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Random thoughts: 1. Franklin is not Gabbert or Daniels. It's not a knock on Franklin, but, Mizzou's last two QBs made it to the NFL. Franklin will not. They should adjust accordingly. 2. Pinkel is not a miracle worker. Face it, the talent level on upper tier SEC teams, up and down the roster, is vastly superior to our team. 3. As fans, we need to quit looking back at the Big 12 (or 8 depending on your age). The move has been made, so, let's embrace it, cheer for Mizzou and support our "state" school. 4. See #1. I agreed with Gary Danielson. Mizzou got too cute for their own good on offense sometimes. 5. Learn how to tackle. 6. When you consistently give a nationally ranked team, playing at home, a short field on offense, bad things will usually happen. 7. So, Berkstrasser for QB!

Oh man. Here I was ready to input beta on the Big Piney, and the cursor has already moved to the Jack's Fork. 2012 life moves fast.

Dude had two girls in bikinis on his boat. I'm lucky to get an older married man in the front of my canoe.

In reality, it depends on what type of neighborhood the lucky minnow gets dumped, or gets loose, or regurgitated, in. In a long, slow, deep hole, life proceeds at a more leisurely pace, traditions are upheld, new ideas are met with a bit of skepticism. Chances are, the minnow will grow up to be a nice, unassuming, respectable shad, a friend to most, not aggressive. Boring. Yet stable. If the minnow gets loose in a fast, loose, riffle, however, things can turn out much dicier. The constant activity of a riffle, what, with all the rocks, fast water, aggressive fish, a literal dog eat dog world. Then, hoo boy, that minnow might grow up having a serious ADD problem. Consuming whatever comes its way, with no thought to the future. I would say definitely a fish that we would be wise to monitor as it grows up. (Education might help). Little bass grow up to be big bass. Little carp grow up to be big carp. Little kids grow up to be a money sucking teenagers. The circle of life.

I lost a 20 incher this past Saturday. I saw it, felt it, set the hook on it (twice), saw it jump, saw it leave. Saw myself walking back to the canoe to take a dose of Dickel. I know my smallie sizes, and this one was a brute. Pictures and maybe a report to come. Crooked Creek is wonderful stream and absolutely worth the trip. I could care less about other streams in other states that produce bigger fish. Good on them. I don't live there. I live here. This is what and where I fish and am quite happy about it.

Yeah. What Gavin said. Unless you're monetarily successful and drive a nice car. With a nice house. Nice wife. ("Lewis, you make that sound like it's a bad thing." Ed Gentry from "Deliverance")

As I've always stated, fly fishing is about FLYFISHING. It is a method to catch fish. Your chances of catching big fish are small. Moreover, flyfishing works best in a very narrowy defined, specific, type of water. Current is a must. Big, I mean BIG, flies are also a must. Otherwise, you're wasting you're time. Too, not to be obvious SIU, but you have to be on water that is productive. Streams that have both numbers and size of fish. As much fun as I have giving the business to flyfishermen, I do use the long rod on occasion. I caught a nice smallie on Crooked Creek on Father's Day. Unfortunately, my partner has been regrettably slothful in his picture posting endeavors.

Thanks Zach. Much to consider. Rowing through long pools is a chore anyway, even with 2 people. I'm old and fat, and for some reason, I feel less stable in a canoe than I used to. And it seems I'm doing more canoe controlling than fishing. I have a solo canoe that I use, but, in reality, I'm a social animal, so I'm usually with a partner. Still.. How does it do in low water? Or a windy river? Kinda looks like the Buffalo in those pics. An easy river. Point being, my biggest question mark, those oars. I'm in Missouri, not Montana.

Al- Country Hick BBQ is quite good. I love their monster "loaded" potato. With regard to the Meramec, well, I'm not surprised. You would think that a seasonal business would be more "on the ball" when it comes to answering phones and getting people booked. Next time call Green's, since Jason McCormick (of Birds Nest) has now taken over. Also, I'm not surprised at your middling fishing results. For you anyway. I think the Meramec (in the upper third, to Blue Spring) is just not as productive as in the recent past. Water quality is still great, but, for some reason, fishing success (for me anyway) has definitely been sub-par. Too, I think there has been a noticeable increase in both fishing, and recreational traffic in this section of the river. Please note: The degradation of my fishing ability (sniff) was, obviously, not a factor.

The whole point of the fluke is simplicity. I am quite baffled by the extraneous efforts to make this lure "more effective." Bill Jr. - I just finished having sex with Uma Thurman. However, Mila Kunis was available, and willing. Did I make the wrong choice? Things just kinda happened.

35 miles? Why? Trust me, it'll impress no one. But, go ahead. Knock yourself out. Your deal-io. Bring an extra paddle, not an extra fishing rod.

yes. you might drag in a few spots, but nothing to worry about.

Ouch. I guess I might in trouble father's day weekend. That bad zthomas? Also. How's fishing from your "vehicle?" Intrigued. Concerned about oars, maneuverability, ease of fishing etc. Most importantly, stability.

The idea of casting everywhere with anything came into focus for me while fishing the MF in its "heyday." Those fish would be everywhere. A little 3 ft stick a half inch wide on a nothing mud bank would produce multiple smallies over 15 inches. Incredible. So, for that reason, I cast everywhere, with anything, all the time. Sure, some spots are more likely to produce, but, given my history, any spot in the stream is fair game. And will be pounded.

