Arofishing

I fly-fished the upper James for about 3 hours this morning. Water was fairly dirty, and fishing started off reeeeeaaaaal slow with top water (gurggler). I finally put on a bluegill bug just to catch something. Once catching something got old I tied on one of my imitation Circus Peanuts in Chartreuse (thanks Brian). I was having a hell of a time trying to fling that thing around on my 5 wt, and the sun never really peaked through the clouds to warm me up, so I was about to call it a day. Just when I was thinking about trying some top water again, I felt my streamer get stuck on a log about 6 feet in front of me. Much to my surprise the log started swimming, and I started getting excited! Turns out it was my biggest bass, a smallie, measuring my rod later it turned out to be 14.5 inches and FAT. Having caught a second wind I decided to keep heading downstream, shivering the whole time. I caught a couple good size rock bass and another panfish before almost stepping on a snapping turtle. I then decided to walk the bank, but almost stepped on a snake. That meant my day was done.

Sounds like a good day, that'd be my biggest bass!

In all seriousness. Thanks for the videos. I appreciate them immensely, and it's good to see you getting recognized for your excellent work.

In my Hatches mag email this afternoon. My oh my, maybe I should get an autograph before his head gets too big .

I forgot to mention the best part! It was just after hunting season and Ray's dogs kept finding errant, rotting deer limbs. They would then proceed to scout in front of us and all you would smell is....well, most of you are hunters, I'm sure you know better than me. But my time with Ray was great. He was really, really into philosophy, and from what i could tell, conspiracy theories. He also showed me all the places to fish on lower wire.

He talked to me for nearly 2 hours one time...

I've parked on the side of the road off Division before, but I don't recommend it. I've also ridden my bike there a couple times, which is less problematic. There actually is some parking off 125 bridge. Heading north bound on the north side of the bridge there is enough room to pull off the shoulder (on the right side). There is also parking under the bridge, but I wouldn't feel good about going down there unless you have a monster truck. Lastly, off of Sunshine, again on the shoulder. I usually park on the east side of the bridge heading east (the right side). Plenty of space there. I do recommend pulling all the way off the shoulder, however, as a cyclist I know that road gets lots of cycling traffic. I may be more flippant when it comes to parking, so follow the above advice at your own risk, but I feel like if 1) I am not parking in a place it is clearly posted I shouldn't, and 2) my vehicle is not a danger to other drivers (obstructing the road/most of the shoulder), then it should be fine. So far no problems. I've also seen other people park on the side of 125 and Sunshine without issue. Best of luck.

Thanks Coldspring. i haven't done this upcoming hike yet, but the group has decided to the Taum Sauk section in mid May. My fly fishing friends and I still plan to do the Eleven Pt., time permitting. I'm really excited about the Taum Sauk despite there being no fishing. For one, it is supposed to be a contender for the prettiest hike in MO. And second, I'll be leaving MO in September, so I'd like to experience the best of what MO has to offer outdoors before I leave. It's interesting that you say hiking and fishing generally don't combine too well. That was certainly my experience on the Current River section. We used our rods once, for about 40 minutes, and just ended up carrying all that extra and unnecessary fishing gear for the other 25 miles. Another problem was that the whole group was not into fishing, so they were more or less just waiting for us to get done. To top it off, the fishing wasn't good that early anyway. I'm thinking that hiking/fishing *could* still work if we did it right. My plan for the Eleven Pt., again, assuming we get to it, is to camp for 2-3 days along that section you are speaking of (roughly McCormack to just above Turner's Mill). That way we could get a lot of fishing in to justify that extra weight. We might even be able to work it out so we can dump the fishing gear at McCormack (if we leave a car there). I think that could work well, but as you said, we are running out of time (poison ivy, overgrowth, bugs).

LMAO. Burt, I'm beginning to wonder if you happen to write for Fish Itch. In any case, catching a 9 inch fish and getting bit by snakes sounds like fun. But I have to ask, who the hell is Paul Dallas?

