jdmidwest

Prayers for Bob and the rest of the staff at Feather-craft, we've lost a great guy.

I did not know where to put this so here it is. This past year, lands next to some of our family farms have been bought by out of towners. Both farms have a creek that runs thru them and are a mixture of pasture land and timber. One farm has been in possession for 4 generations and the other since Wappappello lake was formed and the Corps of Eng forced them out of the original homestead. Both have been surrounded by friends and neighbors for years that respected and communicated with each other. Early this year, 80 acres across from Dad sold on the other side of the creek. Surveyors had an issue with the property lines, early abstracts showed the land split at the creek. In the 60's when Dad bought the farm from Grandpa, they channelized and relocated the creek to its present location and created two island fields. Dad had to go to court to overturn the survey and get the land back. Then he met the new neighbors, sitting on a private bridge, 1/4 mile into a private lane, drinking a beer on their new "property". Seems like a realtor stretched the boundry of the 80 acres to include some of our land. I think the problem has been solved, at least for now. I am sure there will be issues this deer season as it was bought for "hunting land". It is all fields with only timber in the fencerows and bordered by a state road on one side. The only hunting I have known on the place is the poaching that usually occurs when the deer come out of the woods on either side of a night to feed. The other farm has 2 new neighbors, one bought a large cattle farm on the east and the other bought a landlocked 30 acres with a cabin on the north. There had always been some access thru a rough trail and deep water crossing on our land to the cabin, no formal easement. This guy brought a dozer and a backhoe in and made him a new "highway" and is waiting now for our approval for a bridge. I spoke with the guy this weekend and asked him where he got all the gravel? Out of your gravel bar of course, 20 loads! The other had a survey done and now we have a property dispute with him also. This bunch did all of this work without even consulting with us. No survey crews asked for permission to cross our lands. Funny thing is, neither can understand why we are concerned. Not only did the one build a road, he built side roads, turnoffs, creek parking, and graveled his own road to the cabin and stockpiled gravel on his land for the future. It all came off of our private land. Not to mention the use of a creek which he has no access to. Until this weekend they thought all they had to deal with was my disabled mother and my out of town uncle. A show of force from myself and friends and the promise of more visits may make a difference. Other legal matters will have to be taken care of also, including the theft of the gravel, instream mining without a permit, trespassing, and the forming of a legal easement. Anybody having any problems with their neighbors?

Did you try either of the others? The 1" should swell up more than 1/8" when you tighten the screw.

Alot of counties in the Ozarks have a poorer standard of living and are less educated than others. Poaching is done out of ignorance of the laws or to feed families. Then you have those that poach for the sport of it. Like drunk driving, everyone knows you will get caught if you do it enough, but people still do it. I can count the times I have been checked on local smallie streams on one hand in 45 years, I could use both hands if I add in the streams that have trout in them. I have always wanted to see more enforcement of the fishing laws in streams. I have always felt that smallies could stand a little more protection. Other bass seem to grow better and faster and stand the fishing pressure better than the smallies.

Good report. Usually by August I have switched over to topwater baits also, rapalas, jitterbugs, torpedos, and poppers. Here lately I have started using the soft craws and been catching some nice ones in the deeper holes. Floating along I usually keep 2 rods rigged, one with topwater, one with a soft bait on a jig.

Good looking fly. Where do you get the Darkwater Dubbing?

Good idea with the salt, I'll have to try it. Rice vinegar sounds good, I have used white and apple cider, prefer the white but have to add sugar to cut the vinegar taste. Family recipe calls for 1 part vinegar, 1 part oil, 1 part water, sugar, salt, black pepper to taste. I always cut back on the oil. As far as tomato spices and sauces, I buy Mrs Wages packets at the local farm store, Wally World, or Grocery store. They have packets for all different sauces, spaghetti, salsa, and others. I like the salsa packet.

Ditto to Al. I fished a small section of stream that passes thru one of our family farms. There is no public access and the fishing is usually pretty good. A new guy bought an old cabin across the creek and has been spending every weekend on the stream. I caught lots of small bass up to 6 inches and plenty of bluegills. No bass over 6 inches at all, this guy has been keeping every bass he can justify sticking a knife in, legal or not. Its a small stream and you can see almost all of the fish in the stream. This is not a matter of catch and release, just all out overfishing and keeping illegal fish.

Hey, this is a catch and release thread. Go back over to the other one to learn how to eat them.

What part of the river were you on?

That tool is called a Ketchum Release, its sold in several places. I bought one several years ago and still use it from time to time. Some companies make fordeps with the tool on it also. Ketchem Release

I would like a statewide C&R on smallies, but I know that it will never happen. Some streams locally here have improved since new regs come out. 11 pt and 10 mile rivers have gotten better. Enforcement of the rules help also. There are several others that could improve with a 1 fish limit or C&R.

Eat more fish and spend less gas going to the grocery store. Right now, its eat more squirrel, out of 4 rows of sweet corn, 12 ears have been picked. All the rest has went to the squirrels. There are 3 less squirrels now, more to die soon. How did this get off catch and release? Wise fishermen manage their resources.

