If you’re reading this, I’m sure many of your very best memories include some body of water. My most vivid, happy memories mostly involve a stream in the Ozarks. I may have a thimble full of bad memories stemming from a days on the water, but those negative ones certainly aren’t as clear as the good ones, albeit maybe a little more accurate.
Well, except that one time at Taneycomo on Lilley’s Landing’s dock. No doubt I had the world’s record rainbow on my line (well felt like it anyway), drag was singing from my reel faster than I’ve ever seen. Suddenly, the line broke way down by the reel and I noticed a small nick in the spool that likely severed the line. I was using a 5 foot 6 inch Ugly Stik rod and reel combo. I chose it over one of my better set ups that day because I was just “messing around” for a few minutes. That combo went directly into the trash after I tried several methods of breaking it.
LEGIT, nay Too Legit to Quit
And if you’ve caught the world’s record rainbow with about 2 feet of two pound hanging out of it’s mouth, you can send me the $3.50 I lost that day. PayPal accepted.
So that negative memory is pretty clear, however it’s in the minority. I am sure that lots of people are going to have some really clear and largely negative views of water with all the flooding right now. And I really don’t blame the streams for the flooding. It’s the rain, it’s always the rain. I mean, it’s getting biblical on the eastern side of the state. I don’t want to alarm anyone, but my neighbor’s name is Noah and he has a lot of pets (I stole that joke from Anthony Clark of Yes, Dear fame when he was on Letterman like 15 years ago. I am many things, but not a plagiarist)
So, I started this post after hearing about all the damage my beloved Ozark streams and rivers were doing to people and property in the southwest part of our fair state. As I sat to write, I turned off the news, social media, tv, etc. While I was unplugged, I wrote a few things in regards to how this would affect the fishing, what things would be like after the waters receded and whether I would remember where my spots were. Finally, I would go into some kind of “do your part to help your local fisheries”. As I checked back in with news, the flooding was getting closer and closer to home and more and more damage was being reported all along I-44 and into southern Illinois.
I mean, look at this picture:
That’s I-44 near Lebanon. Looks like a hundred foot tall toddler got mad and broke apart his Hot Wheels track. I've never seen anything like this and had just driven down this stretch last Sunday. There’s lots of other pictures out there showing much worse damage, but this one just strikes me - reminding me no matter how advanced we are, Mother Nature will always have the upper hand..
Well lucky for you, I deleted all that selfish stuff. And I want to clarify, that my initial reasons to write were completely focused on how this would affect me, not anyone or thing else. Maybe I need to feel like a martyr to help out or maybe you just want to protect your favorite spot, neither is right nor wrong. No matter what - selfish or selfless - lot’s of people need help right now. And I am calling on you to step up. We’re all counting on you.
I’m going to do my best to find some place to volunteer on Sunday. I also just hedged my bets by donating a few bucks to the Red Cross. It's easy, just click Red Cross and follow the instructions. (Full disclosure, I went with “Other Amount”). You can also call 314-969-8655 between 5 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. and a Red Cross representative will take your donation over the phone or make a $10 gift by texting the word REDCROSS to 90999.
There are others out there looking to help in different areas. Hop on the River, friend of the Show Me Fly Guy and all around good guy down in southwest Missouri, is checking with the Missouri Department of Conservation on their needs and what we can do to help. (Click the link or search Hop on the River on Facebook for updates).
Thanks for reading.
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