Advanced Gravel Bar Camping

[Greasy B]

Yeah, the ball game is the only exception to my no radio rule.

[Flysmallie]

Yeah, the ball game is the only exception to my no radio rule.

Me too, but mine is reversed. I'd rather hear the sounds of nature than a baseball game anytime.

[Terrierman]

Yeah, the ball game is the only exception to my no radio rule.

What's your thinking about Waylon Jennings or Alison Kraus or something like that while the fire gets lower and you sip your whisky?

[Greasy B]

One key ingredient to gravel bar camping is timing. On most trips I want to maximize my time fishing and pull up to the bar about a half hour before dark. All I need is enough daylight to pick a tent site and gather a little wood, everything else can be done by head lamp.

Some things have changed over the years. I no longer carry a lantern, moonlight, starlight or a head lamp is much easier on the eyes. I no longer insist on three elaborate meals, breakfast and lunch can be simple but the evening meal still needs to be based on meat cooked over an open fire, preferably the meat is a fine rib eye.

One of the most enjoyable things about gravel bar camping is leisure the next morning. No early rising, no alarms, just the gradual burn off of fog to wake by.

[Greasy B]

What's your thinking about Waylon Jennings or Alison Kraus or something like that while the fire gets lower and you sip your whisky?

I could easily bend the rule for Alison Kraus, and under the right circumstance for any quality music that didn't interfere with conversation. That rule came about back when my buddies would play head banging rock all night long.

[Goggle-Eyed]

All good stuff. Only thing I saw missing is a collapsible toilet with a toilet seat... This usually get's packed in the bottom of the boat out of sight, apparently, at least according to my float buddies this is not a "necessity" and it shouldn't be strapped on the top for everyone to see...

[Mark]

My radio is the transistor type. Volume at a low level so passerbys will barely notice. The Alice Cooper show can be entertaining at night, but agree that loud head banging music sucks anytime on the river. But we primarily just have the radio on for Cards game. Kind of takes us back to childhood, before cable/sat TV, when radio was the main source of following baseball.

And on several days trips, we like to get weather updates on the pop up storms in the summer. Nice to get a heads up when you are in the path of lightning and high winds.

We have also found we like to set up camp around 5pm in the summer. Get camp set up, collect firewood, begin Happy Hr., and leave time for everyone to get in that last hour of prime fishing time.

But no matter how well we plan, we never get around to eating supper until 9:30-10:00.

Agree that no need to spend much time on breakfast and lunch. NOTHING BEATS A BOLOGNA SANDWICH ON THE RIVER.

[hank franklin]

The only music I can handle on the gravel bar is country. Or more precisely, hillbilly. Or hillbilly gospel. Or country gospel. Or maybe some hillbilly bluegrass gospel. Rock and roll is specifically prohibited.

No music until after dark.

Cardinals game, yes. But only if it comes in strong. I love the Cardinals but would rather listen to George Jones and Bill Monroe than Mike Shannon. And there comes a time when even George and Hank can 't do better than the night sounds. That's when we turn the radio off and just listen.

River never stops its music, that's for sure.

[hank franklin]

The older I get the more I am into comfort on the gravel bar. We used to stay on the river till the last drop of sunlight and set up in the gloaming or even dark. No more. We find camp at least an hour before sunset and sometimes even more. Take it easy. Yes you give up time on the river during an excellent fishing hour (twilight) but if you've chosen a good spot you can wade fish it to your heart's content.

The only time I ever eat bass is on a gravel bar. 90 percent of the fish we've eaten over the years are spotted bass or goggle eye, but on occasion we've taken a smallmouth to fill out a fish fry. Never a big smallmouth, and never one we put on a stringer. Meaning, it came from the hole we were fishing at.

A fish fry on the river is the best eating you can find. Fried potatoes, hush puppies or biscuits and maybe roasted corn on the cob in the husk. Hot sauce and white bread with the fish.

Al I believe said he started this post because he was dreaming.....Yeah, I'm dreaming too.....

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't like fire rings. Don't need them. Just build your fire on bare gravel and let the next flood wash the fire marks away.

Amen to that.