Be Thankful For What We Have

[Justin Spencer]

Justin, if you could, pm some prices of shuttles far upstream on both NFWR & Bryant creek.

That all depends on where you want to start and end. Usually charge $50 for a shuttle way up on either river (your gas). Also depends on where you want to end. Not sure what Twin Bridges charges, but they are up high and much closer to the upper end of both streams. Might be cheaper to use them, but I'm not sure. I understand wanting to save money and always tell people about Twin on the upper end thinking it should save them some. Upper ends of both streams are really good for smallmouth.

[Guest TLewis74]

That all depends on where you want to start and end. Usually charge $50 for a shuttle way up on either river (your gas). Also depends on where you want to end. Not sure what Twin Bridges charges, but they are up high and much closer to the upper end of both streams. Might be cheaper to use them, but I'm not sure. I understand wanting to save money and always tell people about Twin on the upper end thinking it should save them some. Upper ends of both streams are really good for smallmouth.

Thanx for the info. Never early enough to make plans for next year. You do any shuttles on Beaver for the right price?

[Guest TLewis74]

Beaver Creek that is, lol...

[Justin Spencer]

Beaver Creek that is, lol

Not exactly sure how to get there, so I bet it wouldn't be for the right price.

But back to the topic at hand, we should be thankful for what we have. Easy public access to any kind of fishing or floating you could want. A great variety of guides and outfitters that can help make your trip successful, and four wonderful seasons that each provide their own pros and cons.

[ozark trout fisher]

The Ozarks are blessed with a better than average percentage of good water that is open to everyone, which is a large part of why this is one of the better fishing destinations in the country...But it's a constant fight, and it's just a matter of time until someone like Donny Beavers sets his sights on the region and tries to by up as much good water as possible for "fishing clubs" only open to those who can pay extremely hefty amounts of money. It's happening in most good fishing destinations across the country and it could happen here. Indeed, it has to an extent, with some of the "trout farms" that have bought up good spring creeks, although to their credit most of those places have rates that most people can afford, if only occasionally.

Personally I don't have much of a problem with private campgrounds or other people that own land along the river charging $5 or $10 for fishing access. That's a whole lot better than them selling their land to someone who would charge 10 times as much, or deny access altogether.

[Mitch f]

The Ozarks are blessed with a better than average percentage of good water that is open to everyone, which is a large part of why this is one of the better fishing destinations in the country...But it's a constant fight, and it's just a matter of time until someone like Donny Beavers sets his sights on the region and tries to by up as much good water as possible for "fishing clubs" only open to those who can pay extremely hefty amounts of money. It's happening in most good fishing destinations across the country and it could happen here. Indeed, it has to an extent, with some of the "trout farms" that have bought up good spring creeks, although to their credit most of those places have rates that most people can afford, if only occasionally.

Personally I don't have much of a problem with private campgrounds or other people that own land along the river charging $5 or $10 for fishing access. That's a whole lot better than them selling their land to someone who would charge 10 times as much, or deny access altogether.

So the moral of the story is: Don't let this Donny guy or anyone else know the best spots

This is exactly why I'm reluctant to give out good fishing spots. In the end, a bunch of well meaning people will turn the place into a tourist hot spot and then you have to take a number to fish your favorite point. I really don't mind giving out general information but not specific spots. That even goes for places out of state. The Menominee river was and is one of the best smallmouth rivers in the US. A local guide service is now taking out several drift boats full of fly fisherman everyday down the same stretch all summer long. The "shore lunch spot", according to a good source, looks like a cow pasture watering hole. I'm not against anyone making money to support their families in this down economy, but I refuse to speed up the process.

[exiledguide]

So the moral of the story is: Don't let this Donny guy or anyone else know the best spots

This is exactly why I'm reluctant to give out good fishing spots. In the end, a bunch of well meaning people will turn the place into a tourist hot spot and then you have to take a number to fish your favorite point. I really don't mind giving out general information but not specific spots. That even goes for places out of state. The Menominee river was and is one of the best smallmouth rivers in the US. A local guide service is now taking out several drift boats full of fly fisherman everyday down the same stretch all summer long. The "shore lunch spot", according to a good source, looks like a cow pasture watering hole. I'm not against anyone making money to support their families in this down economy, but I refuse to speed up the process.

I agree about 20 years ago I quit the Black River which I had fished for about 20 years. I remember going to Johnson Shut Inns and catching a lot of fish and not seeing anyone after I got out off sight downstream off the swiming hole. I also remember camping at Twin Rivers landing with my family and wade fishing both the river and the east fork and seeing very few canoes or people and those we saw were not the @%#@^&%$# that are on the rivers now. That was the reason we allways owned access property some where so we didn't have to put up with that crap. I really am glad that there are private outfitters and campgrounds in the area.

[Al Agnew]

I have no problem with shuttle fees. Even the ones I think are more expensive than they should be. I understand that shuttles don't make the operator much money and take time. There are places that charge $45 or more for a shuttle that's less than 15 miles by road, and that's ridiculous, but they are usually the only ones servicing that stretch (or in at least one case, the two that service the stretch got together and both agreed to charge the same exorbitant fee). But even in those cases, the $45-50 is not much more than it would cost to drive two vehicles that far from home instead of one in order to do it yourself.

Interesting that Diamond Valley Lake in southern CA was mentioned. I had to make a business trip out there last week, and got in a day of bass fishing on the next lake over from Diamond Valley, which has the same fee structure. Keep in mind, that's a public lake. It was interesting in that a lake that size with fishing that good in MO would have had 30 or more boats on it on a nice weekday...that lake had three boats including ours. Was the cost the reason, or just the fact that there aren't a huge number of bass anglers in SOCAL?

I also had to chuckle about the whole inspection thing (trying to keep out quagga mussels). We had to get out as we left and dry off the boat with a big towel, and then got chewed out by the inspector lady because we missed a little puddle in the overflow area next to the motor. And yet the trailer bunks, covered in carpeting, were still dripping.

And my fishing friends out there are really ticked off about the "environmentalists" (actually animal rights idiots) who have convinced the legislature to force the fish and game people to close large segments of the coast to all fishing. Makes having a conservation department independent of the legislature here in MO something to be happy about. No way I'd live in California.

[Feathers and Fins]

Al most my family is still there. Perris and Skinner are the two lakes near Diamond. Perris is State owned and Skinner and Diamond are Metro Water District. Its funny they are so worried about the mussle yet both are fed by the colorada river. Its all about money out there. Perris is an amazing Bass lake I have caught many LMB up to 16 pnds from it with 8pnd being very common. It has a wonderful summer fishery for Trout. It held the world record Alabama Spot for along time and still may i havent checked.

Skinner is a striper lake with some nice smallmouth and trout in it. Skinner seldom had pressure on it because of Perris being so close. But winter striper fishing would see 100's of boats on skinner chasing them and Perris was always packed with Bass Anglers.

The areas of the coast they have closed broke my heart when i heard about it I grew up fishing those areas and some of my best memories with my father and grandfather were there. But there is even a bigger kicker.

Apparently Cal DFG is now in Working with HSUS or at least letting HSUS train wardens. Tell me how crazy that it to allow the biggest Animal Rights/ Extremist group around to be working with a Fish and Game. When I was told about it by my Uncle I about called him a liar till he showed me the article.

Im so thankful for what we have here every day when i read stories around the country of whats going on in other places.

[eric1978]

animal rights idiots

That's an awfully broad brush you're painting with there, Al. Some of them are idiots, like the ones who want to take the steak off your table, and others are just trying to stop horrors like this: