mzrealfish

I'm glad this was a fishing post. I was afraid you were going to report that a QuikTrip opened up on the Gasconade river. They're popping up everywhere else. Great looking fish. Congrats

He's definitely a swimmer. My wife won't let me take him with me if he doesn't have a vest...doh! Figured if I'm going to buy 1 it might as well be a "recommended" 1. My fantasy football winnings are coming in handy.

Good evening everyone, I'm looking for some feedback on what type of dog life jacket to purchase. I'm not sure which forum to post this in so I apologize for placing it in general forum. I have a new canoe partner. His name is Rory. Another rescue dog for me. He is a 73 lb. Blue Heeler/Husky mix. Anyone with input is welcome to respond or email me at mzrealchef1@gmail.com. Thanks a ton, Mark

Okay, just dropped my oldest at soccer practice so I have 45 minutes to type...hope it doesn't take that long. I hadn't even thought about this story in years. 7 years ago I began working for my current company Bistro Kids. We do healthy lunch programs at schools and teach culinary arts to the students. The founder owned a succesful catering company as well. She received an email inquiry from a "potential client" looking for a chef to cater a family moving to Kansas City for 6 months from Dubai for business. She was too busy and asked me if I'd be interested in doing it on the side. I contacted the client and got the details. It was a huge opportunity for me. I spent about 40 hours preparing a 4 week cycle menu for a family of 4 and emailed it to him. He had me make a few revisions which is to be expected, and then gave it his final approval. I told him I would need 40% down and he said "no problem". Then it got weird. He told me the company he would be consulting for was based out of Pittsburgh so they would send me the check. He also told me that they were hiring a driver service for the duration of their stay but the company wanted to cut 1 check for both services. "They trusted me to pay out the driver service" :). I received the check for a massive amount of money and took it to my bank and deposited it. My bank told it would take 7 days to clear but would probably have access to the funds in 3 days. On the 4th day my "client" contacted me and said the driver service needed payment ASAP and he needed me to write them a check for their share. I had already begun to think I was being bambooooooozled, but now I knew. I contacted my bank to notify them so they began a query. Turns out someone broke into this company's office and stole a checkbook. Total debacle just not in my Royal Debacle. I have to give them credit for their creativity! Mark

I have a "catering chef" story on the same line. not enough time to post it right now. back on tonight to give the full details. it was nuts!

I'd like to get checked more often than I do. In the past 10 years I've only been checked once. I was on the upper Big Piney. Seen plenty of fishermen directly above and below accesses that definitely need to be checked more regularly.

I had to like this because you are definitely correct. Too far away from the water. I would have liked it twice if I could because I was pissing while I read it.

Also, just got access to this photo. The Royal Debacle strikes again. 1st time I've ever been called a tree hugger. There goes my political career.

Sorry for not smiling in my selfie. my buddies are all making fun of me. They are all un-invited from my next river trip so I'm looking for new friends. sign-up list to follow soon.

I just got backto KC from a weekend on the Big Piney. I posted my results in that forum. Good stuff

So 2 of my friends joined me this weekend for a float trip. Neither had ever canoed a river in Missouri. Fishing was pretty slow overall but I caught the largest bass I have ever caught on a river. my cooler has a 20 inch tape measureon top of it. There is an additional 1 inch of cooler lid on each side. This bass hung an inch over each side. He was on the backside of a fallen tree and had a 2nd bass, almost as big trying to eat the jig out of the corner of his mouth . We fished mostly with jig n craw. Combined we caught 12 largemouth, 14 smallmouth and about 12 goggle eyes. I apologize for sucking at taking good pictures.

So I have a friend from Toronto flying in to KC. He wants to go on a canoe trip. No problem. I'm wondering where I should take him. I'm working till noon on Friday so proximity is a major factor. I've done plenty of fall trips on the Gasconade and Big Piney. Considering the Niangua, Elk or the James as well. 20 mileish range. Fishing 1st, paddling only when required. Looking for some feedback. Thanks in advance, Mark

Andy Sheldon at rt. 66 canoe has always done me justice for any trip on the Big Piney or the Gasconade. Call him. Tell him what you are looking for and he will accommodate. He's on the Big Piney but has shuttled me and my crew dozens of times wherever we want to go. Price is always competitive but waymore flexible than most outfitters for meeting your wants or needs. Enjoy, Mark

So I spent about an hr. cutting and cementing 1 1/4 conduit pipe and 1 inch conduit connectors. I spent $63 total including the 4 promar pvc foam floats from Austin Canoeand Kayak. My Spring Creek outrigger is much prettier and probably far sturdier but I'm looking forward to testing these out.

