OzarksRiverman

I'm a pretty easy going and level-headed guy... But this pisses me off to no end.

This aggregious attempt to impugn my rights as a stream fisherman(sarcasm) is taking place at Lindenlure on the Finley Creek. I went down there last week to check out the water temps and make a couple casts and found this nonsense. I'm a young guy, so I haven't had much experience with land owner encounters--apart from one of my favorite creeks to wade has had a barbed-wire fence strung across it, but I know this ain't right. To those unfamiliar with Lindenlure, there is a 'neighborhood' adjecent to the 'lake' that is created by the old dam. No doubt that the homeowners there have had to put up with years of loud partiers, but that shouldn't give them the right to cut off my access to wade fishing or floating this creek if I want to. I regularly fish the Finley far upstream from Linden, and I'd like to know if I can be hassled if I'm within this vague "within the high water mark" safe-zone? if I'm just quietly fishing by myself (or with a couple others for that matter)? What the hell is navigable? In my mind there is absolutely no doubt that Finley should be considered navigable. I love history, but how am I supposed to know the long-forgotten commercial past of these Ozark streams?

Those posts were from last year, but I was fishing from the bank.

I like this one. I'd also like to take my first overnight trip as well.

I hope he learns how to block, really, really well.

I wouldn't say they didn't make it big. Taking into consideration the number of bands trying to make it, relatively speaking, they made it very very big.

Looks great!

Thanks. Now I have beer on my laptop.

It's the Linden Land Owners Association. They have a gated driveway over on 125 west of the bridge. Mostly weekend homes. My uncle owned a place in there up until a few years ago and I heard all about their hatred of the weekend warriors at Linden. I haven't been down there to see the spray paint, but I know where the boulders are, and they're insane if they think they have the right to keep people out of the creek. Especially right there below the dam!

I talked to a game warden/conservation agent weekend before last while wading by the slab over at John's Ford on the upper Finley above Linden about 6 or 7 river miles. We talked a little bit about stream access and navigable vs. unnavigable, he said the Finley is definitely considered a navigable stream by his department, and he seemed to be on the angler's side when it comes to stream access overall--We discussed the Beaver and Swan also. So I wouldn't give two sh**s about those signs. In my opinion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRzds1HHkas "Gene, explore the space"

x=3

I bet your job really sucks.

Nice goggle eye.

Al, would this hold true on smaller solitary creeks, like the Finley, around the Olga access on the upper end?

I was in Hartville today working on a stormwater management plan for the city. After the meeting I snuck down to the Upper Upper Gasconade to try out the Sammy 100 I picked up yesterday. It was a little rough getting the 'twitch' right, but after 10 minutes or so I got my first hook up, a 10" smallie. I caught three or four more, than as I was wading back down to my rig I tossed it out and got blew up about 16 1/2" smallie. I did have pictures of the lure and all of the fish, but when I caught that last one I was so excited I dropped my dadgum phone in the water and now it's toast... Oh well, it was worth it! First fish caught on a topwater lure

Perfect. I've been looking to switch things up--I've spent the last two summers fishing almost exclusively with soft plastics, with an occasional bomber thrown in. I can envision the cadence and reaction of the lure when walking the dog, I'll just have to get out and try it this weekend.

Al, great entry. I hope your creek stays a well-kept secret. I know a few stretches of creek that I feel the same way about. They're still out there, you just have to find them. I've never fished with a Sammy, and I've been wanting to get away from some of the soft plastics that I've been relying on the last couple years. Can anybody give me a quick explanation of how/when/why to use them? If I had to pick I'd probably choose #'s 101 & 246 for small clear Ozark creeks.

Yeah, w/ green bitsy tube (pinch the barb). My goal this time next year is to be catching these fish on the fly.

I waded upstream from the bridge on O Hwy just East of Willard. I went about 1/2 mile upstream to the next bridge (FR 117). Along the way it was mainly thigh-deep frog water. There was one 50 yard stretch with chunk rock, where I caught a 15" smallmouth. There were a couple structures with downed trees that were holding some fish. I was catching green sunfish just as fast as I could get my line in the water. I probably landed 20 or so in 2 hours. 5 smallmouth, 3 largemouth, no goggle-eye.

I need to learn how to fly fish. Using the old spinning gear is great, but it's starting to get old (and easy).

Too bad...

Ah I see, I thought the bridge in the video was the 125 access. You we're out at the 134 bridge. I was just going to say, if you were going to the 125 access, FR 205 south to FR 138 (Cherry St.)Will get you to the river with less traffic worries. I had some friends that grew up in that area, I used to wade fish those spots all the time. **I floated from the old railroad bridge just off Sunshine down to Pecker's Beach (Chrighton) 3 weeks ago and caught around 40 bass on green bitsy tube (pinch the barb).

I haven't been there. But from the info we got from the Newspaper, I'd say foot traffic under the bridge is closed. Which means you couldn't get up to the dam & lake from the dirt road access unless you went up and over the bridge...