Greasy B

No we didn't break the 20" mark but caught almost no small fish. Most were 16"-18". I'm looking forward to hearing your take on our local smallmouth issues. This forum could use a voice and perspective from outside our Ozark world.

I watched just enough on my phone to know I'll need to see the whole film tonight. Bee Bluff on Buffalo River? That's interesting, I wonder what spurred the MDC to acknowledge something across a political border? Usually a government agency's world ends at the border. Thanks for the post.

There are areas where Smallmouth are not native and are considered an invasive species. My trip to the Missisippi was very interesting on many levels. For one the river was void of fishermen and recreationist, apparently most folks are lake centric. The river is so large you could combine the volumn of water in every creek and river in the ozarks and it would less than what flows in this section of the Missisippi. I thought about posting a report on the forum while back, this is an easy destination for Ozark Smallmouth enthusiasts.

A couple of years ago my brother and I spent a week Smallmouth fishing the Mississippi River between St Cloud and Elk River. What a great experience, what a great river. I’m looking forward to more time spent on Minnesota’s Smallmouth Rivers. Niangua is one of the best Ozark Rivers for floating and fishing. It will take you some work and time to figure out how to find your version of outdoor experience but it can be done.

Welcome to the site and to Ozark Smallmouth fishing. We have a lot of wonderful rivers that offer great scenery and solitude and you only need to carry your canoe from your car to the creek. I would invite you to read some of the ongoing forum conversations about the fisheries and the various issues as well as the wealth of previous post.

Barren Fork, there are probably a few other tiny creeks that nobody talks about.

My best Brown out if Naingua last year had gig scars. I've seen so many bass and trout with gig marks over the years it never occurred to me to take pictures, I didn't think anybody gave a #hit. Rest assured I'll start, maybe if enough of did it someone will listen.

Mr. Shot, Yea, yapping with the guys may be a great time, especially if they’re not getting all sour, but I’m not so sure of their abilities to cut through the fly fishing bull. They lay you to believe that you need expensive equipment and a bazillion flies. Not true, all you need is a pair of waders a rod, reel and a line with a leader with a fly attached, it matters not what quality or price, heck it probably doesn’t matter what fly you have tied on. Start at the 64 bridge, walk out about knee deep and toss the line and fly across the river as best you can, let the current grab it and swing the fly down until it is hanging in the current below you, let it sit for a bit and if you don’t feel the tug of a fish take a step or two down river and cast again. It’s that simple.

The Proffesor Higbee's stream maps look good, i've always wanted a wall map of rivers. I wonder if this is the best there is?

I don’t know, I been reading this thread, I chimed in with my own comment that took every bit of 5 seconds thought. I tend to regard Smallmouth Bass with an almost sacred reverence. I think this is mostly due to my experiences when fishing for them; it’s always in a very beautiful place and always with someone who appreciates it. My bias toward protecting Smallmouth Bass is motivated my desire to have these quality experiences continue. In our household we are fortunate to eat fish about once a week, whether these fish are from one body of water or another or of one species or another really doesn’t matter as long as I followed the rules. People are not at fault for taking advantage of game laws as they are, law abiding fisher folks are not the problem, regulations that do not respect the unique qualities of an Ozark stream and the experiences that they afford are the problem.

The Ozark Smallmouth is such a special creature, such a fate is indeed a loss.

I haven't heard any peepers yet but this weekend will be my first overnight gravel bar camping trip. Its a bit of a stretch but yea spring has arrived.

I remember when I was young an old timer showed me how to hold my pop bottle under water so it would fill and sink to the bottom. My how times have changed.

I think Arkansas container laws are watercraft specific.

A freind recommended River of Doubt to me a while back, I'll need to put it back on my list. I think Roosevelt returned from that trip ill and never really recovered.

My shawnee river Jon doesn't have the CG rating. I figured it may have been because it was a traditional water craft that was grand fathered. I wonder if the CG rating is even required or is it a voluntary thing pushed by a trade association?

I don't have the ability to put I link on this message but this morning there is an article in the St louis post disgrace that makes wrench's argument. This bozo had no control of his weapon.

Now I'm thinking,,,,,,, a pair of chuck's would be a lot cheaper than a pair of Simms

Ted is the only one I buy new rods from. Straight talk and patients.

If you look close at the mountain dew bottles everyone in the trout parks carry around you'll notice a very un mountain dew head of foam.

I'm curious Dan, what are you replacing such a fine boat with?

Thanks for the responce, great boat, great price. I'm a pretty big boy who has out grown my solo 14. I got the line on a Kevlar penobscot 16. I figure it will work in all but dead low water, then I can use roylex. Thanks

I've been smashing down barbs on my dog walkers for along time now. I do lose a few on the jump But haven't had to do stream side surgery with my pocket knife since.

800 cfs is the volumn I recall, way way better than current min which is essentially what leaks through the generators and the dam, about 30-50 cfs. My understanding that a portion of the storage is being allocated, in drought conditions if the allocated water is gone the min flow goes back to the current status quo. If or when min flow happens it will change the river and fishery in was we can only imagine.

All great improvements for sure but if the bait still has the narrow gap between the blade and hook point is it for naught?