ozark trout fisher

I worry though, about what affect our move will have on recruiting in Texas, which has been one of our staples over the years (for football.) I realize A&M is coming over with us to the SEC, but aren't Texas kids going to want to play against Texas and (to a lesser extent) Texas Tech, Baylor, and TCU?

I don't like the move either. But there really isn't that much more I can say about it. I don't actually think SEC football is going to be as big of a disaster as some think. Despite all the SEC's hype and the fact that they had two teams in the title game (which largely had to do with said hype, I think Oklahoma State belonged in that game), the Big 12 was actually rated as the best conference last year. Remember, we had to play Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Kansas State, and a whole bunch of other really good teams last year...So I don't see how it should be that much different having to play the likes of Alabama and Georgia. And the SEC also has teams like Kentucky and Vanderbilt (both of which are on our schedule this year), so wins should come. We were a solid-but not great, upper half team in the Big 12, and I expect us to be right there in the SEC as well. I looked at the schedule and getting bowl eligible should actually be pretty manageable. And Missouri's spread offense will be new to a lot of SEC schools and could cause some problems until they can adjust.

Not to bring back to life an old thread (especially one about this...LOL). But I did just want to bring a little comfort to my fellow Mizzou fans by saying that our 30-5 season doesn't seem to be completely in vain based on something that just happened. It helped us pick up Alex Oriakhi today, a big man from UConn that played a significant role in their national championship run in 2011. We needed another experienced center/forward to help out Bowers, and now we have a very good one. Normally transfers have to sit a year, but with the postseason ban at UConn it appears that he should be able to play right away, assuming the ban isn't overturned. Norfolk State was a tough way to end a great season, but the future sure does look bright for Mizzou next year. We will have more than enough talent next year to possibly even challenge Kentucky, but it will be more uncertain as we'll be a very young team compared to this year. Now it's time for Haith to coach some of his own players. I believe in him, but next year might end up being his real test.

That sounds like a good plan, never thought to do it that way. There's no question I plan to be floating the Big Piney more this summer (hopefully multiple times) and I think I'll give that a try. That would to get there a little later too, because I always mostly just paddle through the 6x to Ross stretch anyway...I love the scenery down there with all the bluffs when it's not super crowded, but I've always thought the fishing was a little sub-par compared to further upstream- which is not to say that it's bad or anything. There's just a little too much slow water for my liking.

There's no doubt (at least in mind) that Arkansas did the right thing. But it surprised me...The guy won a lot of games, and I thought they'd find a way to keep him.

I love the Slabtown to Ross float, it really is one of my favorites but I can't in good conscience recommend the lower part of it on a summer weekend. For whatever reason, the Slabtown to 6x stretch tends to be much less crowded than 6x to Ross. On a two day float on the Slabtown-Ross section last summer (on the weekend), we saw a grand total of about 7 or 8 canoes above 6x and that half of the trip was about as enjoyable a day as I can remember. Then day 2 we got below 6X crossing and it was all of a sudden it was bumper boats, and seemingly everyone hammered drunk. So if you float below 6x, know what you are getting into.

Seems like a smart rule. And even if you were inclined to use crawdads as bait, who would want to buy them anyway? Last I knew it's pretty easy to get them for yourself...

I know, but I think we have enough (too many) exotics as it is...I don't see the reason to add more. It's a lot of fun to talk about new species that we'd like to have here, but talk is probably where it should end.

Interesting post. I've always wondered exactly what people meant when they say that our smallmouth streams aren't world class. Not that I'm as experienced as some on here, I've fished some places that are considered to be that, and I like fishing a whole host of our Ozark streams better than any of them. It's just about what each person wants I guess, and our smallmouth streams seem close to perfect to me. Not to say they couldn't be managed a little better, but we do have it pretty good.

Well I can agree with that. Maybe if that supposed 200% increase in those who fish the big lakes results in a similar decrease in those who fish streams, well then I could see some potential in this. Unfortunately I'm not sure it works that way:)

And you want that? I'm just one fisherman, but I'd rather have unexciting fisheries where the chances of catching trophy fish are smaller than a 200% increase in anglers...

