Missouri, Illinois and other exciting outdoor destinations! HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING • SHOOTING • TRAVEL OUTDOOR September-October 2022 GUIDE American treasures Page 30Pauley & Franko Page 26Gooey Pumpkin Cake Page 13 Fall crappie Page 14Disaster plan .......... Page 6 MAGAZINE
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Conservancy gains site along Katy Trail and Missouri River Relief have to make this an asset for the community, advanc ing education, research and recreation along the Missouri River.”Steve Schnarr, director of Missouri River Relief, said a special place is being pre served and protected.
The 160-acre property in Boone County has a mile of frontage on the Missouri River and sits on a scenic stretch between the river and the Katy Trail. It will be owned by The Na ture Conservancy and operated in partnership with Missouri River Relief. – Sarah Powell photo.
The site will become a cornerstone of the Conser vancy’s development of a network of Centers for Con servation Innovation across Missouri. The centers will provide opportunities for research to test, develop and demonstrate land manage ment practices. The first such center, Little Creek Farm near the Iowa border in Harrison County, is now a demonstration farm geared toward testing new methods for sustainable graz ing that can help ranchers and the land. Similarly, this new site will provide research op portunities, restored habitat and additional public access to the Missouri River. Taking advantage of the proximity of the Katy Trail, the Nature Conservancy will also explore low-impact bik ing and hiking loops, viewing platforms at scenic points and the historical Lewis and Clark marker, and additional investments that can help the surrounding community con nect with the river. The site is expected to be a destination for school field trips with pro grams for teaching students about our river habitats. The Conservancy and its partners plan to engage stake holders in coming months to develop a master plan for restoration and community access. Until then, the public access will be limited to the boat ramp and associated parking lot.
PART OF A NETWORK
More than 160 acres along the Missouri River in Boone County will become a place for the public to connect to the state’s unique landscapes as well as a site for research and conservation, the Na ture Conservancy (TNC) announced.Theproperty, west of Columbia at the end of Sarr Street in Huntsdale, is on a scenic stretch between the river and the Katy Trail. It will be owned by the Conservancy and operated in partnership with Missouri River Relief. The section was donated by Larry and Brenda Potterfield and includes a building for merly operated as the Station House restaurant. Potter field is founder and board chairman of MidwayUSA, a retailer of shooting, hunting and outdoors products. Plans include using the building as a base of opera tions for Missouri River Re lief to engage the community with the Missouri River and help care for it. A boat ramp that had been accessible only through memberships will now be open to the public.
The Conservancy said it will conduct high-quality restoration of natural habitats across the property, likely to include stabilizing the river bank with natural materials and plantings, rejuvenating onsite wetlands and planting native crediblytheMcLane,biodiversity,”learnthewhiletosite“Thisvegetation.isaone-of-a-kindwithlimitlesspotentialconservecrucialhabitatsprovidingaccessforcommunitytoenjoyandaboutMissouri’suniquesaidAdamstatedirectorforConservancy.“We’reingratefultoLarryand
Brenda Potterfield and eager to work with our partners at Missouri River Relief to en sure this is a special place for generations of Missourians to “Thiscome.”is a beautiful piece of Missouri, and it was im portant to our family that it remains a place where people can spend time in the outdoors,” Larry Potterfield said. “We’re excited about the plans the Nature Conservancy
LIMITLESS POTENTIAL FOR HABITAT
“It’s been a longtime dream of Missouri River Relief to have a space on the river where we could bring people to experience and learn about the river,” he said. “We are so grateful to the Potterfields and for this unique partnership with TNC and others to begin making that dream a reality. “Our mission is to connect people to the Missouri River, and this is one of our favorite places on the whole river to show people. We hope people statewide start to see this special place as their special place.”
OutdoorGuide Get the latest issues on your phone or tablet Download the magazine app today! Android Download for We bring nature to your favorite device. The Missouri Conservationist magazine app allows you to discover nature on the go. Browse photos and videos, stay up to date on conservation news, and find new ways to get outside. See what Missouri conservation is all about. Download the free app at mdc.mo.gov/mocon CONSERVATIONIST MISSOURI
• Going fishing with my grand kids? Mulligan!
• Deer and turkey hunting with my sons and grandkids? Mulligan!
In a time long ago before dig ital cameras and smartphones, I was on a camping trip, and the beautiful northern lights were dancing across the sky. I reached for my camera and started taking pictures. You guessed it. There was no film in the camera. Mulligan!
• A trip my wife and I made to Glacier National Park? Mulli gan!
too busy and my kids wanted to go fishing, or my wife wanted to go hiking or on a trip. Oh, believe me, there are a lot of other things I have done that I would like to take a mulligan on. I am just thankful I have a God that forgives me for some of the mistakes I have made. The hardest part is forgiving myself. Now, believe it or not, there is a national holiday on Oct. 17 every year called Mulligan Day. But don’t wait until then. Mulligan Day can be any day. Whether it is a former relation ship with a friend or loved one, a past mistake that needs recti fying, or anything else. You can take a mulligan. Everyone deserves to have a second chance in life, right? And that is what mulligans are all about. If you don’t succeed at first, try again. After all, we aren’t perfect. There has been only one perfect man. We are going to make mis takes. See it as an opportunity to learn, and do it better the nextAren’ttime. second chances and sometimes even third chances good for everyone? Although we always want to do things correctly right away, immediate success is not always possible. We should embrace our human faults.Don’t simply admit failure and give up. Instead, take a deep breath, think about where you went wrong, learn from it and try it Giveagain.yourself another chance to do something the right way that previously went wrong. After all, mulligans are about second chances. Hey, God gives us mulligans all the time if we just ask Here’shim.agreat idea! If mulli gans are do-overs for bad things that happened, why can’t we have do-overs for good things that happened in our lives?
• Time alone around a camp fire? Mulligan! The list goes on and on. Sometimes life gives you a second chance, or even two. Not always, but sometimes. It’s what you do with those second chances – those do-overs – that counts. Mulligan!
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The changing of the seasons is magical. Since your smart phone is always with you, use it to capture all the beauty of fall in pictures or video. You can even use it to record the sounds of fall and add music to your video. If you need to do any editing, it can be done right on your smartphone. Of course, if you are old like me, you may have to get your grandkids to help you.
By limiting your camping to late spring and summer, you’re missing out on the quietest, most beautiful times in our national parks and state forests. Think about the memories you’ll create, and the closeness you’ll achieve. It can be a beautiful bonding experience for the whole gang. As a bonus, after Labor Day, campsites around the country –from national parks to private areas – reduce their rates making it super affordable for you. Larry L. Whiteley has been an award-winning magazine and newspaper writer and blogger for more than 40 years.
OLD BOONE’S TIPS
• Deer camp with friends or family? Mulligan!
our
Several things that have hap pened in my life, I would like to go back and take a mulligan on. You can probably say the same. I remember a fishing trip when my line broke on the biggest bass I had ever seen. It had to be at least a state record. I knew my line was getting old. I knew I needed to put fresh line on but didn’t. Mulligan! Then there was the time I got into my deer stand, reached into my pack to get my bow release and it wasn’t there. I knew I should have double-checked. I then had to sit there and watch three bucks – bigger than any thing I had ever taken with a gun or bow – walk right under my stand. Mulligan!
By LARRY WHITELEYL. A mulligan the bad things that have happened in lives?
is a “do-over” in the game of golf. Hit a bad shot? Take a mulligan and replay that stroke. Drop a ball on the spot from which you just played, and replay the shot. The bad shot is not counted. You get a second chance. SECOND CHANCES Don’t we wish we could take mulligans for all
TOO BUSY FOR FAMILY?
– Glacier Park Collection
Tips, Tricks and Thoughts for the Great Outdoors
FALL FAMILY CAMPING
I would also like to take mulligans for the times I was Shouldn’t a visit to Glacier National Park be worth a mul ligan?
Why not have mulligans in daily life?
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By DAVID HOSKING When a disaster occurs, it is likely that you and your family members will be separated from each other. You might be driving to work; the kids may in school; your wife may be at the gym; elderly parents may be out shopping at a medical marijuana store, and those with disabilities may be with special caregivers.Whendisaster strikes, mo bile phones, computers and even electricity may quickly become unreliable. So how will you contact each other if the transportation and com munications infrastructures are congested or blocked? How will each family member let the others know if they are safe or not?
Just think about the thou
• VHF/UHF Amateur Band (Ham) radios are communi cations gear for licensed users who successfully pass an FCC examination. The entry-level license (Technician Level) allows users to operate hand held or base stations on VHF/ UHF frequencies that enable communications over much longer ranges. Although VHF/ UHF radios require line-of-site transmissions, the use of re peaters may allow ranges of 50 miles or more. Some radios can connect to the Internet, thereby allowing communications all over the world.
• Handheld GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios cost more and are slightly more powerful than FRS radios, but their limited range can be in creased up to several hundred miles by connecting to a repeat er if one is available. A license (about $35 for 10 years) from the FCC is required to operate a GMRS radio. These are not toys, so be sure to follow the FCC rules.
Plan for family separation in disasters Preppers’ Guide
• Citizens Band (CB) radios are limited by the FCC to 4 watts of power, which enables a range of just 1 to 5 miles under most conditions. Operating a CB radio does not require a license and the equipment is not expensive. These radios remain popular with truckers; Channel 19 is the main CB frequency that truckers use to convey road and traffic conditions as well as the locations of speed traps. Channel 9 is typically used by emergency services for distress messages, although the frequen cy is not always monitored by police.
• Simple walkie-talkie radios, like FRS (Family Radio Ser vice) radios, are inexpensive and easy to carry in a get-home bag, but their low power trans missions are only effective over a range between half a mile and two miles. FRS radios do not require a license to operate. These are good for communi cating between, say, vehicles traveling in a caravan, but they won’t be useful for much else. Remember, messages sent by FRS radios can be heard by others using the same frequency.
• Important phone numbers Phone numbers for police, fire, work, school, child care and key relatives should be stored in cell phones, but also having them in hardcopy will be vital if phones should lose their charge. Also, store an emergency contact number in each cell phone under the name of “In Case of Emergency” so someone can contact your family if you are incapacitated. Put a hardcopy list in your kids’ school backpack and keep a copy in your car where you store your registration and insurance cards.
NOTE: The author is a licensed Ham radio operator.
• High Frequency (HF) (also Ham) radios are used for long-distance communications, across North America and even around the world. A General (or higher level) License from the FCC is required, and operators must pass a more rigorous test. During major disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and wildfires, HF radio communications are often the only way relief agencies, like the Salvation Army, Red Cross, National Guard, state and federal government, are able to coordinate their assistance efforts. In many instances, Ham operators have provided life-saving communications. Making an emergency com munication plan before a di saster strikes will help family members to keep in touch with each other. Being prepared is the key to reuniting your family.
COMMUNICATIONS
OutdoorGuidePage 6 September-October 2022 — Regional and specialty editors — — Account executives — Dan Braun, marketing director 314-256-4136 Lauren Marshall 314-614-5175 – In Memoriam — Joel Vance • Ron Henry Strait • Jared Billings • Charlie Farmer • Richard Engelke • Mark Hubbard • Spence Turner • Hank Reifeiss Kay Hively • Bill Harmon • Barbara Perry Lawton • Danny Hicks • Ron Kruger • TJ Stallings • John Sloan Carl Green, editor – carl@labortribune.com Bob Whitehead, editor emeritis – ogmbobw@aol.com Kathy Crowe, graphic designer John Winkelman, associate editor — ogmjohnw@aol.com Lynn Fowler, circulation manager — Staff writers — Claudette Roper Kenneth Kieser Don Gasaway Tim Huffman Gerald Scott Terry Wilson Mike Roux Russell Hively Bill Keaton Bob Holzhei Craig Alderman Roxanne Wilson Charlie Slovensky Jeannie Farmer Randall Davis Michael Wardlaw Jerry Pabst Jo Schaper Larry Potterfield Tyler Mahoney Ryan Miloshewski Jed Nadler Tom Watson Richard Aites Darrell Taylor Ray Eye Brent BrandonFrazeeButler Bill ThayneCooperSmithSteveJones Bill Seibel John Neporadny Jr. T. J. Mullin Office: 505 S. Ewing, St. Louis, MO 63103 News department — 618-972-3744 www.outdoorguidemagazine.com e-mail: news@outdoor-guide.com HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING • SHOOTING • TRAVEL Volume 30, No. 5 • Published six times a year COVER created by Kathy Crowe, graphic designer. Larry Whiteley TedRonNugentBice OUTDOOR MAGAZINE September-October 2022 GUIDE Missouri, Illinois Other Exciting Outdoor Destinations!HUNTING FISHING CAMPING BOATING SHOOTING TRAVEL OUTDOOR March-April 2022 GUIDE Prepper’s MAGAZINE Take a Look at Back Issues of Outdoor Guide Magazine by Visiting outdoorguidemagazine.com
• Get-home bag – This was discussed in detail in an earlier issue of Outdoor Guide Mag azine. A get-home bag should be in every family member’s vehicle. It contains basic items such as a comfortable backpack, sleeping bag, spare socks, walking shoes, drinking water, non-perishable snacks, hat, gloves, rain jacket, flashlight, knife, cell phone charger, matches, can opener, personal care items (toothbrush, tooth paste, soap, feminine products, toilet paper), and a walking stick (good for warding off aggressive dogs and people). The bag should also include some cash in small bills and some checks; credit cards may not work during an emergency. Be sure to include paper copies of road maps in case your GPS doesn’t work. Also, never let your gas tank fall below the halfway mark.
