Former Osage

[Sinker]

I got my start in real catfishin on th Osage, before th corps of engineers covered it up with Truman Lake. I still miss that river! It had everthing a catfisherman could want; Long deep holes, with riffles between; Mud, sand, silt, and rocky bottoms. Stumps, some clay banks, willows, limbs out over the water, huge maple, burr oak and sycamore trees. It was always on the move with banks caving off and creating new cover, snags, sunken hollow logs, and it ran ever direction so ya could always get out of the wind. The one thing it didn have a whole lot of was people! No jetskis, and just a smatterin of big motored boats. We left our wooden jonboats in year round, motor on and gas tank in, an I don't remember ever losin anything of much value. This was around the Horseshoe Bend. You might have ta get out and wade the riffles and drag th boat, but ya could navigate from Warsaw ta the dam At Osceola. From above the dam ya could go as far up as ya wanted. Lotta fishin history in that stretch of river and I'm dam glad I got ta see it. Sac River is a scaled down version and helps ta make up for th loss, but I'll never like a lake like I LOVED that river!

[Whiskers]

I remember well enough before they built Truman but I never got a chance to fish it before the lake went in.I was still fishing the rivers and creeks down home then and didn't stray out much

[Sinker]

The Osage always had a mind of it's own. It could get WILD when it wanted to. We didn't need a rain here ta put'er out of'er banks. I wasn't fishin in 93 but I sure remember 73. There were a lot of places half a mile from the channel where ya could gig in th back-water, legally. Spent many a day just below the old Osceola dam with a gig over m'shoulder giggin buffalo as they went around behind the powerhouse. Wasn't nuthin ta gig a few 25 or 30 lb carp or buffalo. My mother-in-law at the time canned all we got an let me tell ya they was larrupin'!
I guess I could have as much fun on the lake as I had on that ol' river, but I'd just about give 2 to 1 odds that I never give it a chance!

[dgmoboy]

I fish the osage half way between the Bagnell dam and the Misouri river. I have been going there since I was born in 69. I also camped at Osceola to fish. It was august and most of the fish died we caught fro lack of oxygen ,Thats all I can figure. I heard about how Truman lake ruined a great catfishery. I run trot lines for catfish and ocassionally Buffalo. Does any one have a recipe for pickling buffallo?

[Sinker]

Never have pickled any, but it sounds good. I'll check with m'brother. He's pickled bout half of everthing he ever saw! Done a right good job on everthing I ever tried!

[Critter]

dgmoboy said:

Does any one have a recipe for pickling buffallo?

Here is one I found and posted for Pickled Carp.I've never tried it though.

[Sinker]

Pickled carp or buffalo, it doesn't make any difference ta me. Both are equally good as long as ya git th little bones cooked up. Oh yeah, AND th red meat off! It beats store bawt canned fish all hollow! As far as I can tell it beats any store fish. I read on the "other" place where guys claim if they wanta eat a fish they would buy'em at th store. I never et a store bawt fish what was worth th time ta set th table, much less hafta do th dishes afterwords!

[Hoot]

THATS CAUSE I'VE GOT YA SPOLED ROTTEN.
BESIDES, I ENJOY THE TIME WE SPEND OUT FISHIN. ;D

[Whiskers]

Once in a great while I will buy some flounder or whiting(white fish) from the store to cook but not often.I like the good ole freshwater fish the best,they're hard to beat.