Justin Spencer

I was personally shocked at how many of the tagged fish were released. My guess on the natural mortality rate is that they relied on recapture data. They have a percentage of the population that they assume they capture, by taking the number recaptured they can get an idea of how many tagged fish escaped capture and how many were dead. Take the dead number subtract the percentage harvested number and bingo you have percentage of natural mortality.

They try to use the hellbender as leverage which really pisses the hellbender biologists off because they realize these projects won't make a difference to their animal and only makes people less supportive of hellbender conservation. It is the old "we have money that we need to spend or we will lose it" game. With a million bucks they could purchase land (riverside canoe rental is for sale) and build a research facility, and that might actually benefit this endangered creature.

Come to think of it he does look a little pale.

I hope he is okay also. Here is a picture of him, if you see him alive and well let everyone know.

The forest service is getting ready to spend a cool million dollars to "improve" the access at North Fork recreation area in an effort to prevent erosion that is non-existent other than occasional on the access. We fought them hard to no avail and now we will get to see them spin their wheels spending our tax dollars to fix a problem that doesn't exist. I argued that many of the riffles in the privately owned part of the river are 10 times worse than their only access, to which they said, take pictures and we will give you recommendations on how to fix it, to which I said I don't have a million dollars to fix it so why bother. They informed me it was much easier to get money for new construction than for maintenance. Guess a million dollars is easier to get than what I would guess to be about $300 per year to maintain the current access. It's a wonder why our country goes in to debt!

Looks like a no see-um

It was my understanding that a lady who was part of one of the families bought the place for 8 million. Never heard anything about it being turned over to the state, but it is super cool that people can stay down there now. I'll be interested to hear if it is possible to fish in the spring. Every time I have been down there it looked very difficult to access and the water seemed fairly overgrown with coontail, or some kind of algae. Gorgeous setting overlooking the spring however, let me know if you go down Rick and I'm in for my share of the place if I'm free (and if you get enough people to make it affordable).

I agree with everything you said, but when it comes to healthy riparian corridors I have seen them adversely effected by the abundance of 50 year floods that now seem to happen every 5. The flood we had in August a couple years ago really grabbed the leaves on the trees and tore the crap out of what I would call "virgin banks" Some areas were widened by 20 feet in areas that had never seen a plow or chainsaw. New islands were cut, and old islands washed away. These damaged areas now are more prone to erosion than ever and only a prolonged period of no major floods will allow them to heal, but I don't see how that 20 feet of bank will ever come back.

Where did you catch that one Mac? Should be a few in the river after yesterday's big rise.

Went to a Royals playoff game and a Cardinals playoff game last year. Way more energy at the Royals game. Both teams won, but no comparison in the atmosphere. I think St Louis needs a few down years to appreciate what they have.

I heard it was full again.

Some of my best flies are patterns I made up and when I tell people they work and try to sell them no one will buy them, most lures and flies are made more for the fishermen than the fish. The uglier the lure the more I enjoy catching fish on it.

Browns were stocked a couple weeks ago and are super easy to catch right now if you will forget everything you know about fly fishing the North Fork. Did a little streamside guiding here yesterday and while we primarily fished the heavy water dead drifting nymphs the way we typically do here we found that the stockers would hardly take it unless it was on the swing or just dangling downstream in the current. I fished a couple hours before dark last night in decent moving water below the riffles (the wider section below our island down to the boat ramp for those who have been here) and just swung and stripped a pats rubberlegs with no indicator. Caught probably 20 or so and had another 10 eats. One little rainbow and the rest fresh pellet pigs. Some of the stockers were pushing 13-14 inches and the bigger ones seem to be pretty fat. Lately spin fishermen have been doing great, but drift boat fly fishermen have been struggling (my guess is due to them dead drifting the riffles like we normally do). If you don't mind catching stockers on the lower section just put on a wooly, leach or rubberlegs and fish it like a streamer in slower water than normal and you will have a ball. If you have a sink tip line might even be better. Good Day!

I would swing by Blue Ribbon fly shop on your way in and get some advice, I think they are open again. Always pays off to get the latest and greatest information on tackle and techniques from the local source!

For sure the most early season baseball fun I can remember, I just hope we don't get the whole team suspended by the all star break!

Time for Ventura to chill a little, looks like kc finally has professional hockey.

I agree that teams must pitch inside, I'm just saying do a little of the same and pitchers might think twice if they feel they are endangering their players. Royals are letting themselves be victimized, I don't blame other teams for doing it.

Time to start plunking some of the others teams batters, pitchers have been a little too aggressive inside with us. We need to let them know we will retaliate, I was happy to see us getting on base anyway possible, but unfortunately things like this can happen. Let Herrera or Davis play a little chin music and the other teams batters will be begging their pitchers to lay off a little bit.

At Crane they hunt in packs, a buddy of my had 7 encircle him slowly closing in with mouths agape. Thankfully I had on my snake boots and was able to rescue him with a firemans carry. Needless to say I will never go back to that snakepit.

That's my 1 superstition.

I hit the chiropractor as needed. I used to think they were a little hokie pokie, but the good ones work wonders! If you have never done it I would highly suggest it.

I have been catching them on Rubberleg Gotcha's that I tied for bonefish. Had a feeling they would work on whites and they do!

Without bringing partisan politics into the discussion, I am wondering what you think the future of our government looks like. It seems to me that very few policy changes are made through congress anymore, and we have only seen new laws through executive actions recently. With the president not being up for re-election he is the only person in our current system of no term limit Washington politics, that has nothing to lose if he pisses people off. With social media and 24 hour news networks it seems like congress has no spine and fears that if they are perceived to be against their base their re-election chances will go out the window. I don't see how this gridlock will change in the future unless changes are made in how our government runs, mainly through term limits and campaign contribution reform.

With bigger nymphs you also need to consider water clarity. We throw lots of size 4-8 stoneflies on the NFoW, when it is clear I will go to 4x.

I won't be able to be in Jeff City on Monday, but I know some of our association will, our lobbyist has been on top of it and with the Bob Burns's and the Bear Bass's of the world being directly affected you better believe they will get an ear full. They have a whole lot more to lose than I do, I'm leaving on a cruise in case it is my last chance to vacation before I need to change careers. It seems like our public officials get worse with each election! On a brighter note, get out and fish this week, water levels are awesome and the weather should be good!