Gavin

Norm Crisp runs some Wyoming trips in the summer time...check out his webpage for some ideas..I think he's still fishing in Chile at the moment so he may not get back to you right away. http://www.streamsideadventures.com/locations/wyoming/index.html Another option would be New Mexico..Doc Thompson guides out there..He's a St. Louis native and a really nice guy. http://www.flyfishnewmexico.com/ Or fly to Bozeman, and book a couple days with the Grossenbacher's..you might recognize Brian's photography on the cover's of allot of fly mags. Brian, Jenny, Craig Boyd, Casey will take good care of you. http://www.grossenbacherguides.com/

Waters fine...came up about 4 inches from dead low.

Photo's are nice...Shows the fam that you were fishing instead of sitting at the Sauget Ballet all weekend.

I'd be hesitant to put a drifter in on the trout section of the Current, but maybe you could be the first! Baptist to the low water bridge at Cedargrove is really to narrow for a Drifter, IMO. So is the section between Cedargrove & Welch Spring. Might be doable below Welch but the trout fishing heads south quickly below there. I'd float the trout water in canoe a time or two before you give it a go. Cheers.

Nice report! Thanks.

Friday-Sunday for our bunch. Leave a few for us!

There are a few trout on the Bryant (Escapee's out of the hatchery at Rockbridge) but the NFoW is just over the ridge...Fish that instead. I've caught trout up near Hammond on the NFoW in the winter & spring, but the best trout water is between Kelly & James Bridge. Cheers.

Dont let em ruin your day...or fish elsewhere...Frankly, I'd rather float, fish & have fun with a crowd of my own choosing vs. the pot luck you get at the tailwater/troutparks & crowded lakes. Cheers.

Thanks, will have to get after that one...Your buddy might as well eat that thing and get a replica made...the taxi will charge about the same, plus hell probably eat your fish.

Thanks for the report. Looks like a great time...May head out on some White ribbon water this weekend...fish fry hopeful...

Usually dont stick my fingers there...but if I want to eat one...it gets gilled and bled out...before it hits the stringer.

Better stuff is going fast!

Wow those are pricey...I'd probably go with something heavier that costs less...maybe an aluminum framed toon with a standing platform & lean bar. Think NFO still sells the Madison & Skycomish for a couple hundred less and Fishcat has a 10 standup model..Just park close to the water.

Done! PM your addy

Most lightly fished in the river for trout & smallies...(If ever fished)...Take your pick. Asking 50% of retail plus actual shipping but all offers considered. Photo's on a standard size legal pad for reference.

He was living with his daughter in California for the past year or two due to health issues. I'm sure he's in a better place now.

That is sad news. Chuck was a very nice man and his books left a wealth of information for Missouri trout & smallmouth anglers. He will be missed but not forgotten.

6'4" & 250lbs, I dont think a solo canoe like the Vagabond is for you. But your welcome to try mine. I've been looking at toons since I paddled Justin's on the North Fork in November. The NFO Outlaw boats you mentioned look pretty nice and I think they would work well for you. No frame to putz with, light weight... I'd probably get the trolling motor mount for ponds & slow rivers. Cheers.

Were do you want to use it, mostly?

This is too funny.. http://www.fishthefox.com/eel.html

Another concern is water level...the park service will close the river to floaters due to flooding at times...The Current is usually closed if the level is over 4.0' at Akers Ferry...The Jack's is closed if its over 5.3' at Alley Spring. Check water levels here, look under the White River Drainage: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/current/?type=flow Additional closure and park guidelines can be found in the Superintendant's Compendium, here. http://www.nps.gov/ozar/parkmgmt/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=177459

Most access points have plenty of floater parking...and break-ins arent very common..the NPS rangers usually keep pretty good tabs on the parking areas. Cell coverage is usually spotty down there. ATT & Sprint get signal on top of some of the hills...but thats often a 1/4 mile hike up some steep vertical and hardly worth the bother. Both rivers will flood, particularly the upper section of the Jack's, but they are narrow headwater streams and they drop quickly. Pick a gravel bar with an escape route if its raining hard, dont camp on islands. There are a few restaurants and some small grocery stores in the population centers but nothing outstanding. Pack it in if you want to eat like a King. Cheers.

I keep my phone in a waterproof dry box when I float, but its off most of the time even where I know I have signal. Usually turn it on and check in once a day if its working...If wade fishing..its usually in the car, or back at the campsite...but its never on my person while fishing. Cheers.

It depends...Topwater...I use a tapered leader...usually 30/20/10 about 9-12' long...for Subsurface...I cut off the 20/10 section and add a 6-8' long piece of 8lb Flourocarbon. That "Fly Fishing the Texas Hill Country" book is a good one. Its been on the list of places to visit for a long time....but I've never made it down...The Devil's River is pretty high on the list..do you know of any outfitters running trips down there?

Thats an ambitious plan!....The Current is floatable year round from Baptist Camp on down..., but usually pretty skinny water till you get down to Welch Spring...plus there is that darn low water bridge at Cedargrove to portage... I havent been below Round Spring in several years... but there are plenty of outfitters to run shuttles for you... On the Upper Current..Best fishing is between Montauk State Park and Cedargrove...lots of big brown trout, some rainbows & smallmouth (Blue Ribbon regulations apply)...Cedar to Akers can be good if you want to bait fish for trout or eat some, some fair smallmouth and pickeral fishing too (White Ribbon Regulations apply). Akers to Pulltite just plain sucks for fishing but its a great float...paddle into Cave Spring...Fishing picks up at Pulltite...and Pulltite Spring is a must see...Pulltite to Round...Little Gem Cave is a fun detour.....Round Spring down if you want better smallmouth fishing Jadwin Canoe does the Baptist to Cedar Stretch but they are located off the river aways and you camp in a field if you stay there. Montauk State Park, Ozark Mountain Ranch, and Eagles Park would be better camping options for the Blue Ribbon Area......Next outfitter served access is Cedargrove..no outfitter there, but plenty of camping...next Access is Akers Ferry...think there are group sites available there..plus Akers Ferry canoe rental& store they usually put in at Cedargrove, but you could probably talk em into Baptist for more money (Shuttles arent cheap down there... $54 for a car spot last time)...Next Access is Pulltite, big CG, Current River Canoe Rental & Store...Next Access is Round Spring...big CG, Carr's Canoe rental, store. I'm sure that someone else can provide some info on the lower river. The Jack's Fork....May is a great time to float that...Prong's to Rymers is a favorite but it gets too low to float sometimes...lots of big rocks to watch out for on that float....I only use two outfitters down there...Harvey's Alley Spring Canoe Rental...and Windy's in Eminence...I havent been below Eminence in years either...someone else can give you the scoop on that stretch. Good smallmouth fishing over the entire stretch...(1>18" limit on a good portion of it too). I'd probably do a couple days on each if you have the time and camp on the river....Primitive camping away from the access points in the boundaries of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways river is free and there are plenty of nice gravel bars to camp on. Wood can be scarce though...bring a good camp saw. Have fun!