taxidermist

One thing certain all men are not created equal. Some are catch and release fisherman and some are catch and eat fisherman. Yes, with internet its hard to control all content and some people just will not like you no matter what you do or what your standards are. I know from reading the post on here I have learned a lot already about fly fishing, I use to fly fish a lot but shoulder problems prevent it now. My wife loves to trout fish, so what did I get here for Christmas? a beginner fly rod out fit and neoprene chest waders. One thing that makes this country great is Veterans have given their lives and fortunes for freedom of speech. So with that in mind, respect for each person's beliefs on how to fish must be respected. What each person has experienced personally and has the knowledge of must hold some respect. While another may not agree with what one person has expereinced and thinks they know the answer, fact is things change from day to day. More power to those who can run a high class lodge. If I could afford to I certainly would. One thing certain is this most of us here fish, what style we choose is up to us and to disrespect someone for the way they fish is not called for, is it? I certainly hate to see a big fish filleted, thats why I offered to drive the 50 odd miles to the Branson area to skin trophy fish for taxidermy purposes. This allows those who want to eat the fish to do just that. But if you want to fillet that 10lb rainbow trout out thats your business. No we all cannot get along, other wise there would not be any reason to have this forums, we each have views to share. so lets share them. John

Feb 13-07 Large herd of cows at Carver, early Am is best. There are some nice bulls that are in and around and one really huge bull. He is in the 350 B&C range maybe higher, he can scratch his butt with his antlers. I am watching for them to drop antlers anyday. One day last fall I slipped around thru the bottom and was within 50 feet of a herd of small bulls, the timber was too dark for pics with my low digital skills. This am the cows were right on the road across the Carver bridge and eat of the HWY. Wife called me when she arrived at school to let me know.

Is it just me or does the AGFC go either all out or not at all. The elctro studies are not always conclusive. Trout do migrate some. Why can the AGFC not temper the regs a bit? it's either all or nothing. They never take into consideration what fisherman report, or it seems that way to me. I think its about right on White River below Bull SHoals dam. On Beaver it is my understanding that the AGFC is trying to develope it to a Brown Trout only stream. They someday what all rainbows out of there and will not stock any Brookies.

Its not the rain its the temp!!! Wife decided 22F was just to cold for a mid-week fishing trip. We have had about 6 inches of rain here, I live back in a draw and pretty good hollar to many and it has about 4 ft of water running in the bottom. Even worse the zipper on my flannal lined blue jean broke!! for those who have not tried them you should makes winter fishing much better. John

Brookies don't handle the rubidity from silt run off well. I don't know but I would watch that close and report any kill.

Back when there were lots of BIG STRIPERs in BUll SHoals they made spawning runs. Some of the locals around the Lead Hill area found where the stripers were going and gigged them. Other whould gill net them. One reason I think the AGFC quit stocking them. There are walleye runs in Bear Creek, and East Sugar Loaf but not near like the Forsyth area. Ok with the AGFC stocking over 1,000,000 eyes per year you woud think some natural spawn would occur. Now along with that, both of my Grandpas gigged walleye on White River way before the dams. The St Francois River, Black River, Spring River(AR) and middle White (Batesville area) have walleyes. I have mounted a bunch of 18-21 lb walleyes from the middle White River. I would think those are natural spwaner. There has to be some natural spawning occuring, maybe not in the Power Site area, I am not a bioligist, if I can locate Mark Oliver (AGFC cheif bio) nolonger with the AGFC he will know I will see if I can find him. Could the large runs at Power Site be coming from both AR and MO stockings? There is a new nursey lake built on West Sugar Loaf, just for raising Walleye fry, North on Hwy & from Leadhill and take the first left dirt road at the bootom of the first hill. Its a super large nursery pong to produce even more walleye fry. The area was my old duck hunting area!!