The ability to communicate among family members during an emergency is an important element of a family emergency plan. Households will need to establish a communications plan and actually practice using it. Again, cell phones may not function for various reasons, but other effective technologies are available. Remember, radio communications devices re quire a power source, typically a portable USB or solar charger for batteries or a 12-volt power supply.
• Predetermined meeting locations – Each family member should know where to meet if travel to the home base is difficult or blocked. Fire sta tions, police stations, churches, community centers, schools and neighbors all are safe spots, especially for young people. Pick two or three locations near your home to make sure that at least one can be reached; a short list will minimize the need for a frantic search during an emergency. Traveling family members should also prede termine how to contact family members; cell phones may not work, so calling long-distance on landlines may be the only option. Choose one or two outof-town relatives or friends as backup contacts in case things get really bad.
In the event of a major crisis, a family emergency plan is an essential tool to help separated family members know how to reach each other and where to meet. An emergency plan pro vides key information to each member of the household, and contains the following:
Licensed amateur radio operator Allen McBrook works at his home-based radio station near Starkville, Miss. He has contacts in more than 60 countries and all seven continents. – Columbus (Miss.) Dispatch photo sands of American travelers who were left stranded far from home on 9/11. Almost immediately, cell phone com munications were jammed and car rentals quickly became impossible to find when all air travel was shut down.
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another arrow with high hopes of keeping the spirit on fire and venison flowing. As the rain subsided, we were increasingly joined by squadrons of twitting, chirping songbirds and a pair of uppity cottontail rabbits, and eventu ally a small covey of bobwhite quail bobbed in front of us to keep us entertained and happy. With shooting light increas ing by the minute, the visibility brought us the telltale shape of another handsome whitetail buck, this time coming in straight at us from the heavy cover.Facing us for the longest time, my lifetime bowhunting patience paid off as the stag finally meandered to the left, giving me an opening to his left side, standing in the same spot as his predecessor, and once again a gazillion hours and arrows on the 3D range paid off as my muscle/spirit memory shot sequence unfolded instinctively with a life of its own, and an other beautiful arrow entered the buck’s side, right where the good backstrap doctor ordered. With two dandy, handsome whitetail bucks skewered really good, we left the blind and be gan a pretty easy double blood trail on the rain-soaked Texas ground, recovering both bucks in short order for another Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild TV show, celebrating and pro moting perfect hands-on con servation for the whole world to share with another magical bowhunting morning on mag ical bowhunting grounds. The spirit was very good and very wild!
OutdoorGuidePage 8 September-October 2022 Visit Our Website at www.outdoorguidemagazine.com
We kept the celebration silent since it was so early in the morning, and I nocked
Two whitetails on a cool, rainy Texas morning
THE CELEBRATIONSILENT
Photo and Text By TED NUGENT
ANTLERS COME INTO VIEW It wasn’t all that long, as the raindrops began to taper off, before a gray shadow appeared from the thicket to the right, the buck’s tall antlers visible in the minimal light, slowly swiveling and searching for danger. With the go-ahead for vid cam light, I carefully lifted my Mathews bow into position as the buck lowered his head to nip some corn, and as my 30-yard sightpin hovered high on his ribcage, I launched the back strapping Gold Tip projectile on its mission of mercy and watched the glowing Lumenok disappear right there where the pump station lives! Well that’s how you do that! My never-ending archery form shot sequence practice pays off in untold happiness!
Hard raindrops splattered down loudly on our Double Bull ground blind, creating a rather comforting pitter-patter on this cold, dark south Texas bowhunting morning. The heavy rainclouds kept daylight at bay for a long time, but a sip of hot Black Rifle coffee from the thermos kept me comfortable and much ap preciative of being an American bowhunter, no matter what the weather.Thecorn feeder was a good 35 yards yonder, surrounded by thick brush and briars, barely visible through the rain and dankness.Asusual, we waited patiently for a hopeful moment of truth to unfold and silently celebrated the unique and wonderful sensa tions of being out here in God’s country with a bow and arrow and all the amazing wildlife we knew to be here with us. If one can put up with inclement and oftentimes un comfortable weather, I truly believe some of the best hunting conditions can be experienced just before a front and right in that transition from rain showers to clearing skies.
Clearwater Lake & Webb Creek Park Hwy H –Early fall is when a cracklin’ campfire feels the best. Bring the family to camp, boat, fish, and unwind on crystal clear Clearwater Lake. This area of the lake is formed where Webb Creek and Logan Creek empty into Clearwater Lake. The lake is known for its crappie, catfish and bass fishing. Camping is available at Webb Creek Recreation Park; plus a full service marina with boat/wave runner rentals on site. Webb Creek Park features over 40 campsites, swim beach, playground, showers, picnic pavilions, boat launch, and more. Services are limited after mid-September but camping is still permitted. Call Webb Creek Marina at 573-461-2344 for marina, boat rental and campsite information or visit www.recreation.gov to make reservations. If you are interested in all the conveniences of home call Webb Creek Cabins for cabin rentals, 573-461-2244.
Black River and K Bridge Recreation Area K Hwy – Float, canoe, fish and explore the beautiful Black River this fall. Enjoy swimming, camping and picnicking right on the banks of the Black River. K Bridge Recreation Area and Campground offers playground, showers, electric and comfort station, visit www.recreation.gov to make reservations. Floats (raft or canoe) can be arranged on site by calling Jeff’s Canoe Rental at 573-598-4555. A small general store is also available on site.
Current River & Log Yard Gravel Bar -Hwy 106 to HH Highway- Fish, swim, camp and relax on majestic Current River. Great place to explore Current River. This area is often referred to as Cardareva by locals and is a favorite summer hangout. Primitive camping is available right on the river bank, camping is also available at the nearby School Yard with picnic tables, lantern hooks and fire pits. These sites are available on a first come basis. Bring your canoes, rafts and kayaks; a perfect day float….Powder Mill to Log Yard. Boat launch available.
Current River, Blue Spring & Powder Mill Recreation Area – Hwy 106 near Current River bridge Powder Mill reopened summer 2020. Camping is available with views of the river, picnic tables, fire pit and lantern hook. Reservations are not available. Powder Mill is a perfect camp base for day trips to area attractions like Blue Spring, Rocky Falls, Peck Ranch, Johnson Shut-Ins, Elephant Rocks and more. Wild horses are often seen in the fields near the bridge. The Ozarks offers countless options for family adventure.
Ellington Chamber
Rocky Falls NN Hwy- A cascading crystal Rocky Creek drops from the Ozark Mountains into a lazy pool which eventually winds through the Ozarks to Current River. A must see if you are in the area and fun for all ages. Wear non-slip shoes and use caution when climbing on the falls. Picnic tables provided.
of Commerce | www.ellingtonmo.com | Find us ~ Only 2 Hours South of St. Louis ~ Webb Creek Marina TransAmerica Trail Klepzig Mill Blair Creek Elk Highway K Camping Blue Spring 4 10 11 5 4 9 10 1 8 6 7 2 11 3 EXPERIENCEmissouriELLINGTON explore &outdoorstheozarktrail Hike the ellingtonmo.com 8 7 2 3 Camp Current River 19 6 5
UTV, ATV and vehicle traffic is welcome. Main park entrance located on South Road in Ellington, other entrances located off Hwy 106 and HH highway. Primitive camping is available. Elk viewing and maps of the area are available at the main park entrance.
Blair Creek Hwy 106 – This area is a favorite of the local’s spring, summer and fall. For the person who is looking for the unknown, adventure into the wild Ozark hills for the beautiful views, caves, swimming, picnicking. Here riding the back roads in ATV’s, UTV’s and 4-wheel drives is exciting and fun. Entrance located North of Hwy 106 across from Blue Spring entrance.
OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 9
Local Flavor – Visit the Reynolds County Museum, take in a old fashioned drive-in movie at 21 Drive-In or join us for the Ellington Concert Series. Ticket available at www.ellingtonmo.com. Scenic Highway 106- This 26 mile drive between Ellington and Eminence is known state wide for its scenic views and beauty, and is especially a favorite in the fall. This section of highway is also home to the Trans-America Trail and sees many bicycle travelers from April-October. Bicycle enthusiasts say it’s one of the “toughest sections on the trail” and known for the steep hills & hollers.
Current River Conservation Area –Drive the Elk Driving Tour, explore the area, see abundant wildlife.
Ozark Trail- Hwy 106- Blair Creek & Current River section; Hwy 106 – Whether you are looking for a one day hike or want to make a few days of it; hiking these sections of the Ozark Trail is rewarding and adventurous. Such splendid locations as Rocky Falls, Klepzig Mill and Buzzard Mountain Shut-Ins are located right on the trail. For the adventurous visitor this is a must! Peck Ranch H Highway, Shannon County- Lis ten for the bugle this fall! Elk are now roaming the hills of the Ozarks and can be seen in Peck Ranch, Current River Conservation Area and the surrounding region. Thanks to the Missouri Department of Conservation’s recent Elk Restoration Program elk were released into the elk zone beginning in the summer of 2011. With the third release the summer of 2013 the elk herd is nearing 200 bulls, cows and calves. Peck Ranch is open from sunrise/sunset daily and offers a driving tour. Bugling occurs in the fall, Sept-Nov. Check the Missouri Dept of Con servation website for park closing details. Maps are available at park entrance.
STILL NEED A PERMIT
“The new report shows a dra matic decrease in injuries and fatalities, more than I can recall in recent memory,” said Chris Edmonston, president of the Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. “However, even with Covid restrictions lifted and boating no longer one of the few ways to recre ate with the family, operator inexperience remains one of the top risk factors contributing to accidents.”Operator inattention, im proper lookout, machinery failure and excessive speed round out the list.
. To sign up for the hunt, contact Conservation Educa tor Ashley Edwards at Ashley. Beginners’ squirrel hunt is Oct. 1 in Cole County Edwards@mdc.mo.gov or at (573) 522-4115 ext. 3420. Spots for this event are limited. Runge Nature Center is lo cated at 330 Commerce Drive in Jefferson City. From High way 50 in Jefferson City, take Highway 179 north .25 miles to the area entrance. Scrivner Road Conservation Area is located south of Russellville. From Russellville, take Route AA south, then Scrivner Road east, then Scott Road north .7 miles to the area. With the pandemic putting more people than ever on the water and a consequent rise in boating accidents and fatalities, there’s some better news in the newly released 2021 U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Statistics.Thereport shows double-dig it declines across the board in the main boating safety indicators. Boating accidents dropped 15.7 percent, injuries decreased 17.2 percent and fatalities dropped 14.2 percent. The 2021 fatality rate decreased to 5.5 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels, a 15.4 percent reduction from 6.5 in 2020.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is inviting beginner squirrel hunters to a guided hunt Oct. 1 at Scrivner Road Conservation Area in Cole County. This event will begin at 7 a.m., and there is a pre-req uisite event required for participants, which will be held at Runge Nature Center, Jefferson City, from 6 to 7 p.m., Sept. 29, with a pre-hunt orientation to be scheduled that same Squirrelevening.hunting season is currently underway, with an end date of Feb. 15, 2023. There are numerous ways to legally hunt squirrels, includ ing archery and gun usage. For a comprehensive list of squirrel hunting regulations, go online to mo.gov/4T6https://short.mdc.
