Fishhand

Blaze Foley, wow. Haven't heard that name in a while. He died too early that ole drunk bastard. If you guys haven't heard, John Prine is playing in Springfield at the end of February. I think the show is at the Gillioz....

The documentary, "Who Killed the Electric Car" is a pretty good movie. It may answer some of your questions.

Hey Chief, Jello Shots....Jello (pick your flavor) with Vodka in little dixie cups with lids. The lids are for being able to lob them across the river to your buddies in another boat. Of course, everyones' usually drunk or "otherwise" by the time the jello shots come out so alot of the shots don't get caught and fall in the river or people overturn and spill their supply...I was behind some people on the Current one year and they had what seemed to be an endless supply of Jello Shots...it was sick....we followed 'em just to pick up their litter....they eventually got busted and ticketed by the watcher in the woods....

Hey Al...I was working in a gentleman's home a few months ago up in Crane. He grew up in the area and used to guide on the James before Table Rock Dam was built. He had some great fishing stories of the float trips he'd taken clients on....He also had some old photos of the James River around Virgin Bluff....I currently live right below Virgin Bluff, so, I was definitely looking to see how the area looked before the lake.....It was gorgeous.... looked just like areas above present day Galena.....a long / slow stretch leading up to a riffle before spilling into the Virgin Bluff hole...I always find looking at old photos and topographic maps interesting. He was telling me of a book but I can't quite remember the name of it....something like "What Lies Below Table Rock Lake" or "What's Beneath Table Rock Lake"...are you familiar with the book? I guess the lakes were a necessary evil....I'd sure like to know how many Indian artifacts got buried below.... I would think anyone who respects our rivers and streams are not the one's who will be effected by this law (if it passes). Jello Shots...Beer Bongs, etc. should be outlawed on the river...Just like Glass....What I found interesting was this part of the article I read out of the Joplin Globe, "The legislation also makes it illegal to possess foam or plastic foam within 50 feet of rivers, except for high-density bait containers and in developed campgrounds and picnic areas. That seeks to address concerns about pollution, not lewdness". Sounds pretty good to me.

I think there are some preachers and pastors already going down there....

Well, I've been down at Taney cruising at night. It's typically on a Friday or Saturday night. I'm looking for a specific automobile and I'm not sure where they're parked. Cell phone reception sucks below the dam and I can't get hold of where they are parked. In order to find them, I've got to pull into some of the parking areas and pull around until I find their car. It may look like I'm cruising for dudes, but I'm not, I'm cruising around to find my friends automobile to see where they've walked down to fish. Suggesting that a private citizen should write down somebody's license plate number and description of their car is a bad idea. Gay guys have been going down there for years. Just like passing by the scenic outlook and seeing five cars with all of their windows steamed up. Who cares. Blueberry Hill or Gayberry Slough (just made that up, honest). Neither the homosexuals nor the heterosexuals are hurting anybody. However, if they're performing sex acts during the daytime then the perps should be punished by law enforcement. Then, maybe a private citizen should wait for them to come out of the woods (they'll be the ones skipping back to their cars) and see which vehicle is theirs'. Write down the vehicle description, license plate number, and report it to the authorities so next time the cops do their patrol they can look out for that specific vehicle. If bigbird wants to take a photo of them for his file, then that's his business....

Appreciate the offer Chief, but I'm out for next Sunday. Let us know how you guys do. Have fun and Happy Holidays.

Hey Bill, long time no see. Hope things are well. Didn't you try and get a petition or some such going at one time supporting the reintroduction of stripers in Bull Shoals? If so, what was the response at that time?

Nice pics, Chief. They look kind of artsy fartsy to me. I don't see your thumb in any of them. You got to like that river booty. I found a brand new rod and reel combo up on the Little Sac last year. Still had the plastic on the cork. Turns out a friends' friend said he lost it. So, I gave it to him. Not sure if he was blowing stuffing or not, but I'm sure he put it to use. I went crappie fishing on Table Rock today. Caught three keepers before my trolling motor decided to crap out. It gave me three beep beep beeps before signing off. I was tempted to unhook it and send it to the bottom of the lake.

For Release: Immediately Contact: P.J. Spaul Phone: (501) 324-5551 CORPS ESTABLISHES ‘COMMERCIAL ZONES’ AT MARINAS LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Sept. 26 – In the interest of public safety and the security of visitor property, the Little Rock District of the Army Corps of Engineers has established ‘commercial zones’ around marinas that will restrict recreational activities within 50 feet of all marina docks. Lakes that fall under the new policy include Beaver, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Norfork, Clearwater, Greers Ferry, Dardanelle and Millwood. Examples of prohibited activities within these zones are boating, fishing, swimming and diving. Commercial zones are being marked with signs and buoys. Fishing beneath boat storage docks has created the most difficulties because hooks and lures sometimes damage boats or docks. People like to fish under marina docks because they act as structure that attract fish. One alternative for anglers is to work with local Corps offices to create fish attractors out of discarded Christmas trees or certain other materials. Many fishing clubs have long been involved with the Corps and state fish and game agencies in creating these. Boaters sometimes obstruct operations around marinas by boating or fishing too close. Swimming or diving around marinas is always unsafe. Keeping recreational activities away from the docks will also help cut down on thefts and improve safety by reducing boat traffic. Public access to recreation is still guaranteed at Little Rock District lakes. There are more than 256,000 acres, and the commercial zones constitute only about 1 percent of the total lake area. It is not unusual for the Corps to restrict recreational activities in certain areas if a need exists. For instance, recreational activities are commonly restricted at locks, dams, spillways, powerhouses, swimming areas, and water intakes to help ensure safety and protection of lives and property. The commercial zones have the same intention. Restrictions at marinas are not new. No fishing zones have been in place since 1986, and commercial zones have been in place since 2007. The new policy formalizes the commercial zones and establishes the means for Corps park rangers and other law enforcement officers to enforce the policy. The 50-foot buffer will be used whenever possible to provide consistency from marina to marina. However, with a written request to the Corps that demonstrates a special need, a marina operator might be allowed to place some additional restriction on recreational activities that obstruct ingress and egress to marina docks. Posted signs will indicate an extension of the commercial zone. The Corps discussed and coordinated the commercial zone policy during its development with members of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society and the Missouri-Arkansas Marina Association.