Dano, I grew up in and around Harrison. The place I spent most of my time was just out Cottonwood Rd on the sw corner of Bunker and Cottonwood intersection. My Mom's ancestors homesteaded the land and gave the land for Summers Cemetary. Brother still lives in the house on top of the second hill, The main part of the house was built 2 years beefore the civil war. MOm owns the remaining 30 acres. My Dad's family is from Denver and Omaha area. His dad guided on Table Rock in the early days, his nick name was Toad he was a fishing legend. So I try to live up to the legend!!! I was was doing taxidermy back in the 70-80's and was called to the Army until I was medically retired. So I am back doing some fish, my wife wants to develope the taxidermy into a full-time business for her. She is a workaholic,, she quilts now and turns out a couple per month hand sewing parts and hand quilting. I am about ready to hit Crooked Creek for some smallie action!! TIme is about right. I have not fished the Buffalo much but am planning on it, depends if I can get back up river with the motor. We are headed to Beaver Creek on Bull SHoals this afternoon. Wife's Dad has a place right at the mouth up creek from the dock. The Wednesday I am headed to Taneycomo. I get torn between fishing a new area and hitting White River, I can always catch fish on the White. Did you see the post on Fridays trip? I caught a 17 1/2 inch largemouth bass about halfway between Gastons and the DAM!!!!! Throwing a Rogue!! had several 14 inch fish, good solid (Rainbows) 14ers!! Gotta spool on more line on my favorite rod and reel. John

I also have a very good 35mm, I can take very good pictures with it. Won several award with pics taken with it. I also have an Olympus SP=350. I have been learning it. It can do both apature and shutter pref. as well as automatic and some video. it's an 8.0 mpx works well except I am not a techno nerd. I have won a few awards with pic from it. So I am learning the ropes. I like the idea of being able to have the pics put on cd or on the web. I dont have a computer that I can read the card with. But thats next. Back to the 35 prints I can scan them in and adjust with almost any photoshop type program. With the digital its hard on rechargable batteries. I finally went with the Energizer lithium e2 and it last very well. Both have good purpose, but I am one that is slow to change. John

Dano is right, look at Long Creek in the summer its fricken green, looks like sludge, I have seen fish kills last summer. Things like that dont make the news here, it will harm the chicken industry. I can remember when Cricket Creek Boat dock sat on clear water all summer long. No look at it. I fished long creek in the Denver area never had any worms in the fish, now I dont think I would even eat one. Hell willnot fish the water stinks. Same for Bear Creek, its getting warmer because of the nitrates. Last summer on Crooked creek below the 3rd slab, the water was thick in stinks and the fish were low in numbers and even lower in quality. I have a good friend who has a layer house just down the hill from my place. The spring that hundreds of people have used for drinking water is now polluted, everyone who drinks it gets the Chicken house revenge. They are sick for several days. I took a water sample in and its high in ecoli from chicken. Sure the water here is close enough it looks clean but its making people sick. Fight for whats right on this issue!! John

I see a lot of big fish being caught and kept. I would like to get a few of these skins to mount for myself, going to build a new showroom in about 2 years and need fish skins, especially if you plan to eat them. I would be willing to drive to the Branson area and skin these out, fillet the meat and package it for you. The fish has to be carefully skinned out and I will do that for th skins. Walleye, largemouth bass, Spotted bass, smallies and striper along with crappie. Most days I can run right up from just past Harrison, well unless I am fishing. Thanks JOhn

I used about everything in the tackle box. I did catch a lot of small walleye nothing more than about 1 lb, and small trout 9 inch stockers. Used some green and yellow grubs, everything caught small fish. The small walleye would lead me to believe that the females are still down lake. I did go down below the Barker Hole, on the fish finder I found a lot os schools of fish at about 4 feet deep in mid stream, over the river bed. I think these may have been white bass or shad nothing large.

What is your weekend price Friday, Saturday for the off months?

Fished yesterday nothing much small walleye lots of small walleye and small rainbows. Threw everything in the box at them. Where are the yellow perch and what do I use to catch them. Lots of water coming over Powesite. Someone was not so lucky at there is a boat almost sunk about 1/2 way from Shadow Rock to the Pot Hole.

