The Camdenton 8's youth baseball team won the bronze medal in Columbia at the Show-Me State Games, just their fourth week together as a team. Team scored 48 runs in four games during the event.

Bluegills have a bad rap. Most people think they are only good for kids learning how to fish, so like Rodney Dangerfield, they “get no respect.” Actually, they are a great ‘teaching fish’ because they are eager eaters, but as table fare their sweet tasting fillets are among the best. Here is a look at the bluegill, its habitat, how to attract and catch them, and some tips on cooking their tender fillets.

Soccer teams made up of players from School of the Osage returned from the Show-Me State Games in Columbia with valuable experience. The youngest Indians brought back some gold hardware to go with their experience. In other news, School of the Osage will be adding girls' soccer next spring.

The voice on the other end of the line told me he had worked for the Missouri Department of Conservation for a number of years. "There is one thing they are afraid of," he said, "and that is public opinion. They almost have complete control of what is said about them in the news media and press. That's why you had better be careful with what you do, they will make an example of you."

That was two years ago. It had been preceded by a call from an MDC ex-director who was so angry he threatened to come to my home and do me bodily harm. He had resigned from the Department and had received a substantial bonus in the six-figure category, after being part of a very large monetary gift in the millions to a private corporation

After six regular season tournaments, the Lake Ozark Junior Golf Association will cap off its summer schedule this Sunday-Monday. Old Kinderhook in Camdenton will host the two-day LOJGA junior championships. Tee times are inside.

The lake area will have several golf tournaments in the coming months. Here's a quick rundown of a few.

The players in the Men's Senior Intercity Golf League took on Sycamore Creek in Osage Beach Wednesday morning. The league, comprised of players in various lake area golf country clubs, is in the midway portion of its summer schedule. They'll head up to Rolling Hills in Versailles for their next match, August 4.

Results from Wednesday, July 28 action inside.

The lake level was 659.3 (660 is normal pool level); with medium generation scheduled the lake should rise to 659.6 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 88 degrees with upstream temperatures of 83 to 89 degrees depending on time of day. The thermocline is 20 to 25-feet deep in most areas. Truman Lake is 2 feet over pool.

BLACK BASS – The Wednesday Evening Tournament reported taking 17.1-pounds to win, Big Bass was 6.5 pounds. Bass World reported 21.7 for an all-night tournament.

Newly-promoted defensive coordinator Jeff Shore faces a tall order this football season. He follows outgoing coordinator Mike Silverwood, who devised some of the stingiest defenses in high school football and helped Camdenton win five state championships. After 35 years, Silverwood retired. Shore won't be the only new factor to the Lakers' defense.
 

About 40 kids in grades K-3 participated in the second day of soccer camp Tuesday at the Camdenton High School soccer field. Kids in grades 4-6 and 7-8 are also at the camp this week.

The sound of whistles, shouts, and shoulder pads clapping carried over the drone of a nearby lawnmower Monday morning to mark the start of the Camdenton Lakers' football training camp.
The defending district champions come off of a 7-3 regular season and a 42-0 playoff loss to Nixa that left many Lakers with a bad taste in their mouths. They will have to wait to take out their frustrations, as the July camp consists of non-contact work.

KRBK-HD, Springfield/Osage Beach's newest television station, has been selected to be the home of St. Louis Rams preseason football for the 2010 season. KRBK-HD will broadcast the first of four St. Louis Rams preseason games on Saturday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m.

As August nears, high school athletes are returning back to the football field. This week, the Camdenton Lakers football team is holding their second team camp of the summer.

It didn't take long for the local Camdenton 8's youth baseball team to come together as a unit. Needing to get some games and tournament experience under their belt for the Show-Me State Games at the end of July, the squad found a tournament in Strafford to play in on July 10.

The Missouri Conservation Agents’ Association will host the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) National Golf Tournament on Sunday, August 8 at Old Kinderhook in Camdenton.

I don’t know all the details to this yet, but hope to find out more soon. The story is that a fisherman down on Bull Shoals Lake was fishing from the bank with regular fishing line and a spin-casting reel with a plastic worm for bait and he hooked a 58-pound Missouri state record striper.

The City of Camdenton continues its exploration into building a nine-hole disc golf course at City Park.

The lake level was 659.4 (660 is normal pool level); with medium generation scheduled the lake should rise to 659.6 by the weekend. Surface temperature at Bagnell Dam is 80 degrees with upstream temperatures of 83 to 89 degrees depending on time of day. The lake has reached normal clarity. Truman Lake is 2-feet over pool.
BLACK BASS – No tournaments reported this week. Lower Osage: Good, try jigs, Berkley’s 10-inch Power Worms or Norman’s DD22 on main lake points.

Members of the Men’s Senior Intercity Golf League took to the open course at Redfield Golf & Country Club in Eugene on Wednesday morning as the group enters the midway portion of their summer schedule.

The boys of summer will put away their rally caps until next spring. Camdenton’s American Legion baseball season met its end Monday night in Jefferson City with a 5-4 loss to Fulton in a district championship game.