19 minute read
Winter trout
March-April 2022 Overflow fly fishing for winter trout
Photo and Text By DON GASAWAY
Warming winter temperatures allow fly fishermen to enjoy fishing in dam tailwaters, a productive fishery that appears when the water level above a dam rises during winter months.
Clear, deep lakes often receive a stocking of rainbow trout. The fish immediately scatter until summer temperatures force them to suspend in the deep water.
In the winter, water levels rise above the level of spillways and flow into tailwaters. Rainbow trout wash over a dam into a spillway basin and the creek below. They remain there until the late spring, when water temperatures rise to a point that the fish die or become a meal for predators.
During February and March, early-season anglers fish for these trout as they concentrate in the deeper pools.
The secret is to fish early in the morning, just at the break of day. The weather is cold, but to the diehard trout angler, it is worth the discomfort.
TRY TO BLEND IN
It helps to wear clothing that blends with the natural cover. Bright colors tend to spook trout. Warm dry clothing is important for both comfort and safety. Getting wet in cold weather can be life-threatening. Sneaking through the brush covers the angler’s approach. Trout remain elusive and wary even in cold weather.
It is important to avoid quick movements. Approach as silently as possible. The clatter of rocks and gravel crunching beneath the angler’s feet alerts trout to danger.
Trout tend to face into the current. Therefore, the angler
Grasping a late winter trout from the river is like holding an icicle, but the action of trout fishing below dams is well worth it.
should approach them from downstream if possible. It is important to walk along the bank not through the water.
Perhaps a recommended rod and line combination might be a 6½- or 7foot rod with a 3 or 4weight line. The smaller rod works better in any brushy areas. The short, light rod is fun when stressed by a trout.
Some recommended flies might be anything from #16 to #20 with dark bodies and stubby wings and no tails. Any midge, nymph or caddis imitation seems a good bet.
ALL IN THE POOL!
Trout in winter tend to pool up in the deeper water. They seek eddies, edges of runs, the creek bank and any place of slow water. Trout feed slowly in quiet water as if to conserve energy. They do not make the spectacular rises that are common with summer fish.
This cold-water trout fishing can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. It has its rewards, but nevertheless, it is vital to remain dry and warm. Frostbite and hypothermia are ever-present dangers.
This fishery will never exceed summer trout fishing in popularity or productivity. Still, it is a fun way to spend a winter morning when the “correct” time to fish trout is many long days away.
Don Gasaway is an outdoor writer from Marion, IL, who fishes for trout in Missouri on the White River and throughout the Ozarks. He can be found on Facebook at www.facebook. com/#1/DonGasawayWriter and www.facebook.com// DonGasawayfishing/. His blog is www.facebook.com/ donsbankfishing/.
BIG PINEY RIVER
Today 9:24 AM
CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE. GET TO PULASKI COUNTY, MO!
Gentle rivers full of twists and turns, spectacular Ozark scenery, and phenomenal fishing make for a fantastic outdoor adventure! But that only scratches the surface of all Pulaski County offers. Fill up on tales as old as time at our historic military and Route 66 stops. Test your skills at archery, golf, indoor shooting, and more. Grab delicious eats and treats at our unique diners. Then do it all again as you work your way through our day-after-day adventures.
Here’s to the queens of the forest!
Photo and Text By TED NUGENT
The human instinct may very well be the most powerful force in the universe. Deep in our most intimate, wildly pulsating realm of consciousness and beyond, mankind is blessed with pure urges of spiritual adventure – the nonroad never traveled, survival, independence, self-sufficiency and rugged life, liberty and pursuit of individual happiness autonomy.
Ted Nugent met his soulmate Shemane 33 years ago in the wilds of Detroit.
Those of us who continue to hunt in the modern world retain these pure instincts as we call upon them in our indefatigable drive to live life to the fullest as handson participants in God’s ever-loving, always fascinating, miraculous creation.
I celebrate this phenomenon most clearly at the campfires I share with great Americans throughout the hunting season every year, and a most welcome dynamic growing annually is the exciting increase in women on the hunt (for game, not men).
THE DETROIT WILDERNESS
When I met my soulmate Shemane 33 years ago in the wilds of Detroit, I immediately knew that she wasthe One!
A fiercely physical force, she had never hunted, fired a gun or touched a bow and arrow in her first 25 years of life, but I just knew she would love the outdoor shooting and hunting lifestyle with a passion.
And so, the physics of a spirituality journey began!
As a champion moto-
Shemane has taken to the outside life, as seen here.
cross maniac, state champion swimmer and all-around tough-as-nails tomboy, she naturally and quickly latched onto these Samurai martial art methodologies post-haste, with aplomb.
As statistics show, the fastest expanding demographic in the outdoor world is indeed the female of the species. I believe the ultimate instinct of motherhood coincides with natural hunting instincts to provide, protect and feed the tribe.
And everyone knows that some of the best shots and best hunters in the world happen to be women!
It is the purity of focus that assists them in avoiding the psycho baggage of the male species and naturally and effortlessly zeroing right in on the fundamentals of our sport.
WE SAW IT ON TV
There is also no question whatsoever that the success or our Ted Nugent Spirit of the WildTV show for 33 years is a direct result of Shemane’s effervescence and believability and the glowing intellectual pragmatism that embodies the hunting lifestyle.
Everybody loves the Queen of the Forest!
When Shemane picks up her Mathews bow, I sharpen my Cold Steel knives, knowing all too well that fresh meat will hit the ground very soon.
We see the most welcome promotion of our hunting lifestyle by the husband-andwife teams that host so many TV hunting shows, and we salute them emphatically. There is no question that there is something incredibly intriguing and alluring when we see a female in the wild, stalking game.
The outdoor sports forever were the near-exclusive realm of men, so it is a monumental upgrade for our sport and conservation work to include the gals.
We should all salute and thank these pioneering women for joining our ranks, and do everything in our power to invite and welcome all the women in our lives to share the Spirit Campfires of the wild.
The Queens of the Forest live!
Local writer tells all about roadkill
By CARL GREEN Editor
Here’s a book you probably would have never expected to see published, and it’s coming right out of St. Louis, the transportation crossroads of the nation. That is appropriate, because the whole book is about animals getting run over by motor vehicles on our roads and streets.
Don Corrigan, longtime editor at the Webster-Kirkwood Times and journalism teacher at Webster Don Corrigan University, has pulled off an astonishing feat of research and writing, making for a highly entertaining book that is more important than it may seem to be at first glance.
It’s called “American Roadkill – The Animal Victims of Our Busy Highways.” That’s a perfect description because that’s exactly what it is. And he pulls off an interesting contrast in writing about squirrels, deer, snakes and other frequent roadkill by making this serious topic funny at the same time, with tongue-in-cheek descriptions, comparisons and references to our hyper media world.
IT’S THE ANIMALS
But mostly it’s about the animals, and the carnage, and he makes that clear on every page. Each species gets its own chapter, starting with skunks and continuing on with possums, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, turtles and frogs and then working up to more substantial highway victims such as armadillos, moose, panthers, bears and more.
Corrigan’s research takes him far beyond just “the blood and the guts” (as the song goes), to explore how many of society’s other favorite topics somehow connect to animals falling victim to our endless supply of drivers.
The contents are carefully illustrated, foot-noted and indexed with a bibliography, forward and introduction, so you know he’s serious about it. But it’s a great read and thought-provoking as well. The cover features a cartoon turtle about to be smashed by an all-too-real semi on a desert highway.
CHAPTER TWO
It’s actually Corrigan’s second such book, the first, from 2019, being, “Nuts About Squirrels: The Rodents that Conquered Popular Culture.” Both are published by McFarland & Co.
For a smart gift idea, go online to mcfarlandbooks. com to find the Roadkill book for $35 or the Squirrels book for $29.95. They’ll still smell good next Christmas or on any birthday in between.
Never miss an issue!
To receive the Outdoor Guide, send $14 for a year or $24 for two years, plus your name and address, to Outdoor Guide Magazine, 505 S. Ewing, St. Louis MO 63103. The magazine comes out six times a year – at the beginning of January, March, May, July, September and November. For subscription questions, call the Outdoor Guide Magazine at (314) 535-9786.
Page 21 Ice fishing – cold day fun, but stay safe
Photo and Text By BRANDON BUTLER
The winter weather roller-coaster ride we’ve been on has taken another turn to colder days. As temperatures drop and lakes freeze up once more, ice fishermen will be heading to local waters in search of some fine catches and much-needed relief from cabin fever.
Ice fishing offers anglers the opportunity to wet a winter line while potentially hauling in a mess of great eating fish. If you’ve been searching for a way to spend time outdoors during the remaining frigid days of winter, ice fishing may be just what doctor ordered. Remember though, utmost caution must be applied when heading out onto ice-covered waters.
Ice fishing is a great pastime for many reasons, but one of the main reasons I enjoy it so much is because it allows a group to get outside and spend time fishing when most people aren’t even considering the possibility.
NOT COMPLICATED
Ice fishing is a pretty simple endeavor. Only a few tools are necessary, including an ice auger, a fishing pole, bait and a skimmer.
The ice auger is for drilling holes in the ice. Special ice fishing poles are beneficial for fishing close to your hole, but regular old fishing poles will work if you don’t want to invest in special ice fishing gear. Skimmers are simply scoopers for taking chunks of ice of the water inside your drilled-out fishing hole.
Ice fishing consists of lowering your offering down through the hole you have augured and working to find the depth fish are holding at. Try dropping your bait all the way to the bottom, and slowly jigging it up and down. If I do not have any strikes, I bring in a couple of feet of line, and continue to jig. Fish often are found holding near the bottom, but at times you can find them suspending at different depths.
OLD RELIABLES
Depending on what you’re fishing for, baits vary, but the old reliable worms, beemoths, and minnows are favorites of most ice fishermen. Jigs used for ice fishing are small, and some savvy ice fishermen will use various fly fishing flies.
Some ice anglers choose to fish from a shanty, which is a shelter used to protect from the elements. These are nice for staying warm but limit scenery and natural exposure.
Ice safety is essential to the enjoyment of ice fishing. Be sure to check the thickness of the ice near the edge of the water you intend to fish.
A good rule of thumb is to never fish on ice less than 4
Two ranges offer ‘5-stand’ shooting
Turkeys are up in arms – or wings – now that the Missouri Department of Conservation has scheduled “5-stand” clay bird shooting opportunities at two St. Louis-area locations starting in April and continuing through Aug. 31.
Both challenging and fun, 5-stand shotgun shooting simulates the flight patterns of popular game birds to prepare hunters for the season.
One location is the August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center, at 3550 Route D, about five miles west of Defiance, to be open for 5-stand shooting from 1 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. Call (636) 300-0258.
The other is Jay Henges Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center at 1100 Antire Road, just off I-44 exit 269 in Eureka. Hours are 1 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Call (636) 938-9548.
The department describes 5-stand shooting this way: “Shooters rotate through five stations, where they will see clay targets flying left and right, toward and away fromthem at different angles and speeds.
Fees are $4 per round, which includes the clay birds and eye and ear protection if shooters don’t have their own.
For more information, go online to MDC.mo.gov/dis-
cover-nature/places/shoot-
ing-ranges. inches thick. While thinner ice may hold one person, ice thickness varies across a body of water, and you do not want to risk falling through.
Never ice fish alone. Having the assistance of another to pull you to safety if you were to break through is essential. Wear a lifejacket and carry an ice pick or screwdriver in your pocket. The jacket will keep you afloat, and the ice pick will allow you to grip the ice and pull yourself out.
Ice fishing can be a ton of fun when a group gets together to spend some time outdoors during the cold winter months. The group I ice-fish with likes to build a fire in a barrel on the bank of our local pond. The fire sure is nice for warming our hands after handling a few ice-cold bluegills.
For more Driftwood Outdoors, check out the podcast on www.driftwoodoutdoors. com or anywhere podcasts are streamed.
Ice fishing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors in the winter.
It’s Time To Pack Up & GO!
Connect with the Area’s Most TRUSTED Family-Owned Dealers.
47 West Trailer Sales
26 Dream Hollow • Troy, MO 63379
636.528.4301 Colman’s Country Campers
#2 Fun Street • Hartford, IL 62048 618.254.1180
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Bill Thomas Camper Sales
101 Thomas RV Way • Wentzville, MO 63385 636.327.5900
Bourbon RV Center
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573.732.5100 M.B. Thomas RV Sales & Rental
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Midwest RV Center
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Van City RV
3100 Telegraph Rd. • St. Louis, MO 63125 800.467.3905
Byerly RV Center
295 E. 5th St. • Eureka, MO 63025 800.878.3325
Your Guide to GREAT GEAR
Winchester offers Super Pheasant copper plate shot
Winchester introduces Super Pheasant Diamond Grade shotshell ammunition. Diamond Grade was brought out in 2020 as the hardest shot available for best possible performance.
The Super Pheasant version is an 8 percent antimony (hardening alloy), copper-plated shot for upland fields designed to connect with authority on tough roosters.
The initial offerings include 2 3/4” inch for 12- or 20-gauge as well as a hard hitting 3-inch, 12-gauge load. It comes in boxes of 25.
The hardening alloy has four times more antimony than standard target loads, resulting in the hardest copper-plated shot available to target shooters.
Modern synthetic saddle comes at a bargain price
Does every saddle have to be leather? Saddle Online.com doesn’t think so. It is offering this synthetic horse saddle tack set, designed for extra comfortable trail riding and available at a marked-down price.
Saddle Online’s brown, cordura saddle is lightweight and easy to clean and maintain. Just wipe it with a damp cloth – it doesn’t need the maintenance and upkeep of a leather saddle.
The saddle is waterproof and well-padded with suede for comfort, while O-rings let riders attach trail-riding accessories. The underside is padded with synthetic fleece.