Made the run from White Hole to the Catch and release area today. Across from Bull Shoals park caught a lot of Rainbows on Rogues nothing big just honest 14 inch fish. Also caught a 17 1/12 inch LARGEMOUTH BASS, yes up river from GASTON'S it also hit the Rogue. Caught some small Browns I was using a Large Crawdad lure, had some good fish run at it but stopped short, good fish are ones that look over 5lbs. 6 generators were online according to KHOZ this afternoon, The river was full and everyone was looking for big Browns, someone named Mike is rumored to have caught a 22 lb Brown today. Just rumor no one had seen the fish. There were several boats out and it was cold, but nothig long handles, flannal lined jeans and a good coat could not handle. Take several pair of Jersey gloves!!! and a jug of hot chocolate or coffee. I had better luck today than at the rock pile or potholes at Powersite yesterday. Tight lines John

Joe and Bev at the tackle shop say there is just to much water right now. When the water slows the fishing should get better.

Put in a day of fishing below Powersite, lots of water, the rock pile was about three feet showing. It took almost all afternoon to figure the fish out. Did catch a lot of 12-14 inch walleye, two to four tugs and it was like reeling a stick in. Rainbows were small 9 inch max. Someone had a mishap, there is a bow of a fiberglass boat sticking out of the water about 1/2 from Shadow Rock to the Rock pile. I thin the walleye are just waiting for water levels to drop and remain stable a few days. I was really suprised I was able to find them and catch a several. I call this survival fishing, I could have had a full stomach at best. I did go down below the Barker hole, did not find many fish or even schools of fish with the fish finder. The best thing about the whole day other than fish is I found a full sized Orange foam dock billet. I use the stuff for fish and bird bodies. John

I have seen some people build airplanes with stryofoam expanded bead foam. I have been kicking an idea around about building a boat using the foam board from the lumber yard, spruce frame, then laminate an epoxy resin over the top with glass cloth inside and out. I have built a couple laminated wood boats but I think foam might give additional floatation. If its good enough for airplanes it should be good enough for a boat.

I had a 91 Ford Ranger 2 wheel drive V-6 and it pulled an 18' aluminum with a 25HP Yamaha fne. I did put trailer brakes and controler on. I also had an 87 4 with automatic and it pulled a 16' Skeeter with tandam axles fine, I again put brakes on the trailer. I just think brakes are the biggest problem, You have to be able to stop. Bass Pro has the best price on welded Aluminum boats, you can get some with consoles. Check Arts Marine in Little Rock AR. I priced a commercial quality Aluminum boat and 25HP tiller for under $5500.00 the boat is a Weldbilt, super duty!!! Your ranger should pull a 16 footer fine.

Hate to say but many of the status of forcces agreements had been stuck down in 1988 when I arrived. The Rod and Gun club in Bamberg and in Nurmburg were almost none existant. The lady at the Ratthaus was the one who guided me thru getting the license. Now if she had been breaking the SoF, she could have lost her job. After the R&G clubs failed to get anyone licensed to fish or hunt during 1988, the manager is the one who told me where to go and who to see and I followed his instructions. I also had a very good working relationship with the Mayor of Erlangen and guided the Brigade Commander thru public relations in the town. So yes as a member of S-5 I know all toooooo well about the SOF. Hell I even bought permits to cut Christmas trees in the Federal Forest. You should have seen the uneducated people on post when I started selling Christmass trees. The forest manager took me out and showed me the area I could cut trees from. So I knew I was in comlpiance with rules and regs, both USAEUR and German. I was in East Berlin two weeks before the wall came down doing counts on Russian Post. This also lead to taking Russians hunting in Grafenwhier (US Firing ranges) for Boar and Rote Hersch (Red Stag) I later took other to a guide in the Alps to hunt Gamms and Ibex, I was allowed to guide the Russians for fish in Upper Bavaria. The Germans call it upper due to elevation. So yes had I violated the SOF I am sure my bosses would have had me reprimanded or punsihed. I still keep in touch with them. No enlisted ever made Jaegermeister, due to having to work unlike many of the Senior officers. SM maybe before you jump the gun and make accusations, you should know who, what and when you are talking about. Heck maybe the Air Force takes R7G clubs a bit more serious than the Army did. Yes, I did hunt Reabuck too, but hten I had a great landlord who farmed and owned a lot of land, he even owned the Reviere!!! Just so happens a Army General I know still hunts with him.

