11-8-09 Baptist Camp To Cedar Grove

[FishinCricket]

Okay, so it's been a while since I typed up a report.. It's not been because I haven't been fishing, it's just because there's really been nothing to photo recently, and I always like to include a photo when I post a report. In fact I am always embarrassed that I don't take photos of all the beautiful scenery, but alas it's just a phone camera...

Down to the report:

On a whim the wife decided that she just had to get out of the house and do something.. We kicked around a few ideas, like heading down to the Landing and meeting Phil, hiring a guide on Table Rock or LOZ, running off to Mexico for good, you know, the usual stuff..

We ended up heading down to the Current river. The water levels have been crazy recently (flooded two weeks ago) and the levels were still up a bit, the water was a bit murky and running a little faster than it usually is (I am told), but it made for a pretty comfortable float on the trophy waters..

We didn't put in til about noon (almost didn't find a shuttle company open, but Aker's Ferry took us up and put us in) and I figured we would be pushing it to get off the river by sundown. I was right, we were pulling in to the low wter bridge just as the last fading sunlight left us.

Along the way we saw some amazing stuff! The wife spotted a couple different deer, a raccoon, a Bald Eagle, a Heron.. etc, etc.. Lots of pretty scenery, and the spots where the bluffs come down to meet the river are just amazing!

Seemed like fishing deep next to the bluffs was the ticket too... We'd float down through the lower water and the rapids, then I'd hop out and hold the boat in the slack water next to the bluffs. Most my fish came from the lil Maribou jig i'm so fond of, but I did have some good luck with the big swimbaits from above those rapids as well.. Seems like the fish find the deep holes and stage at the top or bottom of them behind boulders and such.. Really had to get the lure down there into the sand to do any good.

Patty hooked the first fish (she used the same one inch wonder that's been tied on all freakin' summer), a 12 inch trout.. Then I missed a couple goggleye, got one small one to the boat, missed a pretty big smallie, then immidiately hooked a 2 pound rainbow in the deep blue hole we came to (that wasn't already populated by guys in waders with canoes tied to them..to be honest, the first 1000 yards or so was like paddling through Bennett or something, we were dodging fisherman left and right!)..

All in all she ended up with 10 fish (Rainbow, Brown, Smallie, Perch, goggleye, chub minnow) and I ended up with 18 (Rainbow, Brown, Smallie, Goggleye)

Highlight of the day was the big brown I caught. I was forwarned that this hole might contain some monsters, so I walked the canoe slowly downstream and kept my eye on the deep spot downstream. BIG BROWNS!! I actually saw three of them swimming around in the hole... I fished for them for about 30 minutes with my different big swimmers, but only managed to scare them off by hooking their lil buddy, a 12 inch smallie with a belly like a football!

So I gave up on the swim baits, got in the canoe (so I could cast out that far) and got out the ultralight and the lil maribou. first cast to the hole, bounced it twice and BAM!

This rod is not the rod I was planning to bring.. It is my original Ugly Stick Ultralight (bought 15 years ago) and I (when I say I, what I mean is my wife) inadvertantly grabbed it instead of the one with the fresh string on it. Didn't realize it until that fish was on and he took me all the way to my knot (which was only about 30 yards, but luckily was a far as the deep water went), he jumped two or three times and gave me one of the best fights I have had in a while. He wasn't big enough to keep (17 inches or so), but he would have went back anyways.. Took a bit to revive him.

The only other note I can think to add is that Aker's dropped off two guys along with us, each of them piloting his own canoe, and their plan was to paddle down to Akers Ferry before dark! Now, I can't say I have attempted it on this river, but I am guessing they ended up paddling (and possibly wading) late into the night.. 16 miles in 6 hours or less? Including at least three portages that I am aware of... You tell me, but I think they were freakin crazy and I told em so... to their credit, the Outfitters did try and talk them out of it for a minute, but quickly gave up and took their money.. lol

Hope you enjoyed the report as much as I enjoyed the river! (onlly picked up a few pieces of trash and two outfitter supplied trash bags, the river up there is pretty clean!)

[eric1978]

Good report cricket, nice fish. There's no way you can do 16 miles in 6 hours unless you're hauling the whole time...still probably wouldn't make it if you stopped to fish at all.

[FishinCricket]

Good report cricket, nice fish. There's no way you can do 16 miles in 6 hours unless you're hauling the whole time...still probably wouldn't make it if you stopped to fish at all.

Thanks..

Yeah, those guys didn't even have fishing poles, so I am pretty sure they were just planning on booking it downstream.. Not a whole lot of fun if you ask me.. And probably a dark, cold, wet arrival at the takeout.. lol But hey, it's their 80 bucks.. lol

[flyfishmaster]

Cricket,

Thanks for the report, and nice phish. Did you take your long rod for the trip or just the spinning gear?

Later,

FFM

[FishinCricket]

Just spinning gear this time.. Still working on my long rod technique, and frankly I am still at the point where I can beg out cause I needed my arm for paddling..

[joeD]

Are those capri pants? Not that there's anything wrong with that...

[FishinCricket]

Are those capri pants? Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Hmm, I think they call them cabela's breathable fishing khaki's, but I only bought them cause they match my rouge, eyeshadow and lipbalm combination.... :bats eyelashes:

[fishinwrench]

Awesome man ! The Current is a sweet stream isn't it ? There's alot of it I've yet to fish.

Don't you wish they'd stock and manage the Niangua like that ? LOL

[brownieman]

Those 2 guys in the canoes passed me around 2:30 ??. somewhere right in there, about 1 1/2 miles above Cedar.

Sounds and looks like you had a good day.

They were there to paddle, not fish...don't ask me but I've seen alot of folk that act like it's a race...whatever, lol.

With the water up and moving good they probably made it but not a very relaxing trip.

Long as all enjoyed themselves is all that matters.

Was kinda hangin around waitin for a guy and his wife floating that day...I think he and the wife got hung on a sand bar upstream or something, lol.

later on

least those capri pants got some fish slime on em, lol

[FishinCricket]

Awesome man ! The Current is a sweet stream isn't it ? There's alot of it I've yet to fish.

Don't you wish they'd stock and manage the Niangua like that ? LOL

That section of the river was freakin sweet! All of it looks like killer smallmouth waters.. But no soft plastics means my trusted tactics for the monsters is OUT so I'll have to think on that one for a while.. Maybe early spring topwater? Like the Niangua?

Those 2 guys in the canoes passed me around 2:30 ??. somewhere right in there, about 1 1/2 miles above Cedar.

Sounds and looks like you had a good day.

They were there to paddle, not fish...don't ask me but I've seen alot of folk that act like it's a race...whatever, lol.

With the water up and moving good they probably made it but not a very relaxing trip.

Long as all enjoyed themselves is all that matters.

Well I tried to give them some solid advice, but I did give them one piece of information.. They thought that Cedar to Akers was less than 1/3 of the trip (rather than about half), so I am sure by the time they got to the bridge (say around 3 or so?) they realized they were getting ready to get a workout or suffer the consequences..

They didn't seem like complete goofs, so I'll keep high hopes.. Almost wanted to ask for their number or something just to check up on them....

Was kinda hangin around waitin for a guy and his wife floating that day...I think he and the wife got hung on a sand bar upstream or something, lol.

Right.. lol (leans over and whispers to wrench) You see this guy? Hurtin' so bad he don't know whether he's coming or going! He was supposed to be at the Ford at around one or so, but I don't blame him for not meeting up with me.. He's hurtin' so bad he missed someone's birthday the day before!

(you know I'm just teasin' ya, buddy)