skeeter

What did I miss ? I couldn't find the DJ spoons I just ordered as being available with the Stars and Bars on them....shucks ! :-) !!

Off the subject but we had spotted about a 60' to 65' long Cabin Cruiser going down the White River channel around 2 weeks ago throwing at least a 2 & 1/2 ' wake at medium speed. The boat (ship ? ) appeared to be a "Displacement Hull" design and we watched that wake hit two unfortunate fishermen's boat that were trying to fish a point about 50 yards from this Battleship's path. Thankfully, the angler running the trolling motor saw the wake approaching and probably heard it too because it was so high the top of the wake was "breaking" and curling over. He turned the bow of the boat into the wake and we could see the two of them bouncing up and down like they were on a see-saw in a playground as their boat rode the Cruiser's wake. It certainly would have broken over the gunwale of their boat and filled it with water had they not turned into it. ANYWAY, that "Queen Mary" was observed docked at Campbell Point Marina and belongs on the Great Lakes or the Ocean, not Table Rock.

Be careful there. The "Village Mart" on the corner of Business 13 (old 2 lane hwy 13 ) and 76 in Branson West no longer has Ethanol free premium. "Fast Freddies" about 1/4 mile South of that 13/76 intersection on the West side of Business 13 (towards Sonic ) does still sell Ethanol free premium. Last year, I asked the counter attendant at Village Mart why they stopped selling Ethanol free gas and he had no answer but admitted they had lost a lot of business because of it. Ha-Bob's at 13 and Hwy "H" in Lampe still sells Ethanol free 91 Octane. Ethanol truly does suck and did, and may still have, a very well-funded lobbyist group. At least the U.S. Congress cancelled the corn growers Ethanol sub$idy a couple of years ago....finally. What I have been unable to find an explanation for is that I've heard from anglers in neighboring States like AR, KS, NB that they can buy Ethanol free 87 Octane but in MO, it's gotta' be 91 Octane or above. Why is that ? www.pure-gas.org

WD-40 has a new rust eliminator product out that just sprays on. Other than that, wire-brush, sandpaper and then put a good coating of marine grease on it and, when not in use, cover it with one of those trailer-ball covers.

I'm certainly no expert but after battling a 2.25 Ram mount for my Hummingbird 1197c (just a bit larger than the HDS9 I think) for several years I am ordering the Balzout unit. I even called RAM and they were very courteous and actually sent out a new mount plus a wrench-type tool they have developed in response to similar complaints. That tool is meant to give the user more leverage beyond what the human hand can exert on the friction/tightening knob on the base of the 2.25 RAM. There just isn't enough surface area for one of those large units on that ball mount to keep the 1197 from "blowing over" at any speed over 50 and especially in rough water. After speaking with the gent who manufactures the Balzout mount http://balzoutllc.com/ (Old Monroe, MO ) I found out their adjusting knobs have holes drilled thru them for tool access in case your fingers can't get a good enough grip on the "knurled" surfaces.

Little guy needs his anal glands cleaned out. His actions are a classic sign of it. Common doggy problem and very foul smell !

Clearly and laughingly remember "trolling" on LOZ uplake from Grand Glaize Bridge in 1956 with my Dad and his Sis. She got a hit on an old "Pico Perch" and reeled it up to the side of the rental boat. When she saw the 3 foot Eel that was on the hooks, she let out a whoop and darn near threw the Rod, Reel and Eel into the Lake thinking she had hooked a snake. Dad was able to grab the outfit from her before she tossed it and it was a lengthy struggle unhooking that wriggling, thrashing, extremely slimey Eel to throw it back. After we returned to the old Antler's resort, the owner back then, John Tillman Sr., told us they were very good eating. That catch was made about 20 years after LOZ was impounded so it makes you appreciate how life will find a way.

Awesome Burgers at W.F. Cody's !! A very nice guy I happened to become "chemo-buddies" with last year who is an avid paddler/kayaker/rafter happens to have been the former owner/operator. He still owns the Real Estate but has moved on from operating/running the place. A definite must whenever we visit Springfield. Never have worked up the courage to try the one-pound burger...gotta' save room, after all, for the mushrooms. Too bad about Hillbilly Bowl but reports have said the Restaurant is to remain.

