Roaring River State Park

Finally finished my story on Roaring River State Park for our June issue of Rural Missouri magazine. Here are some of my images from Opening Day on March 1 and from a few days down in the park. Be posting the video piece soon, once it finishes uploading.

Anglers wait on the banks of Roaring River before the start of Opening Day on March 1 at Roaring River State Park near Cassville, Mo.

An angler ties a lure on his line before the horn sounds on opening day.

Anglers cast into Roaring River at the start of Opening Day.

Opening Day is a different type of fishing, where anglers often fish elbow to elbow in hopes of landing lunker trout.

Fishing on Opening Day at Roaring River State Park is a revered tradition for many Missourians.

The park has 26 cabins available for overnight guests.

The CCC lodge is one of many historical buildings in the park that date back to when the Civilian Conservation Corps worked inside the park. In the 1930s, the "CCC boys" constructed several structures, trails and the present-day fish hatchery.

The Emory Melton Inn and Conference Center is known for its rustic look and relaxing hotel rooms.

A fly-fisherman casts into Roaring River near Campground 3. Different zones of the park along the river are marked for different styles of fishing to accompany waders, fly-fishermen and a wide variety of lure choices.

A view of the fish hatchery from the Doe Run Trail overlook. The hatchery and river is feed by Roaring River Spring, Missouri's 20th largest spring, that pumps out more than 20 million gallons of water a day.

Inside one of the hatchery buildings where MDC biologists raise the trout from spawning eggs. Once the fish reach 3 inches, they are brought to the outdoor hatchery pools.

MDC biologist Brad Follmer feeds juvenile trout inside one of the hatchery's buildings.

Juvenile trout.

MDC biologists Julie Fraley and Brad Farwell move trout from one raceway to the next — their last stop before released into the river.

 

Julie Fraley wrangles up trout to allow easier transportation to a new raceway.

 

Julie Fraley feeds trout.

Julie Fraley feeds trout.

A youngster feeds the trout.

Anglers filet up trout for later meals.

Roaring River State Park

Been working on a story for our next month's issue of Rural Missouri on Roaring River State Park near Cassville, in southwest Missouri. This is a truly amazing state park known for its trout fishing. There is great history at this park from the days of the Civilian Conservation Corps to the fish hatchery to opening day of trout season. If you are ever in the area, stop by.

Got this shot of a fisherman in the early morning fog near Campground 3. Stay tuned for more images, a video piece and the story.

Camdenton High School Robotics Team

This is my latest video I have done for Rural Missouri. This ran in our April issue about a Robotics team in Camdenton, Missouri. For those of you that aren't familiar with every small town across the Show-Me State, Camdenton is at the Lake of the Ozarks.

These high school kids are first given a task each year before they compete in national and worldwide events. They then must decide how they want to accomplish the task, design the robot and assemble the machine in just 6 weeks. The kids even write computer code, manage team finances, run a website to promote the team and design shirts for the group. Pretty cool stuff. Learn more about Camdenton R-III's robotics team in the April digital issue of Rural Missouri at
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ruralmissouri/201204/#/28

Keep up with the team at http://www.team3284.org

Enjoy!

Spring along Highway 50

Was heading back to St. Louis a few weekends ago and stopped along Highway 50. Always loved this valley that is east of Linn. Had some nice light so decided to stop. Enjoy!

Locust Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site

After working on a story about a mandolin player I stopped at Locust Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site near Laclede, Missouri. Small little state park that has a short trail that leads through some riparian landscapes to the covered bridge. The bridge used to cross Locust Creek, but the creek has moved to the east.

The bridge is one of the largest of the 4 main remaining covered bridges in the state. The wooden bridge - built in 1840 - spans 151 feet. Great place to check out, especially in the spring.

The Locust Creek Covered Bridge.

Branson storms

Sorry for not posting anything for a while. Kind of forgot about posting and honestly havent been shooting much lately. Been doing a lot of video work. Anyways, here are a few shots from some of the damage Branson received following the Leap Day Tornado.

This area is actually in West Branson, along Joe Bald Road near Table Rock Lake. I was working with some White River Valley Electric Cooperative guys helping reset some line.

Thanks goes to the families for letting me snap a few photos while they dealt with the devastation of their home. 

Enjoy.

Debris, including a pontoon boat seat that was launched into the neighbor's yard, sits in front a house along Joe Bald Road in West Branson, Missouri following the Leap Day Tornado that hit southwest Missouri.

April Lindley pulls down coffee cups from what remains of Pat and Geray Hulseman's kitchen in West Branson. Lindley, a long-time family friend of the Hulsemans helped the family collect any salvagable goods from their home that was destroyed by the Leap Day Tornado.

 

A young boy walks amongst what remains of Pat and Geray Hulseman's home. 

White River Valley Electric Cooperative line crews work to restore power to what remains of the area. 

A White River Valley Electric Cooperative linemen waits in the bucket of his digger derrick truck before new line is fed from pole to pole.

Pat and Geray Hulseman's pontoon was flipped onto their truck.

White River Electric Cooperative linemen work to restore power to the West Branson area.

A White River Valley Electric Cooperative Linemen stops for a moment to gaze upon the damage following the Leap Day Tornado that hit southwest Missouri. Nearby Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative joined the crews in the Branson area to help to restore power to the more than 7,000 members left in the dark. 

A White River Valley Electric Cooperative linemen looks out amongst the system of line the crews were working to help restore for residents in the West Branson area following the Leap Day Tornado that wreaked havoc across southwest Missouri.