Dan Kreher

Trying go get down to Crooked Creek in late April. Might be able to hook up if I come back home that way. I'll let you know closer to then if I haven't sold it yet. Thanks.

Lost your Mojo? You can buy mine. Make me a reasonable offer for an almost new $110 spinning rod. Funds needed to buy more fishing stuff.

The rod has been sold.

The Curado reels have been sold.

And finally . . . I have a Lamiglas 6 ft medium action graphite baitcasting rod (model BGC 60M). A good spinnerbait rod with medium length trigger handle. Very good condition. Someone can have it for $35.

Bass Pro Shops Billy Westmoreland signature series spinning rod. 6'6" med/light action (Light Lure). Great Super Fluke rod on river smallies. Very good condition. $40 seems like a fair price. St. Louis area

6 ft medium Falcon Low Rider spinning rod (model LFS 4-16). About 15 years old but not used much for past decade. Very good condition. Asking $40 or best reasonable offer. St. Louis area.

Almost new St. Croix Mojo Bass spinning rod. Less than 1 year old -- used about 5 times. 6'8" medium, extra fast action. MBS68MXF. Cost of new one = $110. Sell for $90 or best reasonable offer. St. Louis area.

Have 2 Bantam Curados (CU-200) right hand retrieve baitcasters available. Very good condition. great reels for river smallmouth fishing. Sell for $50 each. St.Louis area but will ship if you pay cost.

That would be the Fred Berry Conservation Area on Crooked Creek near the Kelly Slab access. Several miles of river frontage upstream of slab on river right (as you face downstream). Had pleasure to meet Mr. Berry one day back 20 years ago while on a multi-day CC float. This was a couple of years before he donated the parcel to AG&F Foundation. Special C&R Smallie regs on this stretch to bolster the Blue Ribbon 14" 2 fish limit. Crooked Creek is a great Ozark fishery that does have a reasonable amount of public access serviced by a small outfitter in Yellville, Crooked Creek Canoes. A pretty complete article on Crooked Creek appeared in the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance newsletter last summer. This issue has not yet been posted on MSA's website www.missourismallmouthalliance.org, but I'll ask MSAMatt to have the last few issues uploaded there as soon as I can.

water around St. Francois SP is marginal at best. Seems like lots of old lead mine tailings with very sandy bottom in many areas there. Better water above Bonne Terre and below Cherokee Landing. Cherokee usually only floats folks in that 6 mile stretch above their place just downstream of Hwy 67 bridge. Long stretch of good water below there with no true public access until hwy 21 MDC access some 17 miles downstream. Blackwell bridge is questionable access in between here and the old Coles Landing has been shut off based on my last time through there. Lots of good day floats below Washington SP though. good luck.

I talked to the owner last May and things seemed to be fine. Perhaps their situation has changed.

I'd say it's "leaning" in the direction of 5 lbs. Heading down to Kings and Crooked next weekend. Can't wait.

