KCRIVERRAT

By the way, isn't "moonlighting" deer illegal?

Forsythian... the words "gigging" and "sport" shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

Backwords thinking in my opinion...

DD... you're the one who's actually pretty good. Like I said, I miss the duck hunting. Health reasons have not allowed me to do it anymore. Can't handle the cold. My in-laws lived on Table Rock for 20 years. Shell Knob area (Hardman Hollow). Had mallards nesting on their dock. Not very succesful hatches with the snakes intervening. KC

Ham... what the heck do you mean by that? Do you gig? And you know better than me there are lots' of ozark traditions. I'm just a city boy puttin' in my two cents. Giggin' must be maintained? Give me a break! KC

A few questions, but my first one was gonna be "is gigging allowed by the MDC because of tradition?" Al suggested that with his second post. Next question is "are the fish that are LEGAL to gig a detriment to the river or the health of the river they reside in?" I could be wrong, but I'm guessing no. Third question, "are there just too many suckers in the rivers, and I know there are different species, that the MDC thinks gigging is a means to control them?" This question does tie into question two. If there are too many suckers not being caught by line and pole, does the MDC allow gigging to control their population? I think it's a tradition thing... and I hate people who cheat or do not respect our resources! I am not against gigging, but I hate to hear of gamefish and not rough fish be targeted by the bad seeds.

Pretty pics WW. No fish at all? If not, it doesn't matter, you were on the river! KC

Thanks DD... one of the Gadwalls was a hen I guess? And is the Golden Eye a diver and not a puddle duck?

Absolutely awesome pics! Great to see some river trip shots this time of year and those are some beautiful fish. Where did you guys camp at and where was your take out? I miss those days of winter floating... KC

Good luck Matt on the lake trout. I've been on lake trout waters but it really wasn't the right time of the year. Good luck also on expanding the MSA! SW Missouri is a great place to start. I joined the MSA a year a go. I can't see any support from the KC area, although I know there are smallmouth fisherman up here. Some of them probably fish the Kansas reservoirs. There are some nice smallmouth to be caught over there. Would like to see some KC guys speak up on this forum who are smallmouth guys and fish the streams down south talk a bit, if they care to. I can make a Springfield meeting, and then visit some friends for a fishing trip. St. Louis meetings don't work for me.

DD... tell me what kind of ducks those are, just seeing if I can remember from my old duck hunting days. A couple of drake mallards, maybe a hen too, a ruddy? canvasback? Probably not... just having fun guessing. Shot plenty of ducks in my younger days, especially woodies. Nice to meet you and your wife down at RR... KC

C'mon Al... if you're a wimp, what the heck does that make the rest of us? Don't know about you're neck of the woods, but over here in KC our side streets are like glaciers and we haven't had a day out of the teens since X-mas. Looks to be the same this whole next week too. One to three inches forcast for tonight also. AFLAC! KC

Al, it'd be nice to experience the trips you've had! A trip to Alaska is in the making once the wife retires. Walleye ARE boring after awhile, but four guys each having their own boat, with five lakes to portage, playing with our walkie talkies (yes... they ain't radios to me), and seeing a wolf and a few moose for the first time... priceless! As you know, they were melt in your mouth walleye. Portages by foot were an adventure in itself also! KC

OTF, your quote... "more charming than breathtaking", when comparing the Ozarks to the Rockies, is dead on. I am talking scenery...

Buzz... did that steroid eatin' squirrel manage to feed the whole regiment?

Here in the midwest, I love the Jacks Fork. I've floated it so many times I've learned what's around the next bend... except I haven't spent enough time on the upper from the Prongs down to Alley. Only three overnighters in my lifetime. Beautiful! Did a couple of trips to N.W. Ontario, my last being a fly-in in 2005. Awesome walleye or pike... whatever trips your trigger. Scenery wise, Colorado you just can't beat IMO. Fun stuff, trout out the ying-yang. End the end, I'll say the Missouri or Arkansas ozarks, since they are closest to me, offer my favorite fishing for the type of fishing I love... smallmouth! Wife and I are going to Grants Pass, Oregon in june on an invite from one of her customers at work to steelhead fish the Rogue River. He's providing the guide! Anyone here on the forum have any experience on that river? STREAMS RULE! KC

Looks like you had a great first day of the year Buzz! I widened my hind-end some more watching the bowl games all day...

I have no right or business being subjective on this topic. Sorry wrench...

Those brats look delicious! Dano, sorry you couldn't make it. Great to meet you at Roaring River. Met duckydoty and his fishing fool female wife at RR. Hope to make one of the new years trips in the future. I've got to come down with the boat and my wife once and stay at Lilley's. Would like to meet you Phil! Maybe Chief and Buzz would be in tow... they'll see this, and the phone will be ringing! Thanks for this forum Phil!

I'm sorry guys, but child support being tied in to fishing or hunting priveledges just sucks in my opinion. Sure, there are guys out there who are on the wrong end of the deal, but if a real slacker doesn't care to provide for his kid or kids... do you think the majority of these guys give a hoot about their hunting or fishing priveledges?

I always used Sand Spring. If I remember right the old owner from awhile back was named Terry. I also used them a couple of times after he sold the place. Most of the time I just floated from Ft. Niangua down to Sand Spring where I was staying. About a three mile trip I think, but I fiddled around all day doing it.

Joe... I've floated the Niangua many times solo in winter, albeit I didn't camp overnight. I realize the Buffalo has the scenery, but if you were to put in at Ft. Niangua, I'd bet with the cold weather we've had you could catch trout from there on past the park a ways. Little closer to you and you'd catch fish. Hopefully some of the Niangua guys... (Cricket, Oneshot, etc.) can give you better info if they see this. Glory Daze's offer looks great too, unless you've got to be back in school by then. By the way, practically every time I've floated the Niangua during winter I've not seen a soul, except for a deer drinking or some turkeys through the trees! KC

wrench, you're reading too fast! She was quoting whoever started the same type of post from last year...

Looks like a good thing up there ness. I for one didn't know they had trout fishing of any kind up there, let alone 12" brookies. Nice pics of the countryside up there too.

I'd like to get down south and fish even more rivers and creeks than I did in '09 (ten different streams). Of course I had alot of help and I'm grateful for it!