I think the Meramec is suffering from over use and increased fishing pressure. Good fishing days are becoming fewer and farther between. Also, not using your legal watercraft to do something you love seems a bit, ah, excessive. Cutting off your nose to spite your face. There are no martyr points coming from me. Use your boat for gosh sakes. The traffic in your area is not THAT bad.

Do fish have ears? Can they hear? Do you know for certain? Then why is a squeak so important? Honestly, it's not. Neither is a brand or a color. Size can matter though. Not too big. But not to small either. I mean, look at a buzzbait. Looks like nothing that one would find in the stream. Smallies hit because of movement. They don't know if its squeaking. Or if it has one blade or two. Or white. Or black. I'm not being flip, but if you want to catch fish on a buzzbait, then tie one on and throw it. All over and often. The fish will tell you if they want it. Buzzbait success is a numbers game, not brand game. The more you throw it, the better your chances of success.

My friends and I did fairly well this past Friday on the Big. Above Cherokee Landing. But, as far as favorite spots, I consistently catch nice fish in non "fishy" looking water. These nondescript looking places sometimes are fishing gold. You know, "keeping them honest," fishing opposite where one would think to throw. Many big fish have been caught like this by me, often in a mere foot of water. I have no explanation, but, that's what I do.

Never mind the bollocks. I want one person to say that the re-introduction of elk in the Peck Ranch area has negatively impacted his life. Directly. In other words, please explain to us how these elk have made your life worse. If not, then, what's the big deal? You would think that the MDC put rattlesnakes on their trails, or aboriginal pygmies with poison blow darts hiding in trees at various river accesses, given the absurd and vitriolic reactions to this (non) event. In fact, to be honest, our MDC has made your life better. You get to fish and hunt in so many varied and wonderful areas, it's not funny. You buy a licence, and thousands upon thousands of acres of accessible land and water is at your disposal. For you. To enjoy and use. Yet, you're not satisfied. Nor happy. In fact, your downright paranoid about our MDCs intentions. What is it about these elk that gets your panties in a twist? Let's be honest here. The existence of those elk, in that area, will have absolutely ZERO affect on your life. Forever. Period. So. Let's open a cold, frosty one, and get fishing. F*** those overgrown cows. PS: Oh Gawd, please spare us this "native" and /or "natural" twaddle. Boring. Move on.

It would help, F. Sam, if you would be more specific. What do you consider "near?" What is your idea of "float fishing?" What fish are you after? See what I mean? The more accurate the question, the more accurate the response. Thus, the more help it is to you.

I just don't like the way Bandits look and run in the water. It's been a few years though. Maybe they're better. Who knows? We're humans on land and they're fish in the water. What they see and want is anybody's guess. Wiggle warts are good. I like them and they generally produce when used at the right time in the right place. Mann's Baby 1-Minus is also v. good. I'm throwing a big, fat, wobbly crank right now in a largemouth bass color right now. But, not the majority of the time. I'm stuck on plastics. (Like Band-Aids are stuck on you). The Gasconade is a big, long river. Not all sections are created equal. Research and choose wisely. For now, skip the Huzzah, and go elsewhere. For now, skip crankbaits. Soft plastics and topwater will be your friends for the next couple months.

The 6 mile float that Cherokee Landing does. Private put-in a few miles above St Francois State Park. Bonne Terre. You also might want to try Hwy 21 to Wash State Park, or Mammoth to Merrill Horse, or Merrill to Browns Ford (each about 5 miles, SMB Mgt Areas). Do your own shuttle. The Big is underutilized and underappreciated. As long as the water is a decent color and level. There are big fish in that river.

I use a 3 or 4 aught off-set worm hook (brand is immaterial) with my white super fluke. I use what I think is an outstanding rod/reel combo with braided line (again, brand is immaterial). Line diameter is about 8 pound test. My fluke rod is 6 foot long. I have it rigged upside down (the hook channel is actually on the bottom, and I have the hook just pushed through the up, non-channel side) and weightless. I can throw it a mile, or a meter. Let it sink, or work it on top. But always weightless. That is what gives the fluke its erratic action. And smallies love erratic. Unless they don't. Then I use live crawfish that I bought from...(name your favorite LOCAL , SMALL, tackle shop).

1. Good job getting out and exploring Scott. Better job improvising to catch fish. 2. The Huzzah can be difficult to figure sometimes. It's the nature of the beast. Nothing you can do about it but keep going. It can be dynamite sometimes.

After 8 or 9 years...and you've had no "Plan B?" Huh. Hmmh. Do like Fleetwood Mac and don't break "The Chain." The JF will be fine. No worries. Make it an even 10 years.

I'd call both Boiling Springs and Rich's. Six Crossings isn't private. It's mostly a place for horse riders to cross. Would I leave my car there? Eh, probably not. Are you missing great water below there if you stop (at 6x)? Yes. Some. But there's great water above there too. So, fish a longer stretch, covering more water (to Ross), but risk less thorough fishing. Or, shorten your float, and fish "harder", with less clock-watching. Both outfitters will do what you want. For a price. That's where you get to use your brain and decide. BTW, and FYI, Rich's Last Resort has been going downhill without brakes for awhile. The owners (or managers) have some gambling issues I think. You have to wonder when a store is absolutely bare and the grounds appear neglected. Then again, they shuttled me without incident. Yet... caveat emptor.