I really don't want to launch into a tirade about how the MDC continues to study everything to death rather than move more quickly to enact better fisheries mgt regs to protect and improve our SMB stream resources given their high use by locals and tourists alike, but . . . I can't help myself. As Conservation Chairman of MSA and having personally spent hundreds and hundreds of hours focused on this issue over many years, I too am disappointed that the MDC has effectively moved the timeline to the right by 2-3 years by choosing to conduct another Exploitation (reward tagging) study on the five streams under the program. They apparently did not get reliable data in the 2nd year of the current study (2012) after seeing an avg of 40% of the adult tagged fish in these streams caught within the first 7 months of the project. Their numbers thru late 2012 showed that only 48% of the tags were returned to them for cash, indicating that something was amiss throughout the summer of 2012. They are surmising that this was due to the impact of the long, hot summer and drought conditions that prevailed here reducing angling opportunity on the smaller streams in the program (Castor, Courtois, North Fork, upper Black) while results on the Current weren’t too far off expectations. Now they intend to do the study again in 2013-2015 (want full 2 years of harvest season data) in order to determine fishing pressure, catch rates and harvest rates. They didn’t give us too much info on the harvest % from the first year’s results last night, but given their early results they sure believed that they’d see close to 80% of the tags turned in over a 2-year period. In fact, they found that over 30% of the tagged fish on the upper Black were caught within the first 4 days of the catch and keep season in the first year – now that’s some fishing/harvest pressure! I optimistically believe that as a science-based organization, the MDC is doing all the necessary legwork (Angler surveys, exploitation/harvest study, seasonal movement study) in order to support more comprehensive management regime changes in the near future. Yes, we’ve certainly known that harvest was an issue from an anecdotal perspective – we have lots of stream anglers and lots of them are allowed to keep too many SMB under existing regs – but the MDC lacked any empirical evidence to gauge it. As a result of the tagging study they’ll someday have that. Poaching and illegal gigging are other localized factors, but we cannot make management decisions for those outliers. Not surprising that Avg Joe Angler who is not knowledgeable of SMB ecology, biology or the potential of our streams to produce better SMB fishing, is largely OK with the status quo (12” MLL/6 fish creel). The survey found that 82% of Avg Joe respondents either fish from the bank or are wade anglers. I do know some serious power-waders out there, but the vast majority of avid SMB anglers clearly fish our streams with the aid of watercraft (canoes, kayaks, john/jets). So, this cross-section of the public does not include folks who are likely up to speed on SMB mgt issues by and large. Their input has some value to the MDC for sure, but it will certainly not be the driving force behind future management decisions. Likewise, I’m sure that the majority of our state’s deer hunters were not necessarily in favor of the antler-point restrictions when those were first proposed and then enacted. But, the managers who are responsible for our deer herd, the MDC, acted decisively regardless of this resistance and the state’s hunters and our hunting quality will continue to improve as a result. I think the same thing will happen with regards to management of SMB in our streams. Eventually. Yes, I too had to bristle when the MDC said, “If we find that harvest is a limiting factor to our SMB populations, we will act accordingly.” No one is arguing that our SMB populations aren’t high – the proportion of adult SMB over 12/15/17 inches is just too low compared their potential and angling available in other less exploited areas. Given that we’ve been largely under the same regulations regime for the past 40 years, we also not likely to see marked year to year changes in SMB populations or avg size structure – we’ve reached a sustained level of mediocrity with regards to larger fish and anglers simply don’t know how good our streams could be under appropriate management. When clarified, “if the harvest rate exceeds the natural mortality rate of SMB in our streams, more restrictive regulations should be considered” or something to that effect. Obviously, angler harvest rates of legal SMB of between 25% and 50% (pick your number) exceed the natural mortality rates of adult SMB (generally less than 5% annually). We don’t need more study to confirm that. But the MDC does need that empirical data before it proposes regs changes to its Regulations Committee and ultimately to the Commission. In summary, I do not think that the MDC would be undertaking the time and expense of all these projects unless they were planning to do something of significance regarding management changes. Clearly, they could have enacted more special regs waters without all this fanfare if they wanted to. I am hopeful that their efforts will indeed “result in well thought out and progressive management of Missouri’s smallmouth bass resource” as wrote MDC Director Ziehmer in response to MSA SMB management proposals way back in 2010. Call me crazy, but I will remain hopeful that the MDC will do its job to protect and improve our stream SMB fisheries for current and future generations. We’ll need to wait a bit longer for this but in the meantime I’d trust that all concerned anglers on this Board and elsewhere will continue to support the need for change in terms of both statewide length and creel limits and push for more special regs areas (like those 18”/1 fish limits that really make a difference). We don’t make the rules, but we need to continue to strongly advocate our positions. I need to get some work done this week, so I’ll refrain from future comment until the weekend.

