Linden To The Park

[OzarkFishman]

Let me start by saying ... NEXT TIME I WILL DO MY HOMEWORK!!!

We put in the canoe at 6 and made it to the park at 9:30, now for story time ...

I started out throwing a little lizard and was immediately getting hit by bluegill. After losing 2 tails, I made one switch and that was all that was needed to start catching some nice bass (green bitsy tube). Saw a nice laydown and the eddy that was created just downstream, told the guy with me that I was going to catch a 15 inch largie on my next cast ... FISH ON (pic below). Not the biggest fish, but it was a nice fight. Kept thowing the tube and ended up with 13 fish by 8 o'clock (8 smallies, 3 largies , and 2 Ozark bass). Lost a nice 15"+ smallie at the canoe, but I couldn't complain. My buddy only boated one, but it was a solid smallie on a popper (he was paddling more than me and only fished topwater, thank goodness for great friends).

Above is the good part of the story, the real story starts now ...

From 6 to 8, we only got about 45 minutes of fishing in since we were dragging so much. Needless to say, by around 8 we were far away from the park and it was getting dark quick. We started paddling through some amazing looking slow pools and came to a bridge that I was hoping would be riverside, then I saw a car go over it and knew we were in for a long night. As the sun faded over the horizon, we both turned on our headlamps and just kept moving. We weren't talking much at this point, since I had obviously got us into something that I shouldn't have (At least this late at night). Let's just say there were parts where we were dragging (ok, we were carrying the canoe) 20 - 40 yards. Did we make a wrong choice at one of the V's of the river... I think so ...

As the water is running out in front of us and the gravel bar goes up hill we stop, both of us had a weird feeling and we both somehow sensed it from each other. We both shined our headlamps up into the trees and saw some eyes ... then we looked again and saw 5 sets of eyes. We kept looking and the eyes kept looking back ...the "fight or flight" feeling came on and we both grabbed our oars. No one moved and my buddy told me to get out my knife (which I did NOT do) ... I felt more comfortable with the oar in my hand. Finally, he decided to throw a rock at one set of eyes and I followed suit. We started carrying the canoe and kept a watchful eye.

Back on the water and very motivated to get to the park, we started paddling (staying in the middle of the river). Going through a slow pool, when a big commotion starts just feet in front of the canoe ... just a goose, but I think I pooped my pants a little ...

We never saw the eyes again, but we did drag a few more times. Looking back on it, they were more than likely coyotes (actually, that is the only thing I think it could have been). What do you all think???

It was quite an adventure that started out AMAZING and ended up the most memorable float ever for me. I can't wait to do this float again, but next time it will be a morning float with more water in the river.

The fish are biting and the coyotes are hungry ...

Good fishing to all,

OzarkFishman

PS - the picture of the smallie when it is almost dark is probably 2 - 3 miles above the park ... we did not time that float well ...

[Daveinozark]

wow, you trying to scare off everyone from finley?

could it have been deer or cows or were they closer to the ground?

[OzarkFishman]

Definitely closer to the ground. I used to go coon hunting fairly regularly ... so being out at night doesn't get to me very much.

Not saying that I couldn't be wrong, but I don't think it was deer or cow (I am wrong daily, my wife reminds me of that).

Either way, it was an exciting night.

Hit the rivers boys and girls, the fish are feisty these days ...

[Wayne SW/MO]

Oh well, live and learn and make memories. I would imagine it was cattle, they will do just that. Thay are generally very curious animals.

[OzarkFishman]

I would say you are right, but this was in an area where the river split and the "eyes" were on the middle ground. I doubt that any land owner around the Finley would keep cattle without a fence ...

The cows would have had to jump a fence ... also the eyes were closer together than cattle. I have a friend that breeds bulls and we have driven around his fields many times after dark with a spot light.

Again, not saying I am correct in my assumption, but I can almost certainly say it wasn't cattle.

Either way, you are correct ... LIVE AND LEARN!!!

[Al Agnew]

Being on a river after dark can be spooky, but I don't know of any wild creature other than cottonmouths that would pose any danger whatsoever on Ozark streams. I used to do a lot of night floating (on purpose), and as long as I didn't let my imagination run wild and stayed grounded in reality I was never afraid of anything. But night floating is a different experience. Little riffles that you KNOW are no big deal sound like Niagara Falls in the dark. Beavers slapping their tails on the water 20 feet away will startle the bejeezus out of you. Bass that you crowd against the bank will jump, hit the side of the boat, or into the boat, or even hit you in the head (happened to me once). And then there was the great horned owl that hit my lure...

[RSBreth]

I usually tell people that float is about a half-day if you fish and don't hurry. Putting in at 6 p.m.? Yep - gonna have to paddle hard and still wind up in the dark.

At least nothing went really wrong.

[OzarkFishman]

RS, I think I keep seeing you at Wal-Mart ... next time I will say hi.

Al, I think it may have been that crazy liger that got loose last week ... Then, it found a mate and had 3 kitties in 2 days and they were hungry ... You've got a point there Al, it actually occurred on a part of the river that I frequent often (guess I don't have balls of steel ...)!!

You all are probably correct ... I was probably more frustrated than I thought in my stupid descision to put in so late.

[Daveinozark]

I ran into Randy at Walmart a few times too

he must live there