Nolan_Whaley

I'll second, "Flyfisher's Guide to Missouri and Arkansas" and the Delorme Atlas. For a non-MO native, this has gotten me to float & fish locations reliably along with iphone google maps. And ya.. if you get the map loaded at home, GPS still works even w/o a signal. Handy when you aren't sure how far from the take out you are on a new river.

That's an awesome fish. Congrats!

Has anyone fished lower Taneycomo since the flood? Wondering if all the sand/silt from say rockaway to powersite has moved.. i'm sure it has some... I went one hot afternoon last summer targeting bass, and managed to catch a few small ones in some warm coves. Some interesting structure, but a lot of sand and weeds covered everything down there.

We drove down to Turner and Whitten access points on Monday. A few folks at Turner. Whitten was PACKED! 2 jet boats were loading up when we got there with probably 10 tied to the bank. Glad i floated upriver from there.

Awesome trip, although a little hard on the equipment. Floated Thomasville to Cane Bluff on saturday. That was a long float, and I don't know who cut out all the downed trees, but here's a HUGE thank you. That would have been a long rough trip around all that. Some folk put in a lot of work to make that floatable. I managed to break the tip off my fly rod after it got hung in the weeds just pass the low water bridge. Sunday was Cane to Greer. Beautiful section of river, lots of tall bluffs and clear water. Very cool where the greer spring branch joins the main river. Caught quite a few little small mouth. Bunch of perch. No big fish, but fun. Caught a rainbow right at the takeout.. hammered a bandit 100. Very few people, and beautiful river. Good way to spend a holiday weekend.

Thanks for the replies. We are going to come and float. Thinking one day of cane to greer, then a greer to turner mill. Not sure what to do after that. Maybe thomasville to cane? Would it be better to skip the greer-turner mill section over the holiday and go float the upper end at thomasville?

I think you could slide the boat down. i was able to float both ledges in a kayak. Fast water over flat rock ledges stair step into a deep pool.

What are the crowds like on the eleven point over a holiday weekend? Are there some stretches where you can actually fish? I'm not much for combat fishing, and/or boating.. so i stay off the lakes over the major holiday weekends, and hunt for some less populated stretches of river.

I don't know if you made this trip or not, but I floated this section for the first time yesterday. We did the float in kayaks, and i'd say it's a good fishing float, and it's really an all day'er. There's a couple of sections that might be tricky in a bigger boat. On the upper end, a ways after the hwy 14 bridge, there's a split in the river (stay left), and then a couple of downed trees that i drug around. Also, about half way or so, there's a ledge drop of several feet, and then just above the shelvin take out, there is another set of ledges. The water on this section looked very fishy to me, but i only got to fish the upper third. Caught a couple of very small fish on a fly rod was all. Talked to several others that i think did a lot better than me with spinning gear.

I have elected to fish streams with my fly rod this year, trying for smallies on the fly. I think you can catch more fish on spinning/casting gear, and it's probably a lot easier. However, catching fish on a fly rod is just plain fun. I'm trying to learn the techniques required, and i'd say the learning curve is a lot steeper than for casting gear. A sink tip line is a must, which is one of my first lessons. If you don't want to change your fly line, i bought some Orvis add on sink tips, and they work pretty well. I think AirFlo makes some as well. I've tried split shot, and with the chunky rocks that you need to fish, they just seem to hang up I also think that if you fish for trout, and then change to bass, it's a completely different mind set. For trout, you are trying for the perfect dead drift and constantly mending line, and this doesn't work for bass. Also fishing more up stream and floating back to you. I've found better luck casting across, and really quartering downstream.. let it set it a bit, then strip. I think Al's thoughts are golden, and highlight the major challenges on the fly. A few lessons.. i've yet to catch anything of size.. maybe by the end of summer.

Have a couple of days off next week, and thinking of floating and fishing a couple of stretches on the big niangua and little niangua. I'm thinking of floating from the K-P bridge down to Moon Valley on thursday, and then hitting the little niangua on Friday between Griswold Ford and Bannister Ford. I'd prefer to dodge the biggest crowds, and i'm committed to catching smallmouth on a fly rod this summer. Are these decent access points and floats? Thanks for any info.

