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Cold Weather Camping Checklist for the Midwest
Short answer: cold weather camping in the Midwest comes down to three things. Insulation under you, layers you can add and take off, and a plan for campgrounds that have turned off their water. Start with a high R value pad, pack a warm hat and dry layers, carry your own drinking water, and check ea...
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John Dent
October 20th, 2026
 
Midwest Fall Color Campgrounds: Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas and Arkansas
Short answer: for fall color camping in the Midwest, look at Cuivre River and Harry S Truman state parks in Missouri, Pikes Peak and Palisades-Kepler in Iowa, Starved Rock in Illinois, Fall River in Kansas, and Petit Jean, Mount Magazine and the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. One catch: late Oc...
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John Dent
October 20th, 2026
 
Midwest Panfish Guide: Fall Crappie and Bluegill Tips from State Agencies
Short answer: Fall is one of the two best times of year for crappie. Iowa DNR says crappies are most vulnerable during spring spawning and autumn, when they move back toward shallower water after a summer spent at 8 to 25 feet (Iowa DNR). Fish small minnows or 1/80 to 1/16 ounce jigs slowly over bru...
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John Dent
October 17th, 2026
 
Missouri Trout Parks Guide: Roaring River, Bennett Spring, Montauk and Maramec Spring
Short answer: Missouri has four trout parks: Roaring River, Bennett Spring and Montauk state parks, plus Maramec Spring Park near St. James. From March 1 through October 31, 2026, they are stocked daily and open for catch and keep fishing. You need a Missouri fishing permit plus a daily trout tag, t...
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John Dent
October 16th, 2026
 
Best Missouri Float Streams for Smallmouth Bass: Stream-by-Stream Guide
The short answer: For big smallmouth, float the James River or the Big Piney. For scenery and steady action, float the Current, Jacks Fork or upper Eleven Point. Closer to St. Louis, the Meramec and its Huzzah and Courtois creeks are good bets, and the Gasconade fishes well even in winter. Bring a 6...
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October 14th, 2026
 
Best Fishing Gear for Kansas Reservoirs: Lake-by-Lake Guide
The short answer: For crappie, go to Melvern, Hillsdale or Perry. For walleye, Perry is the top pick, with El Dorado and Hillsdale close behind. For wipers, try Clinton or Milford, and for catfish, Hillsdale, Perry, Cheney and Tuttle Creek. A medium spinning combo, a heavier catfish rod and a tackle...
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October 13th, 2026
 
Lake of the Ozarks Crappie Fishing Guide: Seasons, Spots and Gear
The short answer: Lake of the Ozarks crappie bite best in spring and fall. Fish creek channels in the bays early in spring, brush piles on or near points in late spring and fall, and go deeper around docks and brush in summer and winter. Small jigs from 1/32 to 1/8 ounce and live minnows are the bai...
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John Dent
October 13th, 2026
 
Best Fishing Gear for Missouri Lakes: Lake-by-Lake Guide
Short answer: For most Missouri lakes, start with a 6 ft 6 in medium spinning combo, 8 to 10 lb line, a box of soft plastics, jigs, a crankbait and a spinnerbait, plus pliers and a valid Missouri fishing permit. Add a light rod for crappie and a heavy 7 to 8 ft rod if you want catfish. Clear Ozark l...
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John Dent
October 13th, 2026
 
Missouri Float-Trip Packing List (Printable Checklist)
Short answer: For a Missouri float trip, wear a buckled life jacket and shoes that strap on. Pack sun protection, more water than you think, a roll-top dry bag for anything that has to stay dry, a small first aid kit and a trash bag, and clip it all in. Overnight floats add a compact tent, a sleepin...
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John Dent
October 11th, 2026
 
Carbon Fiber Baitcasting Combo: Midwest Bank & Lake Bass Setup
A carbon fiber baitcasting combo is a matched baitcast rod and reel — often with an IM7 carbon blank — built for Saturday bass from a Missouri park bank, farm pond, or calm cove. From Excelsior Springs we pack one adult rod for fifth-wheel weekends, not a trailer full of sticks. This guide trans...
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John Dent
September 21st, 2026
Kansas State Park Camping: Reservoirs, Prairie Wind, and a Short Drive West
Kansas State Park Camping: Reservoirs, Prairie Wind, and a Short Drive West
Kansas state park camping is a wind-and-water weekend: big reservoirs, Flint Hills grass, and wide sky, several of them closer to Kansas City than a good Ozark Friday. You need a vehicle entrance permit and a camping permit, booked through CampItKS.gov or ReserveAmerica. Bring better stakes for open...
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John Dent
September 18th, 2026
Camping in Iowa State Parks: A Midwest Weekend From Missouri
Camping in Iowa State Parks: A Midwest Weekend From Missouri
Iowa state parks make a good next-ring weekend from Missouri: glacial lakes, limestone bluffs, and short hiking loops a Friday drive away. As of the 2026 season, all regular state-park campsites are reservable online or by phone, and most open only three months before arrival, so set a booking remin...
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John Dent
September 18th, 2026
Fish a Missouri State Park Weekend Without a Trailer
Fish a Missouri State Park Weekend Without a Trailer
You can fish a Missouri state park without a trailer. Pick a loop where you can walk to water in under 15 minutes, look for a quiet cove or spillway, and bring a 7-foot combo, a small tackle box, and a chair. Add a float tube and PFD to reach weed lines, but stay off main-lake wind. Most people trea...
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John Dent
September 11th, 2026
Shoulder-Season Camp Kitchen: Cooking After Labor Day in the Midwest
Shoulder-Season Camp Kitchen: Cooking After Labor Day in the Midwest
For a shoulder-season camp kitchen, bring a two- or three-burner propane stove with a stable base and a real windscreen, fueled by 16.4 oz cylinders or a 20 lb tank. You lose about two minutes of daylight a day through September, so start water when you start the rainfly and cook one-pot meals the f...
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John Dent
September 11th, 2026
 