I invite all interested smallmouth bass anglers to come out to the next meeting of the Missouri Smallmouth Alliance this Wednesday evening to hear from 2 MDC biologists involved with smallmouth bass management on our Ozark streams. See announcement below. We've been waiting for more than a year to find out the results of the MDC's angler satisfaction survey and to learn more about the results of the tagging study. The time's here. John Ackerson and Jen Girondo from the MDC's smallmouth bass management group will meet with us at 7 pm this coming Wednesday, January 16th. Bring your friends, bring your questions, bring an open mind and let's find out what they've done during 2012 and what plans they have to help improve our treasured Ozark smallmouth fisheries during 2013. Don't miss this meeting. We'll also be selling raffle tickets for the upcoming River Guide Series Raffles. $10 a ticket or 3 for $20 donation. You'll find more information about this and all of our events and activities here: http://missourismallmouthalliance.blogspot.com

check with Mountain Creek canoe rental. they might be able to shed some more light on available put ins and take outs. However, I don't think they operate much past October 1st.

Per Project Lead John Ackerson at MDC, their staff was meeting this week to discuss both the release of the final survey results as well as Year 1 results of the 5-stream reward tagging study. Angler survey report going through final editing. Should hear more on this soon.

I will check in with John Ackerson on expected timing of release of official results of smallmouth bass/rock bass angler survey conducted back in 2011. It should be time. Also, thought results of tagging/reward program were due out late this summer as well. Thanks on behalf of SMB anglers for educating that angler the other day.

As Tim suggests, I'd go ahead and contact the Arkasas Fly Fishers club. Back a few years ago, we MSA 'leadership' guys in MO were very interested in getting any group to take up the Smallmouth Alliance banner in Arkansas. I came into contact with the conservation director of this organization, McMillan, and he expressed interest in taking up the Alliance name. We crowed about it a bit in our MO newsletter but, admittedly, I'm not too sure how much focus they are really putting on the Alliance effort. They seem to be much more of a flyfishing club to me -- that has historically and continues to do very good habitat related work on several streams in Arkansas -- and supported the imposition of more restrictive regs on Buffalo River and Kings in years past. They've done work on both the Little Red and Caddo over the years as I recall. Pretty instrumental in getting some self-sustaining brown trout production going on Little Red if I recall correctly. Again, you'd be best to contact them directly and see how they want to work together to really get the efforts going on behalf of Smallmouth Bass. They started the initiative back about 4 years ago, but some additional energy to these efforts would likley be welcomed by them. I apologize for not being as up to speed on their activities as I should be. Regardless, MSA is certainly willing to help get ASA chapter going/strenghtened in any manner that we are able to assist. Please contact me if you have any questions or requests.

David: Excellent news! Let me know how I can be of service to your organizing efforts. Having been involved with the MO Smallmouth Alliance since its beginning some 20 years ago, I have many war stories which I can share. I think today's available technology will make it much easier to communicate with like-minded anglers but it will still take perseverance and a strong commitment to get an active chapter growing. As has been chronicled on Ozark Anglers, about 2 years ago a MSA member tried to get a satellite chapter going in the Springfield area but did not receive strong support for a variety of reasons. Regardless, as this board attests, there is a huge level of interest in smallmouth bass fishing in SW MO and across Arkansas from conservation-minded anglers. So, I think the climate is right for this Arkansas organizing effort. In the past, we had contact with an Arkansas flyfishing organization based in Little Rock who, although primarily focused on coldwater fisheries and related projects, did show interest in getting more active on the SMB front. That's not really gone anywhere but it is likely due to a lack of attention to the species given that it's really a fly fishing club rather than a smallmouth bass organization. I can definitely put you in touch with them if that's any help to you. We can also provide you contact info for any Arkansas based MSA members who would likely be interested in helping out. Send me a PM with any specific questions and we can get a dialog going on this topic. The fall/winter months are definitely the time to get much of the organizing effort moving -- that's when we get the bulk of our work done at MSA. As I stated in a previous post, we could easily help Arkansas get a World Class Sign posting project going to spread the conservation message.

Sweet fish but similar to many of the larger SMB I've caught over the years on several of rivers feeding the White (Kings, Crooked, Buffalo, North Fork White), these fish tend to be more slender in build than say larger fish caught on streams like the Gasconade and Meramec. Perhaps it's a different subspecies, perhaps it's due to certain environmental factors, who knows. But that is indeed one pretty fish nonetheless. Definitely need to get Crooked back on the hit list if and when water conditions improve. Fish still there but floating not as much fun in low low water.

