wily

i use a place in carl junction...but closer to you is aurora boat canvas. i've never used them but i've seen their ads in magazines...i'd say they'd be just as good as anyone.

thanks, i passed the info along to my dad.

anybody have any tips as to which Utility Vehicle is better?? my dad is looking at one to use around his play farm...thanks

sorry about your luck on the gifts deal...but nevertheless -- happy birthday

i'll be there good luck deer hunting if you go...

hey bobber -- here's the link good luck http://joplin.craigslist.org/boa/1437485073.html

I'm with you -- I don't care much for fishing at night, but my bass club starts night fishing the third week of april typically. we fish night tournaments until the end of september. My favorite bait at night in table rock, stockton and grand has to be without a doubt...a 3/8 or 1/2 oz black war eagle spinnerbait with a big #7 chartreuse colorado blade -- use a saphire blue zoom super chunk trailer. there's just something about that combination -- fish it like you were back home, and you should do great.

looking at an old town charles river...old town more expensive but only marginally will be for streams...namely shoal creek and the like. i agree that the square stern and the gheenoe are practically the same. albeit maybe lighter in aluminum. i like the stability of the ghennoe. thanks

got my eye on another canoe...looking for something lighter than the gheenoe for two little boys and me. would you chose a 16 foot old town polylink? or a square stern aluminum? thanks

looks like a great trip -- where did you camp? did you catch any fish? thanks

I had a good time. it was nice to meet you all. i look forward to olliefest!

i think the some of the problem that we have in the fall is that we're using too big of shad. the striper's seem to be eating the small shad fry, and we're using 4-6 inchers.

no worries on the chili -- it shouldn't happen overnight. i can't help ya with the rolls...my wife is like the wife on shawshank redemption...can't bake worth a durn. but on a brighter note -- the weather looks good!

buzz...I look forward to meeting you too. i've always enjoyed reading your posts. ollie -- i'll bring the drinks. we're still planning to come down. i think it will be a good experience for the boys. thanks

we fished friday morning -- started about 7 and left about 1130. i saw a blue wave boat on the way back in and thought of you-- boat was on a point between clifty and starkey. we started at point 5 -- didn't have any luck -- the wind pretty much blew us out. so we moved down by point 8 -- was somewhat sheltered from the wind. only had one bite on a down line about 40 feet. then we moved back to point 5 area -- wind was still blowing so we moved to the mouth of little clifty and picked up another on a down line about 40 foot. both small -- 10 - 12 pounds or so. didn't see any top water fish...guide said needed some sun to get the bait closer to the top of the water column.

we had a great time, and we caught lots of trout. the water was up about 5 or 6 feet so no wading, and no bank fishing at spider creek. water ran in the mornings til 10 or so, then went off til 430 or 5. we'd motor up to parker bottoms, and drift back to spider creek. we even drifted down to 62 bridge the first day, but very few fish for us below spider creek. best fishing was between parker bottoms and the island. lots of wildlife. we were out early this morning, and it was super-foggy. we disrupted a bald eagle off its roost, and then about 5 minutes later i heard a big splash. i told the boys to look for deer swimming across, and sure enough...we watched 4 deer swim across the river at about the old bridge tressle.

I've got an 95 Toyota 4 Runner, and it does it all but doesn't get very good gas mileage...only 15 or so. it pulls my 17 foot aluminum bass boat pretty well. except for the steep hills on 65 going and coming from branson...we end up going pretty slow (50 or so) by the time we make it to the top. looks good, and it's utilitarian...the back window comes down, and the rear door folds down like a tailgate. i think it's the best feature of the truck. mine has 175k miles, and i'd drive it anywhere...on the road or off. my wife's car is a subaru outback -- i'd drive it anywhere but not pulling a boat.

thanks, we might do the canoe trip, but not sure. I hate to have three little boys out on the river in canoes in a dangerous situation, so we'll definitely play it safe and take the dam's store recommendation. i've checked the chart the last couple days, and it looks like that they've been generating in the afternoon pretty consistently. http://www.swl-wc.usace.army.mil/WCDS/Repo...Data/Beaver.htm

thanks, so the current isn't too bad? i've got a buddy and his wife and child coming down on saturday. i was planning to take them on a float trip...float from the dam back to spider creek in a canoe before all the rain...do you think that it would be safe to try it?

thanks for the reports. we're coming down this week too. with the water levels -- can you put a boat in at bertrand and go all the way to the dam if you wanted? i've got an aluminum bass boat w/ a 40. we typically never go too far above bertrand...i don't know the river that well. thanks

my boys and i will come down and help as for food -- we don't need much -- we could bring something if you want to do a pot luck kind of thing

we're coming down this week too. i spoke to our striper guide over the weekend...he said he's been catching fish down around point 5. clifty area. we go with him friday...hope to catch a couple. here's a pic from last year.

ya, it's a great store and i love the bumper stickers. "follow me to the dam store" we'll probably try the same old haunts...i'd sure like to get into the walleye. we never have down there. i guess it's mostly an early spring deal. i'll post a report when we get back...we always catch a few and have a great time. it's an undeveloped piece of the world...or so it seems

will do. we don't do too much of that fancy dining when we're down there...mostly just fish and fried potatoes. the girls might go into town, but i doubt i do. probably the closest i'll get to civilization is the dam store. are you catching any fish above old beaver town? we've been known to put in at houseman's and go down. thanks

spider creek in a week for the whole fam damily... has anybody been? we're planning a striper trip with joe fargas on friday, and then maybe float from the dam back to spider creek on saturday. anybody have any hot tips??? thanks