I eat fish and its healthy. I never keep bass out of streams, never keep a goggle eye, and only keep trout in put and take areas. I keep bass in areas with slot limits, it keeps the area healthy. I keep panfish like blue gills and crappie. I fish for walleye and sauger and keep a limit every now and them. I release most catfish, too much trouble to clean. Trout are good smoked on the grill or cooked on the grill and healthy for you too. I buy salmon and cook them too. I eat fish! I would like to find a way to catch and release Ducks, I have not developed a taste for them. But, I have friends that like them so I make them happy. I guess I missed the other thread, will have to go back and read. Keep what you eat, don't waste them. Don't take anything illegal. Don't keep a big fish for a mount, take a pic and measurements. Most good taxidermists will do a replica.

It means that Griz likes Cajun food and someone rang the dinner bell! Shoot first, have bear rugs later.

About the only time I use a net is when I am retaining trout for food. That goes for any fish. Nets just get in the way, smack you in the back of the head walking thru brush. The key is BARBLESS HOOKS, they come out easily. They come out of anything easily yet I don't think I have ever lost a fish due to a barbless hook. I have breathed sighs of relief when I pull them out of fingers, clothing, tackle, or friends. I cringe when I look at some pics on here showing someone holding a non-legal size fish by the body for a photo op. The slime coat is messed up, and innards are mashed because of the pressure needed to hold on to a small, slimy, flopping fish. A net would have been a better option in that case. And whatever you do, don't let them flop around on the bank in the rocks.

Depends on what type of lure is used. If the hook is big enough, just grab it with forceps and shake the fish off. If it is a fly, I use barbless hooks and just grab the fly with my fingers or a Ketchum Release tool. I don't even touch the fish in most cases. A net is handy if the flies are small or the fish is hooked in something other that the lip. As long as the net and your hands are wet, the slime coat should be okay. I have on occaision lipped smaller trout with some success, larger ones will tear your thumb with the teeth.

I have refrained from alot of pesticides this year. I have everything blooming but nothing putting on. Squash, tomatoes, cucumbers have lots of blooms but are not setting fruit. I have not noticed alot of bees running around the garden. I have tried not to do anything to kill any of whats left.

Beeson, where do you find Rice Vinegar? You forgot a little oil and sugar and some peppers.

Chief, most will be like the second guy, and I would be the same if you cross my property in the creek also. The other guy new he was bluffing. The most memorable bluff I have saw is the guy above the handicap access on the Norfork River in Salesville, the sign at the river states that it is a rifle range, keep out. Makes you nervous, but is harmless. I saw a guy putting one up on his land this weekend on the Spring River in Ark that stated "Beware of Snakes." Call his bluff next time and up it one, have him ask for someone on the force that you know when he calls the law and hand him the phone. Float by in a kayak, it is a real conversation starter.

In that case, I would have waited for the law and called his bluff. You probably would have won that one unless the law was his brother or friend. Then, you would have proved to him that it was legal and he could not harass you. There is a new law on the books that could be enforced in your favor also, it is unlawful to harass a sportsman in pursuit of game in Mo. now. Guy on the bank might be fined. Worse case, you could be found trespassing and asked to leave, you should not be arrested unless you start a fight with someone. You are right, almost all streams in Mo. are "navigable". If you get down to the nut cutting, only the Missouri and the Mississippi are used for commercial commerce anymore. Almost all streams that contain fish in Mo. have been used at one time or another for logging, hunting, fishing, transport, commerce, etc. I have been lucky over here, most areas have good access and landowners are great to get along with. Butler, Ripley, Carter counties are different, purple paint and signs.

Looks like a cucumber to me. Squash do not vine and the flowers are about the size of your fist. bloom in the morning and close up by the end of the day. Somebody probably switched labels at the store where you bought the plants as they all look alike till they start putting on several leaves.

Where or what stream was it posted? Mo. has the navigable stream rule, but where do you draw the line on navigable? I can float a kayak in 3-4 inches of water. I have not found many problems thru the years. Public access on private lands locally usually end up as swimming holes and party places. Drugs and drinking, roads blocked, other problems, then fences and signs go up. Purple paint flows freely around here now. Several accesses on the Little Black River have been closed because private landowners have taken over sections of what used to be county roads to make access impossible. Threats have been made and they will run you off if you try to launch a boat or wade the stream from these roads and as far as I can tell, the law is on their side. No way they can stop you from floating thru as long as you access from above and float thru. They will not give permission to access from the bridges either. Low water bridges have been replaced by several tall bridges and accesses have been shut down that way. State road right of ways have been posted with signs stating no trespassing in places where you used to drive down to the rivers. Railways post no trespassing in places where you used to walk down tracks to access rivers. Most of it boils down to a few people making someone mad and ruining it for all.

Gar are fun to fish for and great on the fly rod. Fishing is always best when water temps are up and they are closer to the top gulping air due to low O2 levels. I went out for a while a few weeks ago after a cold front went thru and had a few bites. Most were deeper and not interested.

That looks like it is in pristine condition. Most of mine are made in England except for the new BBSII which I believe is made in China, GRrrrr. I have a few old Herter's, HI, Martin, Shakespere, and an unknown made in the USA.