Found two of the endangered Ozark Hellbenders in our Crawdad trap a few years back. On a guess, after having read the article in the MDC "Conservationist" magazine, we took several close-up pictures of them and called first then forwarded the pics to the MDC biologist doing the Hellbender study and he verified they were the endangered species. Said up until then he hadn't considered looking for them in reservoirs. Glad you were able to release them. Thanks for the pictures. Recall the Biologist saying the true Hellbender does not have exterior gills at the back of the head.

Hope no one needs gas on the water this weekend in the Baxter area. Baxter Marina closed early (supposed to be open thru 10/31 and last weekend in Oct.). Saw a few disappointed slip renters down there early this morning.

Amazing annual journey by a seemingly fragile insect. Banding efforts have proven that the annual Southwesterly bound Monarchs are the 2nd, 3rd or even 4th generation offspring of the Springtime Northbound migrators. Some kind of little understood genetically transmitted memory tells the descendants where and when to head to Mexico for Wintering. I hope their numbers rebound as I've read where the numbers of Monarchs in the small area they stay for Wintertime was only 10% of normal last year.

Asian Carp do very well in cold water which is why the Great Lakes fishery is freaking out about them. The Administration caved-into the barge Industry and refused to install a lock/dam on the upper Illinois which would have blocked their access to the Great Lakes. Instead, they continue to rely on an electronic barrier. I can just picture all these carp lined up at that barrier just waiting for a power failure ;-)

Same here.

The seller should write beer ads.

One of the water supply Lakes for the Indianapolis area, Morse Lake, charges the same thing every time you launch a boat of any size. It's been $20.00 since 2001 and might have gone higher in the last three years.

I got a big laugh out of Babler's description of those boats. " Backhoe Boats " !!

I have owned a GMC Sierra Denali since 3/2010 and many other GM products prior to that. Yours been recalled yet ? From what everyone out there shopping around says, the new Rams are the way to go having improved their overall quality tremendously and they are kicking GM's hind end in sales numbers. I'll take a wait and see approach having been burned on MOPAR junk in the 60's and early 70's. Maybe FIAT ownership is making a difference ? Ha! Maybe Phil should start a tow-vehicle Forum...see what you've gone and done ! Oh yeah, used to own Champions too back when John Story started and owned them, he was a friend from Webster Groves long before he started his trailer Company. Champion Boats got sold and re-sold so many times I lost track a few decades back.

If I still was, it would sure beat your Toyota.

On those infamous three-day Summer weekend Holidays, several of us who don't want to have our boats swamped while trying to fish take lawn chairs and some cold beverages and sit in the shade a respectful distance from the local COE launch ramp for some great entertainment. I think the Germans have a word for it...."Schadenfreude" and, admittedly, we are guilty. Some of the goings-on we witness are truly entertaining but we offer and gladly give assistance when it becomes painfully obvious it is necessary. It seems the two most common are the Ladies who are expected to back the trailer down the ramp to either load or unload the Dude who's in the boat or the Guy backing the trailer to launch with the Lady in the boat who has had no instructions on how to start the engine or drive the boat. In most of our boating "careers" we all had to be learners at some point. I sure know I was. Have to agree about posting the signs as most people these days are so darn inconsiderate they never even think about the impact of their actions on "the other guy".

Everybody has to fish out of something ! .... Back at ya ! ;-)

What he said X 10 !! Thankfully, there are still the occasional exceptions.

Here's why I think Water Patrol was stopping all three occupant Bass Boats around Indian Point. Now the f____ing thieves are trying to disguise themselves by wearing Armed Forces digital camo and military length hair. https://www.facebook.com/sscfpd

Gettin' there but darned peripheral neuropathy still prevents boating and fishing. Just takes time. We miss you folks too.

Great picture Scott. Impressive fish ! Nice to see all of you enjoying yourselves.

Several direct and indirect posts on this thread and the other "be careful" thread were wondering where our State Highway Patrol, Water Division were over the weekend ? Can't say that I laid eyes on a single one in the Baxter area but Thurs., 7/3, afternoon about 2ish we crossed the KC bridge and there were about four of them with lights flashing on one side of the narrows at the bridge conducting what I assume was a "sobriety checkpoint" stopping almost every boat that came along. You really can't take your eyes off the road going over the bridge but my better half spotted them as did some other folks we met up with.