Gavin

Nice Fish Wheat!...dunno how big it is...but dats nice! Lets see a pic of the Desparate Diver Ron...There isnt right or wrong when it comes to fun fishing, do what you enjoy most.

My oldest turns 5 in May...so I''ll be obligated to smoke tons of meat for the party....I'm sure I'll have plenty left over for summer camp trips...Thinking that Sunday June 3-6, or Sunday June 10-13 looks best for me...Hit the post weekend lull.

Hat's off to Fred O'Neil, Oregon County Prosecutor! We need more like him!

That can be done...plenty of parking at Akers, and its all public along the river. Camp anywhere you want..A couple suggestions. -3 guys, dog, gear, dirt bike in one vehicle....consider bringing two vehicles -If the water is low...put in at Baptist Camp..about a mile downstream of Tan Vat..Better Parking & Pit Toilets at Baptist Camp. -Dogs can really mess up a trip..consider leaving it home. -Pack light because you are going to have to haul your boats over the low water bridge at Cedargrove -There are some pit toilets at Cedargrove. -Firewood can be scarce around the more popular camp spots...bring a good saw. -AT&T Phones work pretty well above Cedargrove, spotty below. -Fishing Regulations-They change at Cedargrove...know what they are above an below. Have a great trip, and post some pictures when you get back.

Think Nortrad is calling the S bend the Horseshoe bend judging by where that kingfisher was hanging. But it really doesnt matter. Anyplace with some depth & cover can produce a good fish like that. Best bet is to pattern the fish as fast as you can.Where are you seeing/catching fish, how deep is it, how fast is the current moving, then replicate that pattern up or downstream. Here's the map I did for Phil awhile back. The mileage is accurate...unlike the published float guide (says its 3.3 miles from Baptist to Ashley and that isnt so). Cheers. http://www.ozarkanglers.com/current-river/files/2012/01/Current-River-Map-Two.pdf

Cant do a week, 4 max right now..will volunteer to tag along for a couple of days...Have chainsaw...and a darn good camp kitchen.

Very nice Duane...where do you get that chenille?...maybe a bit of Tear Mender glue on the ends instead of fire?

I'd go with a 6' Spin Rod rated for lures in the 1/8-1/2oz range and pair it with a 2000 series reel. Spool it up with some Hi-Vis Yellow Suffix performance braid, add a 6' flourocarbon leader (8-12lb) and your set. Not the best for buzzers, cranks, and walk the dog lures...but it will do the trick in a pinch. Cheers.

There is no right or wrong way to fish for them...Bigger, Deeper, Slower certainly does work at times...and big fish eat topwater or mid-water at times too....I tend to stick with topwater when I fly fish for them because that is what a fly rod can do well. As for fly selection.. Topwater: Gaine's Sneaky Pete Chartruese in size 2..fish it on smooth current, dead drift most often...Dont know why but they crush it...maybe an occassional twitch..but it seems to be best w/o much action most of the time...Hit the shadelines or add a wire weedguard and toss it back into snags and crawl it out. My Blockhead Pattern: Size 1/0...same as above Greg Coffey's Coffey Grinder...fish that in chop or at night and rip it. Mid water:Pearl Sparkleminnow 3-4" long, Shenk's or a lightly weighted muddler 3-5" long Bottom: Brown, Olive, Gold, and Black Sparkleminnows 3-4" long. A couple examples...

Good for you! Heck of a jaw on that one.

Cabela's has a Plueger President Spinning Reel & Rod Combo on Sale for $99.

As the others have said...Fly casting while soloing a canoe in current is an excercise in futility..... but casting from a canoe while another person paddles can be a very effective way to fish.

I want to float the Current from Round down to Powdermill this year, and explore some stuff closer to home. Havent been on the Bourbuese in a long time, and Byrnes Mill down to the Meramec on the Big intrigues me. .

You just cant float them all..but its fun to try!

Lots of easy access on the Middle Meramec along the I-44 corridor...It could be anybody with a gig rig coming down for an easy mess of fish..FWIW...I talked with a fellow who got a ticket for molesting some beavers on Blue Spring Creek recently... Let your imagination run wild... Pretty tame in reality.

Mann's Jelly Worm, State Record Bass, and off to the pokey...Only in Arkansas!

Ozark Mountain Ranch is closed...Mr. William's has some health issues that required his family to close it down. I'm not sure whats going to happen to the property. Many good times there.

Poachers do tick me off, but I'm not ready to condemn someone else's fun do to the actions of some bad apples. Suckers make up most of the biomass in most Ozark streams, and I think its OK for folks to hunt em down and eat them. Enforcement is definetly needed but some other reforms might be needed as well...The middle Meramec is pretty big water. Are folks using multiple boats to herd & concentrate fish? Maybe thats the cause of the problem? I really dont know what is going on out there. We have pictures of smallies with gig marks on them...That's a fact, but we dont know why they got gigged. Misidentification is a possible, concentrating fish and gigging them indescriminately is a possible, attempt at illegal harvest is a possible, but at this point its all speculation.

Tom, a 16-17' tandem canoe will do everything you require. It will carry two and enough gear for a couple days on the river. Look for a royalex or polylink boat with a flat bottom, minimal rocker, and no keel. My 17' Wenonah Spirit II has served me well, but there are lots of good boats out there. The other things you'll need...a quality rack from Yakima or Thule to transport your boat to and from, paddles, life jackets, dry bags to keep your gear dry, and some shuttle partners. Check craigslist for used boats a couple times a week, and I'm sure that you will find a nice one. Have fun!

Awesome!

Another thing to beware of...dont get a Pelican or a Coleman...they paddle like bathtubs and the hull cannot be repaired.

I'd go with a canoe or kayak for the water above Two Rivers..A jon boat would be preferable below there. Legally...you can run a 25hp all the way up to Akers all year long....further up in the off season.

Here's an interesting interview on the subject..Fox Hunting & Gigging http://thelibrary.org/lochist/periodicals/ozarkswatch/ow50316.htm

Used solo's are hard to find...but I'd avoid anything shorter than 13'. Dan Kreher had one listed in the buy sell trade not long ago, dont know if he still has it..Or get a tandem and solo it..You will get blown around on occassion..but its not hard to solo a tandem and its easy to stand and fly cast out of most 16-17' models.

I'd be glad to drink your beer! Your whiskey too! If I aint buying...I aint complainin...