Mixed Bag?

[fishinwrench]

Niangua River Land and Cattle Co. and it is where they have the first big sign that says no trespassing, no stopping, no camping, etc...

Is the sign effective? Sounds like a source of extra firewood to me.

I recently learned that a good portion of posted creek/river property around here was never bought in the first place. It was taken by adverse possession, and the person claiming ownership probably isn't even holding a legal deed or paying taxes on all of what he/she has fenced in. I found that really interesting, and it wouldn't surprise me that the same situation isn't the norm on ALOT of "private" riverfront land. Those folks guard that free land diligently to ensure it isn't taken from them the same way that THEY snatched it.

[Goggle-Eyed]

Ya, I used to always set up camp on a small "almost" Island gravel bar within sight of the signs. I then preceded to build a moderate size campfire, I have only had them come down a couple of times and I just suggested they go ahead and call the Sheriffs office and let them decide if I need to move or not!!!

I have NOT had any trouble from them in the past two or three years it was only really bad the first couple of years they owned the land. I think they figured out they really can't stop it if someone challenges the legality. I also now have permission from an adjacent landowner to to launch on his easement that I always thought was solely owned.

Similar situation to what you mention FW. The land is posted like he owns it all but there is an easement that belongs to a couple of property owners in the area....

Joe

[oneshot]

Ya, I used to always set up camp on a small "almost" Island gravel bar within sight of the signs. I then preceded to build a moderate size campfire, I have only had them come down a couple of times and I just suggested they go ahead and call the Sheriffs office and let them decide if I need to move or not!!!

I have NOT had any trouble from them in the past two or three years it was only really bad the first couple of years they owned the land. I think they figured out they really can't stop it if someone challenges the legality. I also now have permission from an adjacent landowner to to launch on his easement that I always thought was solely owned.

Similar situation to what you mention FW. The land is posted like he owns it all but there is an easement that belongs to a couple of property owners in the area....

Joe

Never been down there but I'm sure it would be fun.

Back in '67 was on the Finley,had a Guy and his wife shooting at us.Didn't take long for Sheriff to get down there.No one was arrested but,they found they couldn't stop us in the river.

oneshot

[Scooper]

Back in the '60s we used to camp on a gentleman's farm about a half mile below Blue Springs. His name, as I recall, was Henry Dampier, so he might be Ed's father. It was a beautiful campsite, on a gravel shore line shaded by big sycamores. We could actually drive down to it on a very rough farm road that wound through a bottom field that was sometimes planted with corn. Over the years we found a few arrowheads in that field. Back to Oneshot's question. From our base camp below Blue Springs, we would motor up the river a few miles and float back down. We caught plenty of smallmouth, but the only trout we caught were in the cool water below where the Blue Spring branch flowed into the Niangua. We never caught any trout below Blue Springs. Of course, that was a number of years ago. Does the MDC even stock trout that far down?

[fishinwrench]

They used to stock down to Prosperine accesss but then they pulled back to what used to be Maggards (right above Ho-Humm).

I'd be surprised if they release any at all anywhere below Barclay nowadays.

[Scooper]

They used to stock down to Prosperine accesss but then they pulled back to what used to be Maggards (right above Ho-Humm).

I'd be surprised if they release any at all anywhere below Barclay nowadays.

Fishinwrench, thanks, that makes sense. Question: What is Blue Springs like these days? At one time, it was a small resort with a campground, some cabins and a canoe livery. A guy named Don Regan owned it. Back in the early 70s, on a hot July day, we stayed in one of the cabins there after floating down from either Bennett or Prosperine. We had caught smallmouth during that float using small (4") plastic worms. That evening, after a late dinner, right about sunset, myself and a buddy of mine went down to where the Blue Spring branch emptied into the Niangua, We stood on small gravel bar and casted the same plastic worms we had used to catch smallmouth earlier that day. We were just passing the time before going to bed, not thinking we'd catch anything. Much to our shock, in rapid succession, we caught four brown trout that apparently had congregated in the cooler water where the spring branch and the river joined. I think that happens with springs throughout the Niangua during the hot summer months.

[Goggle-Eyed]

After Don Passed away John Reagan and his wife Barb took it over. I used to work weekends for both Don and John hauling canoes when I was MUCH Younger! Niangua River Land and Cattle Co. Now owns all the land from the old Ed's camground down passed the actual Spring. There are a couple of other "private" land owners mixed in but not very many. There are no longer any outfitters below Mountain Creek except for the "take out only" at Oldams.

I have not caught any Browns near the spring in many many years. I have been catching a ton of Rainbows while throwing a White Jerk Bait the passed two weeks. I am averaging about two per trip and I am mainly only fishing from Blue Spring down to Lead Mine (Upper Access).

Today was my first Double and it was an odd double, at least I thought so> It was a 17" rainbow and a 11" smallmouth. They came apart before I could grab a photo but was still my first double ever, after fishing about 36 years. I know some guys that have caught multiples and maybe I will now that I am fishing cranks and jerks alot more. The past 10 years I was hooked on soft plastics.

Today was a good day over all. I only fished about 3.5 hours all above Lead Mine and below the Cabins on the East side of the river a couple of miles below Blue Spring.

Best bite was on White X-Rap and Square Bill KVD sexy shad. Only 1 fish on a Tube. caught around 20 fish with the biggest smallie being 15". This year has been amazing for size and today was a good numbers day with a couple of nice fish mixed in.

Joe

Joe

[Scooper]

Joe-

Thanks for the info. Nice to connect with someone who knew Don Reagan. He was good host for us, but he could get a little "ornery" with folks. A good man, nonetheless. That's interesting that you're catching rainbows below Blue Springs. It's still kind of a mystery to me how they get down that far, as I think the farthest down they stock now is around Ho-Humm Campground, and that's, what, 8 miles upstream? I wouldn't be surprised if, as the weather warms, they all move upstream to cooler water, such as where Blue Springs and the river join. I think our camping below Blue Springs was mostly in late June or early July, so maybe the trout had all moved up by then. I've hooked two smallmouth on one lure before (usually a multi-trebled plug) but NEVER a trout and a bass at the same time. That IS an accomplishment. Thanks for the tip on the lures. On those once-a-year occasions I get back to Missouri and float the Niangua, we usually float below Bennett for trout and use jigs that I tie myself. I've occasionally used Rebel craws with decent success. I'll take a look at the White X-Rap and Square Bill KVD sexy shad.