Wild Acres Park limits reduced after rain damage Park Lake is normally open for public use and fishing. An glers between the ages of 16 and 65 must still hold a valid Missouri Fishing Permit to fish at the lake. Wild Acres Park is owned and managed by the City of Overland. MDC stocks the 2.5 acre lake with largemouth bass, sunfish, crappie, channel catfish and trout in winter. The park is located at 10400 Mid land Boulevard.
An Emergency Fish Sal vage Order will remain in effect at Wild Acres Park Lake in Overland through Friday, Nov. 4. It allows use of fishing methods that might otherwise be Theprohibited.citymust reduce the water level of the lake to make infrastructure repairs required on the lake’s dam. Recent heavy rain events caused damage to the dam that could cause a flood danger to homes near the park. The city is taking steps to prevent further damage and has begun the process of reducing the water level of the lake.
“The need to focus on these boating safety basics and the continued need for boating safe ty education has not changed,” he What’sadded. influencing these latest boating safety numbers?
OutdoorGuidePage 10 September-October 2022
The order will be in effect during hours when Wild Acres
“We’re unsure if this latest data is an anomaly or a trend, but we believe the increasing number of states requiring mandatory boating safety education, as well as states requiring educa tion for a greater portion of their boating citizens, is having a pos itive effect,” Edmonston said. He also notes, however, that paddlecraft operators remain a concern, as they typically don’t have any requirements for edu cation before hitting the water.
RESTRICTIONS LIFTED To remove the lake’s ex isting fish population, an Emergency Fish Salvage Or der issued by the Department of Conservation allows for a temporary suspension of fishing methods restrictions for the Underlake.the order, anglers may take all species of fish from the lake, excluding en dangered species as listed in the Wildlife Code of Missouri In addition to fishing meth ods already authorized for the lake, the order enables anglers to take fish by the following methods: gig, snagging, grab bing, dip net, throw net, seine and by hand. The order also calls for a temporary suspen sion of length limits, daily limits, and possession limits for the “Thislake.emergency salvage action will enable anglers to make use of the existing fish community while the lake is drawn down to prepare for the renovation project,” MDC Fisheries Management Biolo gist John Schulte said. “Since the fish won’t survive in such low water levels, the order will help ensure that this valu able resource does not go to waste.”
Boatingdeclinedaccidentsin2021
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We love Unshackled Spar kling Rose from the Prisoner Wine Co. and also Meramec Vineyards Celebration Cove White Wine.
TWO NICE WINES
The Sparkling Rose starts with wonderful fresh-fruit aromas that include bright cherry and strawberry with a slight hint of spice. You will discover fresh, bright straw berry bringing some cherry and cranberry mid-palate, and finishing with slight spice and all the fruits in a wonderful mixture that lingers. The wine is dry with a won derful crisp acidity that cuts through food and enhances your entire meal, a wonderful dry sparkling alternative from California when the trend seems to be moving to sweet. You can find this for under $25 per bottle retail. If you enjoy adding some heat with your favorite hot sauce, the Celebration Cove White Wine is the perfect choice. With peach, apricot and honeysuckle aromas, this wine has a crisp taste without the oak and butter. You will enjoy the peach and apricot fla vors with the slight sweetness on the finish providing relief from the heat after adding hot sauce. You can find this wine for under $20 retail. Follow Wild Wine Life on Facebook or subscribe on Youtube for other recipes and the video version of this recipe. For more on smoking rabbit, see the March-April 2021 Outdoor Guide or look on the Facebook or Youtube versions.
There’s something special about fishing in Missouri. That unmistakable pink flash of a Rainbow Trout turning in the current, the red dots of a Brown rising into shallower water, the rush of a Largemouth striking the surface. You can cast a line anywhere, but you can only fish like this in Lebanon, Missouri. Make your next fishing trip count.
MORE THAN A FISHING SPOT
OutdoorGuidePage 12 September-October 2022
Photo MAXWELLByTextandRAY
I fell in love with Jamba laya during my time in New Orleans. You will find jamba laya to be a very easy comfort food to cook and enjoy. The ability to place your personal likes or changes to the dish is one thing that I love about jambalaya, and there are many things to love about the dish. Rabbit jambalaya is something that you will find to be a great hunting camp dish or home dish.
VisitLebanonMo.com | 1.844.4LEBANON
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped 2 cups chopped onion 5 cups tomatoes , peeled, deseeded and chopped 1 pound cooked pork sau sage (I prefer Italian sausage) 4 cups rabbit, grilled, smoked or braised 3 tablespoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon of shortening 2 tablespoons of flour 21/2 cups of water 2 tablespoons, chopped 2parsleycups of rice (raw, white, long grain) 2 tablespoons Worcester shire Sauce 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons basil 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper PREPARATION Using a large skillet, melt the shortening. Then add the flour, sausage and chopped green pepper. Ground venison may be used instead of sau sage. Stirring constantly, cook for five minutes, then add the rabbit, tomatoes, water, onion, garlic and parsley. Bring the water to a boil, add the rice and turn the heat down to low. Then add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, basil and cayenne pepper, stirring the spices into the mix. Cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle some additional Unshackled Sparkling Rose (left) and Meramec Vineyards Celebration Cove White go great with rabbit jambalaya.
Wild Wine Life
Rabbit jambalaya great for hunting camp parsley.
POLITICALLY INCORRECT!
PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
By CLAUDETTEROPER
For those who want to skip the whole pump kin spice fall idea, use this recipe but replace the yellow cake mix with chocolate cake mix. Then replace the pumpkin with one cup of peanutCakebutter.mix?For those of you who know me and are shaking your heads in dismay, yes, I some times use a cake mix. It’s not my first choice, but there is a time and place for everything.
Base: 1 box yellow cake mix
QUICK & EASY Sometimes life throws us curve balls and we just have to go with the flow, doing the best we can. It’s nice to have a few quick and easy solutions in our back pocket. Sometimes there needs to be a little joy in the midst of the world falling apart all around you. Sometimes you just need to spend more time with those you love and less time in the kitchen. It can be a balancing routine and it’s one that I haven’t perfected yet, but I must say I’m getting a lot of practice to learn how. I’m looking forward to my favorite day of summer: Sept. 22. Have a great autumn and successful deer season!
OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 13
The dog days of August should be over, but what are they? One person told me that’s when snakes shed their skins. Call me a cynic, but that started me down a deep black hole (Google) to find an answer. Actually it wasn’t that deep until I pursued “Indian summer” as well. I have resurfaced and must say that the trip down was quite overwhelming. My friend was wrong – of course that’s assuming that information on the Internet is always correct. Enough said. I should have just asked Mountain Man to start Apparentlywith!snakes will shed their skins anywhere from four to 12 times a year. Young snakes may shed weekly as they grow. Well, so much for August.
One iteration of Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake – Dinner at the Zoo photo the recipe that’s originally from Paula Deen.
The European equivalent is called “Old Wives’ Summer.” Apparently neither one is politically correct. One meteorologist said that they mean no disrespect and suggested we look for a new expression. Second summer? Last chance summer? Or as Mountain Man suggest ed, “Almost deer season summer.” I think Mountain Man may be onto something there. How many times last year, in the early weeks of deer season, did you sit in a tree stand with sweat rolling off, hoping the deer wouldn’t pick up your scent? With a hope for autumn in the air, we’ll probably be inundated with pumpkin spice everything, everywhere we turn. While the season is one of my favorites, pumpkin is not, yet it seems almost politically incorrect to feel thatMyway.solution: pumpkin gooey butter cake. It’s more gooey butter than pumpkin. Here’s
1 egg 1 stick butter, melted Filling: 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 15-ounce can pumpkin 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 stick butter, melted 16 ounces powdered sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake ingredients with an electric mixture, then pat into the bottom of a lightly greased 13x9inch baking pan. For the filling, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the pumpkin. Add eggs one at a time, beating in between. Then add vanilla and butter and beat until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and spices and mix well. Spread the filling over the batter and bake for 40-50 minutes. Make sure the center is still just a little wiggly when you take it out. I like to serve it with homemade whipped cream.
Gooey pumpkin cake saves a summer day
Claudette’s Cottage
DOGS & MEN ALIKE
What else did I get out of that deep dive? “In ancient Greece and Rome, the Dog Days were believed to be a time of drought, bad luck, and unrest, when dogs and men alike would be driven mad by the extreme heat!” (almanac.com). It also went on to explain that the specific dates vary by whom you reference. Most sources confirm that they are tied to the dawn rising of Sirius. These days generally are considered to be from July 3 to August 11. Clearly they have nothing to do with dogs or snakes. They are almost behind us, and I still hateWhatsummer!amazes me is that no sooner than we are done with summer, people are longing for an Indian summer. Really? Eye roll! Here we go again! We use all these expressions, and do we really know what they mean or where they originated?Apparently it was named such by European settlers to describe the haziness that resulted from Native American tribes setting prairie fires after harvesting crops. Today, meteorolo gists define it as a period of abnormally warm weather that occurs in mid-to-late autumn and after the first frost.
LAYDOWNS Terry Richard is another tournament fisherman who has experience on many lakes. “It doesn’t matter where in the country you fish, laydowns are a key structure for success in river systems, large or small,” he Importantsaid. factors for a lay down are water depth and cur rent. Fishing will be best when the water levels are down a little and current flow is low. The type of laydown is important, too. He looks for downed timber that’s aged and doesn’t have green on it. Two or three years in the water make it better fishing than one just “Thefallen.right water depth is critical,” he said. “Laydowns that reach into 7 feet of water won’t work when crappie are at 8 feet or deeper. A laydown that reaches into deep water is important, even when the crap pie may be at only 9 feet deep. And after learning a pattern, a fisherman can start run-and-gun fishing by hitting laydowns at the right depth.”
and Text By
Summer-to-fall crappie get active when daylight gets shorter and water temperatures start to cool. Outdoor Guide outdoorsmen know that tem peratures in September can be very hot or very cool, so water conditions are unpredictable. Whether cooling water comes early or late, it signals good news for fishermen because crappie start gorging themselves, so they become easier to catch. Three experts share their experiences for finding and catching these fish.
Catching crappie in the transition to fall on a ledge that is afewtechnique.covertheBobbyDannenmuellerthere.”includesGarlandjigs.Hesaysvarietyofdesignsandcoloranypossiblesituationand“Imaynotusebutacolorsoneachlakeduringtrip,butthroughouttheyear I’ll fish with all the colors and styles they make, because I fish different lakes with different techniques,” he said. “As fish transition into fall, pick ledges at different depths, find the baitfish and you’ll find the crappie.”
Terry Richard believes in laydowns. ‘It doesn’t matter where in the country you fish, laydowns are a key structure for success in river systems, large or small.’
The approach to a laydown is important, Richard said. Crappie are spooky, so he takes his time and fishes the outside edges first. He works his way toward the trunk and the bank. After a couple of laydowns, he will know where fish are posi tioned and target only the “hot zone” on the next laydowns. It saves time and allows more fish to be caught. “Finding the right depth is very important,” he said. “In the fall, it is likely the same depth as the baitfish. The fish may be up above a thermocline in late summer. Depths will change with water temperature. Fish the outside of the laydown toward the middle. The biggest fish are often on the outside edges.” Factors when fishing a lay down? Richard says: “A front is a change in barometric pressure and can increase or decrease feeding activity. Rain might bother the fishermen, but not the fish. Sun requires trying both the sunny and shady side of the laydown. Wind can mean boat control issues. Lack of control often means I’ll disturb the fish, but also, I have trouble controlling baits even when jigging. Fall fishing is good so there may be some fishing pressure.”
SINGLE-POLING
Editor’s note: Tim Huffman has been an Outdoor Guide writer for three decades. His books, including his 2022 Crappie Annual & Product Guide, are available at Grizzly Jig Company, (573) 333-9866 or Amazon.com in paperback & Kindle.
