Gavin

You haven't caught a fish until you can choose to kill it or let it go. Fooling fish is a different matter entirely. Think that most of the fun is fooling yourself into thinking that you made them eat something fake, artificial, no darn good. Fish don't have hands...

Nice boat!

That Heddon is fiberglass, not bamboo...thinking $75-150 value...maybe $20 for the Medalist, and $10 for the Orenomatic...Still fun rods to fish...Get a DT6 spooled on that Medalist and it will work on the Heddon and the Southbend 359...The 359 would work better on the NFoW. I'm more interested in those canoe plans...what are you building?

Depends on the speed of your presentation...if fishing slow, or sight fishing...go light...if you are fishing big stuff fast...you can use 10-12lb easy, because it does not seem to matter. You must have a leader if fishing braid to trout though. A 3 turn surgeons knot works well for attaching braid to a mono or flouro leader.....It is a good enough knot, and you can tie one in 30 seconds or less.

I learned how to fish with live bait, and I'm teaching my girls how to get some and fish with it if they want too...Think their best days have been on small plastics though...They can cast & catch for 5-10 minutes on a small plastic if the spot is good...Live bait requires constant supervision if you are fishing with 4 & 6 year olds. Sometimes they have more fun catching bait...that is good too.

Had my fill of Zuum, Zum...that is for sure...at least I don't have a painful 1/8" hole or several out of my hide;>)!

Hot day on the Meramec on Monday..Went floating with Larry STL from 30/47 bridge down to River Round CA..10 miles I guess...Smallie Bigs wanted to join us....but...I dunked my phone last Friday night...didn't get the text...Sorry man.. Guess we put in around 8:30 am...couple fish in the first mile or so...one on a crank..two on a Ned...never did figure them out...other than where the smallies were...shallow & fast..Occassioal spot or greenie in transition zones....10-15 lures tried...all caught fish...none stood out to beat the band...Hit them on the head kind of day...Mostly smallies for me...maybe 20 smallies in the 8-12 in range...one 15"...handful of spots, and 3 largemouth.........Larry got a nice largemouth...18-19"..best of the trip...He's a trooper, did very well soloing my 17' canoe. Long day in the 99 degree heat...Went through six hydrating lawnmower beers and a gallon of water between 8:30am and our 6pm takeout...Only one O' Darn moment....had an incident with some horseflies and had to bail out of my canoe in 10' of water...Lost my hat, and a nice spin combo..Managed to grab the other 3 rods that came out with me...Big bluff hole above the L. Meramec. Split Grip with a Pfluger on it...Would like it back if found. On a sad note...the gravel grabbers are bulldozing the L. Meramec confluence hard...it looks like skiing moguls around every clump of hard vegetation....Some great scenery and it moved pretty well for a lower stretch.

Our smallmouth catching does suck in Missouri....We catch lots of wee dinkers, and few with any mass...Go to places were people eat walleye and perch...and your average is 14" plus....20" plus possible always.

The Heddon is the only one with any significant value...8' probably a 5wf or 6dt...the Shakespeare...likely a 7wt...and a dog...the 359 South Bend...that's a 6wt...nice rod, but a bit heavy...Maybe 250+ for the Heddon if in good condition..the other two...$75 bucks on up depending on condition...A Plueger Medalist would look good on any of them...Maybe a Western Auto click pawl or an old South Bend Automatic. Were are you at? Have some pictures for an idea of condition? Check the ferrules...make sure that the are glued on well, fit well...clean them with some denatured alcohol and a q tip till clean...lube with paraffin wax...then check fit..Feel free to PM with Q's.

Glad you have the one that works after 10 years...I've never had one a Shimbindo spin reel last more than a season or two before it turns into a piece of junk. Love my Shimano casting reels though...

They have been chumming on the White so long that it can hardly be a revelation...Heck...Nelson Renick (Founder of Ozark Fly Fishers)...used to fish his "Corn Wooly" down there with great success...

Brookies are a pest out West...eat all you want..in their native range...they are something special.

Thanks HW...think we have it figured out!

Good for both of you!

Just be happy that your getting bit....You cant control what happens on the other end of the line all the time.

Think he's charged with 2nd Degree Murder...Thats a ten year minimum, cost of a trial, and no guarantee of aquittal...Thinking Voluntary Manslaughter and 5-10 years is the best this Crocker fellow could hope for. His life is pretty much over, regardless.

There are some brookies on LOZ if you want to track them down......Frankly, I'd rather catch them up North.

Motor is sold.

Just hope it gets really cold for a couple weeks this winter...Want to experience at least one good ice show float in the coming season.

Looks great....Would like a taste some time...Need to load the smoker before winter sets in....some bacon to do when it gets cold...

A fly rod is my tool of choice for catching lots of trout...There is no better method for catching numbers...or for sight fishing to any species...more control over your presentation during and after the cast, plus you don't have to reel in line to recast...For blind fishing or bouncing bottom...I'll choose gear most of the time.

I've never been stung by one, but they are about. Saw one while hiking at Washington State park earlier this year.

You might be surprised..Jadwin really doesn't put that many boats on the Baptist to Cedargrove stretch..The foot traffic between the park and Baptist is usually much worse, IMO.

Elite...has become a buzz word of the jealous....

Funny stuff! Have not crossed any of those milestones yet....but plenty of time to do it.