RSBreth

The eyes are either from the Momo or the Gowrow, I'm sure it's not the Ozark Howler. Or flashback from the Acid and 'Shrooms.

James River Outfitters is down at Galena. If Hootentown is booked that will tell you what the river will be like this weekend. Yikes.

Yes - it's for media people or people in the industry - kind of like what the SHOT show is for guns and hunting. One of these years I'll have to go but my funds are short this summer.

The common Snapper is, well, common on the James and Finley - I've only seen a few Alligators in my time in the Ozarks and never around the Finley. Still a cool find.

Is access for the general public from the shore at Pointe Royale still the same as it used to be? - I haven't fished from shore there in a while and didn't want to drive down and not be able to access it.

One gallon of Coleman fuel goes a long way in a good stove like the MSR. The 20 oz. bottle won't run out cooking two meal a day for week for me. Propane canisters don't last that long - just in case everyone missed it he was selling canisters for a backpacking stove - not a gas grill with a refillable tank. ...And I think we may have hi-jacked the thread.

They make an adapter for different canisters now - if you want real versatility don't go with any canister powered stove - I've been using the MSR WhisperLite for about 20 years - can't beat it and I've used both Coleman fuel and plain old kerosene and it works great with either.

Looks like the perfect rod for throwing Laser Lures on.

Nice pic anyways - I can't wait - my two-year old Black Lab (Hudson) pants like he's dieing but loves it anyway. Better than dry-land Dove retrieving.

Ha ha - like having a canoe gets you out of the "idiot zone" these days Ness - the play kayak is the new jetski where I live. Maroons everywhere here on the Finley and James. And they don't know how to launch or take out, either.

I'm with Chief on this one - legal or not it doesn't make it right. Big Smallies are rare enough with all of the jackholes like that taking them home to freezer burn. Take a (quick) picture and let it go.

Try above and below Arapaho and Olga roads on the upper Finley I wade up there a lot. Skinny water but usually a few Bass and tons of panfish. The good and bad thing about the Finley is there isn't more wade-able (actually accessible) water. Keeps pressure lighter but if you don't have a canoe or kayak it limits what you can hit.

Well then you are the type that shouldn't "pack heat" then - if you think you should brandish a gun to deal with heated words. Good. I carry most of the time and just let stuff slide. Aggressive and dumb- butt drunks may think I'm a coward but it's because I really don't think they are worth shooting. I tell them to get lost and if they don't it's a different story. Someone actually violently assaulting me or my family or someone else in my presence - totally different subject. Maybe you need to get a good (reputable) self defense class in your future.

After reading this I see that yes, all of those areas aren't the best for Cats. Upstream from Shelvin is the "Round Hole" that does have some Cats but also gets hit hard these days from people from the bank.

That bluff pool used to be deeper but has filled in over the years - still it's pretty good fishing and I hit that area at least every other week so the fish are a little "educated". But it's a just five minutes away so it's close if I don't have time or money in the budget for an expedition.

That's awesome - guy leaves his stuff by accident but honest other guy finds it - usually doesn't work out that way. Good on you.

I Haven't used the Lunker City lure yet, but I have used the Berkley Havoc "Beat Shad". Way less expensive than the Keitech. Not as fat though.

You will have to find spots to wade or float away from the access points. Sure, occasionally there will be some decent fish holding there sometimes, but in warm weather they get pounded hard. When they water gets low later in Summer there's more spots to wade but it's still a little slim. Buying borrowing or renting something to paddle around will get you better results than any tips about lures. The fish will hit almost anything when you get away from the "holes" that get hammered.

Another great rig is a weighted float and whatever nymph you would regularly use on fly gear - sometimes works better on spinning gear, actually.

"Reality" isn't really real, is it?

I couldn't get the crank bite going this past week, either. That's one of my favorite stretches - plenty of wood and rock almost to much cover to hit everything when floating downstream.

I fish it a couple of days early in the year trying for a big Musky. Doesn't really seem worth it for 3 or 4 days but I pay it anyway.

I was at Academy Sports yesterday (I almost never go there) and saw these: http://www.foreverlastonline.com/Flats-Predator-Wading-Boots_p_55.html They didn't have my size to try on but since several people here (including me) are always trying to find the "perfect wet wading shoe" I thought I'd see if anyone has used these. They look O.K. for the price but I wondered if they would last more than one season. I also saw they carry an inexpensive Pelican stand-up paddle board. I can't wait until I see someone try to stand up while going through a fast riffle and bite it on one of these. I can't decide what to yell yet - "GNARLY DUDE!!!" or something like that. We shall see...

Yeah - pick a lures from almost anywhere in Bass Pro and will would sometime. I like compact spinnerbaits, finesse jigs, hard and soft jerkbaits (think XRap and Fluke) shallow and medium running cranks, and topwaters like poppers and walk-the-dog lures like a Sammy. Sometimes I'll use a wacky rigged finesse worm or Senko.

I haven't thrown it enough to be an expert but I think anything bigger than 30-pound braid would be good - more a diameter issue than strength. I use straight braid for spinnerbaits and anything smaller than 10/40 just isn't as abrasion resistant - I think this would be similar for the umbrella rig.