[gavin poppen]

Nice looking grey…were are you located? Reds (false morels) are up around here, but nothing else yet.

[gavin poppen]

My buddy Greg Coffey uses one on the tail of his Coffey Grinders…Its a pretty good fly rod lure..Basically an inline spinner frame, bent in a Z shape, lashed to a hook, then covered with foam. Cheers

[gavin poppen]

You are missing out…There are some undeveloped gems nearby…The Eleven Point, Jack’s Fork, Current, & Buffalo are all protected from developement by the National Park Service or the USFS under scenic river designations.

There are plenty of trout on sections of the Current & Eleven Point..and the Jack’s & Buffalo have great smallmouth fishing.

Think you could get to Greer Spring on the Eleven Point quicker than you could drive to Mountain Home. Canoe rentals & guide services are available at Eleven Point Canoe Rental in Alton, MO. Cheers.

[gavin poppen]

The White has seen a ton of development in the last 20 years, and that trend isnt going to change any time soon. The fishing has gone downhill too..

If your looking for something more remote try the trout stretch of the Eleven Point in Missouri. It can be crowded on a warm summer weekend, but its pretty rare to see anyone in the Winter months, go in the Monday-Wednesday timeframe during the Summer. Cheers.

[gavin poppen]

Never stick your fingers in your mouth while fly tying because your playing with dead animal parts…

I do try to limit my exposure to lead & other nasties by washing my hands immediately after handling lead, using gloves when handling nasty chemicals, and by using nasty chemicals in a well ventilated area. Cheers.

[gavin poppen]

Thanks for the tip Neil, will have to tie a few up…your tying setup & tutorials are awesome.

[gavin poppen]

Those look great…I tie something similar with Angel Hair spun in a dubbing loop…no trimming involved.

[gavin poppen]

Sounds like youll have em in a week or two

[gavin poppen]

I’d love some fresh morels…but our season is still about a month away. You will probably have some up sooner…

What trees do you hunt down there? Ours tend to fire off maple, ash, elm, cottonwood, & tulip poplar.

[gavin poppen]

Cant help you back east…but I do allot of canoe camping in the Ozarks..You might want to check out some of the rivers that have National Scenic Riverway designations from the National Park Service, or those that have Wild & Scenic riverway designations from the U.S. Forest Service…we have 4 of them within a days drive of St. Louis and you can camp anywhere you want along those rivers.

It can be hard to find a spot to camp on streams with allot of private frontage. In that situation you either day float & stay someplace else, camp on the river and take your chances with the local landowners, or play it safe and find a private campground to use as a base camp. Good luck!

[gavin poppen]

A tube for a 9′ 2 piece would work too…knock the bottom out of it with something heavy, cut it to size with a big pipe cutter, then replace the bottom. Cheers.

[gavin poppen]

I have a 10′ 5wt Z-Axis…its a wonderful rod for nymph fishing….but I’d take a look at the Grey’s lineup…They have some really nice

[gavin poppen]

You might ask around at http://www.ozarkanglers.com

[gavin poppen]

Its true….there have been some ladies visiting the local fly shop in search of feathers…No worries though…I already have a good supply.

[gavin poppen]

Havent been to the keys in years…but we used to stay at the Islander in Islamorada. Its just a stones throw from the Lorelei Cabana bar…always had a great time there. Key West is fun..for a day trip, but I wouldnt want to stay there. Cheers.

[gavin poppen]

Took the 6wt out for a spin at the fly shop last week…Its a cannon like you would expect. I’d consider it if I wasnt already long in the 6 & 7wt categories.

[gavin poppen]

The price depends on where your at and what your doing…$500 a day plus tip seems is the going rate

[gavin poppen]

The patagonia puffs are awesome, incredibly light, and very warm.

[gavin poppen]

Plenty of good advice above….I do allot of winter fishing…it requires a bit more discipline to keep your gear in good order, and keep yourself warm & dry, but its well worth it.

Never/ever get your reel wet or leave it out in the elements in freezing conditions….layer up….carry at least two pairs of gloves one to fish in, another dry pair to warm up your hands inbetween spots… a small towel is a nice addition, plus handwarmers, something to light a fire, and something to keep you hydrated. Cheers.

[gavin poppen]

Ask around over at Ozarkanglers.com….plenty of info on fishing Missouri….and there are lots of Taney regulars over there..Phil Lilley owns the site, and he operates a resort on Taney..Lilley’s Landing…nice fly shop, and I’m sure he could hook you up with someone..
Angler’s & Archers is another good shop down there.

A drive from K.Zoo to Branson would probably take you through St. Louis and down I-44 on your way to Branson…theres plenty of fishing near the highway…check out MDC’s trout fishing information here.

http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/places-fish/trout-areas

Have a great trip.

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