Hiking Fellows Lake
Sunday afternoon was the first 60+ degree day so far this year. A perfect day to get out and experience the new trail system that now surrounds Fellows Lake. If you've not been recently, you've not been. These combo, hiking, running, and mountain bike trails offer outdoor opportunities for everyone. Sunday, I encountered all three along the trail Sunday. I made a trip out last fall and hiked the Stick Dance trail along the lakes south side. This weekend, I hit The Hoff Trail on the lakes southwest corner. For a downable copy of the Fellows Lake trails, click HERE.
Since the Watershed Committee Of The Ozarks management of Fellows Lake, the improvements have been amazing. The partnership with Ozark Greenways and Trailspring has elevated the trails to another level. The Dirt 66 system is now a part of the Fellows Lake hiking and biking trail system. Dirt 66 trail system is an incorporated greenway system providing safe passage and connecting 66 miles of trail between several parks in the the Springfield area.
Make this the year you visit Fellows Lake. It's a real gem right here in our backyard. Along with the hiking and biking there's fishing, boating, sailing, kayaking, and more! Back in September, I spoke with Operations Manager Matt Taylor on my Ozarks Outdoors podcast. Give it a listen and find out more!
Missouri Deer Hunting...Record Setting Style!
As we wrap up another great Missouri deer hunting season, take a few minutes and check out my Ozarks Outdoors podcast! This time, it's a 2 part conversation with record-setting bow hunter, Ty Cumley. A few years ago this Osceola, Missouri hunter had a 12 month stretch most of us can only dream of! The run started when he harvested one of biggest deer ever taken in St Clair County, Missouri. That deer, pictured above, green-scored at over 200! In Part 1 of the podcast, he details the years of watching and scouting as the deer grew to record-setting proportions! And, of course, he talks in detail of the day all that hard work finally paid off!
After that record-setting accomplishment, he set his sights on another monster. This time, he was determined to test himself even further by attempting to take this deer with his longbow. The story of him stalking, and ultimately crawling, to creep up within 7 yards of this beast is incredible! In Part 2 of the podcast, he describes the planning, perpetration, and the day in great detail! Shortly after that, he completed the "trifecta" by harvesting yet another massive deer with a muzzleloader!
Of course all this success ultimately caught the attention of outdoor writers and magazines. He appeared in several including the two editions of the national deer hunting publication, "Rack" magazine, pictured here. Again, I couldn't think of a better way to wind down this years hunting season by having Ty retell these stories, again, for all of us to enjoy on the Ozarks Outdoors podcast. Check it out and thanks for listening!
Meet Artist And Outdoor Enthusiast Garrett Melby
Garrett Melby is a local treasure. From right here in the Ozarks he's a lover of music and all things outdoors. While growing up on a farm in the Willow Springs area he spent his spare time hunting and fishing. A skilled bow hunter who took his passion of hunting and turned it into a way to provide for his community through Missouri's Share The Harvest program.
He's most famous for his artwork. His paintings are abstract colorful depictions of wildlife, birds, and fish each which appear to be in motion. I met Garrett some time ago. Needless to say we hit it off. He, like myself, is a music fan and of the outdoors. He recently donated a beautiful guitar that's proudly on display here at the radio station.
I'm fortunate enough to be an owner of Garrett's artwork. Being a fisherman, and having dropped a few hints while complementing some of his work online, he was kind enough to paint me a beautiful smallmouth bass and a crappie.
Find out more about Garrett in my Ozarks Outdoors podcast. You can find it right here on The Bull's website. Follow him on Facebook and make it out to a concert where he's painting. You'll see him off to the side of the stage with a brush in hand using the music to inspire his work. It's amazing stuff.
It's White Bass Time!
The late summer-early fall transition is the best time to catch white bass! And not only catch them, but catch them in big numbers as they school on shad! There's no better time than now to load up the kids and take them to the lake. I know what you're thinking. Didn't I say the same thing back in June? Yes, that's true. When the shad start to school it's a great time to catch white bass, however the late summer-early fall is better in the fact that the shad are fully grown and that means the white bass and hybrids are bigger too!
Plus, as the water temperatures start the cool, and the days get shorter, it signals that fall's coming soon and it's time for the whites to feed up! The action will continue through most of the fall until the water temp drops too low and pushes the shad down.
Spin-casting or spinning tackle works just fine. Tie on any shad imitating bait and you're good to go. Chrome colored crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, and Shad Raps will do the trick. Plan to hit the water later in the evening as the sun drops low in the horizon and the lakes surface slicks out.
Keep your eyes open for diving birds and the swirling water as the whites attacks the schools of shad. It's big-time fun for the whole family! Good luck and we'll see you on the water! I mean, who would want to miss out on an evening like in the video bellow??
