Jack Jones

Burger Shack? Across from the Tanger outlets? My wife was there about two weeks ago with her girl scout troop. She said it was pretty good and a good value. I was hoping to try it in the next month or so when I get down there. Oh well....guess not. Personally, although I love Mexican food because it's generally inexpensive and relatively tasty, I don't think Branson needs another one. Same as Springfield. NO MORE MEXICAN AND CHINESE RESTAURANTS PLEASE!!!

Had about 2 1/2 hours today to fish both. I got skunked at Shadow Rock. At Empire I was fishing around the boat dock and launches. I saw two nice size bass in the shallows near the dock but I couldn't get them interested in anything. I threw craws, worms, spinners, cranks, Rapalas, Jitterbugs. Nothing even turned their heads. I did manage to pull this one out from behind the boat docks. That was it in 2 1/2 hours. Managed to get a nice tan (burn) though.

Bat, that is awesome!!! I've been watching this thread because I wanted to introduce my 4 yrs old into fishing this year. Now I know where to start. I suspect next weekend we'll have to check out Rutledge Wilson. He can worm fish and I'll probably play with my 3wt.

As an amendment, I'll echo Mitch and state that because I grew up in suburban Connecticut, there weren't too much in the way of "outdoor" activities with our scouts with the exception of maybe some minor hiking and canoeing. I don't recall hearing of any campouts. Certainly, we weren't introduced to bows, guns, or anything violent like that . The scouts up there were more of a public service organization. What I always noticed was that the troops were usually made up of the kids and parents that all went to the same church (where the meetings were usually held). I found it to be rather cliqueish and not so diverse. Now that my son is 4, I'm debating what activities I'm going to put him in. I know there's plenty of active scout troops in our area, but I'm just not sure I agree with them philisophically anymore .

Was a cub scout. Made it up to Webelos. Then quit because the other scouts were honestly a bit snotty. There were more affluent than I and made sure everyone knew it. So...I went and played in the woods and built fires without them.

When I head out onto the river, I have two spinning reels with me. I've got a few jigs, a few rebel wee craws or crickets, and some finesse worms, baby craws, both in pumpkinseed or green pumpkin. That's about it. If I can 't get them to hit on a shakyhead with a worm on it, I've never had luck in the spot with others. I've never done particularly well with spinnerbaits, although I'm still willing to give them a try from time to time.

Jeb, I'd say Phil does a good job of locking it when it starts to get too pointed or abusive. Like you, I remain passive until I can't take it anymore, but only because I like to watch the back and forth. There's plenty of other threads to read if it bothers you. Don't get too frustrated. Save that for the fishing....

Which end of the lake? What was on the drop shot? Details, man, details.........

Agreed Mr. Lilley. Maybe this should be put under the "trolling" thread....for reasons other than fishing.

It wasn't over the Braden slab. It sure was moving fast though. I got a workout walking back upriver. I had never been to the KK bridge before. I didn't realize it was above the river so much. I thought it was a slab bridge too. Looks like a good put in spot though.

I used this article to help prove to my 4 yr old boy that yes, sometimes people eat bugs. I also told him that since we're going back east this year for vacation, we may end up having them for dinner one night.....He's sufficiently freaked. What good's having children if you can't traumatize them from time to time.....

Sadly Joe, that's not just limited to the James.....

Did better than me. I threw on the waders and tried walking up and back from the Braden slab and came up empty. I also checked out the KK bridge and wow, the water was up.

The "darn Yankees"?? I agree. Even though I'm from that area, I will route for any team that plays against the Yankees (with the exception of any team from Texas). The Royals are looking decent though. Better than they have in recent years. That said though..................go BoSox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice post and nice pic. The temptation is always there to paddle up river when I put in at 65. Don't know why. I'm often skunked there. If I get a chance to go out tomorrow, I take advice from this post and head into the lake.

Well please post reports when you do. Like you, I'm frequently stuck in the greater Springfield area so I'd love to know what kind of action you're experienceing.

I suspect any changes will likely be to the upper most layers and won't affect the warming in the lower depths that may have already occurred. But going from 80 on Monday to a low of 34-40 loday??? Seriously? Oh well, the weather was nice while it lasted. Plays hell with my sinuses though, LOL.

Actually, by now you can predict that a general area will have tornados, earthquakes, and wildfires. They have them every year. And a lot more frequently than off-shore hurricanes. Any excuse to pick a fight and bash the coasts.....

I canoed up from the 65 bridge and worked the banks with finesse worms. I was out for about two hours this afternoon. Only caught a few dinks. Nothing over 10 inches.

Such a nice day out that I hopped in the jalopy and rambled out to check out a few conservation areas I had never been too. I started at Buzzard's Bluff. The river was really flowing. It was going way too fast to reasonably fish anything. Although I tried some cranks in the flow, I came up empty handed. Noticed a lot of low water bridges blocked off in the area. Saw the little campground area at that access. Anyone ever camp there?? I'd be curious to know. From there I checked out the Camp Branch Access. It, too, was too strong to throw a line in. So for those that have fished in the areas, is it worth coming back when the flow lessens and throwing a canoe in?

While not my favorite (that would be Merle), he was certainly a giant and I'll miss him. The passing of these old school country legends really hurts. So many were just not the pretty boys/girls. They lived hard, and they brought a voice to that hard living. No other artists are doing that today in country. Goodbye George. Go with God.

Reading Child 44 - a serial killer story based loosely on the Rostov Ripper case and set in Stalinist Russia. Also reading The Wilderness Warrior, about big TR.

This thread appears to have morphed into a BBQ thread . I'll throw my hat in for Bono's, a chain out of Florida that also had a location in Denver, and for the old Super Smokers out of the St. Louis area. Personally, as a native New Englander, we used to get our bbq slathered and served in the sauce. It wasn't until I moved out here that I saw it with just meet and you had to add the sauce.

Maybe. If there are descriptions of the pond and where it is, etc... Just a thread to say 'Hey, I fished my buddies private pond, that's only accessible to me and him, and caught tons', wouldn't interest me because it wouldn't be as though I could reproduce the opportunity. Guess I'm selfish that way.

No doubt that was rude. I think I might have let him catch a fish or two and then probably said something to the effect of "Hey buddy, I was fishing right there. You mind?" Nothing too rude in saying that. Wouldn't be out of line for a business owner. My other option would likely be to just start talking his ear off, tell him about your problems, maybe make up some gross medical condition that you or your wife have and describe it in detail. Be real friendly like about it and just annoy him until he leaves. Make it a point to say how glad you are he came along so you had someone to talk to.