Riverton Cabin Remembered

The frigid weather and desolate winter landscape has me thinking back to last January, to the float trip that didn't happen. Being on the Eleven Point would have been nice, but the cabin at Hufstedler's, with the big fire right outside the backdoor, was too warm and tempting compared to the 10 degrees outside.

Besides, it was still a cool trip. I killed my first deer, and Jeff took his Jeep off road for the first time. We found prehistoric girlie pictures in the old workshop and explored a creepy old house.

The thing I remember best is the slow pace and the stark calm of the landscape, and as hectic as things get around the holidays, I wouldn't mind heading back down there soon.

Pirate gets Married (and not to the Sea)

Congratulations Ed and Nikki!

Look, Admiral Otis is even in the picture, but he must have been in a cat-fight or a naval battle because he's missing an eye and a leg.

Weather change

Has anyone noticed it's gotten cooler since those Pirates in Somalia seized that ship?

No, sir.

I'm beginning to think that that Pirate Name Generating Machine does not have a large arsenal of names. No, sir. Not a large arsenal at all.

Also, has anyone talked to Josh or Scott lately, particularly regarding their plans for Des Moines travel and lodging?

Wordle

Dirty Jack Rackhem cheking in

The quiz says I need a bath. I think we just need some rain. Damn global warming!

Ye be beholdin Dirty Jack Flint! Yar-harr.

I like my name but the description of me was not flattering.

Nikki, on the other hand, received the name Captain Ethel Rackham, and it has gone straight to her head. "I'm the Captain," she says.

This is my Pirate-self.

Call Me Mad Roger!

My pirate name is Mad Roger Flint. According to the pirate name quiz, every pirate is a little bit crazy. I, though, am more than just a little bit. Like the rock flint, I'm hard and sharp. But, also like flint, I'm easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!

Take the pirate quiz and learn your own secret pirate name.

HAPPY TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY!

Talk Like a Pirate Day is Fast Upon Us

Blog Ho!

I'm surprised to actually see our blog in the picture of him being revived. Its nice to see, I just didn't think he was that thin and pale. Maybe its because he was sick, but this is how I pictured the blog:

Russell, I think you should also send another email to Matt and Tricia to get them posting on here.

Later dudes.

Clear!!!

The blog has been revived!!! I knew we could do it. Only 1 month until ol Ed is hitched, time to start practicing my 12 oz curls!!! Definitley need to start looking at he Jan trip but a fall trip would also rock. Welcome back mateys:)

Revival

Hi guys. This is your blog. I'm dieing. Please, don't let me die. I need your words and pictures to survive. Please help! If you keep me alive, I'll help you stay in touch. I'll even help you plan a big float trip in January. I will. I promise.

From the Archives

Admiral Otis in Dress Whites

Oh, No!

This is about how worried the Admiral is about that scurvy, scuttlebutted skaliwag of a kitten.



Otis may sleep often, but he is never far from his sword and musket and is constantly strategizing while he sleeps the next manuevers his fleet will undertake. Thats right, the fierce wrath of the Admiral is born in his sweet dreams!

Watch Out, Admiral Otis!

As it turns out, the courageous Admiral Otis isn't the only feline on the high seas. The notorious Fluffy-Beard has been sighted in the area. It looks like there may be a showdown brewing, but I'm sure the admiral will make short work of this ornery cuss.

Pray for Ed!!!

Sorry for not blogging lately. I've been busy praying Ed retained some skills from his Coast Guard days and he is still alive.

Des Moines River on the Brink

A couple more feet and Des Moines is flooded. The Army Corps has some control of the river due to Saylorville dam, but they have used all the means at their disposal to reduce the water. The water is pouring through the emergency outlet and over the top of the dam. I should look for some pictures of that.

Posts Wanted

The posts are few and far between lately. Come on guys; we can't let our little home on the web fade away into oblivion.

We are only 8 posts from a grand total of 100 posts (each a priceless gem of high literature). Let's kick into high gear and reach three digits before the end of June. We can do it!

Get Your Diploma Online Now!

Why pay tens of thousands of dollars for some fancy-pantsy degree when you can get a diploma online for $8.95?

Why slave away learning to be a doctor, lawyer, or food scientist, when all you really want to be is a pirate?

Sure, you can be a pirate without a degree, all you need is a keen sense of adventure and a dysfunctional moral compass, but for just $8.95 your pillaging and plundering will be backed up by the authority of a fine institution, Pirate University.

JEFF?

Hey. I want to hear about the Jack's Fork trip. I know you've got to have pictures of some nice smallies.