You are certainly right to point out that discretion does not (necessarily) mean silence. My intention was not to commit you to silience, but now that we are in the business of clarifying what we mean, as I think you'd acknowledge, there is no agreement (and we will not likely come to a statistically significant consensus, I'm confident) on what "discretion" consists of. For example, it may mean that we practice discretion only with respect to our most successful trips to Crane. Or it could mean that we only talk about it when necessary (whatever this might mean, i.e. "rubberlegs are not working at all right now!"). It could mean I tell you everything I did that worked without telling you exactly what spots I fished. Maybe it just comes to mean that we don't talk about Crane every single time we go. In sum, the vagueness of "discretion" is going to prove problematic when in the service of any slippery slope arguments we'd want to motivate in the direction of either a) not being discrete enough, or b ) being too discrete. So, given this, the concern I was raising is that discretion can be used to license something like complete silence -- and I'm glad that has not been the case. But you are certainly correct to suggest that it doesn't require it. We can still have an OAF subforum on Crane Creek (and for that I'm sorry I missed/ignored your claim that the forum ought to be here for advice and tips). I agree with these measures wholeheartedly, and I practice 1) and 2) (at least in part because of Pruett's suggestion some weeks ago, which serves to bolster the notion that OAF is doing Crane some good). Unfortunately I have transgressed 3), but not as a practical matter because I was, especially at the time, no threat to the fish -- I didn't catch any! I also was very cognizant of where I was walking. A problem with 3), as I see it, is that the spawn is a pretty loose time frame as well (but perhaps someone can disabuse me of this idea). It is roughly sometime between (possibly) late December and the middle of February. This is attested by all the posts we had during that time claiming to see no redds at all (even though they should be there). Given that the external conditions to the creek make it very difficult to fish during the warmer months of the year, that is a significant chunk of fruitful Crane fishing that we must miss out on, made all the more significant by the fact that we don't know if we even should be missing out on it (given that the beginning and ending of the spawn is difficult to identify). For what it is worth, I'm with you, we should err on the side of caution and not fish Crane during the spawn -- but I think we should also have good reasons for thinking we are affecting the spawn. I'll readily acknowledge that my motives were selfish in fishing during the spawn, but I'm not sure I was unjustified in doing so. Had I actually had a modicum of confidence in catching any fish - if I felt I was a legitimate threat to them, things would be different. The same if the spawn were more obvious. (Not to mention that this sort of tact is only going to have purchase with others such as ourselves who (I presume) think Crane is valuable for its own sake. If someone is entering Crane with the mindset that what makes it so great is that it benefits them - that what makes it great is that it is there for our use and enjoyment in catching fish - then they are likely to have fewer qualms about fishing during spawn, especially since that is a particularly fruitful time to fish). I think that's a great suggestion, a small thing that could do some good, but I have little hope for it being enacted. And more in response to Daryk, where I lived in Canada sustainability was (to a degree) mandatory in the respect that you paid extra for buying recyclable containers (to justify the cost of state run recycling bins outside of every dwelling, right near the trashcans), and in the respect that they instituted a ban on things like styrofoam. Something like that is never going to fly in MO, it will be up to the good will of Rapid Roberts to make a change, and well, we are probably exactly the sort of people they would *not* want to change for just to spite us. As far as volunteering is concerned, I'd be certainly be willing, but it's going to have to be fairly soon or I won't be around (and for that very reason weekends are also booking up fast). And not to repeat myself, but I also think most of us are already participating in stream clean up (albeit not any great amount at a particular time). When I've gone fishing with others at Crane, or have seen people like Andrew fishing there, they are almost always doing things like picking up trash. Aaron on OAF is even much better about it than I am - he takes trashbags with him. Finally, I don't think there is anything inherently contradictory in trying to motivate people to care about Crane (i.e. your fly fishing classes), even though that would likely increase fishing pressure. I'd just prefer that people have an antecedent interest in that sort of thing, that way we could be more selective about our potential audience (decreasing pressure). In that respect I see OAF as the perfect sort of medium for raising awareness and engendering respect and appreciation for Crane.