CHANNELSLEDGESAND Dan Dannenmueller com petes in tournaments during all seasons. No matter where he goes, he pays close attention to channels and ledges. “Ledges work year-round,” Dannenmueller said. “Whether fishing Grenada, the Alabama River or Mark Twain Lake, a change in contour is extremely important. The difference in summer and early fall is the depth of the ledge. August crappie may be on 10- to 18foot ledges, but in October they may prefer 5-10 feet. September is somewhere in between, de pending upon eat.coolingspotsareDannenmuellerweather.”sayscrappiecomingfromtheirsummerupintothecreeks.ThewatertriggersthemtoTherefore,theywillfollow the baitfish along the channels and into the flats next to the channels.“Thereason we see crappie moving up shallow as fall approaches is because the shallow water cools first and draws the baitfish. So maybe the best tip is to fish the shad schools associated with a ledge and you’ll likely have the right combination for action. Using electronics is a key element to finding the right spot in the least amount of time. Picking good spots, watching electronics and test fishing will let you know if fish are active.” A few degrees in temperature make a big difference. “Start each day with what you know about fish,” he said. “Then spend as much time as it takes to learn an area with your elec tronics. Today’s electronics are incredible and can find anything Pro fisherman Dan Dannenmueller recommends looking for ledges and flats. This fish was pulled from cover while casting a Road Runner with a Bobby Garland Stroll’R plastic body.
The Missouri father/son team of Charlie and Kevin Rogers have won many local and national tournaments, along with Angler Team of the Year. They’ve fished all over the country but have enjoyed decades fishing Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks.
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Photos TIM HUFFMAN
LiveScope has eliminated a lot of the searching, but they say a fisherman can still catch plenty of fish in wood cover with basic electronics and ver tical“Injigging.thefall, start around 10 feet deep,” Charlie said. “Work up or down from there. I look for the wooliest and brushiest place no matter which lake I fish. It can be visible or totally submerged.”KevinRogers adds, “We single-pole with a Jenko pole and 15-pound-test Spiderwire Invisibraid. We swing fish into the boat, so we need a strong pole and line. We use 1/8- and 1/4-ounce jig heads.
“I’ve fished a lot of lakes and have learned the edges of creek channels are important in the fall. The largest fish in the lake are often on a stump, tree or brush along the edge of a channel.”
The area offers seasonal hunting as well, such as deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, dove and quail. You’ll see turkeys, too, Fletcher said, “because they like the glades, and so do the deer and birds that call Riverside home.”
Funk State Forest is a quiet place in Iron County woods water in its stems will burst forth and create little ribbons of Asice.”you wander through the green, you’ll find numerous glade grasses and plants such as coneflower, brown-eyed Susans, apple ferns, daisies, aromatic sumac, hog peanut and persimmons. You’ll also see hickory, oaks, and cedar trees and their saplings. Some of the plants you’ll see are more Ozark-region specific, Fletcher said, but some exist there today solely because the area’s dry soil is needed for their growth.
Lake Lou Yeager, east of Litchfield off of Interstate 55 in south-central Illinois, is known as a place for fish ing and camping, but it now offers a 6.6-mile, round-trip hiking and mountain biking trail called the Route 66 Hike and Bike Trail. The trail begins near the Marina 1 and Milnot Beach campgrounds on the west side of the lake. Maps and trail markers will keep riders from getting lost, and restrooms are available at picnic areas along the trail from April 1 through Oct. 31. Just bring your own Walkerswater.and hikers can enjoy the trail, too, under a canopy of trees with flat to steeper grades. For more information, call (217) 3245832.Park officials report: “Mountain bikers will not get bored with this trail. Each portion of the 6.6 miles will test a different level of your skill set. With uneven wooded terrain, this trail would be considered easy to moderate depending on the area. Hikers will encounter flat terrain to steeper downgrades.”
unwinding,
To get there f rom Vulcan on Highway 49, take Route BB west about 4 miles, then an unnamed gravel road north.
Lake Lou Yeager adds mountain biking
of
and
you’re
.
of
Funk Memorial State Forest and Wildlife Area, also known as Riverside, is a quiet spot in the Iron County Ozarks. – MDC photo
A practice loop for trail obstacles is available at the far south end of the trail at Picnic Area 4, or 4 Marina Lane. Bike repair stations are located at three places along theAtrail.shorter nature trail is on the other side of the lake at Shoal Creek Conservation Area. Dogs are welcome but must remain leashed. The park also has some 25 miles of equestrian trails and an equestrian campground.
OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 15 BUILDING OUR BUSINESS ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION! 9001 Dunn Rd. • Hazelwood MO 63042 (314) 895-4567 • apachevillagerv.com 2022 MODEL BLOWOUT SALE Jayco Jay Flight SLX 284BHS Stk #4867 • MSRP: $45,131 Sale Price: $34,320 RV Show$32,320Special Jayco Jay Flight SLX 264BH Stk #4809 • MSRP: $37,269 Sale Price: $27,880 RV Show$24,880Special Keystone Bullet Crossfire 2200BH Stk #4828 • MSRP: $37,906 Sale Price: $32,304 RV Show$29,304Special Keystone Bullet Crossfire 1700BH Stk #4627 • MSRP: $29,019 Sale Price: $26,431 RV Show$23,431Special FAMILY HUNTERSSPECIAL!SPECIAL! SPACIOUS LIGHTWEIGHT TOW SPECIAL! BEGINNER CAMPER’S SPECIAL! FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1975
Missouri Department Conservation If in search a one-of-a-kind, undisturbed destination for look no further than Funk Memorial State Forest Wildlife Area in Iron County. Known as Riverside by some, the 180-acre plot of land is one of four compartments in adjoining counties stretching to the Ozarks, managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). “The area has changed hands through the years, with MDC now managing to ensure wildlife habitat is sustained,” MDC Forester Becky Fletcher said. “The primary goal of this area is wildlife management. It’s not timber or fishing.” Green is all you see this time of year at Funk Memorial, and that’s more than tolerable. One of many plants you’ll find is dittany – commonly known as wild oregano, from the mint family. It smells as fresh as spic es from the kitchen pantry. But Fletcher kindly advised against picking any plants from conservation areas for the dinner table.
‘FLOWERS’ IN WINTER Fletcher said dittany is a unique plant you’ll also find in the surrounding woodlands. During the wintertime, she said the plant exhibits one of its most unusual qualities. “It’s one of the plants that will create frost flowers in the winter,” Fletcher said. “The
BIRD-WATCHINGHAVEN
For bird watching, Funk Memorial State Forest and Wildlife Area is a good place to visit, according to Fletcher. “You’ve got the field and the forest, which makes it easier to spot the various species that inhabit the area,” she said. “And you just might see some chipmunks.”
For hiking, several ser vice roads lead to the creek bottoms and fields, she said, making it perfect for a “fun, easy” journey. But if you don’t have much time to enjoy nature during the daily grind, Fletcher said it also makes for a great lunch spot, if all you have are a few spareMoreminutes.information about Funk Memorial State Forest and MDC Wildlife Area can be found by downloading the free MO Outdoors mobile app. or by visiting “ Places to Go” online at short.mdc.mo.gov/4SJhttps://
OutdoorGuidePage 16 September-October 2022 presented by SEPT 9-11 FRIDAY &
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OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 17
47 WEST TRAILER SALES
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Emberglow flannel shirt seems to be lit from within Carbon2Cobalt offers a flannel shirt, called the Emberglow, that takes a few steps beyond the usual. Inspired by the warmth of fire light, the textured, double cloth shirt uses a charcoal gray windowpane weave framed with fine orange threads to create a lit-from-within glow.
The Men’s Emberglow shirt is available in regular sizes small, medium, large, XL and XXL for $89 or tall sizes medium, large, XL and XXL for $95. See it at Carbon2Cobalt.com.
Jackall Rhythm Wag jerkbait is flexible, darts and quivers
The new Jackall Rhythm Wag, a soft, plastic jerk bait, delivers the perfect body shape, balance and flexible hook placement that anglers need in challenging situations. With a narrow and elongated body profile featuring minute ridges tapering to a horizontal split tail, the Rhythm Wag delivers a unique darting motion and quivering action for freshwater and saltwater environments.
SOG Survival Hawk is a starteraxe,multi-purposehatchet,fire-andblade
The XS XSPAK pickleball paddles come in a package of two along with four balls and a bag for $75.99 from Amazon.com.
The SOG Survival Hawk sells for $52.92 at amazon.com.
OutdoorGuidePage 18 September-October 2022
Your Guide to GREAT GEAR
Lightweight bucket hat survives sun and sweat and is always ready to go Why stifle and sweat in a standard sun hat when you can breeze through the day in cool, wicking comfort? L.L. Bean’s lightweight crusher bucket hat makes it easy to stay chill, thanks to its nearly weightless nylon/spandex fabric. The perforated side panels allow non-stop ventilation, and the wicking polyester sweatband draws sogginess away from skin for speedy drying. The wide, foam-edged brim blocks the hot sun and keeps the hat afloat if it falls into the water. When the sun sets, fold it up and stash it away for more outdoor adventure. The hat is nylon and spandex, and packs into a pocket. It is rated at UPF 40 for blocking sun rays. The brim is made of floatable foam, and it has a chin strap to keep it on in the wind.
Using a two-layer pouring technique including a denser, high-gravity material in its lower half, the Rhythm Wag main tains a stable action and upright posture when twitched, and it shimmies enticingly as it falls. The soft design also allows the bait to land quietly on the water’s surface, barely making a splash upon entry. The Jackall Rhythm Wag is available for $5.99 each in 3.5” or 4.5” lengths in nine colors inspired by nature: Blue Pearl Shad, Bluegill/Pearl White, Alewife, Golden Shad, Goby, Green Pumpkin Pepper, Prism Shad, Sexy Albino and SS Shad.
The SOG Survival Hawk is a specialty outdoor tactical hatchet and axe that can be used as a fire starter, nail puller, hammer and multi-purpose blade. As a 12-inch axe that weighs just 7.1 ounces, the Survival Hawk is a wood-chopping axe, camp axe, hiking hatchet, and survival tool with a 3-inch stainless steel blade and a reflective paracord-wrapped handle.
in swinging comfort
This is the time of year for a hammock, and if you’re thinking you missed out, they are still out there. The REI stores in St. Louis County have dropped the price of this 9.5-foot ENO Doublenest hammock from $75 to $52.39 for members. It comes in aqua, sapphire and amber. The fabric is stretchy FreeWave nylon taffeta that packs down small into an integrated stuff sack. The hammock weighs 1 lb., 3 oz., and has specially designed carabiners to hang securely. Straps are not included but are available. The hammock can sleep two and handle up to 400 pounds. Also, ENO plants two trees for each hammock purchase. Stores are on Brentwood Boulevard and at Town and Country Crossing. The single-sleeper version is on sale for $38.39. The suspension system is $20.89.
SOG Specialty Knives makes the hatchet, which comes with a ballistic nylon sheath that can be slung from a belt or gear. Its claw can be used for prying and wire cutting, and an in-handle firestarter rod is included. SOG says it will provide repairs and replacements for the axe when properly maintained.
The Stella uses new technology to enhance its power and du rability, drag performance and line management, with the all-new InfinityXross system as seen on larger saltwater models and unri valed gear durability to enhance reel performance and longevity.
Low-friction bushing decreases frictional resistance, delivering smoother and more powerful winding. Advanced technologies include the new InfinityLoop line management system that the line lays as evenly as possible on the spool, benefitting anglers on every cast. The Stella FK spinning reel sells for $749.95 online at pro viders including Fisherwman’s World, Tackle Warehouse and Midway USA.
The 100 percent cotton shirt is lined with a fiery orange plaid that echoes the colors on the outside.
It seems like everyone’s playing pickleball these days – that cross between tennis and ping pong that gets players out into the fresh air for a brisk bit of sport, sometimes in a highly com petitive way. But how to find the right equipment and get started? Some of the paddles seem cheap, and others are priced for the profes sionalThecircuit.XSXSPAK is one affordable, high-quality solution that has passed testing by the USA Pickeball Association and is approved for tournament play. It’s made of fiberglass and polypropylene and has a carbon fiber shaft. It comes in a set of two with a convenient carry bag. The hitting surface is roughly textured to add power and control to shots, while an edge guard protects the paddle from damage and limits miss-hits. The handle is cushioned and wrapped.
