Bman

WOW!!! Thanks for posting.

I guess you are looking for free trees, but this might be helpful sometime. http://www.grownative.org/

Thanks for your reply. Too often the knee jerk reaction to a snake encounter is, SNAKE! Kill it! Usually if given a chance all they want to do is get away from us. Sure, if surprised or cornered they will try to defend themselves. So look before you step or reach, be aware and if you have to, try relocating a snake especially like a Blake Snake. They really are good snakes, and besides they are a protected species. The Black Snake pictured, threatened me when I caught him attempting to raid the Blue Bird house, there was 5 young in there. I don’t blame it, as it was following its instincts. Once I distracted it and had it gently in my hands, the snake calmed down nicely, and was very easy to handle. Wish it would have stayed under the shed and kept the field mice in check, but Black Snakes are amazing at finding and raiding bird nests. Once they detect a nest there is almost no stopping them. I have seen them go almost straight up large trees. A common poisonous snake encountered here in Missouri is the Copperhead. You have to be careful with them as they blend in with leaf litter perfectly. In all my encounters with Copperheads, all they want to do is get away from us. You can pester them with a stick and all they will do is just try to leave, and get away. I have never seen an aggressive one. The only exception is when they are shedding their skin! When shedding they can’t see, so they are very defensive. But even then if they strike, it is a bluff. They normally don’t attempt to actually inject venom. They could risk breaking a fang, which could prove to be fatal.

I love my Sims G3's. Three years and going strong. Guide buddy and mentor Chuck Griess of Anglers & Archery at Tanneycomo is on the water year round abusing waders more than anyone I know. Chuck has always used Simms, but now Hodgeman has something he likes. Call Chuck at the end of the day around 5 pm when he's off the water and ask him. Tell him Bruce sent ya. 417-335-4655 Chuck will give you an honest opinion, whether you buy from him or not. Just my 2 bits...

Best of luck to you Terry, hang in.

Neat post, thanks for sharing that.

Blue Birds love to nest in my yard. Had some trouble with neighbors loose cats illegal. And Black Snakes just being Black snakes. So I moved the Blue Bird house up on my covered deck, and the Blue Birds last year and this have raised several clutches. Lately we have been watching a pair busy feeding their young in the box. Our German Shepherd, Jazz, keeps the yard in check for loose cats. But I caught this Black Snake in the nick of time! I caught him just as he was starting to poke his head in the Blue Bird house! The parents new he was lurking in the bushes before I saw him. He got crabby, but soon calmed down. I took him to a nice field with a creek next to it. Plenty of field mice there for him. So I think he will be a happy camper. I new I had a Black Snake in the back yard living under my shed, lots of mice back there. But Mr Black snake crossed the line going after our state bird! Sure he will be happy in his new home. Beautiful snake. Say hello

If it's good for the bugs, I'm all for it.

you asked for it... A real keeper in the double digits: My grandson, giving a little sugar

No double digit fish this time. Did get into them really good from the boat with 4 units running.

If you've been above lookout point up to the cable, the bottom very thick with moss. Is the cause simply lots of high flows this spring, and something that will dissipate with lower flows and sunlight? I was wade fishing the upper end about March 22, and the moss wasn't there like it is now.

Wish I had made a video of that. It would be awesome, with Darren making the final dive with the net, and the two of you giving each other a high five afterward. I will remember that scene! Did you get a length/girth?

zhoyt, Nice meeting you today. tight lines always, Bman

Think I saw you below #2, Did another guy net her for you with a head first dive for her? Looked like he took in water over his waders for ya. Nice fish, good work. Was that you I saw perched high on the rocks by the cable?

Arrived at the Dam at 9:00 am recording said 1 unit at 11 am...they had on 2 units. I checked out my fav 2 unit wading spot, and Chuck Griess had 4 people fly fishing that spot. Got the boat out and fishing for me was sloooooow. Could count the fish caught in the first hours on one hand. Then they turned on 4 units,and it was game on! Found a honey hole of a backwater where the fish were stacked up facing down stream. Caught fish on the fly rod on a chamois worm and scud trailer, and Lilleys 1/8 oz Sculpin jigs. The bow on my net is 20 inches. Many were close but not quite 20. Lots of good sized strong healthy rainbows full of fight.

Thanks for the reports, thinking I'm headed to Taney instead. Taney's where my heart is.

Anyone been down to eyeball the spings?

Try St Francis St Park, Washington State Park.

Sorry, I couldn't resist. Good luck with your search.

You could try one of these.

I got a reply from MDC Fisheries Management Biologist for Washington county. "Bruce, It is either a pure big bluegill or a hybrid sunfish. The only way to tell is by the mouth. The coloring looks exactly like a bluegill to me, but the mouth looks bigger than a bluegills normal mouth size. If the mouth is bigger than a bluegill it is probably a hybrid sunfish. The hatcheries cross a green sunfish with a bluegill. They can look exactly like a bluegill (with a bigger mouth), exactly like a green sunfish (with a smaller mouth) or a combination which is easier to identify. Either way they’re great to eat. Hope you had fun fishing for those big boys."

Thanks! I did, over the weekend. My grand daughter and I caught some monster 'Gils. The reports at Taney had me drooling, hope to get down there soon.

I've been going down there for nearly 35 years now. If we make it to July 7 I will celebrate my 35th year at The Sunnen Products Co. Things are tough in our industry, but we are leaders in our field. Many competitors have gone belly up. I started taking my son & daughter down there some 20 yrs ago. Now I'm introducing a new generation to the lake. Great cabins on the lake and free to employees. I'm heading down there today to meet up with the grandkids. Regards

Small crawfish! Some crawfish husks barely big enough to fit in their mouths.

One a side note, Guess what some of the big 'Gil-whatevers were coughing up! Betcha won't guess!!!