My favorite rod is an old LEWS Speed stick Spining rod. Its super sensitive, my Grandma made it at the factory in Harrison back in the early 1970's. I use 6lb Vanish line by Berkley. Its a fast action rod. I agree with the Shimano reel, replace the line about every 8 weeks. I use CD-7 Rapalas alot a little big for this setup but it works well for me. I also use a Rooster Tail imitation from Academy Sports in 1/4 ounce brass blade. As for the reel get a larger reel, you will not notice the weight but the drag works better on larger reel IMHO. I like a good drag. Since Sept. I have landed 9 brown trout over 5lbs and 1, 16 1/2" brookie and a coule hundred rainbows under 3lbs.

Nope no Czech Nymphing, I stayed away form those houses of illllrepute!!! Did almost get to see time over roping a Russian General and dragging him across the border to Germany. Heck we had been told we would get 30days leave in the states free!! Yep, we almost did, like ten years for an International incident!!!!

I would like to help. I live close to Buffalo River, Crooked Creek and fish White River almost weekly, can also add articles on specimen care for taxidermy and I do a bit of photography. Just this morning I was watching 18 ELK on Buffalo River and 2 nice whitetail bucks. It getting about time to hit the river for big smallmouth bass. Yes, I know winter is not your nomral smmallmouth time, but it can produce great results and no fishing pressure.

Ok to short cut everything, skip the rod and gun clubs, they don't want G.I's fishing!! I spent five years in Bavaria, the first year was crap because of the Rod and Gun club crap. I found I could go down to the Rathaus near where I lived "Erlangen" with two passport type photos and go to the license office. I signed the application and paid 10DM for the state license. Really simple and no big deal. Next go to the fishing tackle stores almost all of those sell daily permits for local waters, ask for the angle cart papers. This is normally given to the person and it list the waters that shop sells permits for. The permit may be for a stream river or pond, if its stream there will be only a certain length of that water maybe just 2km. or one side of the pond or lake. Also a gausthaus near the waters may sell the permits!!! He may find that certain clubs will not sell to Americans!! Other clubs have no restrictions, I fished the Rine-Mein-Danoue canal for 125DM per year and they issue a card with the dates for you to fill in when you fish. A tackle shop in Bamberg sell a permit good for a 17km length of the upper Mein River (Bavaria) we caught a lot of big Northern Pike from it!! Barsch(Yellow Perch) and Zander (walleye) He should be able to get topo maps from his command, he can take this into the tackle shops and ask about angle carts. If he will learn German he will have better luck!! I lived near Forcheim I had the canal, a river and a stream, the stream had Brown trout, rainbows and Grayling!!! Bach Forelle, Reganbogen forelle and ashen. The river had pike, yellow perch and walleye. We spouse and my fishing buddies fished in the Alps and all over southern Germany. I do have a friend that fly fishes in the Black Forest area. One additional thing is some land owners also own the fishing rights to the waters. Some will trade fishng for a friend and a bottle of American Jack Daniels. I traded two bottles for a year on an awesome grayling stream. The grayling grow big there, little pressure and I have caught 5# grayling, talk about fight!!!! Thats about it except for lures. John

Having tied a few flies over the years The simplest way to preserve the skin is with BORAX from the local store. I have some dry preservitives that are nothing more than Aluminum Sulphate and borax and moth crystal I use for bits and pieces of hides. Just remove the flesh and the membrane from the fleshy side of the hide and rub borax on it, then allow the skin to dry. To remove the membrane you can use a fine wire wheel in a drill. Run the wire wheel against a board and turn the wire backwards, then trim the stray and long wire back. You can use plumbers tape and strap the drill on a wood plank and lightly run the hide against the wheel. I would store in a case with a bit of moth crystals. Reason for the Moth Crystals is this will keep the dermestid(also known as carpet Beatles) beatles in check. I found my old fly tying kit few months ago, had been in storage for twenty years and the beatles even have eaten the tanned hides. RedneckDoorbell. Sorry, I don't do Novelty mounts.

I do have some extra deer skin laying around but no bucktails at this time. Also from time to time a few scraps of bear hide too. As for the walleye fishing, we dropped by Bass Pro and dropped an easy $60.00 for walleye gear. Was just sorting out the old gear tonight so I have a single box for plastics and all the lures seperate. Use to fly fish but the shoulders are not as young as they once was. I still have a few flies that are just good all round flies work for bass, trout and panfish.. Yes I still tie a few flies, just have to fish them a bit different these days. I was never into the serious pattern workup.