Nothing really. As I said I'm not pushing for any new non-natives, but selfishly I would have fun with cutthroat trout in some of our trout streams...I'm certainly not saying it's a good idea or that the MDC should actually do that. If they want to stock trout in some of the big lakes fine, but don't waste taxpayer money on that. I'd have no interest...For me trout fishing is about beautiful, secluded streams and moving water.

Hmm...I'm not sure I'd want to see any new exotics stocked. There's a part of me that would like to see the Akers to Pulltite stretch stocked with trout, but in the end I think they should just leave it be; there's already 20 miles of trout water, which is plenty. Even as it is, the lower half of that doesn't get used all that much, except by locals who want some stocker trout for dinner. But if I had to come up with something, I'd like to see cutthroats stocked in the Blue Ribbon stretch of the Current.

Just a story I wrote a little bit ago.... There's not a cloud in the sky, and the temperature is in the upper 80s. I'm knee deep in the blue-green water of the river, wet wading even though it's only late March. I've been fishing hard most of the day, but at the moment I'm just taking in my surroundings. All around me is the beauty and grandeur that defines the Ozark hills in the spring time; redbuds, dogwoods, and new leaves on the trees all around me, the river banks carpeted with wildflowers of all colors. Here the river is lined by gentle hills, but just a short distance upstream I passed under some of the imposing bluffs that make this float so attractive to me, and a clear reminder of just how old this river is. I'm in remote country, about five miles upstream from the nearest public access, and I've only seen one other canoe since I put in. I live for days like this. This is a fine smallmouth river, justifiably considered by many to be one of the four or five best in the state. The fishing today is a little sub-par, the bass seemingly confused by the rapid increase in temperatures. But a below average day on this stream is still a very good one. After trying a few different things, I've settled on a Rebel Craw, which unsurprisingly is working much better than anything else. I am catching fish in a wide variety of areas from the long, slow holes to fast riffles, which is encouraging, and some of them have been pretty good ones. The numbers are a little off, but on a day like this and on a river like this one, who is going to complain about that? I'm back in the canoe now, trying to fish the lower end of a riffle while controlling the canoe at the same time. These are the moments that are a little frustrating about float fishing, when you can't give a run the kind of attention it deserves while floating and you don't really have time to stop and work it over. But I cast out anyway, trying to fish and paddle at the same time, and not doing either particularly well, my Rebel Craw trolling behind the canoe. As I'm reflecting on the futility of multitasking, I'm interrupted by a tightening of my line and a strong fish surging to the surface. A few moments later, I've got a 15 inch smallmouth in my net, and a strong feeling that I probably didn't earn that one, though I certainly didn't mind it one bit. I'm out of my canoe again, wading. This is my favorite hole on the river, plain and simple. Here a fast, churning riffle that would do justice to a western trout stream dumps into the one of the deepest, greenest pools on this entire float. The fish tend to hold right at the very defined drop-off where the riffle drops into the pool. I've been working this run for fifteen minutes, and I've either caught a fish or lost one on about every other cast. Many of them have been smallmouth, but I've also hooked into goggle-eye, largemouth, and more of the gaudy longear sunfish than I can count. I'm not sure this pool fishes much better than any other part of the river; it really is all so good. But I guess the reason I love it so much because it just looks right, the deep water, the big rocks on the bottom, the aquatic grass along the banks, and the fast, rocky riffle to provide the oxygen and food. It wouldn't look out of place on a magazine cover. I can see the bridge where I take out just a few hundred yards ahead, and although I've been floating and fishing for about ten hours now, I'm still not ready to be done. This is one of those rivers that I never want to leave, that I always find myself thinking about when I can't be on it. I suppose that I'll be able to get back to fishing my normal haunts, the marginal, slightly polluted streams where I'm forced to do my day to day fishing, but it's hard to imagine wanting to be anywhere else after a day here.