Does anyone float from say the park in Ozark to the hwy 13 bridge or on down to Hootentown? Is this even doable? I think there is a mill dam at riverdale that would have to be portaged. I've thought that from the hwy 13 bridge to hootentown might be a good evening float, but not sure how doable that is. Me and my fly rod would appreciate any info you'd share.

Thanks for the advice! Wound up going to Mutton Creek, and skipped the tubing, just went fishing. Short run to the south cove of googer creek, and spent all day flipping baby brushhogs in the flooded brush and trees. One nice 2.5 lber, and a bunch of 14 inch fish. Nice fun day. Was hot, but good trip for first time to Stockton.

I'm thinking of coming up to Stockton this weekend from the Nixa area. Kids want to tube a little, and then we'll fish some. I fish a lot with sun bathers on the back deck or towing. Any recommendations on a ramp that would provide easy access to deep water for fun, and fishing water not too far?

I like to fish drop shot and / or shakey head on spinning gear. 8lb flouro is line of choice. I have fished 1/4oz+ shakey head on baitcasting gear as well.

How is this section to float and fish? Any action over the weekend?

Amazing performance by KVD if you ask me. Fishing with 3 other guys basically in the same holes, and doesn't just win.. crushes them by 10lbs. How in the world does he do that? It's not luck, he does it every tourney.....

Just started playing about a month ago. Have an Ibanez acoustic i've borrowed from my uncle. Fingers are sore is about what i've accomplished, but i like plinking. Lots of online resources for lessons, and just trying to get some chords and changes figured out.

I've bought the Hot Spots fishing maps that are common around here, and they are pretty handy and accurate. The maps on this site help as well. Also, if you have an iPhone, Navionics makes an app that is very similar to what you'll find on the gps chart plotters. VERY useful, and is probably the best $6 i've spent there. I don't think the GPS updates as fast as an onboard graph, so navigating solely by that would be a mistake. But if you want a gps enabled map showing depth and position (as long as you have a signal), it's a good, cheap replacement.

Thanks for the recommendations. I really appreciate them.

I've got a 2001 Chrysler Sebring that is driving me nuts. Have taken it to a shop, and have spend over $1k trying to get some water system problems fixed. It's still dripping anti-freeze, and they are telling me they can't find the leak. Can anyone recommend a reliable mechanic? The closer to Nixa, the better. I know it's an old car, and it has a lot of miles. But, college age student is driving and doesn't have means for a new/different one. Rest of the car seems fairly solid. Help!

I use invisx on my spinning rod. Mainly 8lb as a drop shot rod / shaky head rod. i've tried a few others and they are just too stiff for spinning rod applications, and will spring off.. I know a lot of guys use braid, and i'm just not confident in my knots to go that route. Palomar is a good one when you can tie it. I went to an improved clinch on when i can't tie a palomar, and that solved my other line break problems. I still have some troubles with the palomar and getting it just right. Have to make sure it's wet and not twisted when pulled tight. If the line crinkles up, i retie it.

For my baitcasters, i like BPS. I have segaur on my spinning rod, and like it just fine as well. However, you must learn to tie the right knot. I had lots of trouble breaking either brand on the hookset until i got my terminal knot right.

I fished Broken Bow lake a lot while i lived in that area. Never did the trout thing. The area in your first pic up around holly creek is a really good area in the spring. This time of year, fishing can be really tough on that lake. Drop shot or shaky head jig during the day w/finesse worms. Early and late in the day are your best bet. Can be some good top water action. I miss the lack of boat traffic compared to TR.......

I did see a bunch of large carp on my trip over there. Lots of sand/silt, and the shallow water choked with vegetation. Some of those docks are close to unusable with so much silt & weed beds. So... does that also mean a lack of crawfish? i saw a few schools of bait fish, but not lots.