joeD

I'm generally on my cell phone listening to one of my numerous female "friends" gush about how much they loved being ravaged by me the night (or day) before...Music to my ears.

A random survey of a random sample of fishermen. That's all it is. Good grief.

I honestly think a college or university Econ or PoliSci or Ethics or Government course could do a case study on the Current River (to name one). It is the perfect example of how a scarce resource that is in high demand by different parties is utilized and the thought processes behind the decisions that govern that resource. Politics, special interest groups, rich people, not so rich people, big city and small town people, scientists, government workers, fishermen of all kinds. It's all here. Democracy in action.

With this constant bright sun, clear and low water, I think the smallies are a little gun-shy about chasing a lure any distance, especially if it's in the sun. The smallies I've caught in the last couple weeks have mostly been in the shade, often hugging a log. Even though it's getting late in October, I don't think the water temp has gotten that low, or low enough to really put them off their feed. As I said, I really believe it's the constant bright sun and low clear water that's making them a little fussy.

Maybe the owners. Just saying.

Nevertheless, the physical parameters of that little stream dictate how much pressure it can handle. Do you want to jump holes with other fishermen or do you want a more solitary experience? You can't have both. Crowds may equal money, but it also equals a less, I don't know, natural "fishing" experience.

BUT. Here is the rub, and it's a big one. The subset of the fishing and or fly-fishing population who want to spend top dollar for a flyfishing experience in the middle of Missouri is extremely small. Especially when there are free options nearby. Too, these pay-to-play excursions are generally a once a year event for most people. So, the odds of having "regulars" are slim.

I stand corrected. I guess I need to retake my Banking and Finance classes. I think for Westover to make money, it needs a steady stream of people, week in and week out. If it were to become a "destination" spot, with the attendant crowds, then I would think it would lose part of its intimate charm, which I think was (is) its attraction in the first place. It's hard to make ends meet with charm, though.

I stand corrected. I guess I need to retake my Banking and Finance classes. I think for Westover to make money, it needs a steady stream of people, week in and week out. If it were to become a "destination" spot, with the attendant crowds, then I would think it would lose part of its intimate charm, which I think was (is) its attraction in the first place.

FDIC just insures deposits, not assets, so they don't really "own" anything. But the takeover doesn't change anything for Westover, they're still in trouble, just to somebody else. Too bad. I'm certainly not impressed with their new bank. I'm skeptical of regional banks with relatively no history buying other banks of the same size. Having assets is one thing, cash flow is quite another. You have to be wary of an aggressive bank owner in a down economy. What does this have to do with fishing? Uh. Nothing. Well kind of. Westover is a beautiful place. But I don't think it's a moneymaking place.

"You can barbeque it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it..."

I hope you do get some rain. I think any kind of a rise, even an inch, in the river, or just some coloration, should make a difference. If not, then you'll be wade fishing Pyatt to Snow while your canoe holds your gear.

I'm assuming you'll be around Slabtown, if I remember the Paddy Creek hiking trails correctly. Regardless, fishing will be tough, as the water is low and super clear. Add some falling leaves to the mixture too. Right now, they'll be in the deeper water. But, if you can find a riffle that dumps into a fairly deep hole with some downed timber right below,then, maybe. It'd be shame to hike next to the Piney and not bring a rod and flail away.

I wouldn't count on the rain. Anything less than inch or two will get sucked up by the dry earth. Right now CC is 10.82 ft and 113 cfs at Kelly slab. Very low and very clear. Minimal flow. It'll be tough to say the least. The Buffalo might be a better option.

Did you know? If you took a piece of your hair and had it analyzed, the main "ingredient" or "substance" contained in your hair would be corn and corn by-products. We ingest corn all the time on an absolute massive and destructive basis. Democracy for the good of the people is an antiquated notion that has been surpassed by the short-term profit motive of large multi-national conglomerates that have no interest in our well being.

Thanks. My friends and I have also noticed an increase in the size of the largemouth we've been catching. Here are two examples taken from the Meramec this year

Without fail, despite human attention, nature always has a way to balance things out. By the way, WTF is a warmouth?

Fished the Big this past Sunday below Hwy 21. The water looked as good as I've ever seen it. We fished from 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm. We caught about 30 fish, not great, but not too shabby for a spur of the moment October trip on a river that I've ignored for a few years. A few decent smallies, a few decent largies, no spots, and a wild card. I don't no what the cuss that fish is. A good trip, and one I'll make again, sooner rather than later. I was most pleasantly surprised.

Depends on how much gear you're bringing. If you have a lot and want to be comfortable, go to the aforementioned campgrounds. If you're backpacking light and fast, go to the river. The farther from a public access the better.

If I didn't hang up the phone, Jimmy Walker would still be talking.

Fishing sucking at Cardiac? Shocking! Don't say I didn't warn ya. Not catching fish there must be catnip to a lot of flyfishermen. Funny post though Ollie.

Yes, all true and then some, regarding, shall we say, "less courteous" anglers. But no one answered "why" this behavior occurs in seemingly remote areas, when one thinks one is alone. The reason is simple. "Nature abhors a vacuum."

Nice pictures. I see that that log is still there by the leaning tree. Think how many people fish and have fished the Current from the park to just below Baptist. Year in and year out. Yet the fishing remains remarkable, both in numbers and size of fish. It's an absolute powerhouse and a gem of a river. We are very lucky to have it.

Of course there should be C & R fly-fishing only sections in trout streams and parks. Because, because,...because we're FLY-FISHERMEN, and we deserve it and we know what's RIGHT! All other non-FF miscreants and ne'er-do-wells should stick to their own section, so as not to befoul OUR area.

I don't use crankbaits much, maybe 10 % of the time, and none of them go deeper than 8 feet. My go to crankbait is a Mann's Baby Minus-1. If I want to go deeper, then I throw a Wiggle Wart. It's as good as anything out there, and a proven fish catcher. If I want to go even deeper with a hard body bait (which is very rare), then I'll switch to a jerkbait. As a side note, ALL of my biggest smallies have come in water 4 foot or less. The same holds true, even more so, with largies on the river. I know it's not what your looking for, just my 2 cents. I don't have a jet boat, so I switch to trout after November. I think that's what you're getting at, fall and winter fishing on the Meramec or Gasconade, in the deep holes where they winter. If you're insistent on tinkering with baits, then I don't think it matters what brand you use, since you're changing the nature and intended use of said bait, and you don't how they'll act in the water after your adjustments. Trial and error. Good luck.