Greasy B

I haven't fished Dardenne in years and never outside of Busch Wildlife. I do spend a lot of time around the channelized suburban portion and to tell the truth all the sanitary pump stations spook me.

For the life of me I can't imagine pulling the trigger at a vision of a turkey like form. Hunting license are like drivers license, they are way too easy to get.

Losing fish is often... usually the most memorable part of a trip. The experience is so common for me I can hardly recall the biggest, most disappointing of them. But I do have a couple that my brother lost that I'll never forget. The first was a big brown he hooked on the White River. We drifted over the steep drop of just above Crooked Creek when his rod tip jerked into the water. At first I thought no big deal I'll just turn on the trolling motor, hold the boat in place while he deals with the fish. It looked like a good plan until the fish swam over the drop off and started through long gravel flat upstream. Dan did his best to turn the fish but the gavel flat is hundreds of yards long and the fish seemed to panic. This was black in the day when we would bring down our beater 9.9 hp. outboard and rent river jons. The motor was terrible about flooding if you didn't pull, choke and sweet talk it. I must have done something wrong, the thing wouldn't start we had no chance unless we could chase this fish. Two thirds of the backing was out of the reel when it was obvious he'd have to try to turn the fish or risk losing the line. The other was in southern Illinois. We were having an hoot pulling big bluegill off of deep beds with our spiders. The biggest bass either of us had ever seen took a hooked gill and all heck broke loose. We have this happen fairly often but this dude would let go of the bluegill maybe it was wedged in its mouth or the spider hook got a grip on a piece of jaw bone. After several jumps and nearly netting it a couple of times a stunned and glossy eyed 8" bluegill poped out. Probably would have been the fish of a lifetime.

Red Bud shoal is just upstream from the resort; the catch and release area starts just above it and extends about a mile and a half downstream. Both end are marked by signs on the side of the river. There isn't a single hook regulation any more but there is a barbless requirement.

Seth and Brian have it right.

I have never launched at 28 bridge but I believe it's dirt and gravel and parking might be tight. You should have enough water in May but when the water drops the shoal right at the bridge is usually the upstream limit for jets. Good luck.

Be thrifty, drive 50 and go fishing.

Question 1. What are you talking about? Question 2. Why do simpletons like me have to fill out a tax form? Surly the Feds already know what what I owe and what I paid. Are fools like me suckered into hiring a preparer just to support the industry?

Yeah, great project, keep the updates coming.

The land surrounding the river and even the river bed is private property, somebody pays taxes on it. You have the right to travel down the river and work your way around obstacles up to the high water mark (what ever that is). When people camp on the gravel bars with me I make point of telling them that your always in somebody's back yard and we need to behave accordingly. I suppose you could wander the bottoms in some places and not be noticed but it would be wrong to think you have a right to be there.

Like SpoonDog says "the Ozark's is a complicated place" That river has a very narrow safe zone for floating. Too much water and you likely to be sucked under a strainer or swept over a home made dam. Not enough water you'll wish you would never heard of the hell hole.

Eat what you want, it's cool. For that matter kiss what you want, I've had girl friends that were uglier that that bass.

Great report, I'm feeling inspired. All I need is more time off, and a passport and some money and a new rod and......

Yeah that would be risky. The only time I'd fish that stretch in a small Jon would be when the river is dead low, that's not likely to occur for a few months.

We paid a bundle to have some engine work done at Lewis Boats a few years ago. It kind of stung at the time but after 6 years of flawless running it doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

It's a little high for my taste right now but I generally favor low water. Yes Riddle to 28 is a long day on the water, start early and keep the boat pointed downstream. Not sure if Rt66 Andy is open for biz but a phone call will tell ya. Wish I could join you but life is getting in the way. Good luck let us know how you do.

"it went deep into the wood" = Big Bass. Looks like the river has a little color.

Not until have a replacement.

Yeah I agree but I happily crossed that line long ago. I still have a trusty 169 but good lord it's a dog to paddle.

Thanks for the update Al, I gave my beloved Penobscot 16 to a friend and had intended on buying a Wenonah Wilderness to replace it. I'm not really worried about durability so i was prepared to go with Fiberglass but now that T-Formex is available I think that will be my choice.

Great fish!

Linda and I agreed that we wouldn't buy each other stuff not long after we met. We typically give/receive things to do, baseball tickets, weekends away and such. Yesterday we both received simple cards with a nice note, it was a relief.

Incredible fish! I love making destination trips for Gills and Redears but can't say I ever considered California.

I couple of years ago we sent two pairs of 10 year old Simms waders in to have the suspenders replaced. They also replaced the booties and all the seam tape on the inside for $50.00 each. Last winter we sewed in some gussets to reinforce the suspended connection. So far we are going on 12 years of really hard use.

Every honey hole I have found was temporary, the next week, month or year was never as good.