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Visiting Missouri on Your Next Road Trip
Posted by Samuel in Deals/Specials on 01 24th, 2010Missouri is where the Ozark Mountains and valleys, lakes and caves, forests and farmlands all come together to set the stage for scenic drives and non-stop outdoor adventures. There’s no better time than now to show yourself the “Show Me State.” Missouri campgrounds and Missouri RV parks welcome visitors year round with open arms.Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge is on northwestern Missouri’s river floodplain near Mound City. Migrating ducks, snow geese and such threatened or endangered species as bald eagles, piping plovers and peregrine falcons find an important seasonal migration stop at Squaw Creek. One of the best and easiest ways to explore the refuge and observe local wildlife is to drive the ten-mile-long, self-guided car tour winding through the wetlands. There are also two trails for visitors who prefer to travel closer to the action – on foot. The Eagle Overlook Trail takes hikers on a walk into the wetlands. The Loess Bluff Trail does one better, ascending 200 feet to the crest of the preserve’s bluffs. At this elevation, visitors enjoy a sweeping, eagle-eye view of refuge lands. In north central Missouri’s farmland near Macon, Long Branch State Park is on the shores of the 2,000-acre Long Branch Lake. This park is fully equipped for water sports enthusiasts; the on-site marina has boat launches, covered slips and watercraft rentals. There’s a sandy beach for swimmers, plenty of open water for water skiers and an accessible fishing dock for physically challenged guests. Long Branch is known for providing more than respectable catches of bass, crappie and catfish, so anglers consider it the perfect spot to test their luck and skill. Besides the lake, the landscape consists of prairies, hills, and forests of oak, sycamore, hickory, and silver maple. Animals and birds like it, too, as evidenced by the population of red foxes, white-tailed deer and bobwhite quail living at the park.Cutting across the central region of the “Show Me State” on a 225-mile east to west progression is the innovative Katy Trail State Park. There are many Missouri campgrounds and Missouri RV camping resorts in this region, but booking ahead is always wise. Following the former path of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, or “Katy,” the trail originates in St. Charles and links the towns of Marthasville, Jefferson City and Boonville before concluding at Clinton. Designed for use by hikers and bikers of all ages and abilities, much of the trail follows the scenic path of the Missouri River. A limited portion of the Katy is open for equestrians. Trail users find everything from forests to prairies, valleys to river bluffs, wetlands and pastures. And Katy’s position on the Missouri Flyway ensures an interesting array of birds, from everyday species like robins and chickadees to endangered bald eagles and migrating great blue herons. As might be expected, there’s no shortage of honors bestowed on this extraordinary state park affiliate. Katy Trail’s St. Charles-to-Boonville section has been named part of the famed Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Furthermore, the entire pathway is also a designated Millennium Legacy Trail and an official portion of the American Discovery Trail.Located in southeastern Missouri near Van Buren, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways were established by the National Park Service in an effort to preserve 134 highland miles of the Jack Fork and Current Rivers. The preserve is located in a region where hardwood and pine forests overlap, resulting in an interesting mix of flora and fauna, including bunches of wildflowers. There are numerous springs that feed both rivers, as well as mysterious sinkholes and hundreds of caverns. The primary water-based activities at Ozark National Scenic Riverways are fishing, canoeing, tubing, boating and swimming. The surrounding woodlands are ideal for land-based hiking, hunting, wildlife viewing and horseback riding.
Morning Mist Covered the Lake in Gold
Posted by Samuel in Lake Pics on 01 22nd, 2010
Image taken on by FreeWine.
Evening Bull Shoals Lake
Posted by Samuel in Lake Pics on 01 22nd, 2010
Image taken on 2007-03-06 16:21:37 by Cali2Okie.
Stockton Lake
Posted by Samuel in Lake Pics on 01 22nd, 2010
Image taken on 2008-12-30 12:55:48 by smysnbrg.
The Best Walleye Fishing Spots In Missouri
Posted by Samuel in Missouri Vacations on 01 22nd, 2010There are some great walleye fishing spots in Missouri. Lake of the Ozarks, Stockton Lake, Thomas Hill Reservoir, Table Rock Lake, Bull Shoals Lake and Mark Twain Lake are the top spots. These areas also have bass and panfish besides the walleye. The one thing that is a very well kept secret in Missouri is the ice fishing for walleye. Lake of the Ozarks is the best walleye fishing during the winter. Some anglers get out there and catch some prize trophies. The best thing to use during the winter months is heavier crankbaits while trolling. You might even try the grub on a jig, the weight should be about one eighth.
In October, Bull Shoals Lake is a great place to catch walleye. Many people do not even consider this lake for catching walleye and this is a shame because the action is hot in October. The lake has a great shad population that helps to feed the walleye and make them a good healthy weight. Here you would want to use crankbaits or some shad colored grubs. If you are fishing the rocky areas, a night crawler on a leadhead is great. In most cases, the planer boards work well with spinner rigs. During the spawning season in spring, you want to fish by the rocky areas from Barker Hole to Beaver Creek.
If you want to catch the walleye from shore during the spring spawning months, the Stockton Dam is a great area. However, the best time of day is a few hours before and after sunset. The popular area is by the Rip Rap by the dam. When you are fishing from shore near the riprap, you can use a shallow or floating running bait. Anglers recommend keeping the smaller males and leaving the larger females to spawn for future generations of walleye. On Stockton Lake, you can keep any fish that is fifteen inches or longer and they have a daily catch limit of four.
If you are using a fish locator on Stockton Lake, you will want to find the areas where the shad are in schools. Walleye will follow the shad and you can see the shad while the walleye are like black dots among the schools. The best time for walleye depends on the time of day and year, wind and water temperature. Fishing on Stockton Lake is better at dawn and dusk as well as overcast days. During the winter months, walleye hang out by the springs where the shad prefer to be. The water temperature is warmer than the forty-degree water temperatures away from the springs.
Table Rock Lake has many underwater habitats for walleye. When the lake was built, they never cleared the trees and other deadfall under the water, which has made a nice home for walleye. The shad in the lake allows the walleye to feed and grow to good-sized fish. Many anglers use the drop and sink method in this lake. They sit right above the deadfall and drop right into the middle of the school of shad coming up with a fish. This is a nice resort area and does not have a lot of boat activity, which makes it a nice fishing spot.
Mark Twain Lake is noted as a good place to fish for walleye, but keep in mind that you have to go at the right time and the right season. The best time to fish this lake is during spawning season. The shad population is what keeps the walleye in the lake, but you do need to fish for walleye during the particular time of year. The tributary streams in the spring are the best place to fish the walleye.
