ColdWaterFshr

Is it legal to take a canoe out on the upper White at night?

Check out the beard on that one dude. What a bizarre report. Couple things: 1) I didn't know Amish hunted or owned guns. 2) I don't think its likely that you could get that many amish to go along with a lie, so while I think their story is completely true, I don't think the agent asked the right question, and that is, were they all out there intentionally hunting for this mountain lion which they knew was in the area? 3) How do you ticket the Amish?

Hey, I don't pretend to be an expert on the meaning of the word bellweather and whatever that entails. I'm just suspicious anytime stats are thrown at me in US Today format . . . sensationalized to help sell papers . . . "30% reduction in sea ice" over a narrow time frame of 30 years and for just one month. Heck, I don't know, maybe the month of May has seen sea-ice stick around longer over those same 30 years. Is May or June also bellweather months for the recession of arctic sea ice? What is the story on those months? Has the Farmers Almanac ever been wrong?? And off on a tangent here, but have these satellite images been taken by the same camera flying in exactly the precise same orbit each of the last 32 years? Is their resolution the same? You can't tell me 1979 imagery is in the same class as anything in the last 10 years. If the satellites changed, did they take this into account? Tell the whole story if we are going to examine it. Lets go in depth with arctic sea ice, don't patronize with one very narrow little stat taken out of context and let us armchair types try to make scientific sense of it. We don't know squat. And I'm at least smart enough to question what it all means.

I read that this morning as well. And I agree, 30% of anything sounds substantial. But read it closely again. Its a 30% reduction in Arctic sea ice for the month of September only. And only since 1979. I don't know what to make out of statements like that. But its easy to twist statistics in all kinds of funny ways to make them sound worse than they are. What about the month of October? Suppose it was a 35% INCREASE in arctic sea ice from 1999-2009 for the month of October? I don't know. It would be interesting to see what the ice did for 30 year periods for each month going back 3,000 years. Plot those graphs and then lets talk.

Looks like a fun little boat for summertime day floats w/ limited beer carrying capacity. But . . . the dork-o-meter pegs fairly hard to the right on this one. Paul Dallas

I agree with what Justin Spencer said. MDC needs to nip it in the bud and make some kind of statement about what the rules are and fines/punishment. This is getting out of hand.

On which river are beads permissable? Paul Dallas

This kitty is going to get fat in a hurry in Chesterfield. Deer are as plentiful as soccer-moms on psych meds. If it could just make it over another mile east to Town and Country -- that would be a great story. That town has been in a huff for years about what to do with their huge deer population. Half the citizens think it is good money to spend $10,000 per deer to get the females "fixed", while the other half thinks it is inhumane to relocate or kill them and thinks they are cute. Imagine this putty-tat wandering in and taking down some deer on their perfectly manicured lawns. :lol:

Yep, Billy Gibbons on the Current. Slip inside my sleeping bag, wasn't that one of their songs? Short trip . . . 1 night for me anyway. Most of that stuff isn't mine, but we had to divide stuff up to carry the wall tent and poles. I had the tent stove up in the front which is probably 50-60 lbs. Also a good sized propane tank, a 40lb two burner stove w/legs, 5 gal water, cooler full of food, and each of those boundary bags are probably 50 lbs. Gavin's picture is in front of Ness' Hole I believe.

Here is ColdwaterFshr @ 6'0 185 lbs + at least 350-400 lbs or shtuff. The MR Legend is the same boat as the Dagger Reflection which was discontinued. Anyway, I'm sitting in the bow seat, but I've paddled it loaded from the center seat, which mine has, and also the stern seat. Can't really tell much difference in how it handles other than the more weight I add the slower it is to respond. Other than that, I've never felt real tippy in it except when it is completely empty with just me. I wouldn't want the seat any lower just because it cramps up my knees more and as Al said its harder to get in and out of.

This is awesome. About 10 minutes from my house. I'm going to start setting out bowls of warm milk each night.