Pond Fishing at its Best

Sometimes you just can't beat a farm pond for good fishing. Ed, Ben, and I spent Sunday morning fishing several beautiful ponds that are exclusively used for fishing; there are no cows in the water, just bass, catfish, bluegills, and a few huge carp. My wife's uncle takes good care of these miniature lakes and it shows. The bass seem noticeably larger this year.

We mostly fished top water. Ed used a torpedo and I used a popper. I also caught several on a woolly bugger and Ben caught four on a rubber minnow.

Ed caught the largest fish of the day before I even had my line in the water. There's a picture in yesterday's post. I caught the second largest on my last cast of the day. That last fish grabbed my popper and wrapped it around a limb on the bottom. We had to hull in the fish, limb and all, which wasn't easy because the tippet was only a three pound test.

All in all, it was one of the best times I've had on those ponds, and I've had some really good fishing there. It was fun because the fish are getting bigger and because Ben had a great time with his uncle and dad. He's a much more independent fisherman this year, and starting to show some impressive casting and fish fighting skills, but I'm probably just a little biased.

Memorial Day Weekend in the Ozarks

We didn't all get together, but most of us found ourselves fishing or floating the Ozarks this weekend. I'm sure there are some stories to be told...

Canoe wanted

Hey, Guys. Russell recently posted a poll on what canoe you would most likely to choose to use for the rest of your years. Well, Penelope, my blue canoe, will soon be put out to pasture. She has served me well on many Missouri and Arkansas rivers for near 20 years, keeping me dry and in fish (for the most part), but her hull is worn and her gunwales are tired. Due more to the sun than the Ozark gravel I'm afraid.

So, I know most of you have at least looked into getting a canoe for yourself. What are your recommendations?

The end of one of Penelope's final voyages.

This Blog is Growing

I sent invitations to Matt and Drew, so hopefully we'll be seeing posts from them pretty soon. If you know of other potential contributors let me know.

We are getting closer to breaking 100 posts. We are currently at 86. It's fun to look back through our archives and remember the good old days (if you consider earlier this year the good old days.)

Smartgrowth

You guys might be interested in the stuff on this site. Many of the ideas are becoming more popular and somewhat market driven. But I don't think individual choices about riding bikes, taking the bus (rather than driving gas guzzling SUVs), growing one's own veggies, or living in an energy effecient home are going to make a huge impact. I don't like government regulation, but I think people are going to have to come to have a Great Depression/WWII outlook on energy, environment, and food issues, and it might take the government to get America's entitlement generations (the baby-boomers and those following) on board. Oh, yeah. Here's the link: http://smartgrowth.org/about/default.asp

Hey Stranger

I though I was the only one who cared anymore. Happy Earth Day! p.s. the cat is cool:)

Where is everyone?

I hope I haven't discouraged use of the Ozark Mountain Pirates Association blog due to my cancellation.

I have important news to announce. Nikki and I have welcomed Admiral Otis to our household. He is whipping things into shape around here.

I think...

Next time we go canoeing we should have a canoe like that and everyone can be in it.

Canoe over the falls

What does that picture say?

Freaky Link

Here's another website to check out. I luvz it.

Recent Increase in Piracy

There are now more than 17 pirates.

Pirate attacks around the world tripled in the decade between 1993 and 2003. In 2003 alone there were 445 actual or attempted attacks in which 16 people were killed.

In the first three months of 2006, there were 61 successful or attempted attacks, compared to 56 incidents in the same period last year.

At least 63 people have been taken hostage this year—twice the number of hostages taken in the same period last year.

If the chart on the previous post is correct, this explains the cold winter we just had.

Check out these pirates on the National Geographic website. They're not signing any movie deals with Disney. There's also an interesting article about modern pirate technology here, at Popular Mechanics.

Check these sites out Matey's

MDC has started the weekly fishing report e-mail back up for this year. Sign up at http://lists.mo.gov/mailman/listinfo/mo-fish if you haven't already. No surprise, this weeks report for just about everywhere, high, muddy, all species slow:( It'll get better:)


Another good thing a cowroker has turned me onto, The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. http://www.flyingspaghettimonster.com/ These people are for real and are just like us in their beliefs of traditional organized religion. They are also building a pirate ship for all of the followers (pastafarians) to sail on. Start with their letter to the KS School board to get a sense of their stance on teaching Intelligent Design being taught alongside evolution. These folks have very good points. Just take a look at the chart below:

Here is the God they worship, The Flying Spaghetti Monster:

Lookout!

