ColdWaterFshr

Eric and Buzz, you haven't been paying attention. Chief discovered that he had a warrant for his arrest, much to his surprise, which was why, and again I'm assuming much because I don't know the whole story, but its why he went in to the poh-leese station and met with the Sheriff. Armed with signatures from uh-this-here forum he met with the sheriff and the sheriff pretty much told Chief to stay away from this stretch of Shoal Creek for a good while and allow a cool-off period. The history regarding Chief and this landowner IS relevant. Objection overruled. Continue. Your honor, please call Chief Greybear to the stand.

Relax, Cricket, I said "probably". A smartass like me always leaves hisself an out. I tell you though, as innocent as you and Solus may have been, this here whole deal has me starting to side with Prater. You guys got led into this ambush by good ole Chief and his frictious ways . . . probably.

Solus, What is missing from this is particular incident on Shoal Creek is context. Thank you for providing the video clip. It gives us a glimpse. It seems apparent from this clip that there is a history with Chief prior to this float as they were asking for his whereabouts, and even knew him by name -- I can only presume it was him they were looking for and not so much you guys. They sure as heck didn't know you guys by first name, did they? It may be a big leap, but the fact that you decided to roll some video of this incident is also telling in that maybe you were prepared for exactly what transpired. Maybe not. In any event, it seems to me that your float party was probably not the hapless, feckless, innocent floaters wandering through a random stretch of river in the wilds of Newton County and never had any inkling about this guy Prater. In my view, this is now LESS about floaters rights and more about provocation and whatever happened with Chief and this landowner PRIOR to this float. Maybe he can speak more to that than you guys. Or maybe you know already of some of the stories. I still agree in principle on floaters rights and would like to see that set straight. However, this clip leaves me more questions about the whole back-story and caring less about your question of what floaters rights are.

I'm kinda wondering about this "cool off period" that the sheriff wanted. As I understand it, it was you guys that kept your cool (unless there is more to the story), so why is it that you have to keep away from a public waterway? And can't go near it 'til October?? More I think about it, Chief, unless you have had some history with this guy Prater, I find it a little suspect that a warrant would come up over this one little incident. If not, and this one innocent little float trip was the ONLY incident, I'd say Chief, you got OWNED.

And woulda thunk the Stones would be doing a private gig there at Lilley's in the midst of this epic flood.

And not just there, but all up and down ANY major river system. For every vertical inch of levee built, somewhere, just downstream or even straight across or even slightly upstream, the river pressure just grew that much more for all of those people. Its simple friggin lesson a 3rd grader can understand if explained clearly enough. I can see how the Gov't is stupid enough to fall for it, but I'm still amazed that big business - major insurance in particular, hasn't seemed to grasp it or get a handle on the risk assessment. Cairo - you don't deserve flood insurance, simple as that! You too, New Orleans, Grafton, Quincy, and on and on and on. Its time the government got out of the levee building business. We're paying to build them, then for the loss when they fail, and now we're paying to blow them up and also for the loss caused by blowing them up? If the courts say this small Missouri levee should go, then so should ALL the rest on the whole river corridor.

Haven't read any of the arguments, but ALL levees should go, on all rivers. You build too close, you shouldn't be given flood insurance or any other kind of guarantee, government assistance or otherwise. One of these days we'll wake up.

Mike, I assume you'll look at the water gauge before you go. Here is the link: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv/?site_no=07065200&PARAmeter_cd=00065,63160,00060 National Park Service won't let you put on if it is much higher than 3, I think, or somewhere in that close range. Obviously it is closed now and probably for the next several days. I'm sure there will be trees crossing the river that need to be sawed out, too. Jacks Fork drops out quick, but it all depends on how much more rain in the next 2 weeks and how much drying out time we get. If we keep getting peppered with these 1 and 2 inch rains every other dam day, we may all be building an Ark. Have fun - I want to get down there soon, too.

scary, scary stuff

Sorry to hear about this. Thoughts and prayers are with you, Phil. My sister lives on the Hollister side and opposite of Fall Creek, and here is a picture of her neighbors place just down their street. Picture was taken a few hours ago. She says its higher now.

Not much. Upper Current doesn't have a whole lot of shifting gravel. New trees will be in the water creating new holes, some minor shifting around. Just down from Baptist there was a pretty good mudslide that happened a year or so ago on the hill where the long run from Baptist begins to tail out. And it would be interesting to see if the big log jammed channel by the bluff on the horseshoe got cleaned out or just stacked higher. Thats one spot where the channel might have swung back to that side, and I think that would be a good thing.

If a feller who doesn't know any of you all, and who didn't sign no petition and never left no voicemails to a Constable Copeland. . . were to put in at Lime Kiln . . . just how far down and on which side of the river might he find himself in Praterville? Gonna laminate me some Elder vs. Delcor, pack the sidearm and my pitbull and plan a float with reststops and peebreaks at every gravel bar between there and Tipton Ford.

Love the title of that trip report TC!

"Law? What Law?" Burt Reynolds

Thanks, Chief for going to meet the good Sheriff and setting him straight. Sounds like you really had him on the ropes with all your legal precedents and internet signatures and what not. Now come down off that cross before Good Friday arrives, we got some eggs to dye and hide in Mr. Praters back 40.

Cool! Very happy for you and sounds like a lot of great memories are being made. Hope the weather breaks and you get some more good fishing with the crew.

Shoal Creek is down near Joplin.

Good! I really and truly hoped it worked. If I were this sheriff though .. . would've been mighty difficult to suppress a chuckle as I read over that there internet-derived petition from ya'll. And Chief showing up at the station to turn himself in. This is some good drama anyways. In any event, we should organize a mass float through this Prater guys property and have a weiny roast on his gravel bar.

Anyone hear from Chief today? Wonder how the meeting with the Sheriff went.

I still look for largemouth bass fish. Several sleeps since MitchF show U2oob movie of many, many basses but too higha price compare to good net. Problem is net taken from Thak by man drive green Chevy pickup. If you see man drive green chevy pick-up, tell him boy need net back. Many PM's sent MitchF. No reply. Sick bassfish, or healthy shad. . . . maka no difference. Thak will pick up, any weather, tornado watch maka no difference. Money how you say, over counter or under card table with wink wink, Thak faja pay top dollar. Creek empty, please kindly hurry with response. Customer patience become angry.

I want purchase that floating, or how you say, listing bass at end of youtube movie. $7.99 too buku, me offer $3.99 and not penny more. please MitchF put me in contact wiff sawa. Need for restwont on nowf gwenstone .. . all out of mystery meat for lenten caffowic wontons. I send boy, Thak, to pick up today. He riding Schwinn Rickshaw.

This could get ugly. Kinda feel sorry for the flak that skeleton crew is going to face when they tell someone they can't put on. If I had a trip planned, I sure as heck wouldn't let no skeleton crew stop me. I'd just go and put on wherever they ain't. This is bull.

To heck with all that. What we really want are pictures of the girlfriends, not your ugly mugs.

They had Tom Hargrove on the news last night about it. Funny as hell. Here is the link: http://www.fox2now.com/videobeta/29895c52-aab2-494a-9819-045d34f89274/Business/American-Idol-Hairstyle

Yeah, yeah, well the same could be said of Taney with respect to the crowds and weather conditions and regulations. The difference between it and the Current comes down to how much pressure is too much pressure. One can handle a LOT more than the other -- I think thats pretty obvious.