snagged in outlet 3

Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt any feelings. I'll delete it. Carry on. SIO3

I was drawn for day 7 at Columbia Bottoms CA. It's located at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi, literally. Almost 3000 entered the draw and they only pull 50 a day, so even getting day 7 was lucky. It's managed for dove and they had sunlowers, corn and wheat. You can't start shooting till 1PM so we arrived at 12:30 to scout a spot. We've never been there before and we didn't expect much. How wrong we were. We limited in 3 hours and would've been done quicker but chasing cripples ate up a bunch of time. Steel shot is mandatory and it doesn't kill as well as lead. Some birds would fold up and bounce when they hit the ground only to get it together and fly away. We had a blast though and everybody at the parking lot reported the same success. Wind was howling between storms and down wind you could lead 3 feet and into the wind the were almost standing still. SIO3

Your employer should give you rules of the plan. Typically you are in stocks and bonds all the time. Rarely will you have cash sitting, but if so, it probably rolls into an overnight money market. But like I said it will be invested most of the time. The overnight rate is negligible but it's something. SIO3

I couldn't go this morning and it's one of the first dove openers I've missed in years. We hunt the river bottoms near the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers just north of St. Charles. The boys called about 6:45 and one already his limit. We scouted it every week and didn't see many birds but my buddy said it was loaded as usual this morning. We hunt over sunflowers. Man, I wish I could've gone! Last year we never got a migration of birds that stopped. In years past you could go back out a couple weeks later and there would be birds everywhere again. Marinate in Zesty Italian dressing, wrap in bacon and grill em up on the weber. I heard the other guys in the background shouting kill em and grill em. SIO3

A 403B is a 401K for puplic employees. Yes, invest the most they will allow. It will be in the stock market and your employer will give you the option in how much risk you want. I think Davekeim meant aggressive at age 21 til your mid 40 and he is correct. SIO3

Yeah Leonard, don't give in too easly next time. Especially since I have one that you gave me one night. That along with the seahorses that I tell all my friends I invented is makng me popular. I was looking forward to the fall season with a secret fly, darn!!! Someone mentioned 30 years fishing Taney. Well I'm close and I'll tell you a secret an old guy told me about Taney probably 25 years ago. Worms son! A big ole gob of em. Do what I do when posting a report, lie. You are fisherman aren't ya? SIO3

I'd like to go with you guys to Cardiac. BTW, the man who had the heart attack, for which the Cardiac Access is named for, is in the hospital for a current heart attack. He had his first heart attack climbing the hill there with a bunch of the original Ozark Fly Fishers guys 27 years ago. They called it cardiac Hill after that day and it stuck so well MDC named it Cardiac Access. SIO3

It is the closest trout park to me but I never do well fly fishing. I've had a few trips over the 25 years going there when it was good but usually don't do well. I do see alot of real nice trout swiming around there. I've had a couple spectacular evenings dry fly fishing, but like I said, I usually stink it up. Help me out CP. I've seen your reports and you seem to have that place wired. SIO3.

Great post Mark. Wish I could've been with you. Don't worry about your method or experience, it's all about having fun and enjoying the outdoors. Keep posting your trip results. SIO3

I think the incredible amount of lunker brown trout caught last year was due to #3 being closed. They came up and had no where to go, so it was an unbelievable year. I'm hoping with the ladder open, they will move up stream and go straight up the ladder. I was talking about this last fall with my fishing buddy. He owned one of the first condo's built at Point Royale, if that gives you an idea of how long we have fished Taney. We've never seen so many browns milling around above rebar as we did last year. MDC needs to move the cable out so once the fish get in the chute they are protected from snaggers. The past couple years at Bennett they were working on the hatchery and they left the gate open at the bottom, where it enters the stream. The runs below the pens were stacked with browns all winter long. Once the first fish went into the run the rest followed like a salmon run. SIO3.