This is Texas Pete Jr. I have it from reliable sources that he has been fishing the Jack's Fork River. This could be a problem. He has an insatiable appetite for Smallmouth and gives no thought toward where tomorrow's dinner will come from. In addition, he has a heck of a roll cast, enabling him to deliver a fly to the darkest, most likely places on the river.

Jeff is a hippy

You're a hippy, Jeff.

Builing plans

I was thinking once we buy some land we could build a condo complex like this. Seriously though, check out http://www.earthship.org/ I helped a friend build one of these in east TN. They are made completly from discarded tires, bottles, and cans. The solar panels and batteries are the only thing besides land you buy. We did his for about $40, land and all. His only bill is his phone. He grows vegetables and bannanas year round inside. Very cool and beyond green.

Another Jacks Fork Map

Here's a mile by mile break down of the Jacks Fork thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The MDC rocks!

This tributary of the Current River is one of the wildest and most scenic of the Missouri Ozark streams. Its deep valley is nearly a canyon, with no bottomland fields for the first 25 floatable miles. It is therefore advisable to camp well above river level if there is any chance of sudden rain. Trips with loaded canoes above Alley Spring are recommended only in spring or after good summer rains. The few miles immediately above Alley Spring are especially wide and shallow and may have to be walked in low water. Upper sections of the river provide fine fly fishing water.

Difficulty: I and II.
Gradients: general -- 7.3; Prongs to Hwy. 17 -- 8.6; to Bunker Hill -- 8; to Alley Spring -- 7;
to Current River -- 6.3.
Quadrangles: Summerville, Eminence.
Counties: Texas, Shannon.

0.0 MDC South Prong Access at Hwy. Y Bridge. Beautiful section, but not recommended during low-water.
0.8 Chimney Rock Cave in hill on right.
6.8 State Hwy. 17 Bridge at "Buck Hollow." Usual put-in for upper section of river. Park Service campground.
9.2 Salvation Army camp on left. Access, camp.
9.6 Blue Spring comes from cave on left nearly hidden from river by boulders. Narrow run just below spring may be difficult.
12.6 Jam Up Bluff and Cave. River entrance of cave is one of the most spectacular cave entrances in state. Cave may be explored in daylight back to lake which is plunge-basin for falls from upper part of cave. Upper section entered through a sinkhole in Lost Hollow which may be reached by climbing up the bluff.
15.9 Ebb and Flow Spring on left.
17.1 Bunker Hill (Missouri State Teachers Association resort) on left. No access.
22.2 Leatherwood Creek on left.
25.2 Bay Creek on left. Access, camp.
31.0 Alley Spring, 10th largest spring in state. Old mill, camping, access.
32.3 Horse Hollow on left. The old Salem, Winona and Southern R.R. used to run up this hollow and continue up Sinking Branch after following the Jacks Fork from Mahan's Creek.
35.3 Mahan's Creek on right. Site of old R.R. river crossing just above mouth of creek.
37.3 Eminence. Stores, cafes, lodging. Take-out at Lions Ball Park on right side, one-quarter mile below Hwy. 19 Bridge.
41.9 Shawnee Creek on right. Access, camp.
42.3 Little Shawnee Creek on right.
44.6 Confluence with Current River. Best take-out 0.75 mile downstream at ferry landing.

A Link to The River Less Travelled

Here is a link to The River Less Travelled. This is a great blog for information on River Conservation and rural economic development. There is also information on canoeing and fishing.

Floods

I just flew in from Denver to Nashville. The flight goes just north of Springfield and accross Cape Girardeu (sp?) I had a clear view of the rivers out of my window and the flooding look really bad down there. I could see where the Gasconade had the interestate shut down. I guess that's good though. It should clean out the rivers and clear off good spawning beds, not to mention clear out some trash. I just saw the gauge @ Buck peaked around 21ft. I also have another positive theory. I think the cold ass winter going longer will delay the spawn a little which should make it peak during the 3rd annual OMRPAJFSF. It really won't matter because we'll slay 'em as usuall. Check out the links to the gauge and page 3 of the article. I think I read somewhere the spawn peaks when water passes 70 degrees.

http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?07065200

http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?07065200

Bizarre!

Wow, Jeff. That is truely bizzare. Umm...I think the answer is 5.

I was just thinking about last years trip. Remember this guy? I like using crawdads for bait cause you can go ahead and give the fish some food after you catch them. It seems a little more reciprocal. And, fishing, of course, is about nothing if not reciprocity.

New Poll

I think it's time for a new poll. I have a good subject. Midget poop. Do you think midgets have: A. Regular size poop B. Midget size poop C. Both A & C or D. Midgets regergetate all of their waste and therefore do not poop. I'm interested in what everyone thinks.

