Thom

We visit Pogosa Springs in Colorado and fish Williams lake at the foot of snow capped mts. There are lots of Koknaee 12 to 15 inches long in that lake. They look mostly like a silver colered trout and fight hard in the deep lake water. Great eating fish which migrate each year there up the creek inlet just like sockeye to spawn. Locals catch them by the hundreds and are kept over winter for their food staples. Last time I was up there they were talking about setting a limit on the numbers taken during the winter migration. Locals in uproar over it. Seems some of the usual spoilers were taking the fish and selling them to the restruants etc to ruin a good thing for others.

What lakes in Illinois are you fishing? BTW I am also a SIU Carbondale Alumni 1962. Fished most of the lakes around SIU and Southern Illinois. Now a Missouri transplant.

Rent a boat and go to lake 33. I caught a nice 16" largemouth there last week right in front of the spillway. Try the area at the spillway and down the banks both ways. I have seen lots of nice bass caught right at the spillway every spring. Also down the bank opposite the main road. YOu can rent a boat and trolling motor there at the visitors center.

The sholders of the Sunfish is much wider than most bluegil that are caught. I caught a really nice one at lake 33 Busch monday and he provided at nice part of my lunch from my frydaddy. I kept a few fair sized bluegill that day along with a few crappie. I Also landed a nice 14" bass that I returned to the lake. BTW ... there are signs along lake 33 asking not to return any crappie to the lake if caught there also. It is not a requirement but a request. Between the racoons and other scavengers there at night they will be gone the next day.

The summer of 57 during my college break I was 17 and I lived at an apartment just down from natural bridge and Union and walked to my summer job at Fisher Body. Got off at 1 o'clock in the morning and walked home. Never had a problem or expected one. Your are coreect Sir. A whole different world back then

The gun that I carried hidden but easily accessabe at my jobs for 30+ years saved my life or a robbery at least twice. It was not legal at the time but at Natural Bridge and Union St louis 3 in the morning I figured I was better off gettin caught with it than without it by a druggie looking for my wallet and credit cards. Several employees were shot going to lunch and to their cars at night. The worst that I ever got was a policeman giving me a lecture and one night. I was randomly stopped one night and I imediately told him I had a gun. He handcuffed me lectured me and I told him why I was carring it he let me go with a stong warning.

OK now be truthful all of you and answer this question. You decided to go to the tailwaters one evening and were at your favorite spot and no one there but you .... not a soul in sight! Suddenly you hook into a 30 inch Brownie and fight it carefully to the net. You camera is in the car parked in the lot ... a good 10 minutes away and you are by yourself. It will be dark in 20 minutes. Would you just release it immediately and tell someone later? remember complete honesty. The largest fish I caught a Taney ... A beatiful male Brown with the classic jaw about 22 inches was on one of those evening except I had left the camera at the condo. I still went away with one of the greatest memories of my life as the Brownie swam away giving me a strong flip of the tail as he realized he was free.

Thanks for the Great pictures Bill. It makes the cabin fever rage even greater with the warm weather etc.

Thank you Phil. I thought it was interesting info but it got off on the wrong foot. I tried to delete my comments but too late after they were copied and pasted. I am sorry that It got off track

YOU THOUGHT???????????? You are a liar and have just stated a untruth. I did not ask Phil to ban anything nor would I. THE FORUM IS HIS PROPERTY. Ask Him if you are interested in fact which you obviously are not. IN the word of Ron White the commedian. "next time you have a thought let it go" Personal attacts and inuendo such as the type you imply with half truths is the only thing that Phil has ever banned and you make it clear as to why.

I hope you are right Pat ... I am off to Marmareck springs to fish. I hope the fish there treat me a little nicer than the fine folks on the forum for having an opinion. I got out and will stay out of the comment section from now on. Just look at the articles and move on.

Muddy: I don't own Tanneycomo, Mark Twain, or any of the State Parks but I have been known to invite people to go with me and mentioned that we will be fishing catch and release. That is my right if I am the host or own the boat or sponsor the trip. If they are on their own they can do what they like. I do keep fish sometimes and plan trips with that intent and sometimes I prefer not to for a simple reason mostly. Trout that I keep usually cost from 4O to 50 dollars a pound ...Tilapia and catfish from the market is about 3 dollars a pound cleaned and ready for the skillet. Cleaning and storing fish on a float trip is a hassle for everbody who is not. I thing that is the reason for the restriction to join THEIR GROUP on the SPONSORED FREE TRIP ORGANIZED BY DYNAMIC EARTH. Have a great day. Thom

Andy and JoAnne: I don't know about the vacation rental question but if you are into Trout fishing (White River) or fishing Bull Shoals it is a great little community. I have spent many vacations there fishing out of Gastons or Stetsons which are nearby and great scenic area with lots of friendly folks. I hope it works out for you. Both of those resorts that I mentioned are alway filled during vacation season and start rentals at the $ 100 dollar range for small cabins. One of those places that I wish I was waking up in tomorrow morning. Thom

.........Sorry I brought it up... I should have known better.

