Gavin

Thanks for the suggestions....I've never waxed any of my royalex canoes....but that 303 UV protectant does a pretty good job, IMO.

Picking up a new hull in a coupla days...Mad River fiberglass solo canoe..Late 80's vintage, .15' or so ..... I think....needs some work, wood outer gunnels look shot, might be able to salvage the inner gunnels & mahogany decks..but its been out in the sun a bunch and the gel coat is faded....Nice boat that has been neglected...looking to bring it back. Need a hint on bringing the hull back to a gel coat luster?...May need a lumber mill recommendation for the gunnels and the deck work. Closer to STL the better. .

A 7'6'' 3wt is about perfect, IMO..Made a 6' 1pc years ago...it was great on the lawn...but it wasnt good on the water. Too short....an 8' 5wt is great when the water is up. Have fun.

I toss it on the ground by my tent or my camper..Toss some trip hazards around it....Pick it up..you will wake me up.

Good for you! Glad you got one...They are tough fish, they tug hard, roll alot, and they usually go airborne.

Chester's Fried Chicken is good in a pinch...usually available at truck stops.

Tube jigs...Zoom Fat Alberts...or Chompers Hula Grubs....are always in my kit....but I dont think it matters much..Any number of plastics can fill the bill.. I like the tube when the want something that spirals on the fall and once it hits bottom...there is no better craw bait for a slow drag or hop & drag retrieve...Single tail grubs are great if the boat is moving and you are prospecting..swim it steady, hop it, drag it. Mix it up...No wrong way to fish it. Hula Grubs...slower fall than the single tail...and great on a let it sit...hop, drag, type of retrieve. Usually 1/8, or 1/4 oz...Watch your line.

Depends...usually some meat, cheese, maybe an apple if its just me...Overnight trip meals can be fairly elaborate...Crawfish boil for 20 etc....but these days I smoke meat ahead of time...and warm it up...or make a big pot of gumbo if I have to feed a bunch.

Larry's advice is spot on...Good smallmouth are where you find them..Long casts and stealth...never hurt a darn thing. Smallie addicts are way more secretive than trout fisherman...They will never give up good walk & wade water on a public forum...if your lucky...they might narrow it down to 10 miles of float water ......PM them...or better yet...meet in person...and put something on the table about X,Y & Z .and the Questions and some note comparing might start. If it goes well...you might get a few hints about new areas to explore.....Then there is the other puzzle about obtaining access, rounding up a crew if you want to float it....not all that easy, but a heck of alot of fun! I usually try to scout possible access points on new water on my way home from someplace else when time allows. Hope we havent ticked you off...A membership the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance couldnt hurt...Havent been to a meeting in 5-6 years...but you will probably meet some folks, and pick up some info there. Good luck to ya!

Timing is everything...sounds like your caught fish early...you didnt late in the midst of some floaters...try it during the week...or take a nap and wait the flotilla out...you will do better.

Not bad at all...it was pretty well whooped after about 3-4 minutes,,,and it rolled and lassoed its snout closed in the process....One yank on that jig with my pliers broke the line and got my jig back. The first 6-8" of leader was badly abraided. I'd recommend gloves, pliers, and something to jack their jaws open if you want to chase them deliberately.

Thinking that this year is the year.....to float were the jet boats used to roam.

They usually hang in deep slow water...They arent hard to spot...toss a canoe in the water, cover some ground, and keep your eyes peeled...You will find plenty of them, just about anywhere...

Gar...photo by Marc Poston

Sweet! Long and skinny...but that young lady caught a heck of a fish.

Sinking lines and shooting heads...work best from a boat IMO....fewer line managment issues....when wading...a sink tip can be OK...but a sinker or a shooting head can be a PIA if your wading up to your belly button... Figure out how much line that your rod can handle on the back cast..usually 25-30'...Roll cast to get to the surface..better know how to generate some line speed after that...good setup for your backcast and a well timed haul...good stop....some drift and shoot some line on your back cast...good forward cast and haul...good stop and let it fly. Have fun.

Tackle Tour had a review.. http://www.tackletour.com/reviewmegabassxpod.html Think I'll save my cash an get a couple of River2Sea Bubble Walkers (Pop Max Knockoff) and some Strike King Dawg Jr's...

Sad story...it appeared to be a drowning from the get go....Sis turned around, boy gone....drowning is silent...you dont hear a thing...no splashing...no yelling...just silence and loss.

Looks like a fantastic trip.....Philmont ought to be on the list....Joined a troup for a year or two just to do that trip...It was awesome!

Shouldnt take long at all...its only a half mile or so...think there is a trail on the North Bank...and there is a river trail on the north bank below the CG...That said..you really ought to float it. Have fun.

This is a pretty good read if you have an interest in Wild Trout out West. http://books.google.com/books/about/Many_Rivers_to_Cross.html?id=HJI9smood0gC

Bummer, hope someone finds your rig. Its usually easiest to look for the fly line on the bottom when you sink a fly rod.

Fall is a great time to get out...Not too warm for you or the fish...Trout, Bass, you name it. If your fly fishing, there is no better time to toss big bushy dry flies...Hoppers, Crickets, and Beatles are all as big as they are gonna get before the frost comes and kills em. Good luck.

I have no idea...Have any of you wart fanatics tried the Brad's Wiggler series of baits? http://www.bsfishtales.com/wiggler.php

Sweet...nice longnose.