That is one sweet boat, but forgive me for being so direct . . . . someone needs to keep you away from the drill! I can understand tying a few things down, but dangit son . . . what are you wanting to lash down so bad and so tight? 2 dozen pit bulls? You got over 40 holes in your boat now. I hope I'm wrong for your sake, but I would worry that some of those holes would develop cracks. Especially if they are subjected to being pulled tight. I've got the exact same boat, only it is the Dagger Reflection 15, and love it. I've loaded her down and only felt the need for 2 bungee cords. I'll post up a picture of me in it with about 400 lbs of gear if I can find it.

I remember that trip well, but I don't remember the Pee Wee Herman dude. I've never seen so many locals descend on an access as we did that day. And I think you're right, Gavin - thats when you coined the phrase Newburg-Cong. Roy was a helluva nice guy.

The hamlet of Newburg lies on the shores of the lower Little Piney. Not dissimilar to the Viet Cong, the Newburg Cong, that is, the indigenous people of the area, have a fond disregard for littering. Particularly at the numerous access points up and down the river. Vida Slab and Milldam Hollow are their favorite haunts. Grotto Bridge and the bridge in town get hit pretty regularly by the NC as well.

No doubt she has to put up with the Newburg-cong and all that comes with them, but that doesn't give her the right to go chasing regular ole fishin folk off that stretch of creek -- invited or uninvited, it ain't her creek!

No kidding. Woulda went to Mill or Current or even Cardiac, but to drive home without even fishin?? This is kind've disturbing about this property owner. What are they up to down there with their 800 signatures --- it doesn't matter if its called a creek, river, stream, or brook. Its not anyone's property. I've put my canoe in at 63 and at Lane a few times and floated down to Vida, Milldam, and even down to I-44. It is navigable by my definition. And it is listed as a floatable "creek" in my float books, including the one published by MDC with a put-in referenced at Lane Spring rec area. Actually there really isn't an easy launch from Lane. You have to either carry your boat through the picnic area, or launch from back in the campground.

She was yelling at you as you stepped into the water at Vida? Or were you on the trail on the east side of Vida that leads upstream to where you step in the water? I've never had a problem there either way, but I've always felt a little uncomfortable fishing that stretch of water that is right by the house on the opposite (west-side of the creek) Not that I was trespassing, but it FEELs like you are. Somebody needs to set her straight. If you didn't access the water from her property, and if you were in the water or within the high-water mark . . . it ain't her crick.

To answer your questions in order: 1) No. An 8 wt is overkill and will be tough to learn to cast. Get a 5, 6 or 7 weight at most. 2) No. They're ALL pretty good quality and all are also pretty good at ripping you off. This is fly-fishing, you're automatically paying more just by daydreaming about it. First off, on a $200 budget, you are in no-mans land. You aren't going to get a whole set-up with the big fancy-boy names. And Wal-Mart isn't going to get you there either - they don't care! Check out Albright. They set out to RUIN the high-dollar fly-fishing market and I think with a little more marketing budget , they easily could. http://albrightflyfish.com/items/gpx-fly-rods/list.htm. An Albright GPX is as good as any TFO in my opinion. They're both made by the Ko reeuns, so why pay more for Lefty Kreh's little wuss signature? Thats all it is. 3) weight forward 4) Don't sweat the details. 4 and 6 lb mono that you use for regular fishing will work fine as tippet for bass fishing poppers and streamers. You want to splurge on some tiny spool of $15 fluorocarbon tippet in 2 and 3x later, but I wouldn't waste it now. Mono is best for poppers anyway since it wants to float.

