Gavin

Tilles has been iced up for awhile. Drive by it almost every day.

I've been looking for a blank....but a 1/8oz will toss fine on an old IM6 medium heavy...guess it is slow enough to load up and cast, but you better be sight fishing or line watching when you are out of contact.

My buddy made that cedar stripper last year. It turned out well. Water level was close to dead low and very clear. I like it better when its up and a tad milky. There are some some spots were you are gonna have to hop out, push, or drag a short distance even if you know how the channels shifts at that level. No big deal, The flat below the Horseshoe, and the flat below false cave bluff come to mine. You might want to walk the S-Bend, and one or two more. Better to have dry stuff. Hope you have a great trip. February can be wicked cold...heed Coldwater's tips...bring a reliable chainsaw, extra chains, and something to sharpen them with...Sandy logs can pooch a chain in no time.

That is a cat...but I'm thinking house, or a long tailed bobcat.

I'd send a PM to Justin Spencer or Brian Sloss. They both used to run a bunch of OT Disco's and I'm sure that they still have a few. I'm sure that they know how, or they could direct you to someone who could offer advice about patching one up. 12x12 is a big area...I've patched the hole in the bottom of my royalex Wenonah tandem a couple times..Its only 2x3" and the interior skin cracked the last time. JB weld does not last...seems like the adhesive in the factory skid plate kit is what sticks to it best. Alpine Shop in STL usually has a spring paddling event with some nice deals. Think I got my last patch kit for 25-40% off. Make sure that you follow the instructions, mask off around the area and put some newspaper over anything that you don't want covered with runs from the epoxy. The epoxy is usually a bit gummy when it is ready to work, but then it relaxes, gets watery, and runs all over the place just before it sets. Mix the epoxy, saturate your patch (usually Kevlar cloth), then apply it. Rub it down good. The patch should be translucent once it is saturated with epoxy. Think you will need some warmer weather for a good result...50-60 degree day. Good luck.

Glad you enjoyed the pics. I didn't fish much at all this trip. It was ON Wednesday AM based on my buddies account. Guess he caught 5-6 over 17" on Wednesday AM. The two that he took pictures of appeared to be in the low 20's. Good for him! He's been on the WFT for almost 20 years and it was probably his best day ever. I caught a couple dink browns, and two nice ones 16"+/- plus a half a dozen smallmouth (10-14" range). No rainbows for me. I mainly fished for smallmouth. Fishing was OK on Thursday, and fair to slow for those who worked at on Friday & Saturday. Nobody fished Sunday. We gotta get you down there again Ness. I'd bring a different canoe, and go left at that one spot:>)!

Siusaluki is correct. Gravel bar camping for float campers will not be restricted. They said so on the ONSR facebook page...The restriction applies to areas that can be accessed by vehicles...A good example is the Sinking Creek campground, just upstream from Hwy 19 & Round Spring. Folks used to drive in and park travel trailers & pickup trucks all over that gravel bar. That kind of camping wont be allowed anymore.

Coldwater's tips are good ones. It works. Think this was the best snow float. We have had an inch or two and colder weather on a few since 2005. February trips are usually colder. We have had plenty of rain a few times, but never this volume of the white stuff. The drive sucked from St. Clair back to town, but today's commute was worse. Lots of folks with silly little vehicles in a hurry. Some small format eye candy.

Should do the trick Seth. Get em on the bottom and fish them slow...in any good looking spot, there always seems to be a bathtub sized area that holds the fish...be patient and find it. Used to buy those Arkies at Wal-Mart Seth...sharpen that hook. Scott give me a ring this week, I do like that Bite Me Ball Head...that was the head I was using when I caught that 19.75" last fall.

No worries Wayne. That tent goes many places...It gets trucked in to plenty of campgrounds for family trips with the gals and kiddo's, but it goes down the river in a several canoes mostly. Its the go to place if you need it, but its more of a community room. We all set up smaller tents and sleep there. You will be the last one to bed if you want to sleep next to the stove. Lots of work & prep involved. The WFT was founded in 1979...I joined in 2005...Think we have the program down and I'm glad to be associated with them. The Sunday float was memorable. Will put some photos together when I get time to edit...There are some up on FB already.