Shimano Stella FK reel racks up honors in ICAST categories
Shimano’s Stella FK spinning reel took top honors in the ICAST 2022 new product showcase in the Freshwater Reel and Rod & Reel Combo categories.
L.L. Bean camping table holds it all and then folds away L.L. Bean’s folding camping table handles a lot of jobs with a small foot print, whether it’s at the campground, in the backyard for a barbecue or a picnic in the Thepark.sturdy table measures 27 by 26 inches wide and stands 27 inches high. The unique mesh basket under the tabletop allows easy storage of cookware. The table is made of strong and light aluminum with a durable powder-coated finish. It also folds down for easy transport in its carry bag. The top rolls close for easy packing.
The L.L. Bean camp table lists for $89 at LLBean.com.
REIhammockDoublenestatsleepstwo
Smith’s Regal River fillet knife is built to last, stay sharp Anglers share a common need for quality knives, no matter where they fish or what species they target. Smith’s consumer products – called the Edge Experts since 1886 – is introducing new knives designed to make anglers more productive on and off the water. Designed for processing smaller fish, Smith’s Regal River 4-inch folding flex fillet knife is lightweight with a slim profile that easily fits in your pocket, tackle box or fishing bag and will provide many seasons of durability and reliability. See them at smithsproducts.com.
Duluth Trading’s bucket hat for women was on sale for $16.99 at duluthtrading.com.
XS startedneededwithpaddlespickleballcomeeverythingtoget
Photo and Text By NEPORADNYJOHN Jr.
The first hard frost hits and is followed by a spell of cold weather that triggers bass into their fall feeding frenzy. Then the cool, shallow polar air mass converts into a deep, warm and stagnant high pressure system, which has the effect of causing haze and large swings in temperatures between day and night. A prolonged fall weather pattern featuring warm, calm days with high pressure and clear and chilly nights causes baitfish and bass to change their typical fall migration to the backs of creeks and coves. This weather phenomenon known as Indian summer becomes a tough time for bass anglers to find fish because of the drastic changes in daytime and nighttime temperatures.
TOPWATER WALKING A topwater walking bait is one of Crews’ favorite lures for throwing in ultra-shallow water. He retrieves the surface plug with a steady retrieve, which allows him to cover water quickly and pick off any bass cruising the shallows.
A wacky-rigged stick worm is another lure Crews relies on to catch Indian summer bass. He suggests you can make the bait “skip a mile” under a boat dock or overhanging tree limbs.
“If you see any kind of schooling activity or a lot of baitfish, pick up the topwater no matter what time of day it is,” he said. He advises that shallow bass will pounce on the surface plug even in bright sunshine.
“Hard-to-reach fish is es pecially a good strategy when Indian summer happens,” he said. “As a general rule, the upper ends of a lake usually have harder-to-reach areas in
“It scatters the bass really bad,” Bassmaster Elite Series pro John Crews said. “You will have fish in 6 inches of water, fish in 6 feet of water and fish in 30 feet of water. And then there will still be fish suspended out in the middle of the lake, chasing baitfish, and a lot of fish are not relating to cover. So it really splits up the fish because they are almost everywhere when thatIndianhappens.”summer also has the same effect on baitfish. “When you first start to get that cooler weather, a lot of the baitfish and the bass both go shallower, so it reduces a lot of the possibilities as to where the fish are,” Crew says. “But when the bait is kind of scattered out deep and sus pended, it really scatters the bass and makes them hard to target.”
Drop-shotting a finesse worm in open water or around sparse cover also produces Indian summer bass for Crews. “You can catch a bunch of fish around cover with that thing,” he said. “I just kind of drag it along. Then when I get it around where I think a bass is, I just kind of let it sit there and shake it a little bit on slack line. It doesn’t take much of a shake. If the fish are around it, they will eat it.”
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Shallow cover is scarce during Indian summer because lakes are usually low then, but if Crews finds some laydowns or thick cover, he will pitch a creature bait to the targets.
HARDER TO REACH Crews suggests making some adjustments when Indian sum mer occurs on your favorite lake. One of his favorite tactics for Indian summer bass is to move shallow and target resident fish that remain shallow all of the time. He also looks for locations that are harder to access such as way up a river or the back of a creek or pocket.
DROP-SHOTTING
John Crews targets shallow bass during Indian summer because the fish are easier to find than bass scattered in deep water.
Solving Indian summer to catch the fall bass
creeks and rivers coming in, but you can have a creek arm on the lower end of the lake that is harder to access, or it goes back a long ways too and might have residentAreasfish.”requiring a difficult cast, such as skipping a bait a long way under a dock, also are ideal for targeting Indian summer bass. Crews advises that any docks with hard-toreach spots can be great places for finding Indian summer bass in thin Althoughwater. bass can be any where in a lake during Indian summer, Crews believes tar geting shallow fish is the easiest approach for catching bass. “You can go deep, but you are going to pick off a lot of single fish because deep fish are not schooled up that time of year,” he said. The B.A.S.S. pro agrees that shallow resident bass are also single fish but are usually easier to catch than trying to pinpoint single fish in deep water.
See COOPER page 26
All of the topwater offer ings shine in slower water. The glassy water behind an eddy, the calm behind a fallen log, and the slack water be hind a big rock all are classic topwater spots. Most often, these spots offer one shot. After the big bug plops down, allow it to sit for a long few seconds. Smallmouth are accustomed to things falling into the water. Most often they in vestigate for a few seconds. A slight twitch of the popper is normally all it takes for a smallmouth to be fooled into striking.Asmuch fun as they are to fish, topwater baits don’t always turn the trick. Divers are deadly. They produce an erratic, fast retrieve, and pull strikes much like a crankbait. Divers are difficult to pick up. It’s best to retrieve them all the way back and pick them up on a short line.
CLOUSERMINNOW The Clouser minnow is one of the few baits made specifically for smallmouth bass. The dumbbell eyes are the key to the Clouser. The hook rides up during the re trieve and helps keep it from snagging, while hooking fish in the roof of the mouth. Clousers come in a wide va riety of sizes, making them a good choice for a wide variety of Woolyapplications.Buggers are per haps the most popular sub surface flies for smallmouth bass. They imitate crayfish and minnows, depending on the colors used. Too, they come in a wide range in sizes, but bigger is better for smallmouth. Too, I like to fish Wooly Buggers on leaders at least 12 feet in length. I also prefer a heavy leader in the
IN SLOWER WATER
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Fall is all about fishing for smallmouth many of these big terrestrials wind up in the drink, where smallmouth bass relish the big, juicy bugs and inhale them with vigor.
• Poppers with rubber legs are perhaps the most popular and readily available of the surface baits for smallmouth. Most any major retailer of fly-fishing gear will have plenty of these marvelous baits in stock. My favorite fall colors include, black, white and yellow, with a variety of patterns and eyes. Deer hair poppers are eye-catchers for both fly an glers and smallmouth bass. Usually these flies have a bulky build, which means one thing to a hungry small mouth – a big meal. They can be a bit difficult to cast because they catch a lot of air. I often upsize from my standard 6-weight river fly rod to a number 7. It makes life much easier and I can fish longer without tiring. Mouse patterns are another favorite, not so much because they are any better than pop pers, but that the intrigue of a big smallmouth sucking a small mammal from the surface is mind candy to a fly fisherman. Big hopper patterns are an other deadly pattern to use in the fall season. Grasshoppers are abundant in the fall, and Smallmouth flies for fall fishing should include baits to cover the top, middle and bottom of the water column.
• Topwater flies are classic smallmouth baits. Anyone who loves smallmouth bass does so because of their noholds-barred attitude toward smashing topwater baits. The very action paints a vivid picture of the moment a smallmouth strikes on the gray matter of addicted anglers. It’s that explosive action that keeps us coming back for more. • Bass bugs are intriguing. They look fishy and conjure up mental images, which ardent anglers dream about. The truth of the matter is that surface flies will many times elicit far more strikes than subsurface flies and bottom bouncers. They are by far the most fun-to-fish flies of the three categories.
Photo and Text By BILL COOPER Smallmouth bass are con sidered the hardest-fighting fish in the Ozarks. The Algonquin Indians call the smallmouth bass “achigan,” which means “the one that fights.” Few will argue the fact that the smallmouth bass stands head and tail above any other fish species that swims our Ozark rivers. Fall is my favorite time to fly fish for smallmouth bass. The weather has cooled, brilliant colors blanket the hardwood ridges, and the aluminum hatch of canoe hordes are gone. Fall is the season to fish the three classes of flies for smallmouth in or der to cover the entire water column.
The Life Outdoors
As a teenager in the early 1980s, inspired by Fess Park er’s Daniel Boone, I built my first Kentucky rifle from a kit. Purchased from Dixie Gun works, the cap-lock muzzle loader had a full-length walnut stock, 39” octagonal-barrel, and German-silver furniture. Because my father had ex perience in wood-working and metal-polishing, the finished rifle was nearly as nice as the factory-finished ones. I chose the .45 over the more popular .50 because my dad already owned a Thompson Center Hawken in that caliber. This allowed us to share the same lead round balls and maxi-bul lets for ammunition.
ANDRIFLES…MORE
MUZZLELOADERSTRADITIONAL Traditional muzzleloaders are more complicated than their modern centerfire counterparts because it takes more than a pocketful of cartridges to keep you shooting. Besides black powder, you’ll need a powder measure, caps (or flints), balls and patches – just to name a few. Before loading the frontstuffer, the bore and chamber must be completely free of any cleaning solvent or gun oil. If not, the powder charge can become soggy causing a hang-fire or misfire. And a properly sized per cussion cap or sharply knapped flint is a must for good ignition. I learned this the hard way in late November of 1984. It was a frosty morning on the opening day of the PA antlered-deer season, and I was perched on a large stump near the top of a steep wooded ridge. About 100 yards below was a small run of
CATCHING UP TO THE HERD
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By RICHARD AITES Sleek and graceful, with curves in all the right places. No, I’m not describing a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, but the firearms carried by our forefathers.Someofthese guns, whether flintlock or percussion, were considered works of art due to their fancy, curly maple stocks and decorative brass and silver inlays.More often than not howev er, they were a workingman’s gun, stocked in plain maple or walnut with iron furniture.
Commonly referred to as the Kentucky or Pennsylvania rifle, these old smoke poles put meat on the table and kept the bad guys at bay all those years ago.
Hunting in Missouri with a Kentucky rifle
Using the tree line for con cealment, I was able to catch up to the herd as they stepped into a small clearing about 40 or 50 yards away. To my excitement, one of the whitetails was a 3- or 4- year old 6-point buck. The deer didn’t seem to pay me any mind as I shouldered my rifle, cocked the hammer and leveled the buckhorn-style sights behind the buck’s front shoulder. Upon squeezing the trigger, I was greeted with a loud, metallic, CLACK! I re-cocked the hammer and squeezed the trigger again. CLACK! I then lowered the rifle and focused down onto the nipple. NO CAP! To my dismay, the loose-fitting cap had evidently fallen off the nipple during my haste to catch up with the deer. I quickly delved into the leather bag at my hip and felt around for my tin of caps. When I finally found them, my fingers were still so numb from the cold that I couldn’t peel the lid from the can. During my frantic attempt to retrieve another cap, I dropped the tiny can onto the crispy, leaf-clut tered ground at my feet. The deer eventually spooked and high-tailed it into the sur rounding timber. Upon recov ering my caps, all I could do was watch as 50 or 60 pounds of prime venison vanished into the distant wood line. I remember chastising myself for not owning a capper and wondering why I didn’t just borrow one of my uncle’s spare bolt-action rifles.
Since that day nearly 40 years ago, I’ve harvested several deer with my cap-lock muzzleloaders. In the early 2000’s (maybe 2002 or 2003) I was drawn for a managed deer hunt (antlerless-only) at the August A. Busch Conservation area here in Missouri. That year, I took my first flintlock deer, a button-buck, with a .50 caliber Kentucky rifle that my late father had built a decade earlier. I recently acquired a slightly used .36 caliber Traditions Shenandoah for a good price from a local gun shop. I plan on using this handsome, Ken tucky-style rifle for small game this coming fall. And though Daniel Boone and Fess Parker have been gone a long time, fortunately for us, their rifles (or reproduc tions of such) are still around for both our enjoyment and frustration.
