FishinCricket

Ollies it is... Y'all got my number (in my signature below)... Better mention that Ollie just opened up Ollies II in town on your way out 64 hwy.. Don't get confused, the Ollies we are meeting at is between Lebanon and Bennett, halfway out 64 on the south side of the highway, next to the Creel Inn. So breakfast AFTER we have all had a little fun at the park when the bell goes off?

May I second that motion? Brownieman: thank you for sharing your valuable insight.. I, for one, greatly appreciate it. Now stop giving away all our secrets! LOL Great posts guys..

Heya, JJ.. Definitely down for either breakfast or lunch.. Which? Oneshot: I'll be doing pretty much the same thing.. Join me?

If you don't like showing your ugly mug then post a picture of the hat you will be wearing, or some other identifier.. Here's approximately what I will look like.. So who all will be there Sunday? I will for sure be walking around watching and plugging this forum, anybody else for sure gonna make it? Stand up and be counted. Anybody got any special ideas for starting the season off right? Anybody gonna be in town Saturday night?

Great report, now where's all the pics? (three of you means no excuses) What do you think it was that got the smallies hitting on the one guys line but not the others? Presentation?

Keeping stocker trouts one thing, but most of those stringers were full up with smallies and goggleeyes.. Bums me out.. Everytime I caught one I showed it to the boys on the bank and tossed it back. Spose it could be they are hungry, and my whining is a touch selfish, but I stopped counting at 25 smallies on stringers or in buckets..

As for the tackle box full of catfishing bait and powerbait and double treble hook poppers (right next to my trout fishing gear): I have had three different agents look over my boat and gear on seperate occasions on the niangua and in BSSP and only the first one made any comment regarding all my other fishing supplies, and he wouldn't have mentioned it but I (dumbly) blurted out "I don't use these in this section of the park of course" while showing him my tackle. His response: "Cricket, it ain't illegal to own it, just don't be tying it onto your pole, or your waders for that matter!" Walt Hutton is actually a pretty friendly guy as long as you ain't breaking the rules... The other two instances were on the river, and I am not sure of any forbidden baits there.. Really curious as to the regs though.. For instance: I fish the Elvcen Point/Greer Spring area, so am I not allowed to bring my full tackle box? What if I am floating all the way to Riverton? Am I supposed to find a place to hide my other tackle at turner mill?

Surely you jest.. What the hell did the do that for?

No worries, it was a pretty good time though... I will post a full report with a pic or two here in just a few minutes.. One thing I will say is that for as many people as there were down there filling stringers with em, I am truly suprised there are any Smallies and GoggleEyes left to fish for.. I musta counted 25 different people with stringers and buckets.

Yeah, it was a spur of the moment decision... Thanks for the well wishing.. Clift, I'd really like to see you make it down, you got the number...

I am going fishing in the morning, and I got no one in the front of the boat! I'll be very close to the road, so if anyone wants to bring their fishing gear and hop in, welcome! I usually put in at the concessionaire use area, and I'll park the Geo Tracker there, just call me on my cell, 417-718-8666 I'll come back and post a report here tomorrow afternoon, I'll try and get some pics, but I don't like hurting the fish too much...

Yep, that's it! The last time I caught this many browns at NRO was literally 10 years ago. You can sit just above NRO in one deep hole and catch 10 inch browns till you feel sorry for them! Sorry about the lack of a report, the economy has me so depressed (GM salesman)that's it's hard to be my regular chipper self.. I don't like being cranky with fellow anglers so I have been staying quiet...

I just want to see that bald eagle again...

Please forgive the curiosity, but why the urge for honesty after the fact? Wait don't answer that, I understand.. Kudos for standing up man!

I just went out there today, and it's a little funky.. The spring is up a notch or two, and the water is flowing really fast. Depends how much of the water shed has already made it down the hills. Watch the gage online and if it starts to go down by tomorrow you should be safe for the middle of the week (providing it doesn't rain again... LOL) Course I have been wrong before, just an observation.

One of these days I will have enough experience with this river to answer your question, till then.. Brian Sloss, where are you? (Hes one of the guides down there).. If not, call him.. His advertisement is at the top of the page. The best answer I can give you is an observation about spring fed rivers.. The spring will increase, but it doesn't flood nearly as much as a "warmer"river.. One time when we floated the Eleven Point after two days of rain we just about called it off because the Current showed it was up 10 feet.. Lo and behold, we get there and the river is up a little and kinda dingy, but beautiful still and EXTREMELY fishable.. Matter of fact the trout were darn near in a frenzy! Check the USGS for the actual river level, Good Luck.. Wish the wife and I could bail out on life for a few days and come with you.. LOL

I thought that an invasive species would be a species that wasn't officially introduced AND is able to reproduce consistently on their own (rules out trout) AND actively changes or destroys the natural habitat (rules out Bass), right?

I live next to The Niangua and have fished all the spots you mention.. If you want to find the best spot to float AND fish for trout as you indicated, there's only one suggestion in Missouri. My advice is to set everything up with brian Sloss, he runs (along with some other nice folks) a great outfit in Alton Mo.. Brian is the moderator on the Eleven Point section of this forum.. I think his site is advertised there, it's www.11pointcanoe.com , I think.. Definitely the best float and fish for trout that is available.. Do the Greer springs float, it's around 5 miles of trophy waters.. Special regs designed for flyfisherman, but I always do fine. My fishing reports are located in that section as well.. If you really feel like having the best luck possible, Hire Brian to put you in the drift boat.. A guide like him is invaluable, and definitely worth every dollar.. If you do come to the Niangua look me up and I will happily give some instruction..

Hmm.. I suddenly hate you both... LOL (< Joke from a wishful fisherman)

I fish for all of em, but don't keep em..

Wait, weren't they doing this when they decided to introduce and stock a fish that isn't a native to the stream? After reading the article it sounds as if they are correcting a detriment to the streams and habitat that was started by stocking the streams in the first place? Am I reading this article wrong?

M R KNOT! M R Flies.. C M E D B D I's?

Yeah I figured that was it.. I was just teasing really.. I've been sitting in the trees video taping you.. LOL

Sound like he might be keeping it to himself, eh?

That's awesome! Wish I could get something like that.. Guess I will have to rent a room something, eh?