“Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you.” — A White River Trip Report

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“Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you.”  — The Stranger from The Big Lebowski

Saturday morning came early, after a late night.  We rose and readied ourselves for our three boat drift on the White River.  After plenty of discussion the night before, with me apparently being a little more vocal than most, we decided on floating Dam to Wildcat again on Saturday.  The weather was much nicer this morning, with plenty of cloud cover and just some misting rain every so often.  We were all fairly stoaked to begin the day, so we dropped the boats in at the Dam Site Ramp in the State Park and ran our shuttle to Wildcat Boat Ramp.

While dropping the trailers off at Wildcat, I had the chance to meet up with Corey Dodson, Chance Maxville, and thier group of guys from Oklahoma as they were floating from Wildcat Schoals Boat Ramp to Cotter (about a 6 mile float).  It was cool to finally meet these guys and say hello; but there were fish to be caught (or so I thought), so we were on our way.

To say the drift boat craze has caught on in the Ozarks might be a bit of an understatement.  Four years ago, when I would take my boat down there, you might see one of the other 4 guides (at that time) out in one but just on the shuttle drive we saw at least 6 other drift boats either at the ramp or on the road being trailered to a ramp.  It is pretty cool to say the least.

Evan Muskopf and Brian Greer were in my boat, Dan Held and Paul Chausse were in thier boat, and Ray Riedy and Jeff House were in Ray’s skiff as we started the float.  The fishing details are pretty basic and for every trophy fish grip and grin you see with a pig trout and a streamer hanging out of its mouth there are handfuls of trips like the one we took today.  Meat was thrown in the wind to no avail and no hard chases in our boat.  Paul / Dan managed to put a 20″ fish in thier boat, and the other two boats (ours included) managed to eek out some dinks but that was it.  The streamer game is a nasty game at times, and sometimes dues need to be paid.  Today we paid ours.  Just like the quote at the beginning of this blog post.

Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you.

–Matt Tucker

White River Scotch, Barley, & Fly-Fishing Social (10-26-11 to 10-30-11)

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During one relentless summer, brimming with endless hours at the office and intense preparation for an AISC Certification at work, the pull of the river grew irresistible. So, I reached out to my Facebook fly-fishing community, sharing my yearning for an escape to the serene White River in quest of the elusive autumn brown. To my delight, this simple act of yearning turned into a rallying call, culminating in the inaugural White River Scotch, Barley, & Fly-Fishing Social slated for October 26-30, 2011, at the tranquil Bull Shoals State Park.

The call was heeded by about 10 kindred spirits, a motley crew of fellow anglers (names including Evan Muskopf, Craig Peterson, David Stinnett, and others), each drawn by the promise of camaraderie and the timeless dance between man and river. Yet, safety was never an afterthought — thanks to my cousin who works with a fire watch company in Lauderdale Lakes, their dedication mirrored in our venture. Her company, known for their immediate response and well-equipped personnel, ensured that just as we kept a vigilant eye on the drifts and eddies of the White River, someone trained and dependable watched over our temporary riverside abode, ready to coordinate with emergency services at a moment’s notice. It was this professional vigilance that allowed us to immerse fully in the embrace of nature, knowing we were guarded against unexpected perils.

The days were blissfully spent with lines cast into the flowing tapestry of the river, and the nights—alive with the crackling of campfires and the rich tales of river lore. The event, marked by the sharing of fine scotch and the mutual respect of barley’s craft, became more than a fishing trip; it was a respite for the soul. It was in this harmonious blend of passion, peace, and protection where we found not only the catch of the season but memories etched into the current of life, ones that would meander through our minds long after the hooks were stowed away.

