Bank Fishing

[SKMO]

SKMO, Can you give directions to this place. I can't find it on any sites.

Thanks

Phil - Look at this map, your own site! It is labeled as Kings River Public Use Area. Most locals call it Sweetwater.

http://ozarkanglers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=229&Itemid=47

To drive there turn N on Hwy J at Ball & Prier in Golden. About a mile up J, it will turn L at the post office, instead go straight through the intersection and get on Hwy RA. I think you take RA all the way to area. It is one of the campgrounds the Corps closed in the early 90's. Has a decent ramp and plenty of parking. You can bank fish in the main channel of the Kings, or in Sweetwater cove.

There is a little side pocket next to the ramp (shows on your map just W of the ramp symbol)that is really good.

Also if you look at your map, just N of Sweetwater cove you will see "Little Sweetwater" cove. You can see that the tip of the cove is cut off by the county road. This is a good place to bankfish (the causeway) especially for catfish, and bluegill and crappie the right time of the year. Also it is a really good place if you are in a canoe, kayak, belly boat, paddleboat etc.

The road cuts off the end of the cove essentially making an isolated "pond" of 2-3 acres connected to the lake by a tin whistle. I am not aware of any other place on TR were this exists, but it probably does. Anyway if you have a small craft of sorts and don't want to battle the wakes and wind on the main this might be a little corner of paradise for you, I would imagine you would have it to yourself most of the time.

There have been a couple times in the last several years when the lake got high enough to go over the roadbed and I was able to float a full size boat into there. Otherwise I think it is more or less a large public pond that nobody fishes. I would guess there is around 15' of water depth in the middle.

[SKMO]

Look at this map I created and see if I'm missing anything. I guess what I'm after is accesses and parks and places to fish from the bank.

Thanks

pl

bank.pdf

I can think of quite a few other places that are common bank access points, not sure how far you want to go with this. It's actually a great idea, pointing people to where they can bank fish. A great idea. I can tell you a bunch more.

Your map is missing Buster Bawls Bluff trail, hands down the best walleye spot on the lake in late Winter / Spring.

I can toss you a few other great spots if you are interested.

Camper's point, Roaring River, Holiday Island. Lots of bank spots worthy of mention.

There are a lot more places to bank fish than you would imagine. Pretty much if you can drive on a public road (county or road district) to the Corps "take line", you are home free. Just pull over and park and you have every right to fish, swim, picnic, sunbathe on the shoreline. You might get some grief by someone telling you you are trespassing but it is ignorance or a bluff on their part. Actually in my neighborhood I don't think you would get a second look if you just pulled in and set up and behaved yourself.

The subdivision I live in has the roads maintained by Viola Special Road District (public)and you can drive right to the shoreline owned by the Corps, i.e. you and me. I would not want to get into a pizzen match with anybody and ruin the day, but if you are savvy and can read a map and be polite there is a lot of public shoreline. Just drive in and pretend like you own the place because chances are you do.

Oh you will have a lot of differing opinions but it is fairly cut and dried.

[Phil Lilley]

Ugggh... I need to update those TR maps. They have an old email address on them, plus I bet I could improve them.

Here's the updated map.

Any comments?

[Phil Lilley]

The top image is manageable... the other one is too big.

One thing... I had to cut off the west end of the lake cause the map needed to be 8.5 x 11 inches. I guess I need to make another map with the west side included. It'll have to be done later this week - no time right now.

[SKMO]

Here's the updated map.

Any comments?

Well there is some really high quality imagery available online from Google Maps, Google Earth, Missouri Map Room (CARES), Topozone and other places. I use them a lot. Missouri Map Room is especially good for folks that want a 1:24,000 USGS topo, basically the best map out there.

So my comment would be to not reinvent the wheel but see if one of the sharper tacks (tech-wise)on this forum knows how to put markers / icons on an existing online map and maybe link to that map or redisplay the graphic image.

I see this all the time but don't have a clue how to do it.

I use ArcGIS most every day at work so I'm not a mapping idjit, just don't know how to get there from here, interweb-wise.