Hey From Rolla

[chillin the most]

Age 54 in Rolla.

Trying to get the most enjoyment out of life while still able.

I have too many hobbies already and haven't been much for fishing but made time for it in summer 2009.

My experience was mostly just boating on weekends with friends on the Gasconade but the ramp washed out at Arlington, MO last year so I rented canoes and hung out on the upper Meramec and Big Piney.

Wife was turned onto fishing by her grandpa and her 09 New Year's resolution was to go fishing.

My son is now 14 y.o. with a formidable power-to-weight ratio and watching him reminds me how fast life goes by.

We did 5 trips by canoe. Boiling Springs to Mason Bridge on the Piney. And 4 trips on the stretch between Wesco and Hwy 8 bridge on the Meramec. Went mid-week to avoid the crowds. Portaged a lot with storm damage and trees in the water but also shook hands with lots of smallies. Almost prefer watching the fishies to hooking them. Saw many big clear pools this year with scores of fish hanging out with the occasional gar and catfish. Saw big deep pools of blue water with foot-long bass suspended all around.

We rode a Buffalo Canoe at Boiling Springs and was very impressed. The boat was a total beater with many major repairs but could slide sideways down a shoal like a champ.

There was a slick magazine called Fishing and Hunting Journal out of Clayton years ago and my wife bought my Christmas present from an ad in there. This was my intro to Al Agnew's work.

Right now, I'm mainly interested in streams within striking distance of Rolla. I have not yet been on the Courtois, Huzzah, Roubidoux, Jack's Fork, Eleven Point, or many parts of the Gasconade. I especially want to revisit the Black River, Sinkin Creek, and Little Piney. I have several power and paddle boats but for now appreciate the insider knowledge and privileges that come with paying the livery companies for a canoe and shuttle.

I probably won't have much to say here but I am having a blast combing through the archives. I regged mainly so I could see all the pictures.

Have fun on your run!

[awhuber]

Hey there

[chillin the most]

Hey There in Salem by the Current!

It is snowing to beat the blazes here in Rolla and the cabin fever is getting fierce.

But I have no desire to float in the winter--especially after reading about bobber's adventure January 2.

Here is a pic of my floating buddy in the rented Buffalo canoe last summer.

Summer 2009 was a good year here. It seems like the creeks get too low in the summer in recent years but we had good rain in June and July this time around.

My father used to reminisce about the run to Mason Bridge and by golly, the planets aligned this year and we did it.

We saw lots of trees in the creek from the windstorms this year. We portaged on the Piney float in three places.

The lower stretch above Mason Bridge had lots of downed trees. But it had lots of fishy places too.