Last Two Sunday Mornings

[XP 590]

Since I discovered fishing on the Niangua two years ago, I haven't set foot in the Park. I'm not knocking Bennett, I grew up fishing there, I just enjoy the solitude on the river more, and I've always caught fish out there. I made it down for some early morning fishing the last two Sundays and had great luck. May 31, I fished the entire area around the Bennett Access down to that big log on the far side from 7:00-10:00 AM and killed them, I think they had stocked that area earlier in the week and there were lots of fish holding in there. The best thing about it is that I was catching them on my own fly for the first time, looks like fly tying will be my new obsession. I managed to tie an ugly little flashy olive woolybugger for my first attempt and now I'm hooked. I took a break mid day then went down to Barclay around five and caught another handful.

Last weekend, I started at the Bennet Access again and couldn't buy a fish for the first hour or so, then I managed to get into a batch. I followed that up by fishing at Barclay until about noon and landed a dozen or so. The aluminum hatch appears to just be starting for the season but I managed to be pretty much ahead of it by hitting the river early.

[FishinCricket]

Heya, were fishing the same holes, me thinks... I had pretty good luck on those days too.. Keep an eye out for me, a little silver two door tracker with a big goofy looking guy driving it.. Red hat and green waders, and an uglystick ultralight.. Oh, and usually with a decent one on the stringer and a story about a missing lure and a lunker!

[oneshot]

Hey CadillaCricket watch someone is trying to give away our secret.

oneshot

[XP 590]

I think the secret is safe Oneshot, most flyfishing snobs like me won't tolerate the canoe traffic. Although the bikini hatch that goes along with the aluminum hatch isn't bad!

[FishinCricket]

Hey CadillaCricket watch someone is trying to give away our secret.

oneshot

A very well kept secret too.. Maybe we should spread a rumor about a 15 foot, man-eating cottonmouth terrorizing that stretch of river?

[FishinCricket]

I think the secret is safe Oneshot, most flyfishing snobs like me won't tolerate the canoe traffic. Although the bikini hatch that goes along with the aluminum hatch isn't bad!

Hey, there are few things more enjoyable that having a fish jump right into a boat full of skirts.. You'll get lots of attention. Made 100 dollars last year dragging drunks and their canoes out of the river.

I fished last year during the gay pride float.. Didn't think about me and my brother standing there, sans shirts, until a guy floated by I a pirates outfit and asked "Got a little pirate in you? Want one?"

My brother in law just about had a conniption.. LOL.

I think it keeps it interesting, and jeeps me from becoming one of the uptight/cranky/hater fisherman I loath..

[oneshot]

Hey, there are few things more enjoyable that having a fish jump right into a boat full of skirts.. You'll get lots of attention. Made 100 dollars last year dragging drunks and their canoes out of the river.

I fished last year during the gay pride float.. Didn't think about me and my brother standing there, sans shirts, until a guy floated by I a pirates outfit and asked "Got a little pirate in you? Want one?"

My brother in law just about had a conniption.. LOL.

I think it keeps it interesting, and jeeps me from becoming one of the uptight/cranky/hater fisherman I loath..

Guy asked me the other day if this was normal? I told him no it gets worse.

oneshot

[FishinCricket]

Guy asked me the other day if this was normal? I told him no it gets worse.

oneshot

Yes, there are times when that is a lull in the traffic..

I hooked a big smallmouth one time when I was younger and had to wade between canoes to chase it.. A guy smacked me with a paddle, my brother literally walked from canoe to canoe til he got to him and beat him up.. And that was all before noon!

But it's sooo much revenue for our area.... (sneer)

[Scooper]

Yes, there are times when that is a lull in the traffic..

I hooked a big smallmouth one time when I was younger and had to wade between canoes to chase it.. A guy smacked me with a paddle, my brother literally walked from canoe to canoe til he got to him and beat him up.. And that was all before noon!

But it's sooo much revenue for our area.... (sneer)

I've floated the Niangua since the 1960s and my late Dad (who passed away 2 years ago) camped, fished and floated on the river since the 1940s, when there were very few people in that area. We try our best to avoid floating on weekends due to the canoe traffic. The "jacka** factor" is pegged on summer weekends on not only the Niangua, but any Ozark River. About 8 years ago, on a Saturday in early July, we floated the Niangua from Bennett to Barclay. We put in at about 5:30 a.m. and had the river to ourselves until NRO. The canoes coming out of NRO looked like hornets flying out of their nest. We dodged and weaved our way through them and got sprayed with water cannons, including my then 82-year old father. Inconsiderate a**h****. So, I'm not surprised that some idiot smacked you with a paddle. Glad your brother put him in his place.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Guy asked me the other day if this was normal? I told him no it gets worse.

That picture looks like 3 o'clock in the afternoon if its a recent one.

The DNR should have done their job 25 years ago before they let Rogers add canoes to the park. After that they couldn't tell anyone no. It was thier job to keep the river fun for all, but they folded and failed to do their job.