First, I believe it's the "Mighty Mississippi" not muddy, and for good reason. Nickname for the Missouri River is The Big Muddy. I grew up hangin around both rivers and still live only a couple miles from them. Second, if you must endanger people at least do it on the Missouri. I think there are still some outfitters that put people out on the Missouri. No barge traffic on the Missouri. But right now most of the sandbars are covered in water. If you haven't been on it for at least a short trip maybe you should try that first. Have you seen the barge and boat traffic south of St. Louis?! Be careful my friend. SIO3

I'll be there both nights. Headed out of St. Louis this morning. Probably stop at Bennett for a while and then drive on to Taney. I have a pocket full of one's for my first trip strip club. Silver, 4 door Honda Civic and I wear a booney hat while fishing during the day. A yellow Winston hat the rest of the time. I'm generally just going to hang out at the dam all weekend. SIO3

It's called Andy's Catch. I don't know anything other than the name. SIO3

After reading Terry's post might be higher now since I mostly go in fall and winter. I still think on that end of the strip those old hotels are the cheapest you'll find. Mighta been $29 a night in summer. SIO3.

There are several very low priced hotels on the east end of the strip by Hwy 65. $19 a night or around that. I've stayed at a couple for the AC or heat but don't expect the Taj Mahal. For that matter don't expect Holiday Inn Express either. Hey it beats sweatin and sceeter bites or frostbite anytime. SIO3.

Haven't done much fishin. Family obligations and workin for the man. I know it's a long way out but it looks like October before I can get to Mountain Home to trout fish. Taney was too crowded for my taste the last couple trips down. It seems there isn't anytime it's not packed anymore. Been thinkin of smallie fishin sometime soon. Haven't done that in years but it's seems to be calling me back. How about you GF? Fishin? SIO#

I just had to chime in on this one. I grew up mudbuggin and the traps we used were a wire tripod about 5 feet tall with a net that was strung to each leg of the tripod. The tripod stands on the bottom and you tie a piece of bacon on the net and lower it into the water at whatever depth you wanted. The bugs would crawl up on the net to eat the bacon and you just lifted the tripod up and collected dinner. We always put in em in a tub of water overnight to purge em. Dixie Beer or Abita. SIO3

Ducky's right. They are stacked there now. Spring run it seems. What's up with that weird screen name Ducky? SIO3

I prefer a 9 weight with a fighting butt. They pull like a train. SIO3

Hey GF Check this out. http://www.ozarkchronicles.com/forum/viewt...asc&start=0 We catch em on fly rods. Nobody believes it but they take clousers. The big one of the bunch was around 3, 3 feet that is. We're going tomorrow night to a slough off the Mississippi. Common carp this time with conventional tackle. SIO3

I mentioned this on another thread about gas prices. It's not the cost, it's what I get for the same money. I live in the St. Louis Metro area. Forget trips to the lake and trout fishing when round trips cost $120-$150 per trip just for gas. Add to that the hotel cost and a weekend trip can top $300 pretty quick. I stay home and drive to the golf club a few miles away, play golf, fish in the ponds and take a dip in the pool afterwards. When I'm done I can take the family out for dinner after their day at the pool. For the same money as one fishing trip I can pay the dues for a month at the golf club and play golf every day while the rest of the family hangs at the pool or plays golf with me. Another plus is it's hard to get killed on the interstate on holiday weekends if you're not on the interstate. A lot less stress too. From poolside, SIO3.

Fishinwrench hit it right on the head. I sent my letter to the editor yesterday. SIO3

These got into our backing. http://www.ozarkchronicles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=160 That big one is around four feet long. Plus catfish, drum, gar, buffalo, largemouth and white bass. All on 9 weight fly rods. Hooked some fish so big we had to point the rod at em and break em off on purpose. SIO3.

After reading that, nothing would surprize me. I have no idea what any of that means and I'm glad I don't. SIO3. BTW if it wasn't for WP I'd have to wait and stop in Gamaliel, my mom's family's home town. I don't know what they're talking about half the time either.

Okay, I may step in it here but, "I got my tattoo in WP"?????????????? I don't think I need to say another word. Snagged.