I am extremely thankful for those of you who have not practiced the art of "discretion" so eloquently and admirably put forward by Bamboozle. If it weren't for your reports and advice I likely would have found Crane too intimidating of a place to fish and enjoy, let alone catch any McCloud. Given that I will be leaving MO in a few months I am all the more thankful I got to experience and enjoy such a magical place before I (likely) leave it forever. If I were at a different stage of my life I'd likely be more willing to heed Bamboozle's well-intentioned caution. But in addition to being a novice and having benefited from those who've made Crane a possibility for me, I have a pretty deep and pervasive skepticism about the impact that OAF can have, at least negatively, on Crane creek. We are 1) anglers of an obsessive sort that actually care about it enough, and find it interesting enough, to talk about at length, anonymously, over the internet. Individuals that 2) just happen to live in (roughly) a 200 mile radius of one another. People that would fish Crane additionally are (very likely) 3) fly fisherman who 4) invite the challenge of fishing in quite difficult conditions to 5) catch few and 6) (generally) small fish. I think we've weeded out a great deal of the population and the fishing pressure threat already, and as others have stated, if OAF didn't exist but you still satisfied all the criteria above, you'd likely find out about Crane anyway. I take it that our near irrational concern for Crane's well-being only serves to exemplify our admiration of it, and our appreciation of it as a precious and exhaustible natural resource. So if we are going to practice the art of discretion, I hope these are our motives, and not the selfish desire that one of my favorite fishing destinations become less prosperous for me because of the purported pressure it has received. This is where I would agree with Bamboozle's diagnosis of any inconsistency between "1) Guys posting pictures of the nice fish they have caught and 2) Guys commenting on how much pressure the public sections of creek seem to get." Insofar as 2) can be, and often is, motivated by a desire to catch more fish oneself, 2) is utterly without merit, because what you're actually saying is "I couldn't care less if Crane were just as pressured as it already is, only I wish I was the one doing all the pressuring (and catching all the fish)!" Finally, if our motives for discretion really are admirable, then I don't see how discussing it on OAF can harm Crane, but I can see how silence could. Discussions concerning Crane on OAF have only served to inculcate and reinforce my respect and admiration for the place. Posters are continually trying to leave it "better than they found it," people like Andrew are raising awareness of bait fishermen on Crane (as both comical and sad as that is). In effect, OAF is, as far as I can tell, encouraging us to be more vigilant, better stewards of Crane. That is the best case I can make against discretion as an unabashed proponent of non-discretion. It is not in any way meant to discredit the fact that Crane is small and the fish relatively sparse. We should remain ever cognizant of both those facts.

Oh, yeah it is. I already have it and I've been wearing waders and long sleeves. There is no hope for me, if I wanted to avoid it I'd just have to stay in doors all summer. Seriously, I bet there is not a week this summer when I don't have it. Most of it I've seen was already over my waist.

Thanks Gavin! We had been looking at the 11 pt section, in fact, that was our initial choice. But for whatever reason (I guess from the pictures), I just assumed it was mostly bass water. That coupled with its scarcity of water (aside from the river) and lack of geographical features had us looking elsewhere. But it looks like you follow the river for almost 8 miles of trout water. What is the "PI?" Is it easy enough to wade?

Thank you Gavin. I wasn't sure whether Kelly was off of 365 or 374. That's a bummer. Another reason to do the Taum Sauk section I suppose.

A group of us would like to do the 25 mile hike along the North Fork Section of the Ozark Trail, detailed here: http://www.ozarktrail.com/northfork.php. We would also like to do some trout fishing when possible, and the trail connects to the NFoW at mile 23, just NW of country road 362 (from hwy kk) on the east side of the river. Does anyone know where this would put us in reference to the river? I was thinking it might put us around Kelly or Lamb? Link to the topos map for those interested: http://www.ozarktrail.com/maps/detailed/NorthFork3mile15to25.jpg.

Thanks for the advice. I knew of the campgrounds in Galena, I just didn't realize they were only 15 minutes away. We stayed at James River Outfitters.

My buddy and I got away on Monday-Tuesday for some fishing at Crane and some camping at James River Outfitters. The trip started off slow. He was late and still needed to pick up supplies so we didn't get to Crane until 5-5:30 pm. He had been on fishing hiatus for a while so I didn't have much hope for this trip, at least as far as the trout were concerned. Started in upper section Monday night with what little light was left. I was messing around by the bridge waiting for his slow a** and managed to pick up a juvenile on rubber legs. That was quite an auspicious start given my usual trout fishing habits. I wanted to show him a spot where I thought he'd have the best chance of catching a fish. The water was up more than I've ever seen it, however, and that spot had changed quite a bit. He ended up catching his first McCloud right near there, much to my surprise and slight dismay (I mean, come on, it took me 3 trips to Crane to even catch a fish and I had to tie his tippet to his fly line because he forgot the effing knots). We got to the lower with just an hour of light left. The water actually had some color (again, a first for me). This being my friend's first time, I made sure to show him all of the public land. We started at the end and quickly worked up. We both had success at that nice riffle above the drum. My friend caught the biggest trout he has ever caught there (on a prince) and I caught my biggest trout on Crane. I really think the color and lack of light helped a lot. The other notable thing we saw was a huge snapping turtle, I'd say tail to head it was about as tall as your waist, with a shell almost the size of basketball. He was hanging out in that pool where most people (in my experience) cross to the other side of the creek. Maybe that's why I've never had any luck there? We camped at James River that night, got in late, but had enough time to get everything setup and buzzed. After packing that morning, we hit up the James around the campground for an hour. My friend managed to catch to largemouth bass on a white and yellow clouser I tied. The only thing I managed to do was fall in and get wet. Again, more water than I am accustomed to, which is nice after trying so hard to fish the James during the dog days of last summer. We did the lower park section before leaving Tuesday afternoon. I had never been all the way down there, so that was part of my motivation: to figure out where the public land ended and the private began. Aside from some vague signs from the MDC saying, essentially, "you're about to leave public land" it wasn't well marked. In any case, no guns and no threats were involved, so if we trespassed, we did it surreptitiously. I was the only one who caught any fish: a creek chub and two trout using a prince nymph and some shot to get it down. All in all an awesome trip. None of the fish had much size to them, but that was an unprecedented haul of fish for me given the time fished (I averaged a fish an hour). And we were fishing only a couple days behind the Oklahoma boys who, as usual, had a tremendous amount of success (I swear their pictures are coming from elsewhere! ). What a great experience for one of my last trips to Crane!

Just got back from the park section. Caught two trout and one creek chub. I'll have to amend your 6:30. My friend and I didn't catch more because you "busted" out the creek last night .

What a fish. That must have been awesome on 5 wt. I haven't caught any decent sized carp since I was a kid, did it put up much of a fight or was it like dragging in a big, reluctant log?

I seem to remember you cannot camp on the MDC land, is that correct? Is there camping near Crane somewhere? It looked like the park may have been equipped for camping?

Thank you! I have bass catching fever and I'm ready to catch my first of the year. Hopefully this week if not the next.

Production value went up a notch. The intro was great with the scenery shots, really managed to capture the season and set the viewer up for the fishing. I enjoy all of your videos (I've watched them all more than once), but this one was in a different class.

I wonder if the 55 lbs was accurate. I didn't weight it myself, but I had some experienced hikers and my friends who weighed their packs "ball park" that number. Funny enough, I didn't end up with too much excess stuff, and what was excessive didn't weight that much (e.g. clothes). The gear I have is pretty nice, but it's not the *nicest*, no doubt I'd lose some weight going from a synthetic sleeping bag to a down etc... In any case, we hiked the Current River section of the Ozark Trail. Had a fantastic time, just wish there would have been better fishing. Do you know of a hike where you can camp overnight and fish for trout in MO? From what I've gathered they just don't exist...

Or post the article, I have plenty of peacock!

For real. Sadly, I'm trying to get my fill of MO before I leave for (likely) California. I don't know if I'll be very active on OAF after August or so. I doubt even more I will have become a decent trout fisherman before then, but at least there is always smallmouth . (I undersold the Ozark Trail hike above, I had a fantastic time. But no good fishing took place, and it was strenuous, which is one of the things that made it great. Afterwards my friend said (this was his first multi-day hike), "People ask me if I had a good time, and I'm not sure I had 'fun,' but I'm glad I did it!" That pretty much sums up how I feel about it, but I am already making plans to do it again too).