LWD

A few weeks ago (either Jan 27 or 28) a friend and I were drift fishing, and as we approached the boat ramp a little upstream from Short Creek we saw about 7 boats anchored down right next to each other, some tied to each other. They were laughing and having a good ole' time catching fish, it seemed odd and out of place to have so many fishermen and boats concentrated in such a small place. As we drifted further, and the boat ramp came into view, we could see the conservation department's fish stocking truck on the ramp and it became apparent they had just released some fish into the lake. There was a water patrol boat pulled up to the shore near the ramp, not sure if that is normal when stocking or he was there on other business. Anyway these "sportsmen" were having a ball tearing into just released fish. I realize the fishermen were not breaking any laws, but the whole spectacle was kind of pathetic. If they had young children with them it would have been a little more palatable. Is that a common occurrence?

Last Wednesday a friend and I saw the Chartered Waters guide boat out with some clients, as we went by one of his clients had a large trout on his fly line and was basically just waiting it out and trying to wear it down, he had been fighting it for 20 minutes at that point. The guide was working his butt off with the trolling motor, keeping the boat in the right spot to not lose or spook the fish, and being very patient for what may well be his clients catch of a lifetime. Many kudos to him. My friend and I went further upstream and fished for a while, on our way back the guy was still waiting out the trout and told us it had been an hour. Long story short, it turned out to be a 28" rainbow, which was released to fight another day. You can read the long story here... http://www.charteredwaters.com/fishingreport.html

What a shame, that will be a major eyeshore... eyesore, whatever......

As a frequenter of Mark Twain Lake in NE MO, the Corp gets cursed on a regular basis, but of course for a much different reason. As primarily a flood control lake, the primary time for controlling floods is in the spring, and guess what the money fish is on Twain. Crappie. All too often the floods coincide with the spring spawn, which needs a stable water level till the eggs hatch, and of course you know what wins out. Flood control. When we're fortunate, the corp can hold the lake level till the spawn is over, but if there's any significant rain, then a whole new generation of crappie gets wiped out. And of course about 3 years later, the crappie fishing isn't as good as it could have been. There's actually more consideration given to shad on Twain than any other fish, because it is the primary source of food for so many sport fish. I've talked to the corp people several times, and yes they are aware of the impact of the water level fluctating so much, they do try to maintain the lake level when they can in cooperation with the Mo Dept of Conservation, but they have to do what they have to do. There's a lot of good people working for the corp, even fishermen that are as frustrated with it as anyone else, unfortunately they're stuck by the rules of their system. It can be very frustrating, especially for the business owners, at least we do have the lake, it wouldn't even be there if it wasn't for flood control. Oh yeah, and when the corp is releasing water, they get cursed by the fishermen (especially bass fishermen), because the draw down turns the fish off. You just can't please everyone all the time...... Just for the record, I've done my share of cursing the corp for a variety of reasons.

tippet, I noticed the Cards and Mets will be playing a spring training game this coming Friday the 27th @ 1:05. If you have access to SportsNet New York (SNY) it will be televised.

Two little kids are in hospital, lying on stretchers next to each other outside the operating room, the first surgeries of the day. The first kid leans over and asks, 'What are you in here for? The second kid says, 'I'm in here to get my tonsils out and I'm a little nervous.' The first kid says, 'You've got nothing to worry about. I had that done when I was four. They put you to sleep, and when you wake up they give you lots of Jell-O and ice cream. It's a breeze.' The second kid then asks, 'What are you here for?' The first kid says, 'A circumcision.' 'WHOA!' the second kid replies. 'Good luck buddy. I had that done when I was born. Couldn't walk for a year!

I heard the ramps are not useable right now, the Cooper Creek public ramp is under 1 inch of ice and about 2 inches of sleet. What's the ramp report, are there any ramps public or private that are useable? What's the projection? Thanks for the update.

Alright, I'm probably talking to myself, but I have to follow up this topic with a situation at 3rd base for the cardinals. It concerns prospects. The sudden and unexpected surgery on Troy Glaus' shoulder has changed the infield at 3rd base for at least 5 weeks into the season and possibly more. Losing him at 3rd is a big loss for the Cards, but at least it will be at the beginning of the season, and fortunately the Cards have a lot of depth there. Granted the depth is largely inexperienced, however it should give a couple of our prized prospects a chance to show what they can do. While not an ideal situation, it should be fun to keep an eye on how this turns out. My 1st vote goes with David Freeze, with Brett Wallace being a close second. Hopefully both will excel, and possibly give the Cards some trade bait for a more needed spot, perhaps a top tier starting pitcher. From the STLToday.com web site, about David Freese; "The Cardinals coveted him when they traded Edmonds to San Diego last winter; they agreed to pay $1 million more of Jimmy Baseball’s salary so they could get Freese instead of another, lesser prospect being dangled by the Padres. And Freese, the hometowner, responded to his move to the Cardinals organization by making the jump from high Class A to Class AAA and batting .306 with 26 homers and 91 RBIs for Memphis. He made only 10 errors at 3B and impressed the Cardinals with his defense." And about Brett Wallace from STLToday.com; "Brett Wallace, the Cardinals’ No. 1 draft pick in the 2008 MLB draft. Many evaluators touted Wallace as perhaps the best pure hitter available in the draft. And Walrus didn’t disappoint. He started out at Class A Quad Cities, then was quickly moved to AA Springfield. And in 202 ABs over those two levels, he stroked a .337 batting average with a .429 OBP and .530 slugging percentage." A couple others could fill in, namely Brian Barden or Joe Mather, but I hope to see either Freese or Wallace get their chance. Just think, spring training starts in about 3 weeks......