Labor Day Weekend Fishing
Don't let the final weekend of summer get away without wetting a line. Sure, fishing on holiday weekends isn't ideal but with a little planning and extra effort, you can still have success. Time of day, species you're targeting, and location, are everything when it comes to fishing on a busy weekend.
First, plan to be on the water early in the morning and late in the evening. It's still summer so fish are going to be more active during the in low-light and cooler time of day. Most of the tubing and skiing activity is done during the day so getting out early or fishing the last few hours of daylight will increase your odds of success. The fish will likely keep their heads down during the busy time of day so once it quiets down, they'll be on the prowl for a meal.
Increase the odds of putting fish in the boat by targeting a more cooperative species like crappie or white bass. The crappie will still be off-shore and likely schooled together so start about halfway back in a creek or on the flats in 12 to 15 feet or water. Jigs will work fine, but if you've got the kids along, minnows will increase their odds of success.
If the water's flat and you see schools of shad up on the surface, keep and eye out for white bass and hybrids smashing into the schools. Flats, humps, and long points are good places to check for top-water activity. If you've got a fishing boat with an outboard appropriate for trolling, try dragging shad or chrome colored crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps. It's an easy way for the kids to get bit without having to do much more than hold on and reel'em in!
Good luck and enjoy the last big weekend of the summer! Get out and do some fishing! You may be surprised just how well you might do. Remember too, fall's right around the corner and with it comes some of the best fishing of the year!
Route 66 Festival At Bud's Tire & Wheel
This weekend's Birthplace of Route 66 Festival was a celebration of the iconic highway and it's connection to Springfield and the state of Missouri. There are dozens of motels, shops, and restaurants along the highway that can trace their history back to the "mother road." One such place is Bud's Tire & Wheel in downtown Springfield. Bud Perry opened the custom wheel shop at the corner of College and Grant Streets in 1958. The shop quickly became a landmark along the highway and in 2013, at that years Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, Bud was honored with the John T. Woodruff Award, that recognizes Springfield residents’ contributions to Route 66. Sadly, in early 2017, Bud Perry passed away. His iconic shop is now owned and operated by his son Mike where the tradition of quality and service continues. 
Friday evening, I was fortunate enough to get to hang out at the Bud's Tire & Wheel open house on the "starting line" of the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival parade. Having a front row seat to the parade was great! So many cool old cars, motorcycles, motor homes, and other contraptions rolled down College Avenue headed towards Park Central Square. Also on display was a replica of one of Bud's race cars.
Even though Bud Perry's racing career was brief, his contribution to the region's racing heritage is without question. In 2002, he was inducted into the Ozark Area Racers Association, receiving the Racing Pioneer Award. Racing was his passion and what lead to his opening of Bud's Tire & Wheel.
105.1 The Bull will have your chance to win tickets to The Kansas Speedway and the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race on September 11th! Details coming soon!
Summer Bass Fishing
No question about it, summer bass fishing can be challenging. With the recent record heat and very little rain it's only made conditions even more difficult. However, you can still have hot weather fishing success if you follow a few of these tips.
First, try fishing at night or during the low light time of day. Night fishing, especially at some of our clear Ozarks lakes like Stockton and Table Rock is the best time to be on the water. Not only is it cooler, bass and other predator fish use the darkness to their advantage to catch prey. Plan to fish deep on points, creek channel bends, and underwater humps. The best baits are big worms, jigs, crawdad type soft-plastics, and slow rolled big bladed spinner-baits. It may seem counter-intuitive but darker colors work best. The dark baits silhouette against the night sky and make them easier for bass to find.
If you're not comfortable fishing in the dark, the next best time of day is very early in the morning and late in the evening. Boat traffic is lighter then and bass are always more active during these low light conditions. Fish tend to move up shallower during that time of day as well and that makes them more accessible. Top water baits often work well. Buzz baits, Zara Spooks and other walking baits, and prop baits are the best choices. These "noisy" top water baits can draw strikes from deeper water and can trigger inactive fish into biting. As the sun moves higher, switch to big plastic worms, deep diving crankbaits, and slow rolled big spinner-baits. Vertical fishing a drop-shot rig or hopping a jigging spoon can be very effective. Also too, if you're on the water when the winds blowing, fish deeper banks where the waves are crashing. Fish are always looking for an advantage and the wind pushes bait-fish around and bass move up to catch them. The bass in the photo was caught in the late afternoon in just such a spot.
It's important too to get the fish you catch back into the water as soon as possible. If you catch a nice one, get a pic and then quickly release it. The warm water temps, and the battle reeling them in, stress bass so ease them back into the water as soon and possible.
Also too, it looks like some relief from the sweltering heat may be on the way. Clouds, rain, and cooler weather will often get inactive summertime bass going so plan to hit the water as soon as conditions improve.
