KCRIVERRAT

Hey GD... sure, there's a pretty good cold front coming in, but the rainfall amounts don't look like much. Sure would be nice to be in shorts and sandals though! Dress warm and give us a report. I'll be down with Chief Greybear and his son the second weekend of June. Doing Blue Spring to Bay Creek and staying on the river two nights. Lots of play time! Can't wait...

OK Mike... now I know why you call yourself "Wounded One"! Seriously, the older you get the harder it gets, but never stop being a kid. After meeting you, I believe you're a kid forever. Just like the rest of our posse that weekend. Hope to meet your pop someday!

I would study that thing and hit the upper JF. Just letting you know... OO hwy. off of 60 hwy. Blue Spring. There's a forest road that heads back east before you get to Blue Spring. Camping spots down there and you can actually make your way down to Jam-Up cave down there.

OTF... do you have a Missouri Gazzeteer (sp?)

Heck bud... thought you new the Meramec. Isn't that close to you? The Big Piney I'd save for a good float. Jacks Fork has lots of areas upstream from Alley to wade. Seems like a ways for you to travel though. You just going for the day or what? Also, have you ever fished the upper JF?

You got me there, I know where you're coming from. Look no farther than the situation in the Gulf I suppose.

Chief Greybear or Buzz can help you out on this also. Just like Jtram did. Try PM'ing either or both.

There ya go JD... "Longer than we've inhabited the USA". Heck, they're a pest for sure, but not a danger to livestock in the big picture. Just my thinking on it bud. I went bear hunting up in Ontario back in '86. Almost glad I didn't get one now. My wife would've flogged me with the ugly rug...

How far is that Buzz? We just did Lime Kiln to Pipeline right?

If you cannot float mid-week, leave on a saturday, float sunday and monday, then come home tuesday. Saturday is the worst day to float and fish any river.

I'll respond for ya... number one, David Glass, our owner, sucks. Won't spend any of his Wal-Mart money for some pitching. Mainly the bullpen which is horrific. GM Dayton Moore is a pawn. He was fetchin' coffee for John Shuerholz in Atlanta for years before he came here. Remember our good years we had Shuerholz as our GM. Also remember we had good players then, and Ewing Kauffman was alive. Glass is not a baseball man, he's a businessman. You've got to spend money to win in sports now and you've got to have an owner who cares. We don't have that in KC.

Few years back a buddy of mine and me hiked the trail down to Greer Spring on the Eleven Point. We actually spooked a black bear out of a tree but couldn't see him very well once it hit the ground. They're scared by themselves... wouldn't care to encounter a mamma and her cubs though!

Cedar Grove to Pulltite? You fishing or paddling bud?

Come one come all! If there's anyone that wants to join us and meet your forum brothers there's plenty of room in our canoes if you ain't got a ride. Here's your shot to float a stream that isn't overloaded with people on a holiday weekend. Chief and Buzz are the best hosts... we'd all have a ball!

1. List your name, screen name is fine. If you used your real name I wouldn't know who you were. KCRIVERRAT... hell, I don't know who I am. 2. List how many will be in your boat. One... bringing my canoe. 3. List what you may bring for food if you guy's would like to stop for a shore lunch like we did last time. Deviled Eggs (flatuation not provided). Wife's specialty. 4. List what river/creek you prefer to float. Middle Fork, Salmon River, Idaho... next choice is Big Sugar, then Shoal. 5. Pick your preferred date to float. Memorial Day weekend saturday.

Hey guys,I'm the KC that Chief's referring to in his post. To all those concerned that are wanting to do this spring float get together. Came across Chief's post and we ended up talking on the phone about two minutes later. Look, the ONLY weekend I have open in May is Memorial Day. I realize that weekend is tough for most people to plan an outing like this. Family get togethers and such. I hope to meet all of you that have shown interest in this, but please plan whatever works for you that have posted and whomever you're wanting to bring. If only a few of you can do a float Memorial Day that's great. But those who can't should plan a float with Chief and hopefully Buzz. They are both a couple of characters who happen to know a thing or two about stream fishing. This forum is a great place for fisherman to get together and become fishing buddies. See ya on the water... KC

Those are some beautiful fish guys. Great report! I think I'm finally gettin' out this weekend. Hope to catch a fish of that caliber, but if not I'll still seize the day!

Nice pics and descriptions. Any smallmouth caught in cloudy water are gonna be blondes. Gin clear water produce brunette's! Same with any fish... don't ya think?

Rocky Hollow is very close to you also. Don't know much about the fishing there though...

Check out the MDC website and use the conservation atlas they have available. There are lots of areas within an hour or so and they are all mapped out.

From a fishing standpoint, more times than not I've always did well on the JF. Mind you, I've never caught a smallmouth over 20", but have caught plenty over 15". I've spent many a day fishing the lower river from Shawnee Cr. to the Current... ten or eleven hour days fishing every nook and cranny in a three mile stretch. There are lots of nice fish down there. I'm not saying you guys do this, but too many people who fish the JF, or any river for that matter, float too many miles in one day and pass over many a good spot where decent fish are. I'm floating from Buck to Bay Cr. in June and will give a report. I've always tried to float during the week but if that can't be done I'll leave up here from KC on a saturday and float a sunday and monday. Never expect to catch much on a saturday. As far as dodging the big trailrides down on the lower river, the Eminence chamber website lists what weekend each month the rides take place. Eric... nice pics and sorry you cracked your canoe. Did it happen at the rock garden heading into Chalk Bluff?

Eric, one time the wife and I were at Pomme fishing over Easter weekend for crappie. We were in a little cut in a bluff and there was a tree that crossed the shallow end in the back. Mama bobcat and her two kittens decided to cross that tree and put on a great show for us. I was snagged and just opened my bail so I could watch'em. It was pretty cool...

Glad you had good conditions down there Eric. Wish the fishing would have been better for you. I did an overnighter years back from Buck to Alley in april. River was cookin' at the time but we caught a few decent fish. Did you fish the area around Chalk Bluff? I'll be doing Buck to Bay in early June with Chief Greybear, his son, and hopefully Buzz. Hope the precipitation makes it right for that time of year... it usually does. Nice pics of the bluffs!

JD... isn't the River Hills Traveler what I read when I'm down fishing the Eminence area? I am biased, but the bigger we can grow our smallmouth the better. Catch and release for brownies. Bring it on.

Interesting article in that I've camped at Three Rivers a couple of times and I know where that ranch is located. Fished the Taylor while there using only the few public access areas provided. Sure is a shame things get to this point. Guy in the article who claimed "he's not there to talk, he's there to fish" needs to loosen up IMO.