Lake Fishing Day Kit for Missouri & Midwest Lakes
Who it's for Bank or calm-cove anglers who want a simple rod-and-reel combo and the option to bring your own boat or kayak. Calm Midwest lakes and slow coves only. Not the right kit if You're floating Ozark current (Current, Meramec, Jacks Fork, etc.). Boats and kayaks brought for this kit stay on c...
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John Dent
September 9th, 2026
 
30-Amp RV Site Setup for Midwest Weekends
A 30-amp Midwest site is plenty for most travel trailers and many fifth-wheels—if you level first, manage loads, and pack the right cords and pads. This guide walks a practical 30-amp RV site setup the way weekend RVers actually do it at Missouri parks and private campgrounds. The goal is simple...
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John Dent
September 9th, 2026
 
Family Basecamp Weekend Kit for Midwest Trips
Who it's for Two adults plus kids (or a small group) doing a car-camping or fifth-wheel weekend at a Missouri state park or similar Midwest site. You drive up, set up once, and want a tent you can stand in, a stove that feeds everyone, and sleep gear that works when the night drops. Not the right ki...
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John Dent
September 9th, 2026
Fishing Missouri Rivers: Smallmouth, Trout, and Catfish on Moving Water
Fishing Missouri Rivers: Smallmouth, Trout, and Catfish on Moving Water
Missouri river fishing is two different fisheries. Ozark streams like the Current, Meramec, and Gasconade hold smallmouth, goggle-eye, and trout on designated ribbons, so pack light-to-medium spinning or fly gear. The big Missouri, Osage, and Mississippi are boat water for blue, flathead, and channe...
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John Dent
September 6th, 2026
Kayak Camping on Midwest Lakes and Rivers: A Practical Weekend Plan
Kayak Camping on Midwest Lakes and Rivers: A Practical Weekend Plan
For a Midwest kayak-camping weekend, pick a lake or mild river with a known take-out, a legal place to camp, and a plan to cross open water before afternoon wind builds. Pack everything in two or three dry bags, bring a compact tent and a small stove, wear the PFD, and treat any water you refill. A...
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John Dent
September 3rd, 2026
Raccoons, Mice, and Midnight Raids: How to Keep Critters Out of Camp Food
Raccoons, Mice, and Midnight Raids: How to Keep Critters Out of Camp Food
Keep raccoons and mice out of camp food by splitting camp into three zones: sleep, kitchen, and trash. Latch the cooler every time you walk away, keep wrappers and food smells out of the tent, get trash into the dumpster or locked in the vehicle before dark, and clean fish well away from camp. The r...
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John Dent
September 3rd, 2026
Camping in the Rain: How to Stay Dry When a Midwest Storm Hits Camp
Camping in the Rain: How to Stay Dry When a Midwest Storm Hits Camp
To camp through Midwest rain, pick a site with a slight crown, stake every corner and guy out the fly before the storm, pack sleep gear and electronics in dry bags before you leave home, cook under a dining fly instead of in the tent, and keep a lantern plus a headlamp within reach. A dry forecast i...
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John Dent
September 3rd, 2026
How to Make Camp Water Safe to Drink: Filters, Boiling, and What Actually Works
How to Make Camp Water Safe to Drink: Filters, Boiling, and What Actually Works
Treat creek, river, and lake water before you drink it, even when it looks clear: filter it, then boil or disinfect, because clarity does not remove Giardia. A filter bottle covers hiking bottles; cooking for four needs a gravity system or a pot boiled on the stove. Campground tap water is fine when...
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John Dent
September 1st, 2026
Fall Camping in the Midwest: How to Stay Warm When Nights Drop Fast
Fall Camping in the Midwest: How to Stay Warm When Nights Drop Fast
Yes, you can camp in the Midwest in September and October if you plan for cold nights. Nights can drop into the 40s, and into the 30s in low spots near a lake or river. Pack a real sleep system: an insulated pad, dry sleep clothes, and a 20 to 30 degree bag if the low is under 40. Labor Day does not...
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John Dent
September 1st, 2026
How to Plan a Hiking Trip with a Small Tent
How to Plan a Hiking Trip with a Small Tent
A small tent changes the trip. You stop thinking like a car camper who can bring a 10-person cabin and a roll of turf and start thinking like someone who has to carry the bedroom, kitchen, and closet on their back. That constraint is the point. A compact shelter forces better planning, and better pl...
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John Dent
August 30th, 2026

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