Some Kentucky rifles were considered works of art. spring water that trickled and gurgled its way through the val ley. Earlier in the autumn, while squirrel hunting, I had seen lots of deer sign and activity in this particularBecausearea.Iwas hunting on a large tract of public land with a healthy whitetail population, I found it a bit unusual that I hadn’t heard a gunshot all morning. But then I considered the sub-freezing temperatures. By mid-morning, it was so cold that my gloved hands and fingers were completely numb. Then around 10 a.m., I was awakened by a gunshot in the not-so-far-off distance. Moments later, I spotted sev eral deer cresting the opposite hillside. I watched as they descended into the valley and were headed in my direction. But as the deer crossed over the little stream, they changed course and started to angle away from me. Knowing I’d have to get closer to spot a buck and possibly get a shot, I sprinted through the woods to head them off.
I keep a “skunk bucket” in the basement, and this typically goes with me when I have to remove a skunk from a basement or garage. It holds components to make an odor neutralizer one quart of hydrogen per oxide, one cup of baking soda and a healthy squirt of Dawn dish soap, mixed together in theWhenbucket.applied to the shooting range, it will immediately start to break down the skunk essence compounds and neutralize the odor. It works well on human flesh too. I mixed my potion and bathed the distressed limb. It came out odorless and good as Mynew.wife wasn’t so thrilled, as she can detect a single skunk molecule a good 100 yards away. And when she saw the bucket outside the basement, she knew what had happened.
PIECE OF CAKE … AT FIRST
I’m not certain of the cause. Maybe remnants of COVID have affected animal behavior. Possibly the staggering price of gasoline has somewhat reduced the amount of casual driving and allowed wayward wildlife to actually make it entirely across a highway late at night.Orperhaps it’s simply that this past winter’s redundant polar vortexes have lent an extra portion of amorous disposition to this region’s critters. Whatever the reason, an im mensely successful late winter/ early spring mammalian (fourlegged anyway) procreation endeavor has just now become evident, with a burgeoning amount of young raccoons, moles, groundhogs and, partic ularly, skunks leaving dens and venturing out to explore – and reside – in places no human cares to share, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, shower stalls, garages, and beneath decks, steps, stoops, and stairs. I say this because, recently, I’ve been called to numerous skunk encounters and found mothers and litters all parading about.Typically a litter is two to four young ones, but I’ve been find ing five, six and even seven little ones tagging along with moms. The mobile assemblage has the appearance of a black-and-white striped anthill on the move.
Skunked … by the law of averages!
THE SKUNK BUCKET
suburban palace. The home owners were oblivious to being wildlife landlords until mom and kids enjoyed daily strolls and wrestling matches throughout the owners’ prized roses. I had set a couple of cage traps, one at each den entrance, on opposite sides of the walk. I covered the cages with a heavy canvas. This keeps the caught critters from being exposed to sun and rain, and the darker interior helps reduce agitation and keeps them calmer when moving the cage to relocation sites.
The trapping was an over night success. I caught the seven kits on one side and mom on the other. Moving the kittens was a piece of cake. They remained calm while I picked up the cage and loaded it in the pickup. But Mom was not as easy going. She stamped her feet and spun around in the covered cage while I loaded her. In fact, she “whiffed” the interior with a tiny bit of her perfume, just to let me know who was in charge. I guess I didn’t take the hint. Later, at the release site, the seven juveniles exited their cage with no qualms or complaints, but apparently, the mom was still a bit miffed. When releasing skunks I always position myself at the canvas-covered end of the cage and reach over with a pry tool to open the door. The skunks never see me, nor find it necessary to demonstrate their remarkable talent. That’s when that law of averages thing came into play.
Just as the cage door was levered open, a glob of thick, yellow goo jettisoned perfectly through a small slit in the canvas edging and splattered across my forearm. With teary eyes, I was able to push a rod far enough through the mesh of the cage to prop open the door. Then I reeledMombackward.slowlynosed out the door, spied her offspring, eased on over to her brood, and then they all shuffled off into the deep woods. I, however, was down to using just one arm, holding the pungent appendage out and up like Thor holds his hammer, while using the unscented arm to load cages and gear back into the pickup. I then had to drive back to the house – in the same super hero position – so as to keep the striped kitty’s odoriferous ointment from migrating to my pickup’s already wretch ed-smelling interior. It worked somewhat. But by the time I got back to the house, my sense of smell was shot. However my sense of taste seemed to be just fine, as all I could taste was pure skunk essence.
OutdoorGuidePage 22 September-October 2022 SIGHT IN FOR Hunting SEASON Not a hunter, but want to learn? Our staff of specialists can help you master firearms and archery, wildlife identification, and many other outdoor skills. Visit mdc. mo.gov/shootingranges to learn more. August A. Busch — Defiance 3550 Route D, Defiance, 63341 Jaymdc.mo.gov/buschrangeHenges—Eureka 1100 Antire Road, Eureka, 63025 mdc.mo.gov/hengesrange Don’t wait! Now is the time to head to one of MDC’s two staffed shooting ranges and outdoor education centers in the St. Louis area to sharpen your skills, sight in your rifles, and pattern shotguns for fall hunting season.
STRIP IT AND LEAVE IT! With a stone-cold stare, she said from afar, “Skunk deodor izer or not, don’t bring those clothes in the house! Strip and leave them on the deck for a few days, or you’ll see another law of Iaverages.”wasn’t real sure what she meant, but when you’re skunked, you have no choice but to comply.
and Text
At first, the little ones were easy to capture and put away...
Photos By RANDALL P. DAVIS
The little ones were fairly easy to capture with the aid of my snake tongs. Just grab them at the base of the tail and slip them into a covered cage. Mom, however, requires S-L-O-W and E-A-S-Y guidance toward and into a special plastic cage. In the past, I spoke with the swagger of having yet to be sprayed. But in the back of my mind, I’ve known that one day, with all this spiraling activity, I would have to face that cruel and hard fact of life ... the dreaded law of averages. As of one recent event, fate and averages removed any and all Itswagger.wasarather routine skunk job. Mother skunk had birthed and nurtured a litter of seven under a walkway of a pristine
EYES GETTING TEARY
EASY DOES IT!
Wildlife Wrangling and Outdoor Ramblings
OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 23 Fall Adventures in Benton County, MO. Visit the Benton County BarnQuilt Trail or quilt shopsExplore beautiful Cole Camp’shistory and shops Escape on the Lake on a SUP or kayakVisit the Harry S Truman Visitor Centerand Pioneer VillageHike 22 miles of beauty at theTruman Lake Mountain Bike & Hiking ParkBike the Warsaw riverfront trails FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO VISITBENTONCOMO.COM AND “LIKE” BENTON COUNTY TOURISM AND RECREATION ON FACEBOOK. Cole Camp, Lincoln, Warsaw, Truman Lake and the Osage Arm of Lake of the Ozarks Cole Camp Fair (Sept. 8-10) Visit Warsaw Heritage Days & Pioneer Village (Oct 15-16) Visit the Lincoln Balloon Glow, Fall Festival, Strongman Competition (Sept. 17) and Mozarkito Rock & Gen Show (Sept. 16-18)
OutdoorGuidePage 24 September-October 2022
Outdoor Gallery
CLOSE CALL – Ben Gehrs of Edwardsville almost reels in a 30-pound red snapper at Miller County Pier in Panama City, FL. His dad Tim can be seen helping, but alas, to no avail. Better luck next time, Ben!
VISITING DIGNITARY – Young Charlie Fetter, at left, visiting from Virginia, caught this nice bass while fishing with friends on a private pond near Waterloo, IL, recently. In fact, they caught quite a few nice bass on Charlie’s family’s visit. At right, from left to right, is the whole gang – young Ben Braun, Ben’s dad Justin Braun, and Charlie once again.
NOW THAT’S A NICE ONE – James Midget of Belleville, IL with his nice bass caught on a private pond in O’Fallon, iL. BIG BEAUTIFUL BASS – Kathy Crowe with this nice 3-4 lb. bass caught on a private pond in O’Fallon, IL.
KEEPING CURRENT – Jim Craig of Edwardsville, IL, fly fishing on the Current River at Baptist Camp. The flies of the day were the blow torch and cerise worm. Send in your favorite outdoor photo to carl@labortribune.com or mail to Outdoor Guide Magazine Gallery – 505 S. Ewing, St. Louis, MO 63103
WORK HARDER, WORK SMARTER
In some circles, public land hunting has a bad rep utation. I used to think of public hunting areas as being a waste of time. I saw them as overcrowded and lacking in game. But I have found that hunting public land can lead to game and a quality hunting experience. It is all in how you approach it. The increase in the numbers of hunters who live in cities results in more people looking for places to hunt. The oppor tunity to hunt Uncle Charlie’s or Grandma’s farm is greatly reduced. Both of them have moved to the city, too. People without land want to find a place fairly close to home that still contains wildlife. Public land meets that need – if you plan ahead. The first step is to find out what public land is available in the area you plan to hunt. The best source for such infor mation is the wildlife office, followed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Both have public land hunting on their properties.Next,get a detailed map of the area. Plat books and county highway department maps are good. Topographic maps found at a map store give a very good idea of the terrain. They provide useful information about relief, potholes, buildings, etc. A number of online map sites also provide maps and GPS information.
Photo and Text By DON GASAWAY
SCOUTING AHEAD; BRING THE WADERS Scout out the area before the season. It is sad but true that most hunters seldom get more than a couple hundred yards away from a trail or road. That is less than a quarter mile. If you really want to get away from the crowd, concentrate on areas that require a little extraThework.further away from roads and trails, the bet ter. Some public lands have nice areas of habitat that are accessible only by boat or canoe. Some are accessible by wading. A good pair of hip boots or waders will allow you to hunt areas that are passed up by other hunters who dismiss them as too much trouble.
It is a good idea to avoid weekends and opening days of hunting seasons. These are usually crowded with “fair weather” hunters. Such people are gone in a flash, so Tuesdays and Wednesdays are best. Thursdays and Fridays are next, but often the pressure Missouri public land provides deer hunters with opportunities to take white-tailed deer every fall. Other months provide chances to hunt them with a camera.
OPENING DAYS AND WEEKENDS
Don’t overlook public land hunting options
OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 25
builds as you get closer to the weekend. One exception to this rule is Sunday after noon. If the local ball team is in a tight championship race, the woods can get downright lonely.Another good source of information about public land hunting areas is the people who work there. They are surprisingly eager to help out hunters in search of good places to hunt. Since they are in the area daily, these people see wildlife movements and know the land intimately. It is a good idea to make notes on your maps. Mark sightings of game animals, game trails, sign such as dusting areas, bedding areas, water holes, etc. Record any area likely to be used by game animals and check back routinely for action. All this information can be written right on the map. Record the time of day that game is seen. This will help you establish movement patterns so you can set up your stand in hopes of intercepting the game.
The way to get optimum re sults from public land hunting is to be willing to work harder than the other guy, not only to work hard but also to work smart. Have a plan and stick to it. Too many other guys are not willing to walk more than a short distance and do not scout at all. They are just out for a short walk in the woods, and when they do not see any game, they assume there is none to be found. We here in Missouri are blessed with an abundance of public land in which to hunt. Regardless of where you plan to hunt, public hunting land is a great opportunity. The extra work required is gratifying in the sense of accomplishment and the amount of game one finds. Give it a try this year!
• Cooper from page 20 10-pound class. You will be tossing these baits into cur rent with rocks, logs and other debris. I’ve caught smallies to 6-pounds on Wooly Buggers, but it’s a very sick feeling to have a real bruiser break a light leader.
My all time favorite small mouth fly was patented by my late, great friend Ron Kruger. The Dipsey Diver is made of a cork head with a concave, rat-looking face and a big hook. Ron often included a clump of deer hair behind the head, with a variety of wraps and feathers behind. He cast the mousy looking fly into a slow current and stripped it back. The faster the strip, the deeper the Diver would go. The kicker that smallmouth cannot resist, however, is the wide, slow wobble of the fly. Fly choices for bottom hugging smallmouth involve one of the most fascinating sagas of the fly fishing world, imitating crayfish. Small mouth bass relish crayfish and fly tiers have created an unimaginable variety of imitations. When it comes to crayfish patterns, smallmouth are so attuned to gorging them selves on the crustaceans, that the power of suggestion works well. Super-realistic plastic crawfish patterns are heavily utilized by spin fishermen, but fly anglers craft imitators from available materials and do quite well. I tie a pattern utilizing the red and black fur from a fox squirrel.
