Advice For A First Timer - 10/16- 10/21

[larryb]

Thanks Mark and MaxDrown, your comments helped a lot and we are staying in Missouri, will let you know how it goes. We are getting very excited. Mark, I will be looking for you! Thanks again.

[Mark]

Look for us at the first gravel bar down from Turner Mill access. We are not floating this fall trip. One friend has a jet prop and will shuttle us to one of our favorite gravel bars to hang out for the day on Friday. We'll prolly pick another spot for Saturday.

[Mark]

Larry - one final tip on one of the best, most awesome places to camp and fish (and my buddies will give me crap for this one), - about 3 miles downstream from Turner Mill (or 8 miles from Greer) you will come to Tumbling Shoals, the largest rapids on the upper section. You will know it when you get there. It's an easy run, but a good drop off with some whitewater waves even in this low water. At the bottom of the run, the river makes a slight right turn and a gravel bar is on the right. A slight hill from the gravel bar to a great campsite. The tailwaters of this shoal is one of the best fishing spots on the river - we absolutely slayed them here a month ago - and it is a definite spot to hit every trip. Since you are going this time of year and heading out on a weekday, you are almost 100% be guaranteed that no one will be camping there. The sound of running water splashing all night makes for great campsite.

You know you are getting close when you get to a big wide right turn with deep water and you see a cave up on the hill on your left. You will have about a quarter mile of very deep water after the turn before getting to Tumbling Shoals. It's my favorite place to camp on the entire river and we always catch fish there.

[larryb]

Wow, Mark, thanks, come on down to South Carolina and I will put you on some redfish and trout. I am from St. Louis, been in SC for 30 years, my brother still lives in STL and we have tried to do a Missouri trip the last few years, do Quetico and this year Wilderness Caribou in the summer. My first canoe trip as a kid was the Gasconade. Thanks again for all the help.

[larryb]

We returned from our trip and I am safely back in South Carolina. Thanks to all that helped with advice and encouragement.

Appreciate Brian getting us out of a jam and renting/shuttling us. We began the trip the day before that big front was coming through, put in at Greer and went just a few miles to focus on fishing and make it possible to make it to Mark's spot near Tumbling Shoals, thinking that we would catch some fish and be a bit higher if it really rained.

I was actually pretty pleased with our initial trout fishing efforts as we caught about eight that first few hours, all on Panther Martins in moving water.

Unfortunately the weather changed and just as the pasta was getting ready, a tremendous cloud came over and pelted us with some lightening to keep it exciting. Unfortunately, the pasta was a casualty. By the next morning it was cold, very windy and rainy and pretty much stayed that way until the day we pulled out. Had to wear the long underwear in some 45 degree morning temps.

The smallmouth fishing was okay but also a bit baffling. One evening we caught fifteen or so when we fished a hole at Hurricane Creek. Again, mostly using the in-line spinner. Also caught a few on small crankbaits but never really felt that we had them dialed in. The pattern was running water around timber. Just could not catch any in the deeper slow areas where I expected to do well, probably just did not know what to do.

The water is low as you all know and there are few spots that are pretty tough, I am not saying but we might have gotten wet one day.

Overall, a great trip with some weather challenges. I learned a lot about the fishing and think we might do better the next time with more stable weather.

Again, thanks all!

Larry

[Mark]

Glad you enjoyed it. What's your thoughts on the scenery and isolation??

[Brian Sloss]

Whitten opened today at noon officially.