Muddler4

I stay solo in the hotel rooms in the winter when low temps are going to be in the 20s. They are very basic but all I use it for is a place to put my stuff and sleep. In the winter the days are short and there is time to kill in the evening (so heat and basic cable is nice). Pros: My experience is that they are clean. In the prime months with people in them all the time it might depend on who was in there last, I don’t know, but in the winter when they are seldom used there are clean. Super convenient access to the fishery. Be rigged up in the lot and drive to the spot of your choice in minutes. I don’t fish the park but access to the Current is minutes away. For one or two fishers, they are fine. Very basic but fine for my needs (more on that in the cons). The lodge is right next door so if you want hot cooked meals, limited groceries (including beer), and a pretty darn good tackle store it’s right there. Nice people too. Cons: Price is getting a bit steep. Up to $80 a night in the winter off season might be the tipping point for me. Licking is not that far away (or Salem). They are basically a minimum convenience room. No coffee maker, microwave, nothing in that regard. Two beds, a toilet, sink and shower, and basic cable TV. So I do my cooking outside on the picnic table out back with my single burner propane stove. I always have the back area to myself in the winter but in prime time it is probably different. Two electrical outlets, one for the desk lamp and TV, and one for the night stand lamp and the alarm clock. If you want to plug something in the have to unplug something else.

I used to carry a lot of noncompliant rods on airplanes in the past but after 9/11 they really started cracking down and the consequences can be bad. If the gate agent makes you check it at the gate your rod tube will be thrown (and I mean thrown) in the cargo hold and on top of that the handlers at your destination don't know that a rod tube is in there. They are looking for luggage and your rod tube may end up on it's way to Dallas or wherever the plane goes next.

Do a google search on your airline + “baggage fees”. Southwest has checked bags fly free. Most every other is $25 per checked bag each way. Typically extra fees for bags over 50 lbs or dimensions that exceed L x W x H greater than about 68 inches. So if you have a rod case that is say 54” x 10” x 4” you are ok on United for example, otherwise extra fees apply. I put 4 piece travel rod tubes (20 to 30 inches) inside checked luggage and have not seen evidence that it was messed with. I suspect the x-ray can see through to the rod and guides and it’s obvious.

This. Point being that you don't need to transfer your craft in the shuttle, just you and maybe your high priced rods/reels. Leave the craft at the takeout, go get your vehicle and come back for the craft. As for safety an inflatable pontoon doesn't swamp, doesn't sink (unless barb wire is involved), you can't tip it or fall out of it within reason. Even the smallest and lightest are rated for class II rapids. I'd be more worried about being run over by a boat.

Fluoro to mono connections have been problematic since fluoro came out, especially with blood knots. There have been a lot of theories on why but they all boil down to material characteristic differences. That is why many of the fluoro companies recommend alternative knots. If I’m fishing all mono and hook sunken timber I know 90% of the time I’m breaking off at the hook. If I’m using fluoro tippet on a mono base leader I’m probably breaking off at the fluoro/mono connection about 75% of the time. My conclusion a long time a go was if using fluoro build your base leader from fluoro (I hand tie all my leaders). If using mono tippet go all mono.

Nope no where near a record but with the weather being so nice over the weekend I figured someone would give fishing a look or a try.

There will always be some left over especially this year with all the ice keeping some of the pressure off. I've caught them while bass fishing as late as May. Whether they will play or not......?

According to the USGS gauge this is over double the 13 years of recording for that site for this date. Is it really that high? Any pictures? 250 cfs in the park is pretty high as well.

I think everyone who has looked at this must see that this is not a clarification of laws but a re-definition. Our legislators apparently need help understanding those two terms. And it looks like this is heading a direction that is in conflict with US constitutional law and Supreme Court decisions. There are plenty of resources on this subject. One of the resources on the side of recreational users is: http://www.nationalrivers.org/why-river-rights.html

I can't say I buy the "intentions" part but it doesn't matter. This bill will redraw the boundaries simple as that and then be used to deny access, intent or not. Sounds more like someone is trying to make people complacent while they push it through. This thing is hardly the poster child of clarity so I'm not buying that this resolves current laws being in "dire need of clarification" either. If land owners want to own to the "ribbon" or for that matter the low water mark what would be their intentions for that stream bed? Smells pretty bad.

I think he was referring to this if above, in the Blue Ribbon water. Only artificial lures and flies may be used. Natural, soft plastic and scented baits are prohibited.

Compared to many states Missouri rules and regs are few and pretty easy to comply with. If it were up to me I can think of a couple more that I'd like to see.

I'm in and voting. Thanks for the link.

Gary Loomis collaborated with TFO on the Signature Series and did the design work on those (Lefty Kreh on the Signature fly rods) but has his own company (North Fork Composites) if you’re interested in Gary Loomis designed rods. He sold G.Loomis to Shimano back in the 90s who later tried to sue him for using his knowledge to start his own company again.

Aside from the unfortunately closed Eagle, and Pinecrest, what are the other private campgrounds in the immediate area for tent camping? Especially for early Spring and late Fall. Outside of winter I'm not interested in the park environment, way too crowded for me. Liked Eagle a lot. Wish someone would buy it and re-open.

A lot of good advice in the above posts. I wouldn't put your 8 wt in storage just yet. You didn't say where and what you want to fish for. The 8 will throw the largest of Bass bugs and mongo streamers if you are into that sort of thing. As podums / jdmidwests comments point out, if I were to buy one rod for MO it would probably be a 8 1/2 ft 5 wt, big enough for a lot of Bass situations and still enough finesse for typical trout, Crappie, Bluegill, etc. It would be a little long for the smallest creeks and a little light for the biggest flies. But if I were to buy two rods to complement your 8wt they would be a 4 and a 6 wt. With those you've adequately covered just about every fly species / environment in the state. If you fly fish the Gulf you probably have plenty of line management skills. Reels in MO can be whatever you want them to be. Simple and inexpensive to the latest drag system derived from Formula One technology. By in large it will be a line holder..

I can’t talk to salt exposure over the long haul but I did live in Florida for two years with the Gulf a mere 100 yards from my doorstep and fly fished it pretty much weekly. I did use some rods with wood reel seats and never had a problem but I cleaned everything thoroughly at the end of every outing. I had a blemish in the chrome finish of a tip top on one rod that salt got under and ruined and I pretty much ruined a Medalist which was not meant for salt anyway (this was in the 80s). If you seal the ends of your wood insert with epoxy when you assemble your seat you should be ok. That’s where I’ve seen problems in salt or fresh water, expansion due to moisture getting in the grain at the end of the wood insert. Conventional wisdom is all metal for salt but it sounds like you will only do salt once in a blue moon. Snakes vs. single foot, a lot of opinions on both sides there. Custom builders (for sale) love singles as it is half the wraps and half the finish. You can argue that those minimal applications on the rod make it better (lighter, preserves action, etc) but real world tests don’t bear that out. And when you’re talking 8 wt lets face it, you got over 300 grains of line off the tip on a 60 foot cast, unless you are putting full frame guides with ringed inserts on, the mass of snake vs. singles in actual tests is in the noise (on a 1 wt not so much). When Loomis came out with a whole line of rods with single foots another company did a test using identical rods, different guide trains, with 10 casters ranging from advanced to world class competitors because they were considering doing the same. Only one parameter was measured, fly on target under a variety of conditions. No significant difference. That company stayed with snakes. The guide supplier whom they were consulting with leaked the story. Durability over the long haul, snakes hands down, not even close. Even vs single foot recoils because of the pressure you put on the wraps under impact. Snakes just have a natural ramping effect when bushwacking, in a boat with edges, or for some, even putting the rod in the tube. Singles just hang out there precariously. They do perform just fine though and I’ve even built a rod with the smallest, lightest Fuji SIC framed guides. Shoots line real good, but…….I won’t do that again. Thread, CP, all personal taste. No CP gives a translucent look that you can see the guide feet through (except with black), kind of like stained glass, I like it. But if you want bright colors to “pop” use CP. St. Croix does have guide size and spacing recommendations on their web site, see heavy fresh/salt St. Croix has always been a big fan of HUGE snakes. I built rods similar to this with one size over standard size. St. Croix is pretty much two sizes over standard on everything. But ask anyone how they like their Bank Robber. They must know something. Just look at the Bank Robber pics on their web site, huge guides, probably size 4s at the tip.