HEALTHYHABITATFISH, Pauley attributes this success to healthy fish and good habitat.
On an early overcast morning that carried a constant threat of rain, Scott Pauley slowly trolled along the shoreline in a quiet cove. Casting in and around concrete catwalks and dock moorings, all was still except for the subtle sounds of waves lapping the side of the boat. The silence was broken by a sharp “thwack” as Pauley’s line snapped tight, and he leaned back and set the hook on one of many largemouth bass he would catch that day.
Scott Pauley, a longtime professional bass angler and outdoor ambassador for the Missouri Division of Tourism, has won many fishing tournaments on Lake of the Ozarks.
On a recent trip to the lake, Pauley found success fishing a 7/16-ounce Jewel Pee Wee Football jighead with a small VersaCraw skirt in green pump kin. Over the course of two days’ fishing, Pauley boated over 100 bass, most in the 10-12 inch range, with several keepers in the mix.
FISHING WHERE THE FISH ARE A proven recipe for success when fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks is to hire a certified fishing guide. Local guides know the waters better than almost anyone and provide a relaxing and effortless fishing experience.Oneofthe best guides is Ed Franko, owner and operator of Big Ed’s Guide Service, based in Lake Ozark. Franko has been fishing this lake for decades and has been a professional bass guide on it for more than 11 years. Franko has three favorite go-tos when it comes to catching bass on the lake for his clients a shaky head with a trick worm, a wacky worm rig and a dropshot rig with a Morning Dawn-colored plastic worm, suspended about six inches above the dropper.
A BIG BUSINESS Fishing is big business at the lake, according to the founder and former chairman of the Lake of the Ozarks Tri-County Lodging Association’s fishing committee, Michael Spriggs, who co-owns Point Randall Resort with his wife, Paulette. In the past 20 years, the popularity of bass fishing tour naments at the lake has grown exponentially, he said. “During the slower shoulder seasons of the past, Point Ran dall would host maybe three tournaments during a whole season,” Spriggs said. “Now we host three tournaments per weekend. Fishing is booming, and you’ll see thousands of anglers out on the water across the lake during any given tour nament weekend.
“We also have anglers that come to stay with us to fish a tournament and then come back with their families and start a new tradition of staying at the lake. I’ve heard that other resorts similar to Point Randall have experienced the same phe nomenon, and that’s fantastic.”
Visiting with Scott Pauley and Big Ed Franko Photos and Text By KYLE STEWARTWAYNE
Ed Franko, owner and operator of Big Ed’s Guide Service, has been guiding clients on the Lake of the Ozarks for over 12 years and fishing it for his own pleasure for decades.Franko demonstrates his tying technique.
Often called the “Best Rec reational Lake in the Nation,” Lake of the Ozarks offers many ways for visitors to enjoy themselves, but one of the most popular forms of recreation has always been prowling the waters for big fish. According to Pauley, long time professional bass angler and outdoor ambassador for the Missouri Division of Tourism, the Lake of the Ozarks promises great fishing, no matter your quarry, year after year. Pauley has been fishing the lake for over 36 years and has won numerous bass tourna ments“It’sthere.nojoke that the Lake of the Ozarks is one of the best fisheries in the country,” Pauley said. “Bass, crappie, catfish –you name it – there’s a healthy
“A big lake like this can be intimidating for some people,” Franko said. “Professional fishing guides make it easy, and they maximize the quality of time a person spends on the water. Most of us are out on the lake 250-plus days a year, so we know where the fish are and what they’re biting. “We also have some of the best equipment, and a wealth of knowledge to ensure that people have a great experience here at the Lake of the Ozarks,” he said. “Because when you get down to it, it’s all about the experience, and a good guide can be the difference between a great fishing trip or an extremely frustrating one.” To book with Franko, call (573) 692-6710.
Tight lines, great times at the lake population at the lake. People ask me all the time which lake is my favorite to fish, and the Lake of the Ozarks is right up there. It’s always fantastic.”
WHERE TO STAY While anglers spend most of their time fishing at the lake, at some point they will need to sleep. Lake of the Ozarks resorts provide top-notch ac commodations and services for visiting anglers. Fishing docks, submerged crappie beds, clean ing stations, boat slips and boat trailer parking are available. Two highly recommend ed accommodations are the charming Bass and Baskets Bed & Breakfast, run by Franko and his wife, Debbie, and the angler-friendly, family-owned and operated Point Randall Resort, both in Lake Ozark. The lakeside Bass and Bas kets features four themed guest rooms and also doubles as the headquarters for Big Ed’s Guide Service. Each room of fers private decks overlooking the lake, plus gas fireplaces, whirlpool tubs and other in dividual touches. Guests can expect a relaxing stay with a large breakfast and use of the private dock for swimming and fishing. Point Randall Resort is one of the aboatafourplusdecksfurnishedlyPointoverresortsfamily-ownedquintessentialandoperatedatthelake.With1,000feetoflakeshore,Randallfeaturesnear30well-appointed,fullylodgingunitswithoverlookingthelake,afull-servicemarinawithboatdocks,29boatslips,gasdock,boatlaunchandtrailerparking.Italsohasswimmingpool,swimming beach, fishing dock and kayak and paddleboard rentals.
FALLGREATCOLORS
“One of the reasons the Lake of the Ozarks is so good and so consistent is that the water levels are almost always stable, and because of that, the lake gets good fish spawns every year,” he said. “Other lakes are a lot more sporadic. Add to that the fact that there are about 60,000 boat docks around the lake that provide good shade and cover, so you also have great habitat. Good habitat and good spawns mean good fishing year after year, and you just don’t get that at other lakes.” This man-made fish haven covers more than 54,000 acres with some 64 billion gallons of fish-filled water supplied by five tributaries, all enclosed within 1,150 miles of meandering shoreline. To put that in per spective, that’s more shoreline than the entire Pacific coast of the state of California. The most prevalent species at the lake include largemouth and spotted bass, white bass, black and white crappie, hybrid white bass/stripers, bluegill, walleye and channel, flathead and blue catfish, as well as paddlefish. But arguably the most sought after are crappie and bass.
Weighted Wooly Buggers and articulated flies are oth er popular choices for fall smallmouth. Olive, brown, black and yellow are great fall colors. Strip these patterns with an erratic retrieve and hang on for the ride. Floating an Ozark stream in the peak of the fall colors and casting your favorite smallmouth flies in hopes of fooling an ancient small mouth bass is a heady expe rience. Like me, I’m certain that smallmouth bronze will quickly become your favorite fall color.
To learn more about fishing at Lake of the Ozarks, or to get information on the activities, events, attractions and dining and lodging options, go online to www.FunLake.com
THEDIVERDIPSEY
OutdoorGuidePage 26 September-October 2022
See POND FLIES page 29
Text by TERRY WILSON Photos by WILSONROXANNE
TARGETING BOTH To target both species, it’s important to understand that they occupy the same struc ture, often simultaneously. If flies are selected that are large enough to interest midsized bass yet small enough to accommodate the smallsized mouths of bluegills, then both could be targeted simultaneously. A size-8 or -6 fly presented using a 5- or 6-weight rod with 3X to 4X leader tippets is perfect for the job. Flies of that size often appeal to large bluegills and bass up to 15 inches. Big largemouth bass are not particularly interested in a meal of that size because these behemoths prefer a considerable meal followed by several days in a comfort able lie to digest their feast before hunting again. A full evening of catching bluegills and bass of those sizes with a medium-weight rod promises an exciting and satisfying experience. Although anglers understand that small bluegills sometimes grab the largest lure in the box and that the pond’s biggest bass might take a size-16 dry fly, both are extreme examples.
OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 27 View Recent Issues on our Website at outdoorguidemagazine.com
Ponds are the most abun dant and only constantly expanding fishing resource on the planet. Many of these still water habitats are largemouth bass and bluegill factories, often the warmwater enthu siast’s exclusive domain. On each trip, pond anglers are confronted with an important question: Do they target the bass population or focus on bluegills? Flyfishers intent on encoun tering tail-walking largemouth bass use rods designed to cast 7- to 9-weight bass taper lines capable of propelling large, wind-resistant or heavy flies. Leaders designed to turn over these bulky flies typically utilize tippets testing from 8 to 20 pounds. On the other hand, the col orful and pugnacious bluegill provides an equally capti vating but much different angling experience. Because even the largest bluegill has a tiny mouth, the flies used in their capture are dominated by smaller size-10 and -12 patterns, enabling the use of much lighter rods. A 2- to 4-weight rod is often the choice of many anglers, since that enhances the fighting qualities this species brings to the experience. While strong, abrasion-resistant leaders are needed for larger bass flies, these smaller bluegill patterns require a much lighter 4X or 5XTheretippet.is another viable and equally rewarding choice that Bluegills often occupy the same areas as largemouth bass.
The case crossoverforpondflies few anglers consciously con sider. It’s targeting whichever of the pond dwellers, large or small, will strike the fly. Once again, an adaptation of gear is necessary. The 8-weight rod and 2/0 flies used so suc cessfully to entice Ol’Buck etmouth are as ill-suited to bluegill fishing as is a 2-weight rod for bass.
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OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 29 ILLINOIS Moto Mart-Rte 157 Edwardsville 62025 Caseys General Store Wood River 62095 Randalls Wine and Spirits Fairview Hgts 62208 Eckerts Belleville 62220 Belleville Sports Sales Belleville 62221 Town Hall Archery Belleville 62223 Rural King Belleville 62226 Rural King Collinsville 62234 Moto Mart Columbia 62236 Caseys General Store Freeburg 62243 Dori Marine Freeburg 62243 Moto Mart Freeburg 62243 Gary’s Restaurant Freeburg 62243 Rural King Highland 62249 Caseys General Store Mascoutah 62258 Toms Market Mascoutah 62258 Rural King Waterloo 62298 Schneiders Market Waterloo 62298 ST. LOUIS COUNTY Chesterfield Power Sports Chesterfield 63005 Sybergs Chesterfield 63005 Smokee Mo’s BBQ Arnold 63010 Top Gun Shooting Sports Arnold 63010 Clancys Irish Pub / Grill Ballwin 63011 Randalls Wines Ballwin 63011 Uncle Bills Ballwin 63011 Balabans Chesterfield 63017 Daves World Famous Bar/Grill Chesterfield 63017 Terra inside Ace Hardware Chesterfield 63017 Bones French Quarter Ballwin 63021 Lazy River Grill Ballwin 63021 St Louis Powersports Fenton 63026 Vivianos Fenton 63026 Brannons Marine Fenton 63026 Denny Dennis Sptg. Goods Fenton 63026 Buchheits Herculaneum 63028 Kettlehuts Smokehouse Crystal City 63028 Main Street Café Crystal City 63028 Las Fuentes Mexican Rest. Florissant 63031 Mattingleys Sport Bar / Grill Florissant 63031 Tri-State Marine Electronics Hazelwood 63042 Metro Shooting Supply Bridgeton 63044 Buchheits House Springs 63051 Imperial Farmers Market Imperial 63052 Dave Sinclair Dodge/Jeep/Ram Pacific 63069 Pickup Outfitters St Ann 63074 Bobby’s Place Valley Park 63088 Valley Park Hardware Valley Park 63088 Redexim Turf Products Valley Park 63088 Sugarfire 44 Valley Park 63088 First Gunsmithing Valley Park 63088 Jim Trenary Cycle Washington 63090 Missouri Athletic Club St Louis 63102 Maggie OBriens St Louis 63103 Randalls Wine and Spirits St Louis 63104 Clayton Car Wash Clayton 63105 World News Clayton 63105 ST. LOUIS Marx Hardware St Louis 63106 General Grant’s Car Wash St. Louis 63123 Triple Threat Armory St. Louis 63123 Schwarz Taxidermy Studio St Louis 63123 Mid America Arms St Louis 63123 Kenrick’s Meats & Catering St Louis 63123 Mungenast Motorsports St Louis 63123 NuWay Concrete Forms Inc St Louis 63125 Helen Fitzgeralds St Louis 63127 Randalls Wine and Spirits St Louis 63136 OB Clarks St Louis 63144 Trainwreck Saloon Rest. St Louis 63144 North Broadway Truck Stop St Louis 63147 ST. CHARLES COUNTY Big St Charles Motorsports St Charles 63301 Kirkwood Outfitters St Charles 63301 Wm Nobbe John Deere Outlet St Charles 63303 Farm & Home Supply Cottleville 63304 Bullseye Bait & Tackle O Fallon 63366 Red Wing Shoes St Peters 63376 Lou Fusz Chevrolet St Peters 63376 St Peters Rexplex St Peters 63376 Charlies Farm / Home Wentzville 63385 U Gas Wentzville 63385 MISSOURI Family Center Bonne Terre 63628 Save A Lot Bonne Terre 63628 Save A Lot Farmington 63640 Rozier’s Countrymart Ste Genevieve 63670 To advertise in Outdoor Guide Magazine contact the Advertising Department at sales@outdoor-guide.com. Missouri, Illinois and Other Exciting Outdoor Destinations!HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING • SHOOTING • TRAVEL OUTDOOR November-December 2021 GUIDE Farm Page Winter shelter Page tale Page 14 Water dogs Page Duck hunting Page MAGAZINE Missouri, Illinois and Other Exciting Outdoor Destinations! HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING • SHOOTING • TRAVEL OUTDOOR January-February 2022 GUIDE Bear hunt Page Laguna Madre Page 27 MAGAZINE Missouri, Illinois and Other Exciting Outdoor Destinations! HUNTING • FISHING • CAMPING • BOATING • SHOOTING • TRAVEL OUTDOOR March-April 2022GUIDE Prepper’s Guide Page Spring arrives Page 10 Galena adventure Page trout Page 18 Lake Michigan Page 31 MAGAZINE The Authority on Hunting, Fishing, Boating, Camping and Outdoor Travel is NOW available for pick-up at over 80 locations. If your advertising needs an extra punch, consider taking advantage of the expanded reach of Outdoor Guide Magazine. 4-22 To See Past Magazines go outdoorguidemagazine.comto
Another option is to leave your vehicle downstream and have someone drive you upstream so you can float back to your car. Personal floatation devices, lifejackets or floating seat cushions are a must. Accidents occur all the time on rivers. Even the strongest swimmers are in danger of being swept under a log jam. Here are three of my favorite places to float that offer canoe liveries:
In practical terms, a size-6 fly is near the upper limit of flies used to lure bluegills but near the bottom of fly sizes that appeal to bass. We call these flies that appeal to both species “crossover flies.” Our fishing records support the premise that size-8 flies catch more bluegills but fewer and smaller bass, while a size 6 produces fewer but larger bluegills and more bass.