The St. Louis Cardinals farm prospects are in great shape, ranked #8. Some of these kids are the future of the Cardinals and some will probably be traded off, hopefully most of the top ranked players will have a very good future ahead of them. I am anxious to see the much hyped Colby Rasmus get a shot at playing, and we'll probably see him in Spring Training, along with some of the others on the list. I'm also anxious to see Brett Wallace and his batting skills get some playing time, along with Jess Todd on the mound. A couple of guy's that could potentially be a big part of this years bullpen, and possibly our closers, are Chris Perez, who's been clocked at 99 mph, and Jason Motte, the catcher turned pitcher with the fireballing strikeout pitch. Although not a rookie, one player that I'm really anxious to see come back this year will be Josh Kinney. He did a good job in the 2006 World Series, I just hope he has fully recovered from his Tommy John surgery. I think the future looks very bright for the Cards, I'm anxious for baseball season!

Of course, I was just kidding about the shuffle..... those are nice fish. And it's obvious the answer to my original question is to just man up and deal with it.....

For reel? You're backpeddling! Me thinks I smell something fishy ...... or else it's some sneaky way to shuffle.....

Dang DD, you're good! That takes care of the casting part, how 'bout the reeling in part?

Sounds like a great trip, the solitude had to be great. I usually manage to keep pretty warm, at least warm enough under most conditions, however one problem I have is keeping my hands and fingers in good working condition during freezing temps. And obviously the more fun you're having the more your fingers are exposed to wet and cold. I use gloves with the finger tips that fold back, and use hand warmers on the back of my hands, but I still have my limits. Are there any good tips or tricks to help keep from freezing? Larry

Brian/ aka soggyfeet, good one…… That Orvis deal sounds like one that can’t be beat. I haven’t reviewed the Orvis guarantee, but I’m sure it’s reputable. I’m thinking a couple pairs would be the way to go, one for winter use, and one for summer use. What is the usual fitting recommendation for oversizing a pair of waders, taking into account thick socks, and wearing coveralls underneath? Perhaps one size larger that you would normally wear? I hate buying things like this online, unless I can try it out first in a retail store, otherwise it’s almost like a crap shoot on how they fit. For instance, not all size 9’s are the same.

I stopped by Cabela's tonight, unfortunately I didn't have much time to look around. It was a bonus stop for me, my wife and I entered through Cabela's on our way to the movie theater...... I'm in no hurry at this point, which gives me time to think about it. I don't mind spending a little money for good reliable equipment that will hold up for a good five years or more. Concerning the felt on the soles, I would imgine the felt eventually wears out, is it easily replaceable? Or is it more durable than I'm giving it credit for? PC, how long have you had your Toggs, are they holding up ok? Larry

Patfish, sorry to hear that. This economy sucks to say the least, I hope you get back into the work force fast. At least you've got a little heads up, maybe you can find something else and have it ready to go, or give them your notice. Good luck.

OK, I just did a couple of googles on waders, and right off the bat I have two things to say, 1.) I got sticker shock when the first one I saw was a SIMMS G4 GUIDE STOCKINGFOOT WADER for $699.95. I know that's their high end, and they have some more in my mid-price range. Terry, they look and sound like they are some of the best on the market, after reading some of the reviews. 2.) There really is a lot to look at and consider when it comes to buying good waders. Of course, that's like any other purchase you want to be happy with. No more going to the discount sports store and buying the cheapest pair of rubber waders. The chest waders that convert to wading pants is a great idea. I hope to use mine on an average of at least 40 times a year over the next several year, I think that's a good benchmark to go by. The chest waders with a belt sounds useful, I imagine besides traping water if one takes a spill, it would also hold the bulk of the wader close to your chest so it wouldn't get in the way. About taking a spill, I remember reading a long time ago, that if you do tumble and go under with waders on, you should try to hold your feet up to trap the air. This is all good stuff to put together a check list with. Thanks, Larry

Dano and JD, thanks for the info. How often I wear a pair of waders will increase dramatically this year when I retire. I'm planning on hitting the streams around Missouri, going out west and fishing some of the rivers out there, and I also use them for arrow head hunting once the cold weather hits. As far as storing them, I have the special hangers that hang them upside down in the basement. I never realized waders came in different warranties, but I guess like anything else, the better and more expensive a product is, the better the warranty. I can also see where felt soles would help keep you from slipping. Since I started this topic, I do remember that I had a pair of waders about 12 or so years ago that were not rubber, perhaps they were some kind of breathable, they were a lot more comfortable and easier to walk in. Unfortunately I tore them up beyond repair when I went out arrow head hunting, I brushed up against a branch and got a big rip in them. That was obviously my bad. I'll need to hang onto the more durable rubber type for this activity, unless they're making more durable breathable type waders these days. Are the Gortex more durable? Most of my activity will be fishing, and it appears that I will be better off with chest high Gortex or Breatherable type waders. I don't want to be anchored to the bottom, that sounds potentially deadly.

