Chief Grey Bear

These too!

It would also be my dad. As soon as I was able to walk, I was walking behind him on Spring River at night with the light from a Coleman latern. We would pick up softshell crawdads and leeches for catfishing. We would also go frogging with a Colman. I learned at a very early age the ways of a river not only in the day light, but also at night. I quickly learned how to read a river and know where to go and where not to go. Life on the river after the lights go out is totally different. In the daylight I was taught about fishing and hunting. We were always in the outdoors either on a river, in a field or on the lake. It was in my mind the best childhood a child could have. It sounds crazy but I also learned about the hydraulics of flowing water. And that is really some of the best lessons you can learn. And he taught me in a way I wouldn't soon forget. Like letting me find underwater dropoffs on my own. By doing that, and learning about currents, I could identify dangerous areas by knowing how rivers work. I have and am now doing the same. I sitll remember the first time I watched a crawdad shed its skin with my dad. I also remember the first time I took my kids out at night to witness the same thing. My dad taught me to handle a canoe at a very early age. I had my own canoe by the time I was 10. I have done the same with Dylan. In fact, he now has the last fiberglass canoe I got when I was still in school. I have passed it on to him now. I think it is kinda cool to have him still using a "old school" 17' fiberglass canoe that handles like a battleship. But if you learn how to operate one of those on these Ozark streams, you can handle anything. Great subject. It gives us a moment to reflect.

Awesome Scott!

I love fishing cranks for smallmouth in the rivers. I love big wobble baits such as Tadpolly's and Wiggle Warts. As the creeks get smaller, I downsize my cranks. All the way down to wee cranks. I will always take a deep diving crank over a shallow billed crank too. True for the wee size also. I like getting down in the water column. One thing that happens a lot when using a deep crank is, as I am about to lift it into the boat, it will get hammered. Its like the fish have seen it come low and then head up quickly in the water column.

Why? They afraid of getting wet?

Once you get into June and through September, could be even as early as May, I don't even call them fronts. I don't think they have any effect on the fish due mainly to the stablized water temps. Really we are only talking maybe a 10* drop in air temp for 24hrs or less. Nothing like in the spring when you get a 20* drop for 3 days to a week. That will effect fish becasue of the already cold water temps and have the urge to spawn. And I don't think the autumn fronts have the effect that the spring ones due but maybe slightly more than a cool day in the summer. In the fall the temps are stable but dropping slowly. But a good long cold rain can change that too. But again, not near like in the spring.

The nearest buffet.

What it changes is instead of taking the word of the plant burning the coal and saying all is fine and well, they are now going to be inspected by an independent engineering firm to confirm that they are indeed telling the truth. Well, that is what was going to happen. But we can't have that. I can see a money trail here. Like always.

Well, at least no weapons were involved. We did run into a land owner while wading this creek and she couldn't have nicer. Even pointed out a spot that holds fish for us to hit. I hadn't fished this creek in a couple of years and let me tell you it has changed tremendously! Though there is no gravel mining on it, all of my favorite holes have filled in. Every spot I took Ronnie to was not anyting like they were. I was almost embarrased that I took him there. But there was great scenery and we did catch a few dinks. Now if I can just get Scott down here sometime, I'll take him to better spot! LOL!

Well, imagin that.

I found a whole bag of paraphernalia a few years ago on the creek. Needles, spoons and other assorted gizmos. Must have got so high and walked off and couldn't remember where he left it. Or her.

Well I guess it will even out then. Land is platted as if it is flat and taxed accordingly. So for those that own hilly property, which the Ozarks is just chocked full of, we already have lots of untaxed acreage that landowners enjoy. So you have your chunk back.

What is the tax rate on a gravel bar? Which could be gone come the next flood. Then what? Not a word was said when Al Gore got injected into the conversation.

I just want to ask Crocker one question during the trial: Have you ever taken a pee on someone elses property without their permission or knowledge?

Didn't we just have a thread about using laguage like HNIC? How does any of this even relate to this story?

About 3-4 years ago, the family and I were hiking around Prairie State Park. We had topped a tall mound and were several feet in elevation higher to the surrounding area. At the top of this mound was a bison wallow. And in that wallow were thousands and thousands of juvenile crawdad sheds. Just a little bigger than the one on Dylan's finger. The wallow was bone dry and the shells were bleached pure white from the blazing prairie sun.

I apologize to those viewing this on their phone. The pics will appear upside down. I don't know why it does this. I took the pics with my phone. I have to email them to myself to post and when I do, it turns them upside down. I correct this and save it. But when you view it on your phone, bor some reason, they flip again. So have someone hold your phone for you and stand on your head. The world will be right then.

Not to mention those in surrounding states that cross the border to fish. And we want to create a World Class fishery to attract more people. I like the idea of it but I won't like the cost of it.

I want to add these too as they are really, really cool. This is a female we found that was carring new hatch young on her tail. Now as you riverrats know, this is a special enough occasion to find on the rivers and creeks, but to see this on a creature that is rarely seen by humans, unless they are specifially looking for them....well....to me its priceless!

Here is something you don't see everyday. Yeah it looks like any ordinary crawdad. But this particular species call the open terrain home. This is the somewhat elusive Prairie Crawdad. My son and I went to a MDC prairie area after some very early morning storms and as we were walking to a pond to fish, we started seeing these dry land crustaceans. Usually when you walk around the prairie, you see signs of these aquatic creatures such as burrows, sheds and occasionally even a deceased one. Not something you would expect to see sometimes miles from the normal conditions associated with prime crawdad habitat. But on this day we saw about a dozen or so out feeding. We stopped and watched as they went about their bussiness. I explained to CD how many years I had spent in prairie environments before ever seeing one live. And to see this many at one time to me was really super and I was glad to share that with him.

Now for the rest of you clowns.....that is funny stuff!!!!!

I graciously and humbly accept you very respectful and heartfelt apology. I too would like to take this opportunity to also offer my apology as what I did to you in the public was not very mature. Sometimes I just shoot from the hip and don't think things out. I am ready to move on and continue to work with you, and others, for the fight to protect all of our natural resources, namely our unimpounded waterways and those that call them home here in Missouri. If all of us just spent 10% of our time working for conservation of our favorite resource that we do using the same resource, we could pass along something really special to the next generation. Thank you Scott. You have now shown your true character that I always respected.

Go to A to Z Sporting Goods, something like that, I know it is A To Z, on old 71 north of Alma. They have just what you are looking for. I got some double bladed buzzbaits there last year. Good prices on them and they are made in Arkansas. In fact they have a ton of fishing stuff made in Arkansas. Check them out.

We used to smoke them and there were really good. But once they cooled, you just as well stuff a handfull of rubber bands in your mouth and chew. Never did try frying them up. But as they say, you put enough salt and pepper on something, you can eat it.

Agreed 100%