‘Crossover flies’ in sizes 6 and 8 appeal to both bass and bluegills.
• Sugar Creek, Indiana Sugar Creek is in my opinion the most beautiful waterway flowing through Indiana’s wild and scenic landscape. Paddlers flock to this destination each summer for the breathtaking scenery. The limestone bluffs along much of the shoreline are gorgeous. There are covered bridges spanning the creek you must explore. There are numerous canoe rental opera tions and private camprounds along the creek.
• Current and Jacks Fork rivers, Missouri The Cur rent and the Jacks Fork make up the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. This national park is far different from what most people think about when considering a visit to a government-operated park. There is no entrance fee. Out in the wilderness, there is no camping fee. We were able to simply pull our canoes over on the riverbank wherever we wanted to set up a camp. There are outfitters along the river, from its headwaters at Montauk State Park all along its course to Doniphan.
Selecting flies attractive to both distinct species is often the key to success. Poppers, Sponge Spiders and floater/ divers in those sizes can attract both species on the water’s surface, while Woolly Bug gers, streamers and jig-type flies can be effective below theOftensurface.when both species occupy the same structure, one of the species feeds actively, perhaps even competitively, while the other maintains a passive feeding attitude. The species that determine the “pecking order” is decided by the species’ year class (rela tive size). For example, if the population consists of 8-inch bluegills and bass less than 12 inches, the bluegills will be served first. If the popula tion consists of 5- and 6-inch bluegills and largemouths of 14 to15 inches, the bass will be the initial meal takers. There are times when an glers will catch a relatively equal number of each species from the same area. In this instance, neither is likely feeding actively but is willing to grab a morsel opportunis tically.Varying speeds of the tra ditional “strip, pause, strip” retrieve are best suited to fishing shallow water near weeds or brush. Probing docks and deadfalls on an interme diate sinking line allows for enough depth control in these mid-depth waters and is best served by a “lift, drop, strip” retrieve to achieve an undu lating fly action. Experiment with different fly colors, lure action and retrieve speeds until you get the desired results. On your next visit to a warmwater pond, try con sciously determining which species you wish to target. If you choose to fish for the big bluegills and medium-sized bass with a 5- or 6-weight rod and sizes 6 to 8 flies, you may be pleasantly surprised with the results.
A float trip is one of the most fun and simple ways to spend time outdoors during the peak of summer. It doesn’t take much equipment because almost everything you need can be Liveriesrented.exist on many riv ers throughout the Midwest. Canoeing, kayaking and raft ing can be enjoyed on about any flowing body of water. When it’s too hot for most outdoor activities, head for the river and float the day away. Having your own equip ment, like a canoe or kayak, is a worthy investment if you plan to float often. This usually requires a little more work, but is well worth it if paddling becomes a regular pastime for you. If you’re floating down stream without the use of an outfitter, you must stage a vehicle at your take-out point or arrange a shuttle service.
Beat the heat with a Midwest float trip
SELECTING FLIES
• Middle Fork, Vermilion River – The Middle Fork is an oasis of beauty in the otherwise blandflat lands of east-central Illinois. Gravel bars, towering bluffs and lush expanses of bright green vegetation line the banks of this protected river. There are more than 8,400 acres of public parks and preserves along the river. Rarely do you see any sort of manmade structure from the water along this special, 17mile stretch.
• Pond flies from page 27
Not just thetruetreasuresnationalbutwondersofworld
Yellowstone floods highlight American treasures
This year’s weather di saster is going to cause limitations for people to visit Yellowstone even more significantly than regulated entryTheallotments.crowdswill be im mense and the recovery monumental, but places like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, and the other national parks rely on the economic boost of tour ism. So I still say all three are must-see, but be sure to pack your patience.
John Winkelman is as sociate editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas to share, ogmjohnw@aol.com,e-mailand you can find more outdoor news and updates at john jwink.com
For years I have told any one who would listen that I think every American should see Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon. Basically in opposite corners of the coun try, they are two amazing places you can experience in multiple ways. The sight of the deep, wide and clear Niagara River plunging off the face of a cliff into a pool of water nearly 200 feet below is incredible. If you take a boat ride to the base, the sound of the crashing water and the feel of the spray are unforgettable. The Grand Canyon is not only a national treasure, it is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, ranking alongside places like Mount Everest, Victoria Falls and the Great Barrier Reef. The vast views of the time-chiseled stone appear to go on endlessly. A rim-torim, 24-mile hiking experi ence is a frequent bucket list item for fitness fanatics and many others who want to challenge themselves. But even the more seden tary can absorb the amaze
THE YELLOWSTONEUNIQUE
A bull elk wades across the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park, keeping tabs on his harem browsing on small islands in the stream. – John Winkelman photos
The Maid of the Mist boat rides take tourists close enough to the base of Niagara Falls to feel the splash.
ment of the Arizona desert feature that is more than 200 miles long and nearly 20 miles wide.
Then I went to Yellow stone National Park, and I judged it to be a most unique location in our universe. There are places throughout the massive public property that seem like they could be from a different planet. The earth bubbles up in mud pots that randomly spurt and shoot globs into the air. The gurgling ground looks like something that could have been featured on a 1960s “Lost in Space” episode and caused viewers to groan about the ridiculous special effects. The park has dozens of geysers that spray showers of heated water skyward, many randomly launching their show and sometimes splashing down with tiny par ticles of sediment that have accumulated into mounded features over the eons. Then there is the famous, and most reliable, Old Faithful, which produces its performance likeTheclockwork.Grand Prismatic Spring makes the bubbling earth escapades seem main stream. About 300 feet in diameter, the largest spring in the park is ringed by a rainbow of colors produced by different microorganisms that live in the gradient cool ing water at the hot spring’s edges.
WILDLIFE WONDERS, HUMAN OVERKILL
All of the exotic features don’t attract the attention of the wildlife restoration that backs up traffic on the roads. Herds of hundreds of American bison provide a hint of how the west once looked when millions of the massive creatures populated theTheplains.mind picture that is most vivid for me is the sight of a majestic Rocky Moun tain bull elk monitoring his harem in the lush green valley of the Madison River. Tall, thick grass lined both sides of the swift and clear stream. He crossed the water to get to an island where three or four cows grazed on the grass. I was reminded of my visit there a couple of years ago when torrential rains earlier this summer led to unprece dented flooding and ravaged the landscape. The park was closed for several days as crews worked to restore roads and secure stream beds.
OutdoorGuidePage 30 September-October 2022
Yellowstone’s only det riment is the volume of people who, in many cases, are loving it to death. Stories of negative interactions be tween people and the wildlife in the park are almost always the result of someone not following appropriate safety measures and not giving the wild animals their space. Encouraging more people to experience it for themselves seems counterproductive.
WILLLIMITATIONSBECOMING
• Light just the areas with a real need for light; avoid dec orative or landscape lighting.
OutdoorGuideSeptember-October 2022 Page 31
While moths may not be able to compete with their daytime cousins for beauty, they more than make up for it in the work they do for polli nation. Like butterflies, moths are key pollinators, and they ensure this vital activity car ries on both day and night. In fact, they are so helpful in this regard that some flowers have even made special adaptations to accommodate moths.
Just because people go to sleep at night, it doesn’t mean nature does. One of nature’s busiest nocturnal creatures of summer are the moths. You’d be forgiven if you were to mistake a moth for a butterfly, since the two groups of insects are both members of the order Lepidoptera and re closely related. You might say they are even cousins! While related, moths and butterflies nevertheless have distinct differences.Foronething, moths have thick, stout bodies filled with hairs, while butterflies are thin and have “clean shaven,” smooth bodies. The antennae of moths tend to be either simple, or fringed or feathered. Compare that to butterflies, who sport long, “clubbed” antennae, meaning they have an enlarged segment at the outer end. While butterflies are aflutter during the day, moths are more creatures of moonlight, being active either at night, dawn or dusk.
Unlike butterflies, moths have thick, stout bodies filled with hairs. – MDC photo
• Choose lights that are no brighter than required, and try to avoid those with blue emissions.
HOW WE CAN HELP There are some things we can do to help minimize the effects of light pollution on moths and other nighttime creatures:
By DAN ZARLENGA Missouri Department of Conservation
Moths not all pretty, but pretty important occur in North America. With so many moths, their diversity of shapes, sizes, colors and habits is nothing short of mindboggling.Thereareway too many to even begin describing here! Mighty though they may be, moths do have a weakness – artificial lights. Streetlights, porchlights and other sources of artificial illumination dis rupt the darkness moths are used to. The unnatural light confuses them and locks them into a never-ending orbit as they fly around the source. Moths circling around these lights are distracted from their vital job of pollination.
• Employ motion-detection lights over constant ones where security is a concern. Many of us do our best to help bee and butterfly pollina tors, so why not also extend a helpful hand for our nocturnal pollination heroes, the moths? They may not be as pretty, but they are certainly pretty important!
Missouri evening primrose, often found on dolomite glades or dry, rocky prairies, relies on moths for its prop agation. It produces showy, yellow blossoms which are easier to see at night, and the flowers give off a strong scent during the evening that attractsMothsmoths.also blow away butterflies in number! There are about 160,000 varieties of moths in the world, most of which are nocturnal. Of them, 12,000 moth species
• Where lights are used, use fully shielded fixtures that direct all the light downward where it is truly useful. Scat tered light in other directions wastes energy and creates glare, making it harder to see.
• Don’t leave porch and yard lights on all night; use lighting only when needed.
Butterflies often display splendid and striking color ings, while most moths (but not all) are dull or drab in color.
VITAL POLLINATORS
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