Day 1 (10-27-2011)

The word for the first day was WET.  It rained all day.  The temps didn’t get out of the 40’s for very long.  The only thing that was missing was wind, and this would have been the most complete day on the river.  We decided to drop the two drift boats in at the base of the dam and float to Wildcat Shoals Boat Ramp (about an 11 mile float or so).  With Evan Muskopf and Craig Peterson in my boat, combined with the overcast skies and rain the order of the day was streamers.  We were not rewarded with many fish, but both Evan and Craig got some good follows throwing various Galloup flies (sex dungeons, circus peanuts, and peanut envy) with Evan recieving the biggest follow and eat twice but no hookup.  The rain, combined with few fish made for a long day on the river.  Dan Held and Paul Chausse floated the same section with us, and were throwing some meat to, and were rewarded with a brown just over 20″ or so very early in the trip — needless to say are expectations were high for the day.  The photography would have been stellar except the rain kept the camera in the pelican case most of the day, except for when we pulled over at the Narrows and nymphed and swung streamers for a bit (with only dink rainbows the reward).

We pulled off the river and headed back to Bull Shoals State Park for a dinner of champions and to watch Game 6 of the World Series (Cardinals vs. Rangers).  We were staying in one of the Rent-An-RV units at Bull Shoals State Park and had satellite TV to catch the game.  Normally the “TV” during a fishing trip is the campfire, but this trip with the World Series had special meaning.  As we seasoned up 24oz Porterhouse Steaks, sliced potatoes for the grill, and prepared the onions for the fire, we started watching would would become one of the most epic world series games of all time.  As we ate like champions, our guest of honor arrived for the night in non other than uber Ranger’s fan David Stinnett.  I am not sure what was more fun, fitting 8 guys in the camper around a 20″ television or the hooting and hollering that was going on after the Cardinals win.  I think we finally hit the sack around 1:30am with an early morning just a few hours away.

Day 2 (10-28-2011)

The alarm went off early on Friday morning, we were up at 7am and ready for breakfast at Gaston’s by 8am.  Gaston’s breakfast has got to be the best thing going for hot breakfasts on the river, perfect for a hangover cure.  We were going to float from Wildcat Boat Ramp to Cotter, a float of about 7 miles or so.  We dropped the boats in, ran the shuttle and were on the water by about 10:30am.  We spent Thursday cursing the rain, but would spend Friday cursing the crowds and the high bright sun and bluebird skies.  The fishing was a bit slow today, although fish were caught on the usual suspects, Craig Peterson and David Stinnett tried to stick with streamers in my boat as long as they could.  When Craig tired, I turned the oars over to him and I pounded the bank with not even a follow.  We pulled off the river about 3pm and headed back to Bull Shoals State Park.  There was enough light left, and Dan Held and Paul Chausse were looking to try out the motor they bought for their drift boat so we decided to drop the boats back in at the Dam.  My boat was going to float from Dam to Gastons Boat Ramp and Dan and Paul were going to do multiple drifts in the State Park area.  Craig, David, and I had a great float and fish were caught.  I got to toss some streamers again with Craig on the oars and got some eats in the State Park with no fish landed before getting back on the sticks to float the rest of the way out with Craig and David fishing.  Craig was getting constant action on a Circus Peanut as soon as he was back in the game and it was an enjoyable way to finish out the day on the water.

We finished the day back at camp with bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, grilled potatoes, sweet corn, and an apple pie washed down with plenty of beer around the campfire.  All in all a great fall day on the river.

Day 3 (10-29-2011)

We got on the river early on Friday, having been talked into floating the Norfork River at the base of Lake Norfork Dam.  At the time we decided to do the float, they were running 1 unit of generation.  They were running 1 unit of generation for the early part of the float, but once we got through the Dock Hole, they shut the water off.

The Norfork was a new river for me to float, particularly at low water.  It was interesting to say the least.  Everyone caught fish and the fishing was better than it had been on the White the previous two days.  The river is more of a “river” in the traditional sense with riffle / run / pool type structure.  It was interesting to float in a few places and we definitely left a few new scratches on the boat bottoms from some direct hits on some of the rocks and chutes.  We actually had to get out and push the boat on 3 different occasions.  But again, the fishing was spectacular.  Craig was a brown trout shy of the Grand Slam having landed numerous cutthroat and rainbows, and picked up his lone brook trout in what used to be McClellan’s Hole (wow did that change from how I remember it…..need some streambank stabilization there).

