Troutnut69

Appreciate the info. It's about the time of year where I start prioritizing usage numbers over fishing quality. A fishless day on a quiet river trumps a good fishing day floating with a bunch of idiots. Just looking for some other options to get on the river where I don't encounter the summer party crowd. Thanks again for taking the time....

I'm interested in putting in at Blackjack and working my way upstream with a small fishing boat. Have only seen the water from Google Earth and wondered what the characteristics of this stretch of river are like? Looks big and pretty wide open from my limited views but I realize that may not be the case depending on generation at Stockton. Lots of wood on low water? Gravel Bars? I know this river fluctuates greatly on generation but doesn't appear to be anything downstream that far to cause a fellow any issues if I'm correct? TIA for any information you can give me!

Yeah , there's not much worse than being on frogwater and trying to float South with a 30 mph headwind! Very good advice. Thanks FishnDave! I actually really enjoyed the blog as well. I just felt like I was running out of new and interesting content so I basically gave it up. You can only take so many pictures of rivers, food and the occasionally caught fish and keep it interesting. Everyone wants videos these days anyway and I don't do videos. I enjoy taking good pictures but I'm not fishing all day with a go-pro on my head! I decided recently that I may just start posting some trip pics on the site, more for my own enjoyment than anything. I do enjoy looking back at past trips with a picture narrative. I read your posts here frequently so I know that you're still terrorizing every species of fish that swims in your local waters with amazing success!

I'd be rowing only. In a perfect world I'd prefer to float with a little generation because it's more conducive to chucking streamers so I'm gonna try to hit it on a day with some generation. If it just doesn't work out that way then I may very well have to choose a shorter float. Again , I'm just not familiar with the characteristics of the water down there except for the first mile below the dam. Seems like with the options you mentioned I should be able to find one that will work regardless of generation. Funny that when I used to fish Taney alot I was always hoping for low-water...now the situation has changed and I'm wanting generation. Of course , in my experience anyway , whatever I'm hoping for I usually end up with the opposite!

That's exactly the kind of information I was hoping for. Thank You gentlemen! That 5 miles to your place would be an ideal distance for a short Fall/Winter day Phil. When I get a day free to make it down I'll give you a call (with ample notice obviously) and see if we can work out something on a shuttle where I just finish at the resort. Thank you again for the quick response , my smallmouth fishing has slowed down considerably so I'm looking to increase my odds a little and chase trout a little more this Winter.

Are there any upper Taneycomo maps that show accesses and river mileages that I could use to plan a float? I'd like to put my raft on at the boat ramp below outlet #3 and throw a few streamers some cloudy weekday in the near future. Also , is there anyone in the area that would do a vehicle shuttle or am I on my own there? I appreciate any advice given , it's been a good many years since I've fished Taney and I'm just not familiar with the floating situation as I was always wading at the dam.

I've floated the Elk numerous times at those water levels, just yesterday at 1300+. The river was definitely not dangerous at those levels unless someone is totally lacking in experience and common sense. The tree across the river is just above Indian creek and has been partially cutout but is still a hazard. You can easily take the smaller right channel and avoid it entirely. I am terribly sorry that someone lost their life on the river but don't see how you can blame anyone just for putting people on the river. What's safe for me , with the amount of experience I have, may not be safe for everyone else obviously but that's a personal decision everyone has to make for themselves. Without careful attention and some common sense there are lots of everyday situations that can become life threatening , floating a river is just one of those.

I'm pretty sure that I could sit on a park bench above the whistle bridge for several hours and write more tickets than that for violations I witnessed. As has already been stated...nothing wrong with some enforcement, just don't hassle me and waste taxpayer money for a checkpoint when a little due diligence in your daily job would provide the same results. Just one more reason I don't visit that place anymore.....

This is a FISHING FORUM. People come around here to talk about fishing...you "holier than thou" folks who feel the need to let people know what they should be doing with THEIR free time need to take a step back. Without knowing someones situation what gives you the right to call them out for asking a simple, appropriate question. Maybe the poster has been sandbagging for a week and just wants a break, hypothetical but possible. It's a sad situation for folks dealing with the flooding, I've got friends who run businesses on the NFOW who I've already offered up assistance to when it's needed. That being said, if I have the opportunity to wet a line somewhere in the very near future I'm not gonna lose any sleep feeling like an a-hole because I'm doing so instead of assisting like you think we all should be. You live your life and I'll live mine....

Seriously?? I can't believe anyone that fishes BSSP would be for getting rid of any of what little actual "Nature" is left of the park. Who gives a rats a$$ about the trout, they're just raceway runts anyway...they can always make more. I've got parks here in the middle of the city with more undeveloped areas and better nature viewing than you can see in a week at BSSP, the last thing that place needs is less of the natural beauty and wildlife that it started with before the state f'd it up so bad.

""Trout, that's funny. So I guess if I'm driving and doing things legaly but you deem me a hazzard then you can just use your good judgement to put me in the ditch? Most jugs I have seen are highly visible so wouldn't common sense say stay away from them?" There you go again, not using that brain God gave you (that's an assumption I guess). Every situation is different and you have to take the info you have, look at the situation and make an educated decision as best you can. I'm pretty sure we were talking jugs or trotlines that were deemed a boating hazard, not your driving ability. I've stated my reasonable opinion and now I'm done. I could care less whether you agree with me or not, as was previously stated, I'm just not sure you get it.

