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.