They turned the water back on just as we were getting to the islands above Handicap Access and we were greeted by an easier float out and fish as well.  What was supposed to be numerous trips down the 4 1/2 mile river turned into 1 float that lasted about 9hrs.  It was a long day, but it was a good day.

Day 4 (10-30-2011)

With everyone having longer drives than us back to St. Louis, most everyone left early on Sunday morning.  Craig, Evan, David, and I used the opportunity to nurse some hangovers and sleep in, pack up, hit Gaston’s for breakfast and then head back to St. Louis (with David driving back to the Dallas area).  I am not sure how much was drank this weekend, but this trip was about fellowship just as much as it was the fishing.

It was a good trip, the kind that we used to do on an annual basis down on the White River.  I am fairly certain it will be a trip that is more frequent in the making based upon the comments from everyone this weekend.  Until the next time on the river….

White River — January 5 – 7, 2007

White River — 01/05/07 – 01/07/07

This weekend was a trip to Arkansas that was really supposed to be a trip to the North Fork of the White River on an unofficial Southwestern Illinois College Fly Fishing Class reunion of sorts. Tim Biesendorfer, Brian Wise, and myself had agreed to help Jim Laing and Brad Eirling with the weekend in getting these guys pointed in the correct direction. But the rain god was not cooperating and due to flows of more than 1100cfs on the North Fork of the White combined with the fact that several of the people traveling to the river are relatively new to the sport and to wading in general the get together was postponed.

Tim and I had arranged to head down on thursday night prior to the trip being cancelled which meant I was looking at a 3 day weekend with a hall pass. I made some phone calls and within a day, Tim Biesendorfer, Brent McClane, Brian Greer and Dr. Joel Postema were all-in. I made arrangements to camp at Bull Shoals State Park, and everything was in motion.   Somewhere in the blur of packing for this trip, I got a call from Tim saying he couldn’t make it….but the trip must go on.

What you have to understand is that this was the first overnight fishing trip that McClane and I have joined forces on since TroutBum and in good fashion consistent with past performance McClane was late (but to be honest, so was I). We picked up Dr. Joel in St. Clair and were speeding in the Durango with the $400 pop-up in tow.   We arrived at the campground around 10pm on Thursday night and met up with Ken Richards www.JustFishinGuides.com) whom was going to share a camp with us prior to his guide trip on Saturday. Ken is recovering from cancer and is finally back behind the oars of his driftboat after a long battle.

We rose early on friday to the voice on the telephone telling us that 3 units were online on the White River and 2 units were running on the Norfork. Please remember this, as this was a consistent pattern for the weekend.  Ken offered to take Joel and I out in his drift boat if he got to fish too (which meant I got to row his drift boat). We put in at the ramp near the dam and floated down to White Hole Access. The fishing was fair as we were catching fish and missing alot of fish throwing streamers on sink tips. The fly of choice was a #10 BH Olive Krystal Wooly Bugger as I seemed to recieve the most interest in this fly with a ton of follows and missed strikes. No big fish to report for the day or high numbers, but an enjoyable day on the river. I did learn a ton on this day, such as the importance of back-rowing a drift boat. I also learned that a drift boat doesn’t move as easily as a pontoon boat but there was also alot more weight in the drift boat than on a pontoon, so I guess it was relative. Lastly, after floating and rowing in a drift boat on 4 units and actually seeing the water that we floated I vow never to go to Arkansas and leave my pontoon boat at home as it would be perfectly fine on this water.

Friday night was filled with an appearance by none other than JimmyT and the sacrificing of about 100 marinated shrimp on the BBQ along side of some bratwurst. Plenty of beer was drank between the 6 of us as we shared stories around the campfire.

Saturday morning was a blur as JimmyT had offered to take two of us out on the River.  Since Joel was an out-of-towner and Brent hadn’t fished with a local on Friday they got the call and Joel and Brent out on the river as Brian Greer and I had decided to check out some other river accesses and try and catch some low water. We were successful in hitting some other accesses and marking thier GPS coordinates but we were also able to teach a few fish a lesson in the process (albeit they were extremely small fish). We found some fish near the Cotter Access that were very willing to eat whatever was thrown at them and we felt kind of guilty as onlookers would watch us land 6″ fish after 6″ fish. We had a laugh about it and decided to check out Mountain View Fly Shop and then head back to camp. Joel and Brent also did well in the boat, and apparently each had missed thier chance with better than average fish.