Trout or Smallmouth

Russell, I liked your article on Trout and Smallmouth on Fly Fishing the Ozarks. It's been a while since we've been to the Niangua. We should go again sometime soon. Although, I have developed more of an affinity for the streams in the White River Watershed. The southerly flowing rivers in the Missouri Ozarks seem a little more wild and cleaner.

Hellbender Fever!

I've got the fever but I'm goin' after Hellbenders this time.
You have to use pickled kitten's ears for bait.

Make an assessment.

The Fever

Man do I have it bad! Russell, since we are now offically 69 days out from the float it would be cool if you could start a countdown on the blog. I'm exicted about next weekend. I talked to my cousin in Florida and he has a boat he is going to take me out to the flats out in the coastal estuary to hook into some Redfish, Sea Trout and Tarpon. He said they caught over 300 last weekend:) We are going to us cast nets to catch a bunch of mullet for bait and then tear 'em up. I'll have to take my mullet wig! I love live bait. I'll post a picture of a mullet smokin a cig when I get back.

Smokin' Crawdad

Remember this little guy? I think the cigerette calmed his nerves. I'd be nervous too if I were a crawdad in the Jacks Fork with all those smallies.

Spring is Sprung... Sort Of

Next week is spring break at my school. So, according to my school district, it's spring. Yay! Speaking of school, my last day will be May 23rd, unless we get more snow. I'll be able to come down to the Jacks Fork that evening. It's getting closer.

Piracy Isn't Soccer!

...not everyone goes home with a trophy, so get over it and take the pink shit off the blog!!! Back in Black, baby. Seriously, though, I think we all need to kiss and make up and be proud of each others achievements.

I'll have one more float to add to the list in a couple of weeks. I have to go to Florida for work and have a day to kill. I'm going to the Everglades and going to paddle a canoe trail and catch some fatty 20lb LM Bass and then taunt Gators with the entrails. I'm really pumped about it. The Bass in the Everglades are monsters and will destroy about anything you drag in front of them. The Tarpon are running as well, wouldn't that be wild to land one of those!!! I may have to take the fly rod, we'll see how the wind is. The weather looks like it will be highs 80's lows 60's:) Check out the link:

http://www.nps.gov/archive/ever/visit/canoe.htm

I Deserve More!

I'm upset. I like the pink background, because it reminds me of my childhood bedroom and my My Little Ponies, but I don't think it is fair that I had more rivers than Jeff and yet we both got A+'s. That is not right!

However, I must admit that I fudged a little including the Panama Canal as it was motorized. I suppose therefore the St. Lawrence would also be out. I still deserve better. I want an A+ and perhaps a star or a special award for my achievements.

This is what it looks like to receive recognition, and this is what I want.

Here's Your D+

Haven't you heard of grade inflation? What about my self-esteem?

How do you like the face of your precious blog now?

Pirate/Teacher Conference

Russell, You also get an A+ for steping up on the blogmaster duties. I really like the new faces of the blog I've seen latley. However, with the strong F- you recevied during the last period, you still average out at a borderline D+/C-. If you keep up the hard work, we may reconsider letting you move on to the next float with the rest of the crew this year.

Good Grades

Everyone is receiving high marks on their river lists. I'm impressed. You guys have really gotten around. I'm going to have to step it up a little. Ed, the Panama Canal was a good one. What about the St. Lawrence River?

Ed's Rivers

Ed's Rivers:

Eleven Point, MO
Jacks Fork
Current
North Fork
James
Niangua
Finley
Osage Fork of Gasconade
Swan
Huzzah
Elk
Buffalo, AR
Spring
Upper Iowa, IA
Saco, NH
Charles, MA
Panama Canal, Panama

New Website

www.ozarkanglers.com

Floating 101

Jeff gets an A+.

Homework

Well we got 2 inches of snow today and Tennesee is shut down, crippled by the now infamous "Blizzard of '08".

Here are the Rivers I've floated:

• Nantahalla, NC


• Ocoee, TN


• Duck, TN


• Harpeth, TN


• Big Hole, MT


• Madison, MT


• Green, UT


• Tarkio, MO (on a log raft:))


• Jack's Fork, MO


• Eleven Point, MO


• Current, MO


• Buffalo, AR


• Caney Fork, TN

I once tried to wade the James but my waders disolved upon entering the water and I now have 2 1/2 extra toes. I've also floated "It's a Small World After All" and, of course, "Pirates of the Carribean"!!!

Let me know my grade.

Assignment

Here are the rivers I've floated. What about you?

• Eleven Point
• Jacks Fork
• Current
• North Fork
• Spring (Arkansas)
• James
• Niangua
• Finley*

I'm sure your lists are more extensive and wide ranging. I look forward to seeing them.