Duane Hada - artist and flyfishing guide in that area (www.duanehada.com) could perhaps shed some light on these two fisheries. I recall him talking about some of these streams several years back when we had him speak at a MO Smallmouth Alliance event in STL.

Did you see any signage on river above/below Blue Springs warning floaters not to camp/stop on any of the gravel bars -- private property? Last time I floated from Prosperine to Bird Island about 4 years ago, I noticed several of these white signs with perhaps red lettering which included this warning. I didn't pay too much attention to it, but it was still worth noting. Nice trip report. I need to get back to Niangua and I'll check that Bird Island number out.

Have not gotten down to fish Crooked in a few years but have probably spent about a dozen days on in over past 20 years. In general, I have found above average fishing for both numbers and average sizes -- generally catch more fish over 14" than I do in most other Ozark streams but have never landed one above 18" or so. Have seen many of those "20+ inchers" sliding off into the shadows though to know they are there. Favorite streches when there is water is from Harmon to Pyatt and Pyatt to Georges Creek (semi-private take out as I recall). You can put in up at Huzzah Creek and float down to Harmon where there are several potential take outs but I've seen lots of purple bait on those gravel bars bordering the slabs there. Water from Georges to Kelly has some rough spots and it seems about 1/2 the water from Kelly to Yellville is marginal at best. Fish are still there but not the greatest habitat. My first trip nearly 20 years ago was from Yellville down to Hwy 101 bridge. Gravel mining activity was quite active at that time, particularly when sections of the Creek ran dry in late summer, but there was still some nice water in that stretch with quality fish present. I understand that sections from 101 downstream to White are pretty good but descriptions warning of willow thickets which sprout during extreme low water make floating some of this area difficult when the water is indeed high enough to float. That's all heresay though as I've never been below 101. The 18"/1 regs there though hint that there may be some dandies down that way though. Best bet for SMB population, growth and proportional stock denisty low down would be Arkansas Game & Fish department which has studied Crooked extensively and enacted the most aggressive SMB regs regime in the state here. My recollection is that growth rates in Crooked are quite high by stream SMB standards nationally likely due to high fertility? and that it contains better than average numbers of adult SMB from 14-18". Regardless of where you fish, 20" smallies are still pretty rare in any SMB streams across the country so I'm not surprised at all that fish of this size aren't caught very often on Crooked or anywhere else in Ozarks for that matter. Even the top SMB streams in the upper Midwest (Flambeau, Chippewa, St. Croix, upper Mississippi, Menominee, etc), whether managed under very restrictive regs or not, don't give up 20-inchers every day. 20 inches remains the standard for true lunker status for stream SMB as far as I can tell. These northern streams provide outstanding angling for SMB from 16-19 inches routinely and aveage sizes on many of these streams routinely exceed 14 inches. But 20 inches? They'll still add your name to the 20-Inch Club when you land one of those babies. Crooked Creek remains a great Ozark stream for floating, SMB fishing and overnight camping now that the gravel mining/landowner dispute has finally settled down. In periods of good flow (I'd say a gauge reading at or above 12 feet at Kelly Slab), it provides some very sporty water and small rapids in areas with constricted drops as well. Not sure when we'll see 12 feet again on that gauge though. Historically, Crooked reputedly once produced 5-6 lb smallies, but as Al's points out, I'd like to have seen one of those for myself to prove it. Overharvest by guided groups and local in the 1970s and 80s then led to it being added as one of Arkansas first Blue Ribbon SMB streams in the early 1990s with the imposition of the 14" MLL/2 fish limit throughout. The Fishin' Hole's Jerry McKinnis was the first place I ever heard of Crooked Creek back in the day. He might be able to verify some of those early tales. Later the C&R and 18"/1 regs sections were added along certain stretches. Again, to get a complete assessment of Crooked Creek SMB population dynamics and changes over time, it would be best to inquire with AG&F -- or simply fish it for yourself and enjoy what you find there.

Canoe is no longer for sale -- actually sold it back in March and just forgot to tell anyone.