I've got some waders that dry rotted and cracked, unfortunately I didn't discover it until my foot felt cold and wet...... that made the rest of the day miserable. I'll be the first to admit they aren't the most expensive waders money can buy, so maybe the quality isn't up to par. What is the proper way to care for waders, especially when they're hanging up for most of the year? Is there some kind of treatment that should be applied to the rubber before they're hung up? I guess while I'm on the subject, what is the best type of material for waders, and is it best to go with thigh high or chest high waders? I imagine opinions will vary on this, but any info is greatly appreciated. I need to buy a new pair and want to do it right. Thanks in advance, Larry

“I did not make a mistake. MK is right- it pertains to the trout parks only.” Phil, concerning my previous post, unless I missed something, my confusion came in when you then stated about 6 posts later ---- “It says it it right in the reg book once a limit of Trout is caught and kept you must stop fishing for all species.” See the difference, the first comment you stated that Quinton said you can keep fishing, then later on you stated you must stop fishing. The distinction between the trout parks and other places (Taneycomo) was not mentioned by MK till a few posts later. Anyway, I only mention it because it was contradictory which led to some of the confusion . When I was in a similar situation as you, we kept a plentiful supply of the MDC fishing regulations on hand. Even if I was confident on a regulation, I stated what I thought it was and then handed them one of the regulation books and told them to look it up for themselves to be sure. I fully understand your concern about giving out inaccurate info, it not only reflects on you, but could possibly end up being a liability. I guess the final word lies in the email you got from an agent, and that’s as good as hearing him say it. Personally I’m not comfortable with it, but it will make it more fun, to be able to stay out and continue to fish once the limit is filled. A couple of us mentioned the “what if” a trout dies once you’ve filled your limit, but who would ever know it or prove it without going to great lengths. One other thing worth mentioning; if you have your limit and your buddy does not, you cannot continue to fish, catch a fish, and complete his limit with it. That would put you over your limit for the day. I’ve heard of guy’s doing that.

I started to weigh in on this earlier, but didn't since I wasn't sure about it. Phil, I think with your earlier statement that "Quinton told me a person who has 4 trout in his possession can keep fishing.", you actually meant to say you cannot keep fishing. The rules and regs can be very confusing, and more so when they have different rules for different areas. It can be so confusing I think that even some of the agents may differ on exactly what the rules are. I was pretty sure that once you have your limit of trout, you have to stop fishing, and I don't think that unloading your limit back at your house or where ever will permit you to go back out for C&R fishing. If you already have your limit, and if a fish dies while still fishing, irregardless of whether or not you meant to release it, it counts toward your daily limit, that would then put you over your limit. At Mark Twain Lake I've known of agents tracking fishermen and knowing when they left the lake with a limit and then going back out for more fishing. A few times the agents would find out which hotel or resort the fishermen were staying and go in to check their freezers. One time a group of four guy's ended up with a $4,000.00 dollar fine. My wife and I used to own a business there, and fortunately we were never a part of any bust. Larry

Aaron, definitely prettier to look at.

Gavin, Thanks for the info, I'm well aware of the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation seminars, but sometimes we need to be reminded of what is right in our own backyard. Queeny Park is only about 15 miles from me. I used to attend the Mark Twain Lake crappie fishing seminars there, due to my own self interests at the time. Several of those topics are of interest, especially the Intro and Intermediate to Fly Fishing, provided I can actually commit to 7 nights in all. Last year I did attend a freebie Bass Pro Shop Intro to Fly Tying, and that was useful since it was my first exposure to tying the critters. Larry

Michael, I thought all fly fishing rods were single handed...... This is a whole new world, I've held off on fly fishing for the same reason I've avoided golfing, I don't need any more hobbies because of the time or expense. I'm sure the three casting techniques you mention will be plenty, and they are probably all most fly fishermen ever need. I know I'm a long ways off from learning how to Spey cast, if ever, it just really caught my imagination when I stumbled onto that video. Terry, that is exactly what it reminded me of when I saw it, the Chinese ribbon twirlers, very cool. I probably will need to get with a casting instructor at some point, it really helps to have someone to get a jump on the learning curve. Larry

I'm so new to fly fishing that I don't have a clue about most of it, but a person's gotta start somewhere. I ran across YouTube and was very impressed with this guy's flycasting ability. It's very impressive and so elegant with how he works the line, and he does it so effortlessly. I would have myself tied up like a smoked ham. I was wondering if this is fairly common for fly fishermen that have been at it for a while, or if this guy has exceptional abilities. Does it require a special rod or line? Also, is it practical or just for show? The above is my first attempt to insert a link, in case it doesn't work, here's the full URL.