Remember a time when I double booked guides for a day in Bozeman...I paid both of them.

Its more of a camp trip JD...It is about 5 miles and we wander around in the woods and fish quite a bit. We camped above Ashley Creek on Weds...maybe a mile below Baptist. Had a brother come down with some health issues on Wednesday night. Coldwater and another brother hiked him out and drove him to the hospital on Thursday AM. His wife picked him up at the hospital, then they drove back and hiked back in. Pooched our plan to get down river a bit more with a small group on Thursday. To many arrivals on Friday to move then. More hiking/shuttling..Some folks leaving Saturday for various reasons. We elected to stay on Saturday. Too much work to move then, and plenty of wood cut. Did the last 4 miles on Sunday AM. About 4-5" of snow on our tents...Wall tent covered with about an inch of ice after we did our best to knock off what we could. Rain then sleet on Saturday night. Could not fit the wall tent canvas in the bag...but we managed to stuff it in my brothers canoe. Guess it takes about 5-6 tandem canoes with one man in each to divide and haul the community gear. Poles for the wall tent in one, canvas for the tent in another, Wood stove (or two) in one, Tables, 2 chain saws, cook gear, axe, splitting maul, plus personal gear for those guys hauling. We usually solo tandems anyway, just to make room for gear if need be. The coolers with ice are for food, those without ice are there to keep your beer from freezing on the ground (weather dependent). Great float on Sunday. Wind pushed me up river a time or two, but no big deal. The scenery was spectacular.

We were on the Current between Baptist & Parker Wednesday through Sunday.

We would have been fine if we decided to stay yesterday but most would be better off getting out.

In the scenario you describe...Paddle out...its not that far. Plus there are several buildings at Pulltite...Possible Shelter even if you cant drive up the hill.

We had a great float today, but it took me 5 hours to drive back to St. Louis from the Current. Lots of little cars and tractor trailers in the ditch today.

Justin's spot is about a half mile above Dawt. I'm sure it's fine. His neighbor down their is long on bulldozers.

Noblett was one of my favorite spots for a long time..It was a great place to kill an hour or two pickerel fishing on the way to or from the North Fork of the White. Have not been back since it was drained...on the to do list this coming year. McCormack Lake (sp) near Greer on the 11pt, has a few, and there are plenty of them on the river. Heard good things about Mingo, but I've never made the trip.

Looks like a stupid tube rig. I just use a weed guard jig head..Punch a hole in the tube...bend the weed guard forward and thread it through the hole. Usually have 3-4 extra rigged and ready if that is what they want. Usually catch better fish on top, or with a swim jig, spinner, or jerk bait though.

Scott. Order up at least a 25 pack of 1/8oz Bite Me Jigs Standup heads and we can touch base next week. They are awesome in comparison to the cheap arse Arkie's. You will not be disappointed. Packing for an extended float/camp trip. No time to inventory my stash. Pick a date, bring some beers by Hargrove's, or swing by my place some evening and I'll show you how to tie them. You will want some Kevlar or GSP thread for the deer hair jigs. 6/0 uni-thread, or darn near anything else is suitable for bear, craft hair, rabbit jigs, or marabou. Practice whip finishing by hand to work around the weed guards. Mitch's jigs are awesome too. The sparse arctic fox, & marabou versions work great with the old trailer. Have a half dozen of Mitch's craws, but have not tried them out yet. I'm sure they work...saw Mitch catch plenty of smallmouth on one, outfished straight hair that day...Wish I had more Mitch jig heads...hint...will tie what you want on them.

Here is one I made several years ago...not hard if you have some hole saws. You could easily adapt it to hold casters and spinners.

They eat lots of sunfish so cranks are a good choice.

Looks like a Jazz guitar arrangement in E minor. Thinking Take Five...Dave Bruebeck. Jigs are easy to tie. Measure first, then tie in. Tight thread wraps.

Good for you Hank, I've caught a few pickerel between the Park & Cedar, but they seem to be more common from Welch on down. Glad you had a good trip.

Here are a few styles that I've found effective. The little deer hair jig will work with a plastic trailer, the others are the ones I fish were plastics are a no no. These were on Cabela's and Arkie Standup heads, I've since switched to the Bite Me heads with the weedguard.