Review : Lost Valley Lake Resort

      Recently , My wife and I have been discussing buying a lake lot or membership to a resort. With this in mind we went to tour the Lost Valley Lake Resort. The resort is very nice with plenty of things to see and do , along with annual events that are a big hit with owners. Our tour guide , Mandy , was great. She showed us all around the place and we really enjoyed the tour. But , as you know , with all of these tours comes a high pressure sales pitch that you have to buy TODAY. Well I would recommend the resort as a vacation destination ,but I would also recommend that you shop around before you jump into several years of monthly payments. Check out Craigslist and local newspapers. You may find a great deal on that membership package that could save you a lot of money.

Bald Eagle Recovery

     In September , the Conservation Comission removed the Bald Eagle from the endangered species list. Less than 30 years ago the Bald Eagle was on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss , pesticide poisoning , and illegal shooting. Today there are more than 150 active Bald Eagle nests in Missouri and that number is expected to double every 5 years.     More on Missouri Bald Eagles

Float with Bass River Resort

    Over the summer one of the fishing trips my wife and I went on was a 12 mile float trip on the Courtois with Bass River Resort. The trip from the Highway 8 bridge at Berryman to the Bass campground was an awsome float to catch a stringer full of sunfish and we also landed a few nice smallmouths. The service was great and the people friendly. For a great outing on the Courtois  , Huzzah , or the Meremac  we recommend Bass River Resort in Steelville Mo.

  

 Cold Opener Fun For All Ages

     Bitter cold and 9 inches of snow still could not stop nearly 2000 anglers from flocking to Montauk State Park for opening day as this young man gets a little help landing a trout. 
For more opening day pics - click here 

Spring Turkey Season Coming

    Wild turkey hunting in Missouri has experienced a rekindled interest over the past 45 years and this year's hunt will be no different.A new generation of turkey hunters enters the woods with hope of bagging one of the most prized North American game birds, while veteran hunters continue to participate in the challenge and tradition of turkey hunting.The spring season is approaching fast so visit our Turkey Hunting Page to get ready for that hunt. Good Luck and remember to send in those hunting pics and stories to paul@missourisportsman.com

St. Francis River Walleye

    March 1st will mark a new chapter in walleye fishing on the St.Francis River. Anglers will once again , be able to catch and keep walleye caught on the river and it's tributaries above the Wappapello Dam.
   Until the late 1960's walleye in the 10 - 12 pound range were common. But in the 1990's catching any walleye on the St. Francis was a rare event
   Fisheries biologists believed that anglers were catching too many walleye and natural reproduction could not replace them. In 1997 the Conservation Commission closed walleye fishing on the St. Francis river above the Wappapello Dam. This was to  allow nearly 200,000 walleye fingerlings that were put in the river to grow.
   Again ,anglers will be able to keep walleye from the river. There is a daily limit of four and a possession limit of 8 , with a minimum length limit of 18" from tip of nose to tip of the tail.