This was Spring, 2012.

As I publish this we’re probably getting close to the end of Morel season here around the lake. The giant morel does normally appear toward the end of the season so this weekend may produce some of them. But with the unseasonably warm weather we’ve had, I wouldn’t be surprised to find none. I found some a few days ago in Sunrise Beach, on the west side of the Lake of the Ozarks.

I walked in a switchback pattern up and down some steep slopes. The trees on this slope were mostly oak with a few maple thrown into the mix.  I found a carpet of leaves and a standing dead maple, within a few seconds found a few morels. They’re in the picture. Morchella esculenta, like all morels, are one of the most prized of all edible mushrooms and they resist cultivation. Raw mushrooms have a gastrointestinal irritant, but parboiling or blanching before consumption will remove it. Old fruit bodies that show signs of decay may be poisonous.

I really like crab-meat stuffed morel caps and eggs with morels but I didn’t find many, so I let them be. If you find some morels near the lake, feel free to post them or upload them to Flickr with the tag “lake of the ozarks nature” and they’ll show up in our image gallery.

Read more about morels on wiki and I highly recommend Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora. I’m on my second copy as it’s a great field guide. - Stephen James Hall

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All content added to this site is owned by the poster but you give us limited rights to use your content to promote this website. We also reserve the right to delete any content at any time. - Stephen James Hall

After researching a bit, it seems the only incidents with humans, reported(these were not at loto), have been nips on the toes when dangled in the water on a quiet day. These ‘incidents’ were posted on random websites and I only half believe them. It seems reasonable this could happen though.

Whenever my family is on the dock preparing to swim we make a lot of noise, not because of the Gar at all, because of the snakes. We have Copperhead and Water Moccasins along the shores here. Normally we start harassing the snakes with bb’s well before the water is warm enough to swim. Plus the neighbor cats hunt them like crazy.

This year I’m going to try to catch a Gar and I’ll do this in the narrowest, deepest cove I can find. I’ll use a heavy rod with 20-40 lb test line and a couple feet of steel leader. For bait I’ll use a big shad, whole, skinned. I’ve read that one should let the fish run with the bait for up to 10 seconds before trying to set the hook, as the Gar are shy and will spit out the meal if they get spooked. I won’t be surprised if i catch nothing but catfish.

Another reason I think we never hear of Gar and human incidents is this particular shyness. I’ll post a picture of a Gar if I ever catch one. Read more on wiki. - Stephen James Hall

Yes, our mild weather pattern did snap here at the Lake of the Ozarks. Last week was a setting completely apart, peaking in the mid 50′s by my measure. Friday I was at mm10 visiting a friend and he had caught and released a 5 lb largemouth bass the day before. That would be Thursday the 10th of January, 2013.

He was going for Crappie with light tackle and a “Small”white Rooster Tail. The setting is fairly perfect in his cove, wide & shallow; open to a decent amount of winter sun. That shiny little lure dancing in the clear cold winter water was too much for even the lazyest bass to ignore… or so it seems.

He told me this fish story over a great bowl of venison chili and as I ate, on the deck overlooking the cove, a bald eagle cruised low to the water. Why do I live in Missouri? - Stephen James Hall

“We are a family owned & operated business that prides itself on home cooked meals. We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and we feature daily specials for all three meals.

This locally owned restaurant & lounge has a tradition of good food, good service, & good friends. It is known for its big portions & bigger menu, featuring homemade desserts & mouth watering steaks that are hand-cut daily, as well as several Mexican dishes.” - 

http://www.chancesryoullbback.com/

Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a state park in Mid-Missouri, United States, located near Camdenton on the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. The area has several caves, sinkholes, and bluffs overlooking the lake.

The most notable feature of the park is the stone ruins of a mansion, called “the castle”, which burned down in 1942. The state purchased the property for the park which opened in 1978.

There is an observation point across from the Post Office where one can view the “castle” and the water tower which was repaired in 2004, with a new roof installed.

The state park is on a road used by locals to commute to work and the speed can be high; for the safety of visitors there are hiking trails to get to the caves and the castle, and walking on the road is not recommended. -wiki

Hiking on 15+ miles of trails will bring you from the peak to the lake.  One may also go Caving by permit at Island Cave or have a supervised tour of River Cave(dec/feb). - Stephen James Hall

Get directions to Ha Ha Tonka by clicking the pin.

I went and played the new disc golf course in Camdenton today. Snapshot, Dragon Ridge, 28* & overcast, very rugged terrain, elevation changes and light wind. If you’re going to play and want to see the current weather conditions, they’re here.

