Johnsfolly

Those are Liatris or blazing star flowers. There are ones like the rough blazing star or prairie bkazing star that are native wildflowers to Missouri. These look like a commercial varietiy but should be a great plant for pollinators.

Actually you hit on one of the big frustrations of microfishing. Very often you pull the fish out of the water only to have it open its mouth and drop back into the stream. You may have taken 10 mins or more to find that fish, get the bait in front of it without spooking it, have it take the bait and then lose it at the hook set 😒. I'm convinced that madtoms are so aggressive in their strike that they clamp down on the hook and you can't get enough movement to set it. Then simply let go as you pull them up.

@whiteley.matt looks like everyone had a great time. Congrats on getting those boys on some fish! Fishing memories ... You can't beat them!

Congrats on a great looking brook trout caught under challenging conditions for sure! Overcoming the situations and the challenges that we put in front of us, to me that defines success!

Every obsessive behavior that they describe in the article I possess😁.! I love the research, the attention to specific fish, the discernment to determine if its a new species, willingness to travel for a minnow, love of lists and goal setting..... And to think that at 163 species to date that I'm just getting started😁. Just on this trip back to MO I've caught three confirmed new species and a possible fourth and lost one other but thats a separate post in the making.

I love that about them as well except when that hook goes flying past your head ! Can't wait to see more posts with him holding some big smallies.

Congrats on a personal best walleye! Glad that you sent it back on it's way.

Congrats guys! Great looking fish! Glad that you had some success. Hope that you guys have many more trips together!

Just giving you a hard time about the way to cover up 😂. Go get some more nice smallies!

I agree with Ness tbose big fish need to be supported and not have all that weight on its jaws...and there is more coverage😂. Congrats on some nice fish!

Good luck. Can't wait to hear how you did. All my favorite spots for that type of fishing are closer to Columbia. May be on the edge of what you are comfortable driving. Sending you a PM.

Livie released her last swallowtail butterfly a few days ago. This was a male. So fifty fifty split males and females.

One of Livie's favorites "5 out 4 people admit that they are bad with fractions!"😂

Some dad jokes. My wife tried to unlatch our daughter's car seat with one hand. Struggling she said "How do one armed mothers do it!" Without missing a beat I answered "Single handedly😁!" If a child refuses to sleep during nap time, are they guilty of resisting a rest? My daughter asked me "Can I have a book mark?" and I was so sad. 15 years old and she still doesn't know that my name is John😢! Here are the three most important unwritten rules of life 1. 2. 3.

Agreed Seth. he will contend that sleep is overrated whenever he has a chance at those sea monsters!

Great report! I don't have any electronics and rarely fish from a boat so did not follow all the you described about your sonar adjustments😌. However as you know I love multispecies trips. I still have not caught a flathead catfish. I love catching bluegill and a nice walleye just tops it. So these photos make me jealous!

I believe that we have Brandywines and maybe another heirloom variety (wife dealt with them this year) and know that we have yellow pear and red cherry tomatoes on the porch. Just starting to ripen.

Love cherokee purples😁. Sliced with a little S&P and balsamic. Makes my mouth water thinking about it.

Great looking smallies. congrats on a successful trip!

Sounds like a great trip! Glad that you got some great advice from the guys at Lilleys. Congrats!

Sorry no photo. Still cleaning out the freezer. Found venison loin roasts, chicken mushrooms, onions, etc in the freezer. I rubbed the venison with a little oil then garlic powder, montreal seasoning, smoked salt, and some dried herbs. Got a cast iron skillet nice and hot then seared the roasts on all sides. Into 325 oven until medium rare. Caramelized the onions then added in the mushrooms to brown then. Salt and pepper and garlic powder. Steamed broccoli on the side. After resting it a bit, sliced the roast on the bias and topped with the onion/mushrooms. Drizzled some hollandaise on the broccoli.

@MOsmallies and @Smalliebigs looks like a great time was had by all. Great to see the kids getting on some nice Ozark smallmouth. Congrats! Simply cant's ask for a better tradition ! Hopefully it can last for many more years to come.

I have to agree with this statement .

Just has to be a large enough ray to have thick filet meat. I'm willing to try it. As well as skate. I saw a program where a guy kept skates and ate the wing meat. Skate was about 2 to 2 1/2 times larger than these guys. Not sure how easy it would be to land one that size from the beach. Boating one would be some what easier once you got it off the bottom.

I'm hoping to catch a cownose ray this summer. I snagged one two summers ago and it got off. They are a powerful fish. I want to have one hooked properly and land it. We think that Livie hooked one back in mid June but broke her line.