Cape Girardeau County, was stocked with muskie in 1995. These fish should now be at least 30 inches long. Large crank baits, in-line spinners (bucktails), spinner baits and top water lures are the best baits. Heavy duty rods, reels, line and steel leaders are recommended because muskie are large and have sharp teeth. However, many muskie have been caught by bass anglers.

Cast the lures towards the shoreline and watch the lure all the way back to the boat because muskie tend to follow the bait and can strike at boat-side. If you see a muskie follow the lure to the boat, don't lift the lure out of the water, instead leave it in the water and move it as if you were drawing an `8' in the water with the lure and get ready for the strike of your life.

Well, there you have it, a few suggestions for some fine fall and winter fishing. Another plus for winter fishing is that you'll probably have the place to yourself because everybody else will be hunting or watching ballgames on the tube. Good luck!

Mark Boone is a fisheries management biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation.