Gavin

There really two different kinds of shops...FC does most of their business is through their catalog and Tom is focused on retail only. Cant say that I've had bad service from either, but Tom gets my business 99.9% of the time.

I've helped them sample down there before...They usually do it around this time of year...First sample stretch is from the Park down to Baptist..Second sample stretch is from the powerline crossing down to what I call the False Cave Bluff about 1.5 miles above Parker Hollow. They use an jon boat equipped with a gigging rail and an electrode to shock & scoop up the fish, and the canoe's follow with a net pen which they use to hold the fish until they can be measured and released..They do each stretch twice, marking fish with a tail fin clip on the first day, so the can estimate the population based upon their resample rate. It kinda screws up the fishing for a couple days..Here's a few pictures from a sampling in September 2006. Cheers.

That was her...Looks like she had a ball...glad your getting to spend some time with her... Dont know why we caught so many smallmouth...There are always a few to be caught around Ashley or below, but weve never caught them in such an abundance..The only theory that makes sense is a migration of fish out of Ashley Creek...Ashley was really low and its getting cold at night so I'm thinking that they ate up all there food and moved, or they migrate out to the main river for the winter. Cheers.

I pay attention to the solunar times, but havent noticed any consistent correlation.

FWIW, there is a new cell tower in the area...We had both voice & data access in camp this weekend..Not sure if it works at Baptist or Tan Vat, but it worked really well down in the big bluff stretch below Ashley......Might be a better idea to carry your phone with you because I think that you would have a hard time justifying the use of lethal force for a minor property crime. More trouble than its worth, IMO. Cheers.

Depends on what you want...We have both in the STL area...BP has a much better selection of fishing equipment...Cabela's just doesnt seem to have what I want......1/2 the department is stocked with walleye & pike lures, IMO........so it kinda tells me that the are too centralized, and that they dont know their markets very well. The hunting, camping, & clothing side is better at Cabela's though.

Looked like yall were having a good time...Figured it was you with your wife and the little girl, stop in next time and bring your poker change.

Truth be know...I never worry about it...I just lay em on the thwarts and tuck the tips inboard if possible..depends on how much junk I'm hauling.

I dont fish cranks much at all....but a Norman DD22 or DD14 may do the trick for you......Mabye one of those old Hellbenders...There proven lake baits...so they might be worth a shot. Cheers.

Ozark Mountain Ranch is were the battlefied is....Green sign as you head up the road toward Baptist...I've never stayed there, but were planning to stay on there on the weekend of the 8th. I've stayed at Eagle's Park many times. Dave's a really nice guy.

Report it to the National Park Service... http://www.nps.gov/ozar/contacts.htm

Ozark Mountain Ranch is another spot...just past Eagles Park...and I think there is one called Pine Crest on the way back to Salem...Heck, you could camp on the river for free...or head down Thursday and grab a non-reservable site in the park. Cheers.

Thanks Gents...and it was a pleasure to meet you in person Gene. STL, there is nothing thats really nasty on that river...but a couple tricky spots, low consequence for the most part.....I usually drop by Hargrove's for a bit on Wednesday or Friday afternoon...Shoot me a PM if your headed by. Cheers.

Sounds like fun...didnt have any luck with trico's this weekend, but I did OK with caddis and crankbaits. A couple photo's. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=74246&id=1647470288&l=cbf7caad12

Personally, I like the diversity that is offered by the Blue, Red, and White Ribbon designations...I usually stick to the Blue & Red Ribbon streams, and release over 99% of what I catch, but I also like floating some of the White Ribbon areas. I think that its great to have the chance at a couple small trout for dinner w/o the hassle of fishing in an overcrowded trout park or tailwater. Cheers.

Not far from the Park at all...Baptist Camp is about 2 miles downstream from the Park boundary..Parker is about 7.5 miles from the park boundary. It's easilly wadeable at the present water level, but the trails close to the river are still a bit overgrown. Planning to head back down the weekend of the 8th. Cheers.

Weird weekend on the upper Current...Camped on the river between Baptist & Parker Friday & Saturday night. 7 people out, with 6 fishing...Not many brown trout but some nice ones caught...4-5 better than 16", with the best just over 18"... Lots of small stocker bows....but the odd thing was the number of smallmouth that we caught this weekend. It was about 50/50 smallies to trout all weekend long...Mostly small, but a bud caught a 15"er. Bet we caught between 30 and 50 smallmouth last weekend, and that has NEVER happened before. Just freaking weird.

Jets are pretty common up there this time of year...Its gigging season, and some folks like to run up the river to deer hunt.

I like em all for different reasons...I like fishing in the Winter for the solitude, and the look of the woods in Winter..you hike and see all the stuff that you can't see in the other seasons. I enjoy spring fishing to witness nature in bloom..I enjoy Summer for swimming, family fun, & smallmouth action...And I love the Fall so I can witness nature change into its winter state. Its all good..

Well be camping out on the river Friday & Saturday with a group of 8...Weather doesnt look too bad, water level is pretty low, and the forecast is for less than a 1/2" of rain on Friday..40% chance of showers on Sunday...No big deal. See you down there.

Sounds like a great trip Justin...Planning to come down with Creepy late next month.. Sunburst Dawt...can be good...Fish the Islands between Sunburst & Patrick, around Riverside, and the faster runs below..To get the whole experience...I'd put in at Kelly paddle up to the Springs & float down to Blair or Sunburst one day, then float from Blair or Sunburst down to James the next. Cheers.

Thanks for the reports...Heading down Friday....just a guess...but those were probably blue winged olives or trico's....BWO's are usually in the 22-24 range this time of year...Trico's are allot smaller, 28 or so.

I'm not that concerned about their quality as table fare...Darn near anything is edible if its prepared properly....I am greatly concerned about them escaping and affecting wild populations of salmon...Its just not a good idea...

Awesome...Wild rainbow over 3' long....Holy Smokes!

I believe that peacock bass are in the Cyclid family...along with allot of other fish...Tilapia, Oscars, etc...I've caught Shadow Bass on the St. Francis & the Black. Ozark Bass are usually found in the White River Drainage.