Thanks for the info guys. The last time I was there the water was high and the fishing was tough. I might consider postponing till the following week .... I will keep that date in mind bman. Of course Taney is my choice and fishing out of the boat is much easier for me since my knees are so fragile. I always do well there though it sometimes takes a day to find what is on the menu ... after that is is fun and games. Thom

If anyone has any info on Maramec I would appreciate the info for this week. I am hoping to get down for a short trip thursday to try out some of the many winter time fly creations and gifts and swap flies. If it is good and water conditions reaasonable I might stay overnight. If any of y ou are going I will be the guy in the Grey Tahoe with the trout unlimited sticker on the back wearing a OAF hat. Hopefully the one with a fish on yellin "OH YEAH' Thanks. Thom

DaddyO I am using protek powder paint from Bass Pro but it is available at most tackle shops. It is a powder and comes in many colors. I have two shades of Roe orange, yellow, green, black and white. It is amazing and looks like professional colored jigs. Follow the directions on the jar and don't get the lead too hot or it will melt off. Just use a heat source lighter, torch, heat gun,candle or match to heat the lead for five or so seconds and then dip the lead part into the powder holding it with the lead down and the eye of the hook not submerged if possible. I just drag it across the top of the powder ...Sometimes I will just flash the heat source over the powder again to make it shiny. It takes a little practice but once you get on to it works great and is harder than enamel etc. I find it best to do batches at a time since it dries almost immediately it requires no hanger or such. I usually take ten or so 1/80 jig heads and make several orange ones for egg flies or several green ones for john deeres etc. Be sure to shake the powder with the container lid on each time befor using since it has a tendency to pack and settle down. The flufier the powder the better the end product. It is a little pricy for starting at 6 bucks a jar but I have some that I have had for a couple of years and can hardly tell I have used any out of the jar. I never have had any go bad. Liquid paint alway seems to dry up quickly and never lasts long at all due to the laquer base of the paint. Hope this helps .... takes time to catch on but it will come to you how hot to get the lead and how to dip etc. Thom

Unless you are going to mold your owns hooks with lead or fish unweighted jigs your options are limited on jig hook sizes. The weighted hooks found in the fly fishing area are usually on size 12 or 14 hooks which are fine for both fly rod and ultra light spin rods. I would als suggest that you go over to the crappie jig section and they have nice selections of weighted hooks with larger hooks which are also prepainted. I think they start around 1/64 th. I use the smaller 1/100 1/80 1/64 from the trout fly fishing and color the lead with powder paint. I also carry a small vice and tie some each night as I see what works. BTW you might check with Reeds cabins at Montauk to see what colors and sizes are working. They hav a nice fly shop there and are good to give advice. They are online at reedscabin.com or something like that.

It depends somewhat on how you are fishing. Fly rod I usually tie 1/100, 1/80, and 1/64 and fish according to how fast the water current is flowning. Usually the closer to the bottom the better. then shorten up if the fish are in the column or midging. If the flow is heavy or if you are fishing spinning gerar then go 1/32 to 1/8 depending again on the water flow. Vary colors of the heads and the use black and yellow mixtures especially at whistle time. Then have several other colors on hand and don't hesitate to tie on several different colors throughout the day. Check with the local shops and buy a few of their recommended flies for a pattern of what is working. Tight lines Thom

Quote: "When I grew up, we watched all of our TV for free, how much do you pay for the crap now? What is next, RADIO?" YOu are misinformed. The sky is not falling. I know several poeople that pay absolutely nothing for their digital tv broadcaasts and with a simple analog converter subsided by govt recieve more channels than they did before analog signals were eliminated or should I say reasigned. The old analog receivers still work fine. Actually under the new plan proposed there will be more free digital TV stations. That is why the broadcasters are screaming foul. If you read the complete report you would discover that the government would actually provilde more access to independent and less expensive tv broadcasats to librarys, schools and rural areas that have no access or limited access now. What sinister plot????? no additional power to govt control is being proposed at all. It will actually take the power away from the charters, at&t etc from forcing you to use their systems without a choice. BTW when the power is off and I want to watch tv or hear a radio I simply plug my old analog TV or any radio into a power inverter and watch away with a 12v battery. Works great. I watched a ballgame last summer that way and also had a small lamp burning at the same time. Cost of the inverter 40 dollarsa and the battery is my spare lawnmower battery.

Your question posed is answered on my last post. "Survivor...Ozark style" So far none have survived and all are MIA!

Due to the popularity of the Survivor shows, Missouri is planning to do its own, titled 'Survivor -Ozarks Style.' The contestants will start in Springfield , travel down to Branson and Hollister . Then, they will head west to Cassville, then proceed to Anderson. From there they will head north through Joplin and Carthage on their way to Nevada. Then east to Stockton, Bolivar, and Lebanon. From there, down to Mtn Grove, Cabool and West Plains. Then back west to Gainsville and up through Ava to Mansfield. The final leg will be back to Springfield! The contestants are required to slowly circle the square in each of these towns. Each will be driving a pink Volvo, at no faster than 50 mph, with California license plates and a HUGE bumper sticker that reads: I'm in favor of all equal rights for women and domestic couples.. I'm a vegetarian. Beer is harmful to your health. Obama is the greatest President of modern age. Deer hunting is murder, and I'm here to confiscate your guns.' The first one that makes it back to Springfield alive wins.. Let the games begin.

Hey Troutfiend: You had better be careful I read that a MDC agent recently shot and killed a beagle for harassing deer. He could have been harrassing wildlife, fish, crickets, earthworms, jigs. Big crime in Missouri. Glad you hooked up with some rainbows though. Thom

Two thoughts on Asian carp not going into the great lakes because it is too cold. In college I worked in a lab that did experminents on mutations and we purposedly exposed cells to environments that were not conducive to their growth and survival. In many cases they adapted and not only survived but sometimes thrived with the adaptations or mutations. We seldom saw armadillos in this part of the country but they are common now though not plentiful but in a few years maybe. How about the Bees coming up from South America and adapting from the tropical weather to the colder winter desert climates? The asian carp have devastated the tailwaters at Carlyle Lake in Illinois and the dead ones litter the banks and stream competing for food in the rock banks. I remember catching lots of large 12 and 13 inch crappie in those same rocks and that habitat but not any more to the extent as they were. Asian carp have become the Kudzu of the waterways and are not being controlled to my knowledge.

Thanks for posting the video. Great information.