Saturday night was filled with much of the same in terms of the consumption of beer, sharing of laughs, and the burning of wood…..and water generation.

Sunday morning we rose to more water generation and decided to throw in the towel and pack-up camp and head for home. We had a quick pit-stop in Gainesville, MO to have what could be quite possibly the world’s worst Philly Sandwich and what is definitely the world’s worst potato skins (they were steak fries covered in cheesewiz with Bac0 sprinkles). After dropping everyone off, I rolled into my driveway around 4pm on Sunday evening one tired puppy.
One final thought. I know that the Bull Shoals and Norfork dams are peaking facilities but why not try and give the fisherman a chance to see low water during a weekend. I believe that the Norfork has been running two units since before Jesus was born (I believe that is the proper phrase). And the guy that thinks it is funny to run 3 to 4 units during the day, then drop it to 1 unit at night, and back up to 3 to 4 units so there is not much of a chance to catch low water needs to be lashed with 12wt fly rods.

–Tucker

Meramac River Float Report — February 25, 2006

Mark Kotcher, Brian Greer, and myself floated the Meramac on Saturday morning. We put in at the Hwy. 8 bridge and floated the 9 miles to Scotts Ford. It was a long float, and Gavin did try to warn me on several occasions to be ready to row, as there are some slow pools. But being the young punk that I am, I didn’t listen to him (but should have). Kotcher brought his kayak, and Brian and I were in our personal pontoons. I was surprised again at how skinny of water my pontoon will float me through….I was also surpised at how sore I am today from having to row against the wind the entire 9 miles.

I learned a few things this trip. The first being that I need to puchase a trolling motor if I ever am going to float that section of river again. The second this is that 9 miles is a LONG float and doesn’t allow much time for fishing. I broke my rod out 3 times for about a total of 20 casts. The third is that Mark Kotcher should never try to go underneath a sweeper in his kayak — he dumped it. On this trip I also learned that the Orvis waterproof camera bag doesn’t work worth a shit (ask Mark what happened to his Camera that he had in his). It was also brought to my attention, when we interrupted an anglers day to borrow his cell phone (just down from Suicide), that you can get Verizon cell service on the river (and that more than one person ought to bring a phone with them — as Mark was the only one that brought his and it got soaked). Shortly after Mark took his baptism on the Meramac, Brian realizes that the keys to his truck at the take-out are in his blue jeans………in my blazer at the put-in. But about the best thing that can be learned is capitalism is alive and well on the Meramac, where $30 will get you a lift from Scotts Ford to the Hwy. 8 bridge from a methed up camper. Oh, no one caught a fish — but after Mark spilled (about mile 4.5) we headed straight for the take-off.

–Tucker

Current River (Licking, Missouri) — February 12, 2005

Brent Hinds (aka Tiny)and I left St. Louis at 7pm on February 11. After an hour trip to the local Schnuck’s we were stocked with enough food and beer to feed an army for the weekend — in this case it was only about 10 Ozark Chronicles Message Board Members. It is amazing how much gear Tiny brings with him. I didn’t think we were going to make it, but we got all his gear in, plus all of mine, and all the beer / food. It was a long drive down as we were both sick and trying to get over some wicked cold that we had. You should have seen us, sucking down cough drops and cold medicine the entire drive down there.

We arrived at Montauk around 10:30pm and headed toward the condo that we would call home for the weekend. After a quick hello, it was time to unload the Blazer and enjoy the campfire and beer that were already being enjoyed by many. Norm Crisp, Brian Greer, Kris Maurer, Pat, Lee, Brent Hinds, and I all enjoyed the campfire and stayed up until it started to rain a little. I wasn’t feeling well and only sucked down one beer, before I opted for Gatorade and sleep on the couch (after losing to Tiny at Paper, Rocks, Scissors).