*I've only floated the portion of the Finley that's dammed up at the mill in Ozark. However, I've fished, skipped rocks, and swam in parts of it from its headwaters near Finley Falls in Seymour to its confluence with the James south of Nixa.

Also, I've been in a motor boat on a few other rivers, like the Mississippi, but that doesn't count.

March Snow

Ed, it gradually got snowier as we went into Springfield. There was just a trace at Cody, but by the time we got to James River Expressway, cars were slowed to a crawl and the roads still had snow on them.

According to one of my favorite websites, Bennett Spring was covered with snow, yet the nearby city of Lebanon had hardly a dusting. By the way, if you ever get a hankering for a vicarious escape to the trout stream, check out the site I mentioned. It's posted by Weaver's at Bennett Spring, and it always has some cool pictures.

Just Plain Crappy

It's been just crappy here, hovering just above freezing so no snow just cold rain. It was in the upper 70's this weekend, though. Gentry, Robbie and I went backpacking in Alabama. Ginger was rockin the trail!!! It's back to the crap now. Enjoy your snow yankies!!!!

Just Cold

That is some crazy weather. What is it like when you drive to Springfield or to Seymour? Is there just all of a sudden a bunch of snow?

In Iowa it has snowed all the time and everywhere this winter. Nothing amazing. Just Cold. How is it in Tennessee?

In other news, I believe Luke will be coming back down for his second ORMPA outing.

Wild Weather

Well, the weather didn't turn out like we thought. We expected a bunch of snow, but it never came. When I looked out the window this morning, nothing. So, I turned on the TV to see if the weatherman was apologizing, but instead, he was standing outside in eight inches of snow, and it was still coming down. Springfield wound up with nine inches of snow, and our town, just fifteen miles away, got nothing.

Actually, most of the Ozarks got blanketed but we were in a tiny circle of absolutely no snow. However, our district still canceled school, because part of the area was under several inches of snow.

The rivers got a lot of snow. I imagine the view from Jam Up Cave is probably beautiful today. Eminence is still out of school tomorrow. But, I wouldn't want to float the Jacks Fork today. All the rivers are out of their banks right now. We currently have a precipitation surplus that's over seven inches.

Okay, well that's enough for todays weather report.

Fickle Missouri Weather

The first two days of March were warm and beautiful across the Ozarks. Temperatures were in the low seventies on Sunday. I'm sure there were a lot of happy fisherman at the trout parks for opening day. I thought about taking the boys up to Bennett Spring just to watch all the opening day hoopla.

We decided to go down to Uncle Marvin's ponds instead. We put up the boy's tent, fished a little, and played pooh sticks in the little creek that flows out of the big middle pond. We didn't catch any fish, but we had a good time playing along the creek and enjoying what felt like a spring day.

The warm weather didn't last long. The temperature dropped steadily all day long today. Now, it's sleeting and we expect up to ten inches of snow before morning. It will be nice if it just snows and we don't end up with any ice. Ice storms every other weekend are starting to get old.

Jacks Fork Map and Poll

There! Happy Now? The map is at the bottom of the page. I tried to put it in the sidebar on the right, but it wouldn't fit.

I think there is a way to make you guys administrators on the account so you can add polls and pictures and stuff. I'll check into it.

Mutiny!!!

The concerned members of the OMPRA, which doen not include Russel, has secretly met and we have determined that he give up his duties as blog master and relinquiush his powers to the rest of the crew! WE WANT NEW POLLS AND PERMANENT MAP OF THE JF POSTED!!!

YARRRRRRRRR!

Dear Russell

I would like to inquire as to whether you might be able, and so inclined, to post the map of the Jack's Fork in a permanent position on the blog so that we might observe it readily as we discuss our plans for the next pirate outing. Aaaarrrrrgh ye willing to oblige?

Map of The Jacks Fork

Tear up the Smallies!!

Tear them up!!! TEAR UP THEM FISH!!!

Aerial Jamup at low water. You can see the gigantic sinkhole on the other side of the ridge where Jeff and I hiked around in.

The 3rd installment of the annual OMRPASSSJFCFA

Looks like a good date for this years adventure will be May 23rd-28th. That's Memorial day weekend and the Tues-Wed after. Me & Ed thought the Prongs Sat, stay at that huge S Shaped gravel bar, Sunday down to the other sweet spot just below Buck we stayed at 2 years ago, Monday down to jam up, stay @ Jam up all day Tues and float out Wed a.m. That will keep us behind the weekend crown and we can tear 'em up:)