I would think it's an SC II/IV for that application. Kind of a semi-secret custom streamer favorite blank that likely led to them introducing the Bank Robber factory rods.

Personally for an 8 wt I'd go snake guides vs single foot but people do build big rods single foot. Snake Brand are the easiest to work with as they are prep'd and ready to install from the factory while others will require that you dress them up with a file. Snake Brand are not cheap though. Guide and reel seat hardware (color) are of course available in chrome, stainless, gunsmoke, titanium, or even black will look good on burgundy. It's had to make suggestions without knowing if you like subtle or loud, color preferences, etc. Burgundy is a bit harder to pick wraps for. Here is an example of a blank that is very close to St Croix burguny (even though the picture doesn't show it) where I used black main wraps and an old gold look for trim wraps (actually almond with color preserver). I happen to not like flashy rods but that's personal taste. I think picking components to meet your desires is the most fun part of the build. I often play with color combos using Power Point to draw a rod blank and put thread colors on it. The tricky part is finding a thread brand/color that will get you where you want to be after finish is applied. As mentioned do some sample wraps on the blank and wet them with water of alcohol. Alcohol will evaporate quickly and lighten the thread color while it does, so you have to take a snap shot in your head or re-apply often if you want to stare at it for long. Water gives you more time to look at it.

I'm curious about the newer all wheel drives based on front wheel drive. I've had two GM smart track vehicles based on rear wheel with a rear differential and center transfer case. Absolute snow machines and plenty of approach angle and ground clearance unlike the new ones. The new SUVs have gotten away from ground clearance and some are using the FWD and only engagine the rears when needed. On the surface (so to speak) it doesn't sound like a great off pavement solution but more of a soccer mom snow security feature. I'm not looking for heavy duty off road, just security for getting into and off of some remote locatons with enough ground clearance to get the job done. A lot of the new SUVs couldn't event go up a curb without tearing the front plastic off. Anyone have the Chrysler/Jeep FWD based AWD?

It will be some long days of hard work and few casts if you want to only sight fish around St. Louis but of course sometimes fate will put one or more right in your sight. With all the clay in the area a lot of places become glorified mud puddles any time it rains so it really boils down to hitting a lake or pond on the right day with the right water level, sunlight, and clarity. If you want to sight / stalk and put a fly on their nose, probably the best bet for that around here is carp. If you see them mudding, eating cotton seed or mulberries you don’t even need water clarity for that, just some patience, stealth, and good angle on the surface. Busch has some surprisingly clear lakes (most of the winter trout lakes) along with the mud puddles. Don’t discount the city and county parks. I’ve had days when I giggled like a little kid watching bass emerge from a weed bed repeatedly in plain sight to take a fly but all the variables have to come together. That's not really sight fishing (picking out a specific fish and casting to it). So I can’t offer any short cuts, you’ll have to scout what’s in your area and learn the effects of recent precipitation and drainage.

Lake Lincoln at Cuivre River State Park is ok. Since it is one of the few public lakes in the area that you can put a craft on you won't be alone. It's 55 acres so there is a bit of room on it.

I see people occasionally use inflatables or kayaks on Busch and Weldon (mostly on the walk-ins that are not visible from the road) but it's not legal. Not sure what happens when they catch you though. Maybe just a slap on the wrist or maybe a fine. It would be nice to take belly boat, inflatable pontoon or kayak on Prairie but at Busch it's pretty hard to beat the $5 dollar rental for a boat that is already on the water.

Has anyone seen documentation on the cost to run/display one of these gauges? Akers for example? Obviously the USGS site was going to continue to run so wondering what was the delta cost just to get Akers back on line.

Sanity prevailed??? How did that happen? This calls for a bourbon and water. Thank you to whoever fixed it (and how).