basska

Rockbridge, I'm sure.

Are you an SME grad? Just curious. I agree with all this. I could not justify myself going to a big university. For what they want in money, I have neither the vision is academic prowess to make that deal. Currently, I am also a licensed insurance agent taking 2 CC classes for 700 bucks. The goal? Get a degree as cheap as possible, with no big rush... Get into financial advising, more life insurance and retirement planning. Work remotely. Leave city, buy land. Fun plan, sure, but like you said, these things are all easier said than done. My biggest vice is pleasure spending on the next beer (shh) or lure, and compounding that with routine costs that I already get assistance with, it's pretty ridiculous how money just seems to fly out the bank. Things are just not cheap. at all. A similar sentiment to what you said, I don't know if people are not just becoming flat out discouraged. Follow the cash.

I honestly believe most people I talk to my age are set with a solid mindset, and one I'd might take over a lot of the millennials born in the 80s, but I won't get into that... I notice a mild, general sense of pessimism with a lot of other men my age. I don't think it is necessarily an awful thing. In our short lives, we have seen many aspects of culture and society change, and I think this has led to this polarization of a lot of young people. I think there are some Gen Z people who really want to preserve a more "old-school" way of life; however they might interpret that to look. This is probably a reaction to social media, political radicalization and Covid. One reference to this thought is a simple fact that I have noticed, in which I usually find it easier to make friends with people 30 - 40 years older than me than those 10-20. One thing is for certain though - there are a lot of people my age who don't think these ways, and if they can't adjust to living a life with work, I will take advantage of it. I tell people looking for sales jobs that now is the perfect time to get in, a time where you can capitalize on others incompetence.

Oh, I understand. I just think it's funny some people get so spoiled. I have grown up fortunate, my parents have provided me with every resource, but now I'm a grown man, and while they still do a lot for me, there are certain expectations and responsibilities. I will expect the same in the future. I seriously just don't understand people 18-25 who don't work. Do the parents just not care??

I just don't understand. Do people not have car payments? Rent to pay? Groceries? Utilities? Hell, people don't like to spend money on pleasure?

Can't hype myself up too much though... much of my 9-5 is spent browsing this forum until my calls get answered 😅

People will learn. I am 19 and work a M-F 9-5 and take 2 college classes online. If kids live long enough to taste what adulthood is, they will learn, or else, I'll take advantage of it.

Interesting to read. Trash really bums me out when I see it in the Ozarks... Seeing clean nature is some of the reason I try to get out of town so much...

Definitely not rocket science, but I understand where he is coming from. For me I will probably have one day on this river and not see it again for at least a year or two. I will have to choose a stretch that is easily doable in a day and hopefully one that has both decent scenery and fishing. With a river of this size, it can seem a bit intimidating, at least compared to wading creeks where fish are limited geographically. That being said, an Ozark River is an Ozark River, and most of the time, patterns remain true. So now I think, maybe I will try to float Onondaga to Campbell Bridge. OR, I'm really starting to get further away from homebase, so maybe I just bite the bullet and go all in on the upper Courtois or far upper Meramec in an attempt to find a more isolated experience. A lot to weight out. @Lloyd, let me know what you find out on the river this season. Maybe we can tear em up.

Would you suggest further upriver for better fishing?

Upon further research it seems like I would be better off floating above the park. Can anyone attest to Campbell Bridge to Blue Spring?

I thought I saw it on the Ozark Smallmouth Anglers fb group, but now I can't find it. Could've been entirely different.

Was definitely thinking about it. Maybe the State Park to Sand Ford? Would need to find a shuttle service. I was thinking about a guide to take just to see if we can't get tons of fish, and to maybe take my young cousin. I'm not sure though, might be unnecessary, especially when I'm planning to go with Tommy on the Nade this autumn.

Is Nick Hamra still a guide? If I recall correctly, I saw some information a little bit ago that he guided the Meramec below Huzzah. Just curious.

Don't fret! Weekend to be in the 50s and Tuesday to hit the big 70!

This applies to everybody, regardless of age. I HATE winter. I read something online that I thought was pretty funny. Goes something along the lines of this: "Everybody denies seasonal depression exists until you feel the sun on the first warm day of February and you feel like you've been actively injected with ecstasy" Now, I have never done ecstasy, but I can relate to that sentiment completely. Good sunshine is nature's medicine.

I saw a video similar to this to. I thought it was on the Little Sugar in Arkansas though.

Didn't know Tommy Bench guides out there. Cool. I was already planning on booking a trip with him this upcoming Autumn on the Gasconade.

Hey all, I think I am going on a family trip somewhere in the Mo wine country east of Hermann and west of Innsbrook in either late July or early August. It is a big family trip we do annually to a different spot each year. We will probably be there around 4 days or so. If this materializes where I think it will, I know I will have to travel south to the Meramec to target some Smallmouth. I may look into floating by myself, but I know it is a fairly large river with lots of information to digest. I know there are some big smallmouth in this river system, and I know there are people who guide the river. Can anybody recommend any guides for the middle Meramec? I'm thinking I could go with my little cousin and hopefully find some big Smallmouth, and I think that would be much more doable with a good guide with knowledge of this water.

that's awesome! That's how almost every weekend will go this summer for me I am sure. Unfortunately this last weekend didn't produce. Plenty more water to see.

I'm sure they are. I'm not so worried about size right now, mainly because I have other trips planned where I will focus on it. I plan on floating the Niangua below Moon Valley in May, the JF above Alley Spring in June, the 11 pt multiple nights in July or August and the Gasconade with Tommy Bench in October. The dream is to find a stream within 3 hours of KC I can catch 25 plus Smallies in a few hours.

I've heard lots of varying reports. Lots about frog water with little production. I figure Bannister would be a good place to put in if I could shuttle properly. I'm not about size currently... I'm yet to have a truly GREAT smallie number day in my life. That's what I'm setting out to do, hopefully closer to home than further. I'll try it when water levels are productive, hopefully sometime in May.

Wow! Little bit scary but a great story nonetheless. I have heard stories of gun wielding land owners on the Sugars.... Very nice fish... I must say, a little bit demoralizing for me given that I also took a day trip down to McDonald Co. for Neosho's on Saturday lol. Granted, I fished at two public access points without waders and barely got my feet wet, but I couldn't catch, or see, a single bass. Chalked it up to "Well, bites slow, rivers low. Nobody catching fish right now." Well, I've been proven wrong! Congratulations. Good to see the bite is on!

Definitely early. Little Sac at Taylor was crystal clear and low. Could see bottom from bank to bank. It was still fun seeing the area. Booked it down to Elk river basin and drove through Mt. Vernon. Thought about your profile and stopping at Capps for trout but didn't have the proper gear. Alas, it seems it wouldn't be productive anyway with the dead fish.

I can't wait for the trees to leaf out. At that point, I will explore new waters without ceasing. I got my fix. Today I got lucky enough to borrow my father's car and went to James A. Reed and caught 7 stocker rainbows in an hour or so. Easy, but always a good time.