It’s easy to get to the course. Get on old highway 5 at the traffic light in downtown Camdenton and head north. A little ways down take a left on ball park rd. Head down ball park road and when you see the baseball field pull into the parking lot. Hole one is over by the log ‘arch’ marking the hiking trail-head. There’s a map below that depicts the general location. I’ll try to get exact coordinates next time out.

In the picture(by @maryzenx), I’m approaching the basket at hole 1, which is over the hill with a little hyzer. I bounced my mulligan drive off the fence and came up short. If one were to snap a drive right along the hill, very low, this hole can be a birdie(I parred).

The course is a 10 hole course that will test your endurance(especially after throwing 20;). It will eventually have a more manicured appearance and you could actually help that happen. Follow the course on Facebook and see when you can meet the course designer and help him out. Clearing brush, hauling logs, you know the drill. If you’ve ever hiked through the woods in the Ozarks you know the type of terrain we’re talking about here… jagged, rough, and Missouri-tough.

If you’re new to the sport and can only bring 1 disc to play a new putter would work. If you have a few discs and know what you’re doing, I suggest some type of under-stable driver like an old XL by Discraft or a Leopard by Innova Discs. A disc like this will be better for throwing in straight lines, which is a necessity on a course like this.

Along with the driver, it wouldn’t hurt to have a straight line approach disc like a Roc or Classic Roc by Innova Champion again. I normally use the putter as an approach disc but on a very natural, tight course like this a tree could definitely knock my drive down quick so a longer than normal approach shot may be necessary.

I don’t think being right or left handed will give a golfer any serious advantage at Dragon Ridge. I’ll expand this topic over the next couple weeks as I go learn the course.

Stephen James Hall, PDGA# 23549

If you’ve played the course or maybe if you want to throw a round or two feel free to leave a comment below.

We’ve gotten take out from the Branding Iron a couple other times, broasted chicken, and that was top notch as well. As an added bonus The Branding Iron is one of the few restaurants on the west side of the Lake of the Ozarks that delivers! They have a 10 mile delivery radius which my house lies within but we haven’t ordered in yet. - Stephen James Hall

They’re located at:

12142 State Hwy 5 N
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079

Call: (573) 374-4969

Sponsors are being sought to help offset construction costs. Sponsorship of a basket is $400 and sponsorship of a tee box is $100. And if every other course I’ve ever been a part of is any indication, these sponsor-ships will be an excellent way to reach locals and visitors alike.

Contact the envision-er of this course, Dan Adams, at 314-651-1994 or Susann at 573-374-8876.  As of last week There have been 2 tee sponsors with another promise to sponsor.

***UPDATE***

The course is definitely in the process of being installed. 3/11/13 - Stephen James Hall

“Tan-Tar-A Resort, located in Osage Beach, Missouri, is a resort removed from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Quietly nestled on 420 lush acres along the Lake of the Ozarks, our Midwest 3-Diamond resort is a haven for endless excitement or complete relaxation. Come to the Lake of the Ozarks, only three hours from St. Louis and Kansas City, and discover a place unlike any other. Its convenient location and stunning surroundings makes Tan-Tar-A the premier Missouri family vacation resort.”

From Wiki:

Timberfalls Indoor Waterpark – An indoor waterpark centers on a three-story “Ozark wilderness” tree house topped with a 6-foot-wide wooden bucket. The tree house is complete with water blasters and lots more interactive fun. The giant bucket tips every minute, cascading more than 600 gallons of water on those standing below — prepare to get wet!

Timber Falls also features over 600 feet of water slides (two slides from the tree house and two from an adjacent tower), an activity pool with water basketball and other games, a 21-seat whirlpool for family relaxation, and a lazy river for tube floating. Locker rooms, seating and a full range of concessions are available as well.

Timber Falls waterpark passes are not included in the room rates. Passes are $ 17 per person per day for hotel guest or $22 per person per day for non-hotel guests. Passes can be purchased at Timber Falls. Timber Falls is open to the public.

Restaurants:

• Black Bear Lodge is the resort’s main restaurant, located in Building B on the Resort Complex. Black Bear Lodge serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a hunting lodge atmosphere. This outlet was previously named “The Happy House Restaurant”.
• The food court in Building B features Sbarro, Burger King, and Java Lakes.
• The Windrose Restaurant is an upscale restaurant located on the lake front.
• The Oaks Restaurant is located at the Oaks golf course and is open seasonally.

Golf courses/mini golf:

• The Oaks golf course is an 18-hole course located a half mile from the resort.
• Hidden Lakes is a 9-hole course located in the Estates Complex.
• The resort also features an 18-hole miniature golf course next to Building E on the Resort Complex.

There is also a marina, swimming pools, boat and jet ski rentals… Tan Tar a pretty much has it all.