Hey Cunningham, is your first name Kelly?

Hey Samkam1, I was hoping you'ld see the post. Thanks for the reply! I'm sure it is a striper but I think I'll call it an Arkamo white striped hybass.

Hey Phil, I caught it this past summer. It came from the Forsyth area in about 45' of water. A couple of friends and I fished from 7:00 until about 11:00 pm with no luck. They took off but I decided to stay for another hour. The moon had just risen when I got the bite. I took one photo of the fish when it was on the bottom of the boat, but, those photos never seem to show the proportion of a fish. So, I went to the shore and a couple of dudes on the bank took the photo with me holding it.

Hey Dutch, In respects to the tongue lashing....I think if we all just talk to one another like we're in the boat with one another, we can all get along. Don't let a few people ruin this forum for you. Respect. On the world record thing...I've definitely second guessed myself for releasing the fish. If I could have definitively determined the fish was a hybrid, I would have kept it. But, shoot, I've never caught a hybrid that big! Since catching it, I've looked at pictures of the world record hybrid that came out of Greers Ferry. And, my fish was similar in shape and proportion. I've also found a photo of a 22 lb. hybrid caught from Bull Shoals. So, I know they've been in there, but, the photo on that one was such that you couldn't really see the fish very well. The proportion was similar to my fish though. Oh well, it's still out there unless it died of old age. Someone will just have to catch it so we'll know for sure!

It came out of Bull Shoals....I thought I had heard at one time there was a very limited number of hybrids in Bull. Probably mistaken though. It ate a pearl Sassy Shad. The digital scale was fluctuating between 28lb15z and 29lb3z. Just by the weight, I'ld say it was a striper. But, dang, it sure did look like a hybrid by it's shape. I released it, so, we'll never know. I tried the tongue patch thing and it felt like there was one patch. Here's another photo that's puts it more in perspective. For comparison, I included a photo of a 6lb.+/- hybrid from Truman.

I am curious if you guys think this is a striper or a hybrid? It had a couple of broken patches near it's pectoral fins and was definitely more "football" shaped than a typical striper. Sorry, the picture isn't very good... let me know what you think!

Is there a chapter located in the Southwest Missouri Area?

Nice video and organization Gary, thanks for sharing. I joined the Smallmouth Alliance in Springfield back in the early 1990's but then wound up not pursuing an active part in the membership. I was wondering if there is still a Missouri Smallmouth Alliance?

Yeah, Davekeim, the topic heading was kind of misleading. I changed it from "Fish Shack for Sale" to "Property For Sale in Branson". The property is commercially zoned....you could put in a restaurant.

Way to go Sherwood. Numbers don't really matter when you catch one fish like that. Very Nice!

I'll be around this weekend (11/1 and 11/2) if anyone would like to look at the property while they are down catching monster browns. I can be reached at 417-294-1404. Thanks! Jim

Good information. Thanks for the article Dano. That paragraph about the hydrogen sulfide explains the odor down at Taney. It's kind of wild that we've had so much rain this year yet the D.O. levels in some tailwaters are at their lowest levels in years. Going into the months of Fall, I was thinking the exact opposite. I hate to say it, but, bring on the COLD weather.

Hey Mike, A couple of friends and I fished this past Sunday morning out of a boat while the water was running. Four generators were online and Taney's level was 706' +/-. For comparison, Taney's water level is around 701'+/- with no generation. So, that's five vertical feet of water which should cover all of the gravel bars on the upper end and provide for safe passage all the way to the dam for most kinds of boats and motors. But, who knows what the Corps is going to run day to day. I'ld say check the generation number (336-5083) and see at what level the lake is at before attempting to fish out of a boat on the upper end. If the lake level is around 706' then no worries. But, you'll have to be very careful navigating if it's at around say 703' (depending on the type of boat and motor you're running). We had a fair day on Sunday out of the boat. Had the best luck with red or flourescent orange san juans or weighted olive woolies. For some reason they didn't want our eggs or scuds. Good fishing.

Thanks Chief. My friends don't want me to sell 'cause it's the perfect spot to crash after they fish at night on Taney. But, unfortunately, I need the cake.... I enjoyed looking at those pictures you posted from your recent floats. That bass your dad caught was a pig! Good fishin, Jimbob

Two bedroom / one bath manufactured home located next to Anglers and Archery Outfitters in Branson, MO. The property is about the closest a person can get to the Shepherd of the Hills fish hatchery. Trout right out your back door!! The property fronts Highway 165 and is commercially zoned. The property contains 4 lots totalling approximately .3 acres. It's located where the High Road is supposed to connect with Highway 165. Asking price is $42,500. I'ld be happy to show it to anyone interested. Call 417-294-1404. Thanks, Jim