eric1978

If it wasn't such a contradictory position I might take it more seriously (i.e. spotted bass are okay but trout aren't). Until he can square that circle, he's not gaining much ground with me.

And trout are native to the country, so what's your point? Native-range boundaries for species of fish are dictated by watershed, not by imaginary lines on a map. Man is just as responsible for the migration and invasion of spotted bass in non-native streams as we are for intentionally stocking trout. There is no difference, except the spotted bass are actually harmful to the native fishes, and trout are not. OB has you nailed on this one...you may as well relent.

The same way you justify a statement like, "...there simply isn't a very good smallmouth population in the stretch between Alley and Eminence [which has not been stocked with trout], and the smallies gradually get more numerous as you go downstream from Eminence. Which leads me to believe that the stretch that's cold enough for trout, and also infertile, is simply not good smallmouth habitat." He was making the very clear, logical and evidence-based argument that low smallmouth populations have more to do with water temperature and fertility in heavily spring-fed sections of streams than competition with trout. Makes sense to me, and I've yet to see a rationale argument to support the contrary.

I've never seen a bee do anything except lay on the surface and buzz its wings. Sorry, but I don't get the bumble bug crankbaits. Novelty item if you ask me. Nice fish, though.

I have a kid now, so it's preferable that I continue to live. But feel free to take your own advice and live as recklessly as possible.

Oh man, remind me never to backpack with you! Just kidding. Hey, I hear ya on the smelly smoke stuff, but a campfire is a good friend on long winter evenings and gives you something to do. I couldn't live without one. I have expensive gear, too, so when I get home I set it all back up outside and let it air out for a few hours...seems to do the trick. And as far as drinks...We always buy a handle of tequila, split it up in our Nalgene bottles or an empty water bottle, and pack in a few limes. Light, potent, and nice to have after a long day of hard work.

That's a good point, but I'm looking forward to the day that there is total coverage...that way solo floats wouldn't be so dangerous. I'd be much more inclined to be adventurous by myself if I knew I could make a call in the case of emergency. I'd keep the phone off and at the bottom of the dry bag unless needed.

Yeah, the little carved rod holder is only for convenience...I keep the rod I'm using most on the holder for quick access, and keep the others laying on the seat thwart next to me. I plan to devise something like ness is talking about, just a bungee to hold the handles down, but honestly I don't worry about it much, either.

I've been there three times, but not since the AIDS problem. I hear things are back to great. You'll have a blast.

Consider yourself lucky that you are of "normal" proportions and the Freestones fit you. I had to buy the Headwaters for $300 because they were the cheapest model they made in medium short...I felt like MC Hammer in the regular length. Trying to find Cabela's or White River waders in odd sizes?...fuggettaboudit. I went through three "order and return" headaches because they don't stock anything to try on and none of them fit to the measurements they say. Go with the Simms and don't look back. Waders are important, spend the money.

Amen to that. Driving all the way to Manchester for materials turns into a whole day ordeal. I really wish there was a shop closer to home to go broke in.

I'll trade you our Cabela's for your BPS outlet. Finding a Loomis on sale is like striking gold...you don't see it much.

LOL...more than they'd be worth. Just take your Dremel and a piece of hardwood and start carvin' on it. There are much simpler ways to secure rods, though.

Attach some bungees to the top of your thwarts...or get fancy...

I have the same problem with BPS catalogs...rarely get them. They seem to forget about me for years and then I'll get a couple all of a sudden. Of course they're probably expensive to make after Al gets his cut. I get a Cabela's catalog every other day. I wish they'd stop wasting so much paper. But I think Cabela's is a better store in general. They have more of a fly fishing selection (materials anyway...still a lot to be desired), and they're ALWAYS running some kind of promotion. I can't remember the last time I didn't have a valid coupon for $20 off $100.

I'd go, but unfortunately I'm not cool enough for the Drake. Looks neat, wish it was in St. Louis instead.

I can't believe I find nothing to quarrel with in a gotmuddy post. I usually just throw Warts, though. I see no real need to go any deeper on our streams, but I'm no winter smallmouth fisherman by any means.

Beautiful pics man, especially the bug shot. The perpetrator you described sounds a lot like Wrench...you sure he wasn't driving a red stepside?

You guys are arguing semantics about the Capps Creek study...it doesn't matter at all, because generally, Blue Ribbon regs are better for the angler, and White Ribbon regs are better for the grocery store's sales of lemon and butter. If they turned Capps into a Blue Ribbon and went from six stockings a year down to one or two, it would fish better and there would be better fish at a fraction of the cost. But we all know how many families would starve to death then, so forget that. If I had my way, all flowing streams would be managed as Blue or Red Ribbons except for the parks. They could shut down the urban programs, too, as far as I'm concerned, even though I do enjoy getting my fix at Busch in the winter. With all the talk about returning to fiscal responsibility, everyone should agree with that, right? After all, the MO trout programs should be about fishing, not feeding people, and that's what the White Ribbons and urban programs are...an all-you-can-eat buffet. But I'm notoriously unsympathetic to meat anglers, and y'all know that, so whatever. Maybe they could hire someone to pick up the hoosiers' trash if they weren't spending so much on cranking out tons and tons of biomass. And I'll add this...If I see tighter regulations implemented for trout before smallmouth, I'm gonna throw a conniption fit.

There's no such thing as "fly fishing only." You can use a marlin rod if you want, there just can't be a Rapala with a treble hook at the end of its line.

Last time I was there, that section was shoulder to shoulder bait fishermen. I walked the entire park that day, and I was the only, I repeat, ONLY person there with a fly rod. I haven't been back, and have no intention of returning. I have a feeling they won't be changing anything there, unfortunately.

Just so y'all know... Cricket was joking, and at this very moment he's sitting at home giggling like a little girl as he watches the bedlam unfold. Sorry to ruin your fun, Cricket.

He may have used the items in the third pic as guides for the thread.

You talkin' to me?

Not only that, but grafted trees can only be reproduced through additional grafting...that is, they cannot perpetuate their genes through natural reproduction, i.e. seeds. If a grafted tree produces seeds, and those seeds germinate, it will only grow the original, generic version of the tree...a grafted tree's seeds do not carry the mutated version of DNA. On the other hand, these genetically altered fish can readily cross-breed with the true strain, and the gene pool would be immediately and irrevocably changed, so yeah, the analogy doesn't work at all.