So I spent about an hr. cutting and cementing 1 1/4 conduit pipe and 1 inch conduit connectors. I spent $63 total including the 4 promar pvc foam floats from Austin Canoeand Kayak. My Spring Creek outrigger is much prettier and probably far sturdier but I'm looking forward to testing these out.

I've seen the dog rolling in it scenario before. When I was in Culinary school down in Charleston, SC we would go fishing and shrimping every weekend. Once, we forgot about a few mullet in a bait cooler. The following weekend I opened it and nearly blacked out. There were foamy, gray bubbles on the top of the water. We decided to put the lid back on and try to clean it at the boat landing. So we get there and I ran a ways up the hill behind a huge patch of bamboo and dumped everything out. Puked. Went down to the water and filled it with sand and water and left it in the sun. About an hour later a guy pulled up to the landing in his boat. His black lab jumped off the boat and ran straight to the dump site, rolled over on his back and covered his scent. Then he ran proudly back to his owner who screamed and then puked everywhere. I felt terrible then but laugh about it regularly now. Every time my dogs start rolling on whatever they are rolling on in my back yard I think to myself "that probably smells like death or dung but definitely smells better than my old bait cooler". Thanks for the memory

Love lost bikini tops and stolen bikini tops. Property sold right after I visited. The whole thing needed some work but what doesn't these days. The 16 acre lake on the property was very inviting to me as well. River + lake = happy Mark. I will keep looking. Waterfront property is disappearing at an alarming rate. I'd like to be on the positive side of that equation someday.

That place is incredible. Not sure my kung fu is strong enough to make it work quickly.

I'm going down tomorrow. Fully capable of 20% down. The rest relies upon creativity. PM me if this is not just ozarkanglers.com wishlist hear me now speak. I am a legitimate buyer but do actually need partners for monthly payments. Reality bites. This is a very unique opportunity though. Mzrealchef1@gmail.com or 913-424-0190 if we should chat. Peace, Mark

Yes, training wheels from Spring Creek outfitters. I've had them for 8ish yrs. Now. Love em. Stand up fishing is safe for me again

I'll take your word for it Al. All jaws closed in front of the eye so I thought they were spots even though they did look more like largemouth that I'm used to catching. So I know, what is the real determining factor? Thanks

Kevin and I put on the river Friday evening about 5:30 pm and got off the river Sunday at 4 pm. 2 nights camping on the river and the trip is approximately 22 miles. Andy at Rt. 66 hooked us up as he always does for us on the Piney or Gasconade. Water was about 75° and clear. We caught smallmouth, spotted bass, goggle eye and 1 largemouth. All together 100+ bass. Kevin caught the biggest. A 2 1/2 lb. Spotted bass. Most of the rest were 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. Fish. Kevin was using a watermelon flappin hog, white shad texas rigged and a hula grub texas rigged. I used flappin hogs in watermelon and in green pumpkin as well as powerbait craws in green pumpkin...nothing else. Always amazes me how much tackle I take only to use 3 items. Great float and quite good fishing, just missing the bigger fish. We'll get them next time. Thanks again to Andy. Here are some of the fish photos

^fishing was really good when we weren't dealing with the obstacle course with wrecking our canoes in mind. The other problem is, if there were a sunk canoe, it is a very remote stretch without cell phone service. The trek out would be 1 to remember in all likelihood. Again, at 2-4 ft. Possibly totally safe. At 5 ft. It was puckery. I will return.

Last year my buddy and I did Bennett to the dam at Lake Niangua twice. River was at 5.8 ft and falling and 6.5 ft and falling. Past Lead Mine there were some really rough spots. The area is less traveled so less manicured after flooding. I would talk to Linda at Adventure canoe to see if anyone has been through this year to clear it out. Her in is attached here. She put us in at Bennett and dropped our car 5 days later at the dam for $35. Best deal I found by a longshot. Her partner fishes that stretch some so should have some answers. You can also try the local conservation office they may be able to give you some answers. I've never seen that stretch at normal flow so I can't speak to it's behavior at 2-4 ft. I will say I have 12 yr old and 14 yr old daughters that canoe the Big Piney and Gasconade with me regularly. I wouldn't take them below Lead Mine without having gone back again myself. Not trying to talk you out of it but I would reaearch in depth first. Mark

So admittedly, I am not a boat restoration guy by trade. I am a chef. I can make a broken fiberglass canoe float again, no matter the damage. It may never look like a canoe again, but it will float. So, I'm done patching the bad spots. I began laying the matting and the resin. Things got away from me as they usually do. It will float. My 12 year old daughter said, "In case of emergency, break fiberglass".