All the ridiculously warm weather we had in late March has the bass spawning on a lot of the lakes and streams that I'm fishing. But now that it's really cooling down (the low here tonight is supposed to be in the upper 30s, similar for the next few nights) what effect do you think this will have on the spawn? I'm loving the cool temps, don't get me wrong, but I'm concerned with the possible impact of this sudden change in weather with the bass already on their beds. Thoughts?

Well that works too.... It's just one of those things I try not to do. No big philosophical argument here, just a matter of personal preference.

It does indeed. If I take my cell phone fishing it's so I can throw the thing in the river.

Well this is about fishing isn't it?

You are probably right, and I'm not one who has ever completely bought into light line being really necessary. I've always thought that the approach, stealth, etc is much more important on the sort of small, clear streams where this conversation is applicable. But I usually prefer to use ultra-light gear, because many of the lures I like to throw (at least on smaller streams) are too light to cast very well on heavier tackle. So if I'm using 6 pound test it has more to do with the fact that it works best with gear I'm using than wanting to avoid spooking fish. And the slightly lower visibility might not help much, but it can't hurt either. When I'm smallmouth fishing, the situations so rarely arise where I'm legitimately worried about breaking off a fish that I'm not sure it matters much. Of course I find myself cursing this philosophy ever once in awhile when it does matter, but you have to figure there are trade-offs in anything.

I'm sure that's true some places. But on really small, clear streams where the fish are used to dealing with natural predators, like herons, otters, etc, along with fisherman? I do think stealth, and trying to make a things appear as natural as possible can be pretty important. Like everything else it the best approach depends on where your fishing and what the conditions are. Sometimes something a little more subtle can be helpful, even necessary. That's where I think the light tackle comes into play.

I'm not sure line size matters that much in most situations. I usually just use 6 or 8 pound test when I'm fishing for smallies, because that's about as heavy as I can go on the light set-ups I use...I do break off of course sometimes, but it almost always has to more to do with a bad knot than the fact the fish I hooked is too big to handle on light line. On most of the little creeks I fish there just aren't that many hogs, so heavy tackle isn't really necessary. I will often go to a medium action and 10 pound test on bigger rivers where the chances of catching 17 inch+ are greater, to avoid stressing them out too much. I agree that you should just go with what your comfortable with, within reason of course. If you're using something really light like 2 pound test then it goes without saying that is not good for the fish.

I love fishing little creeks like that one...Streams that nobody else thinks are worth the time of day. Nice pictures!

Jet boats are what they are. They're a big part of the reason why I spend 95% of my time fishing smaller streams, and why I don't spend much time on rivers like the 11 Pt. or G'nade even though I love those rivers otherwise. But I am just as annoyed with the party floaters, which is why I don't spend much time on rivers that have canoe rentals...Which pretty much limits most of my (summertime) fishing to marginally floatable and smaller streams, or streams that are not desirable to most for one reason or another. Not to say that jetboaters or dumb party floaters shouldn't be allowed to do their thing...But I'll just be a curmudgeon and spend my time on the Bourbeuse and other rivers that nobody else likes:)

Coach Cal wins and it's a sad day for college basketball. I guess the way to win a championship now is to treat college basketball as a NBA developmental league. Goodness... I'd take our season (and our early exit) over what Kentucky had this year any time. Missouri (and yes, Kansas) played basketball and won games the right way. Kentucky just won on pure talent and a one and done system that I am very uncomfortable with. Good for Kansas though. They fought hard tonight and had a great season, well above their expectations this year. What a great second-half comeback team, and they almost managed it against Kentucky tonight. I'm really disappointed that we will no longer be conference rivals, but I wish them the best in the future.

These pictures of the Eleven Point are killing me! Mary Deckar isn't bad. Halls Bay just about a mile above Riverton in my experience is actually the most challenging shoal on the Greer-Riverton section. Even that's not too bad at normal water levels, but it can be a little difficult especially in a fully loaded canoe. It's the only place I've ever dumped a canoe on an Ozark stream.