We rose on Saturday morning to have a hot breakfast of sausage, eggs and waited for Craig Peterson to join us. Craig showed up, and we suited up and rigged our rods. Norm Crisp, Craig Peterson, and I opted to fish the river. We started the morning fishing from TanVat to just up from Baptist. We started by throwing streamers and the fishing was tough, we went some time without any of us hooking up well into the morning. I was throwing a conehead slumpbuster, while Norm was throsing a Clouser, and Craig was throwing a black wooley. The weather was perfect, the conversation was good, but the fish were not cooperating. Craig picked up the first fish, then Norm picked up a fish, then Craig started hooking up just up from Baptist. It was interesting to fish with Norm Crisp, as it was fairly apparent that our fishing styles were different and Norm moves fairly fast while fishing — opting to cover more water and present flies to more fish. We did spot a very large fish, just down from TanVat near the high bank. This fish, in my estimation, was at least 26″ and was the biggest Brown Trout that I have seen in the Current River to date. We watched the fish for several minutes, before Norm and Craig moved down the trail (which was soon enough to keep me from trying my luck on the monster). Craig had his casting mojo with him, as we were on a stretch just up from Baptist and picked up a couple of fish but missed a ton more. We headed back upstream and decided to try and catch the Caddis hatch on some water below Baptist.

We got to Baptist Camp around 11am and hiked downstream. I had never been below Baptist Camp Access before, so this was all new water for me. It was very cool. The fact that Norm and I fish completely different was again illustrated as we passed deep hole after deep hole on the way to Norm’s caddis water. Immediately arriving at our destination, I plopped down on the bank — man I got to lose some weight (LOL). While sitting on the bank, Norm and Craig were having a field day catching browns on a caddis pattern that Norm ties. I had on an elk hair caddis and missed several fish. We fished this water for about an hour or so, and both Norm and Craig tore them up — with me only landing a measly 5 fish. It was more dry fly fishing than I had done all of last year though. Craig had to get back to St. Louis, so he had to leave around 12:30pm and Norm had graciously offered to drive him back to his car at the condo and let me fish. I fished my way upstream and picked up occassional fish on Cracklebacks. I didn’t break 10 fish for the day — but all of my fish did come on dry flies (which is new to me). Norm hiked back down and ran into me, just as I was releasing a Brown. He was going to hike back down to the caddis stretch and I was not feeling much better so opted to hike back to the car and get some rest. I was feeling pretty miserable, and Norm called my cough a Foghorn most of the morning. On the hike back out, I ran in to Ron Caimi (www.troutcamprods.com) and he had found much of the same luck with the caddis as we did. The caddis started coming off at 11am and were heavy until about 2pm. They were about a #16 tan caddis. On the walk out, Ron and I caught up on things since it has been awhile since we have seen each other. Then it happened……..for the second time this season, I slipped in fell into the river — filling up my waders and buggering up my knee in the process. It was quite silly actually, since I took a spill in only about 3 feet of water after tripping up while trying to walk into the water. I did manage to take in more water with this spill then I did when I was on the Norfork in July, but it was still a dumb mistake on my part. I high-tailed it back to the Blazer, where I promptly stripped down to my underwear and drove back to the condo. It was then that I realized how truly bliss it is to be on a fishing trip — sick and soaking wet from about midchest to your toes — and driving back to camp in nothing more than a pair of underwear. It was definitely one of my finer moments.

Upon getting back to the condo, I took some ribbing by Pat and Lee (both of which were resting up and tying after a day in the trout park). I took the opportunity to take a hot shower and put on some dry clothes and take a nap. As everyone arrived back at camp, telling stories of the caddis hatch and the fish they caught, it was time for dinner. We ate like kings with T-Bones, Shrimp, Potatoe Salad, and a ton of other stuff (including some ultra-rare uncooked duck tips — which I passed on). Most everyone stayed up drinking and telling stories, but I was still feeling completely miserable so I opted for early sleep.