Just because it's "legal" doesn't mean it's intelligent or the right thing to do. God gave me a brain so that I can think for myself, not suffer through someone elses idea of what's right because "that's what the law says". Again, that's the problem with too many folks these days, no ability to analyze situations and use your brain to make an educated decision. Instead most take your approach, the book says it's legal so it's my right to do it. And you would be correct, but it's also my right to use my brain and determine that you made a stupid "legal" choice and deal with it as I see fit. I'm not saying that I'm gonna cut your lines because they are interfering with my fishing spot, you have as much right to that area as I do. But if I think they are a hazard to me or the rest of the boating public and you're not around to deal with it. Guess what... I will.

For a bunch of grown men , you all sure whine and argue a lot. Do what you think is right and deal with the consequences. If I think your jug lines are a hazard (legal or not) I'm liable to cut them and get them out of the way. If I do I'll man up and take whatever comes from it if that's how it goes, I'm a big boy. Common sense goes a long way...unfortunately I don't see much of it being used anymore.

There are no floatable, public smallmouth streams in Kansas. I live 20 minutes from Lawrence and spend most of my time in Southern Missouri just for that reason. Kansas laws differ rom Missouri and the landowners also own the streambed, so even if you found a floatable stream with smallies (you won't) you wouldn't be able to access or fish it without permission from every landowner along it's banks. There are some smallmouth in several area lakes that can be decent fishing, but no floatable streams.

I have to go along with the poster. If the legal system did it's job in an even rudimentary way there would be a lot less crime and every jail system in the country wouldn't be full of repeat offenders. Hell , you can rape and pillage these days and get off with a couple years if you've got a good lawyer. Our justice system is incompetent at BEST, and sometimes the only way to see satisfaction is to take care of matters yourself. Don't know if I'd have done the same thing, but I'm not going to say that I wouldn't have if the opportunity had presented itself. "Right" is in the eye of the beholder. Your right might not be the same as mine....

If fishermen hate them it's only because they're not talented enough to actually catch them. Hang out with some "real " fishermen and you might hear differently. A whole lot of fun with a box of homemade flies and an 8 weight. We've got some guys that like to litter our lakes shoreline with carp that they've shot holes through, I enjoy catching them as well and it pisses me off every time I see it.

Thanks for the info guys...

I'm wanting to make my first float on the James sometime in the next couple weekends and wondered if anyone had any recommendations for a shuttle service? I've got a pontoon that I float in and generally am just looking for someone to move my vehicle for me. I know there are several campgrounds and canoe rentals but I'm generally just looking for a shuttle and they can be harder to locate. I'm really not sure what section I want to fish (as I said it's my first trip to this river) so at this point I'll take any suggestions for a shuttle on any section of river you've got...as long as there are a few smallmouth around! Thanks in advance for any info!! http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

I've seen some awfully big cats around TR dam while diving the cliffs, nothing the size of VW's obviously, but I've seen a couple that would be pushing the #80- #100 mark. Almost always lying hidden under a rock shelf overhang and hiding back out of site. They aren't near as excited to see you as you are them, no hint of aggression ever, they just want to get out of there and be left alone. Very cool to see some of their daytime haunts...

They are definitely in Table Rock (have seen lots while diving) and just about every other lake around. We even have them in muddy Kansas lakes.

I hardly ever see anything posted here about the musky bite, not sure if that means there just aren't many on here fishing for them or, more than likely, they're just a tight lipped bunch. Either way, it was one of the few places I knew to go to throw out my question. Which is...are the musky currently in shallow enough water (as a general rule) for a fly guy with a strong itch to scratch to bother spending a couple of days slinging half chickens? Got a couple of opportunities to get away and give it a go coming up soon but don't know enough about the lake or the fish to be confident about fish patterns right now. It's not my first time chasing these fish so I'm fully aware that I probably had a better chance of winning the lottery last night than I do of actually catching a musky on the fly, I'm good with that. Just was hoping to get some educated information on whether the fish were shallow and active again with this recent stretch of cooler weather, Thanks for any info you are willing to give....Jeff http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

I've been down there within the last week...the water is dingy, almost muddy from the dam all the way to the Arkansas. Sure didn't look like anything I'd want to spend my time trout fishing unless there just weren't any other options. Not sure if that info helps you at all...

Great photos and Gods, every one of them! Taking a dog fishing is almost always a tradeoff where you have to sacrifice some of your ability to fish exactly how you want and where you want. That being said, a lot of times the same sacrifice is required with human fishing partners. I've caught enough fish in my life that I'll happily trade a little fishing success for the companionship of my best friend. Joe turned 13 this year and is starting to have problems trekking up and down streams like he used to all day but we do lots of local stuff so he can be back home on his favorite Orvis bed that night. I honestly can't wade a stream these days and not wish he was there with me... http://highplainsflyfisher.blogspot.com/

I'm all for the littering tickets, they should write one every chance they get. On the other hand the "drug busts" were probably for smoking weed as was already stated, personally I'd much rather have them writing people up for things that actually matter, like wildlife code violations. It's hard to police the game laws when you're hiding in the bushes hoping to catch somebody lighting up.

That's a beautiful river for sure...you guys did it up right , that looks like an awesome time!!