No doubt, summer bass fishing can be tough but it shouldn't keep you off the water. You'll get less sleep but the effort will be well worth it. Fish are cold-blooded creatures so the warm water has their metabolism in high gear. If you hit it right, you can still have success even in the heat of the summer! Good luck!
Wind's Your Friend!
Like most things, too much of it can be a problem. However, the right amount of wind can make all the difference in having fishing success or not! Sure, it's easier to make a cast and control the boat out of the wind but chances are that's not the best place to be making a cast.
Wind creates current and pushes bait-fish into areas and onto banks that makes it easier for the predator fish to ambush prey. It can also dislodge crayfish from under rocks, stir up minnows, and generally gets the whole "food chain" thing going. Add in a little cloud cover, especially in the warmer months, and the wind & clouds combination can make for quality day on the lake.
Keep an on the wind direction for a few days before you head out. If it blows in the same general direction for a couple days, plan to start in the area where the waves have been crashing. If that bank or point's close to a creek or river channel bend, the better. A small pocket that's had the wind blowing into it, close to that deeper water, helps corral the shad and other bait-fish and makes it easier for the predator fish to slip up and grab a bite. If the wind's pushing through a cut-through or narrow channel the increased current will funnel bait and intern draw the game fish to the area.
When I say "predator fish" I mean you can except to catch several different species. On a recent afternoon I caught dozens of fish off one stretch of bank. Sure I hooked a few drum, they're predators too, several white bass, a couple nice "eating size" channel catfish, a few largemouths, some sunfish, and a couple nice walleye! One beauty that's gonna wind up on my grill someday soon!
So your next time out pay close attention to the wind and it's direction. Yes, it's a challenge standing on the trolling motor all day (no I don't have "spot lock" on my boat) but the work usually pays off. The wind is your friend and can make all the difference in having fishing success or failure.
Schooling White Bass Are A Blast!
After a very wet spring things are drying out and warming up. About this time of year white bass are schooling and feeding on shad fry. That makes for some fast and furious action! Another contributing factor is the pulling of water through the dams to generate hydro-electric power to meet soaring summer demands. The combination of current and abundant bait-fish get the white bass and hybrids going.
This years shad fry are get some size to them and schooling up. When they reach about a 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long they're perfect bite size morsels for white bass. The water is clearing too from the spring rains and all of this adds up to some fun on the water.
Most of the action takes place later in the afternoon and evenings. When the lake flattens out the surface becomes a wall that the predator fish use to help corral the shad. The shad school near the surface to feed on the plankton growth created by the summer sun. Because most of the action is later in the day, plan to arrive around 4 or 5 and stay till late that evening. Be sure to bring the kids! There's no better way to get them hooked on fishing than catching a fish on nearly every cast as the whites tear in the shad fry.
Bait selection is pretty basic too. All you need are some white or shad colored Road Runners, Rooster-Tails, or chrome Tiny Traps. Your lures should be small to match the size of the shad. Keep your eye out for the schooling action. Look for gulls and aquatic birds diving into the schools looking to grab an easy meal as the whites push the shad to the surface.
Good luck and have fun! We'll see you on the water!
Add Red Rocks To Your Bucket List!
The fact is, there's no place like it on earth. The Red Rocks Amphitheater is a geological phenomenon, the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world. My first visit to this amazing place was in the late 80's. It took me 30 years to make it back. One of the first things I did after accepting a radio job in Grand Junction, Colorado in 2016 I started making plans to return. Since then, I've made it back several times, including twice in three days just last week!
It's about a 11 hour drive from Springfield, Missouri to Denver, Colorado. The elevation at the venue is 6,450 feet above sea level. It's location, a unique transitional zone between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains make for an amazing view. The rocks are "Fountain Formation" stones that vary in color from light gray to pale red to dark rust. Over the millennia the erosion and weathering decomposed the rock, releasing minerals such as iron that give Red Rocks its reddish-pink color.
Be sure and arrive early. Parking is tricky with limited lots and the later you arrive the further up the mountain you'll have to hike. The venue is located inside a park that's 738 acres in size filled with wildlife, dinosaurs tracks, pine trees, and all types of geological wonders. Also on the premises is the Visitor Center, Trading Post, Red Rocks Hall of Fame, and more!
Need a great country show it see? The Chicks are doing two shows coming up August 2nd and 3rd. Plus, Thomas Rhett takes the legendary stage at Red Rocks on August 12th.
No trip to Colorado is complete without a visit to Estes Park and The Rocky Mountain National Park. About 45 minutes to the north and west of Red Rocks, try and make time to take in the town and one of the most beautiful places in the US. Red Rocks, add it to your bucket list and start making plans to get there. I guarantee you'll not be disappointed!