Yeah, I miss the stamps. Good work on the '87 one Al, thats a nice one. Too bad they don't offer at least the option to mail-order for a stamp with artwork. And the contests seem like a good publicity idea. Wonder what their reasoning for getting away from that was? Money I'm sure, but how much would it cost to produce a half million stamps

Yeah, thats probably good advice, but I'm not so sure the Meramecs level would be a foolproof indicator. Blue Spring comes up quick and drops just as quick. If you can fish it during a moderate rain or right after would be your best bet. The Meramec comes up fairly quick but doesn't drop out quick at all, so just because it is up doesn't mean BS will still be up. Maybe you could look at the Steelville gauge for the Meramec and if you see it spiking up, then there has been some rain in the area and BS will be up. But . . . it could be blown out or it could have already fallen back to near normal, so thats why I would say its not foolproof. And exacts for when the fish move? What day do geese fly south? I dunno. Just go and enjoy it anytime you can and don't sweat the details. Good luck!

Buffalo would be my first choice from Ponca down to (however slow/fast) you want to take it . . . but it ain't going to meet your requirement of "I want to make sure we don't see anyone else". Even in the middle of the week, the Buffalo is in peak season in April. You might consider Jacks Fork in Missouri. Start up at the Prongs, take your time and go down to the confluence with the Current, but there again . . . you're going to see somebody, and definitely on the final leg as you get close to Eminence. Or the 11 point from Riverton down will get you solitude, but maybe not from jetboats. Ever float the Mulberry and Big Piney there in NW Ark? They offer a little more of a sporting challenge and are pretty cool in their own right,, but I wouldn't bring my camping gear in the boat with me, you would want to base camp those. Not sure the fishing is all that hot either.

You might want to put one of them propellor spinner things on yer sleds engine or else them 12 poles is going to be an awful lot to carry around on the bank. Maybe junior pants up there on the front deck could be your caddy. And $20 says I could nail a 3-pointer from where this picture was taken, all net too.

What Eric and Trout Cmdr said. Good warm hat. 38-40 isn't cold at all. If you stay moving and it isn't too windy, you shouldn't ever get cold. Wool fingerless gloves and those chemical handwarmer packs thrown in on the palms will keep you plenty warm.

Only 3 rods? Thats tough. I'll give it a try. Spinnerbait/buzzbait rod : a 7'3 Funeral Blakemore boron infinite-dynamic action pitching stick in negative sheen matte black (it actually absorbs light waves and certain radio frequencies), trigger grip sawed off and retrofitted with a Hearst dyna-glide shifter mated to a Diagon Centripedex 9.0:1 titanimum tricked out with depleted uranium bearings to keep the heat down. Freshest born-on-date Spiderwire in 17 lb test of course. Crankbaitin rod: a 8'9 Montgomery Ward fiberglass/porcelain hybrid, med-heavy action foam grip paired with a Zebco Diamond Anniversary 404 encrusted w/ 42 carat cubit zirconia and diamelles throughout. Drag customized with Mickey Thompson high friction rubber, and Shizweki paddles. Maxima 12 lb green in Chameleon Blue (factory prototype not available to the general public) Wormin rod (heavy cover): a 17 weight warped pool cue borrowed from the Twilight Inn (Springfield, MO - 1989), custom carved into a 5'4 foot medium-light action w/ pistol grip in high grade cork and top of the line ceramic guides. Tiger-flamed the entire length for extra badass aesthetics and mojo, and air-brushed in black-light glow paint with lots of lewd and semi-topless women in various states of undress. Mermaids with long hair covering their unmentionables and stuff. But tastefully done. Mated to that would be a custom Les Paul Ambassadeur reel, the first and best one they ever made and tricked out with a drag dial that goes all the way to ELEVEN.

Really it takes about 4-5 canoes to haul the tent and its furniture. The stove and stovepipes are a good 50 lbs alone. Keeps it 65 degrees in there regardless of the outside air temp. The 2 poker tables fold somewhat, but they are light. Another folding 6 foot table. A dozen chairs. And a 2 burner stove with propane tank. Spice rack. Rod rack. Girly posters. Isn't much freeboard left in most of our canoes.