Dman

Doesn't ring a bell for me. Have you contacted the conservation dept. directly? They've been great in answering all my questions over the years!

I thought I could give a report on my trip early this week. I used boiling springs as my outfitter for the shuttle to Shanghi springs on the big piney and floated back to their campground. It took me 29 hours to cover the 8 miles with a lot of fishing, chilling out and an overnight stay at the confluence of the piney and gasconade. The fishing was tough, still caught fish but I really had to work for them. A 22 1/2 inch walleye was a nice surprise, until the lure and fish got hung up in my wading shoes, which made an interesting hobble back to my camp site, in the dark, when I had to take the shoe off with the 3 1/2 pound fish flopping still attached! All in all a great trip, thanks again for all the help getting it set up.

Boy if that fish doesn't turn him on to fishing nothing will! Nice fish both of them! Generally speaking what river/stream we're you fishing?

Check this out https://www.rei.com/product/679458/yakima-boat-loader?CAWELAID=120217890000776847&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=21009508720&CATCI=aud-129902659960:pla-70905457120&cm_mmc=PLA_Google|404_6159|6794580016|none|a7ada74f-d6ac-440e-8a8f-9bf5dcd2fcad|aud-129902659960:pla-70905457120&lsft=cm_mmc:PLA_Google_LIA|404_6159|6794580016|none|a7ada74f-d6ac-440e-8a8f-9bf5dcd2fcad|aud-129902659960:pla-70905457120&gclid=CjwKEAjwydK_BRDK34GenvLB61YSJACZ8da3RbfkTaXvzQLfNnGSqDtTqnNFQzrdAIIyDL2dJVh3NBoCX3Pw_wcB It really helps with the loading and unloading. Just get the bow of the boat on the arm and push it up on to the rack.

I love my Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 sit on top. The boat is bomb proof and the seating is extremely comfortable! Don't go cheap, a cheap boat might float but if the seating system is bad you'll end up uncomfortable on the water which kind of defeats the purpose. Plenty of room for an overnight trip too!

I appreciate all the suggestion fellas. I'm thinking about the Shanghi springs float on the Piney down to the gasconade and ending up at boiling springs campground. Has anyone done that float?

Thanks for the info, I'll check with them.

Hey all, I'm planning a float in a couple weeks and need some suggestions on outfitters/resort for the Gasconade. I'll need a shuttle and would like to float about 7-10 miles to end up at the outfitters/resort at the end of my trip. I'd like to focus on the Special Management Section of the river if possible. Any ideas are appreciated, thanks!

How'd your buddies do on Friday Gavin? "Maybe 1 stellar day out of a 4 day trip on average and stellar might last 30 minutes." Is this describing fishing when it's tough or a normal trip? I was thinking about going down in the next couple weeks to fish Baptist to Cedar for the first time and wanted to make sure I'd have a decent chance at a big fish. Thanks!

Cool, thanks for the info!

I'd like to do an overnight float on the Baptist to Cedar Grove stretch of the river and need some suggestions on an outfitter for a shuttle (I have my own boat). I would like to float back to my car, preferably in a protected parking lot. I don't know if this plan is even feasible but I figured someone on this forum would know. Thanks for the help, Dman

Nice fish! I'd say by the looks of it, you've got your priorities right!

Thanks! I can't fish with gloves on, I can't cast to save my life!

Nice shots! Thanks for the post!

Check out the video of my nephew and I fishing in the snow on Nov. 16th: http://vimeo.com/112601033 What a memory!

I forgot to mention that's a great question, one I was wrestling with myself this week, glad you asked!

I had a trip to the Big Piney scheduled for this weekend and decided to postpone it until next weekend. I haven't been fishing rivers and stream as long as I have fished lakes but rising muddy water and cold front's are the worst combo to negatively affect fishing that I know of. I too would be more worried about the rain causing the stream to rise and muddy up than the actual cold front. Just my 2 cents ...

I think you know what you're doing now! Congrats!

Would love to hear a more detailed fishing report, I'm still trying to figure out the mysteries of the BP!

Yes it would, kind of like those old sailing ships had for good luck, that's the idea anyway!

I appreciate all the feedback fellas. No doubt about it, it was a great trip! That second photo was taken at night during the super moon, sure was cool fishing at night with no need for a flashlight.

You're right, I found it next to my kayak when we stopped due to the thunderstorm moving in on us hard! I thought that we might need a good luck charm at that point, and it worked, we made it thru! I'm thinking about taking it with me on every trip to bring me luck!

My nephew and I floated the Big Piney from Slabtown to Wilderness Ridge Resort a couple weekends ago. We were lucky to experience: rain, lighting, fog, super high humidity, a microburst, a Super Moon, a head wind the last 13 miles and a few fish. All in all a great wilderness experience! I have to give a shout out to all the great people we ran into along the way; especially the folks at Wilderness Ridge Resort who are some of the most gracious people I've ever met in my river journeys! The fishing was ok, a good number of small smallies on wacky rigged senkos and an ultralight topwater grasshopper. I'll be back for sure!

Thanks for all the suggestions! Dman

I have my own kayak. I was thinking at starting at the trout park and floating down. Did you suggest starting at Tan Vat because the water level is low?