Stirrups are padded and comfortable, too. The saddle is built on a fiberglass tree, and the size ranges from 15 to 18 inches, with a 3.5” horn and stirrups from 28 to 34 inches. It weighs 17 pounds.
A range of these synthetic saddles are available for $299.95 each at saddleonline.com, which also offers leather saddle models and accessories.
Monsterbass introduces the Seeker, a fast-moving crankbait with a new look designed for capturing the attention of aggressive bass.
The Seeker is available in three depth offerings – six feet, eight feet and 12 feet.
The Seeker is 2 ½” long, weighs half an ounce, comes in six premium colors, uses BKK Treble hooks and produces a subtle rattle.
The entire hand-built Seeker series can be seen at monsterbass.com/collections/monsterbass-seeker-series.
Night Cat backpacking tent easy to set up, carry, buy
Nobody said it has be expensive to go camping. Not when you can do it in the Night Cat lightweight backpacking tent for one or two people.
The Night Cat is easy to carry, to set up, to put away and to buy it in the first place. It weighs 4.4 pounds and folds down to 16 by 4.7 inches with its foldable fiberglass poles.
It only takes a minute to set up or take down, so it’s great for backpacking, hiking or beaching. Seams are covered in waterproof tape to keep it dry in a storm. Pegs and guy lines help keep it stable on windy days.
Versions of the Night Cat lightweight tent are $49.99 and $59.99 at Amazon.com. A larger version is $79.99.
StrikeHold lubricant saves boaters from rust and corrosion
The anti-corrosion lubricant StrikeHold Marine was developed for U.S. military use but now is available to the public and has been helping boaters protect their motors and electronics from saltwater and other corrosives.
Strikehold Marine can stop and prevent saltwater rust and corrosion on any metal and recreational boat parts. It is used by the Navy, Marines and the Coast Guard. It has additives that penetrate into metal parts, displacing moisture and forming a bond that repels salt water and other contaminants.
Strikehold is best applied as a preventive measure before exposure to seawater. After disconnecting terminals, it can be applied to batteries and all electrical connections, such as lights, circuit panels, and marine electronics.
The long-lasting, clear protective coating is non-greasy and contains no wax, silicon, Teflon or graphite to gum up mechanisms.
For more information, call (678) 883-3578, send an email to info@strikeholdmarine, or go online to www.strikehold. com/pages/marine.
Gerber shovel does it all then folds up
When you need a shovel, and if you’re camping or hiking, it had better something you can fold up.
The solution could be the Gerber Gorge Folding Shovel. At 16 inches long, it lets you chop, dig, scoop or scrape with its lightweight carbon steel blade.
The handle can even double as a hammer for pounding tent stakes. Its rubberized grip is comfortable and firm with a push-button lock to hold the folding blade in place. It folds to 9 inches, packs up in a nylon bag and weighs 28 ounces.
Gerber’s Gorge Folding Shovel, in black, sells for $24.95 at REI stores and rei.com.
Komclub tent poles come in five sizes, have many purposes
Sometimes the tent outlasts the poles, so it’s good to know affordable Komclub replacement poles are available at two for $19.99.
The stainless steel, lightweight poles come in sets of two that weigh just 28 ounces. Camping poles are about 17 inches long, and .75 inches in diameter. Tent poles are 31.9, 47.2, 62.2 or 78.1 inches, but they store at 16.5 inches.
The poles are moisture-and-rust resistant and have a silicone cap on the bottom to increase friction between the poles and the ground to make them more stable.
It only takes one person to install a pole. Just press the spring and push it in, and just pull the spring to disassemble.
Multiple purposes include for a canopy, awning, beach shelter and more.
Komclub replacement tent poles are available at amazon.com.
Campfire Coffee is the name for good times outdoors
Campfire Coffee in Tacoma, Wash. is the real deal when it comes to finding great coffees for outdoor adventuring and roasting it for coffee lovers everywhere.
When they roast coffee, they do it over a campfire, the way it’s been done for thousands of years around the world.
They have a Mountain Top espresso blend with chocolate and smokey tastes using coffees from central America and east Africa.
Their fair trade organic Mexican Chiapas is bright, citrusy and balanced. Fireside Vibes is a decaf option.
See their full lineup of coffees and accessories at goodies@ welovecampfire.com or drop into their shop at 1554 Market St. – next time you’re in Tacoma!
Vevor adult tricycle carries a load and then folds for storage
Vevor’s foldable adult tricycles are a safe, smart choice for personal mobility, to carry loads and remain stable on any road conditions.
They have 24” wheels, a padded seat with backrest, a large rear basket, front and rear brakes and a seven-speed drive train.
The tool and equipment supplier makes the bike out of carbon steel, so it is anti-rust and corrosion-free and can support up to 220 pounds. Because it folds, it won’t take up too much space for storage.
