Little Dixie Lake, Callaway County, Missouri, December 27th, 2011: Windy winter paddle on a stumpy lake

snow= time to kayak!

We woke up on December 27th with about 2 inches of wet snow on the ground.  I decided that snow would not stop us from another winter paddle.  I was really dying to get out and try out my new Kokatat dry suit, so I was determined to get out.  Little Dixie Lake is located in the Little Dixie Wildlife area just before you get to Columbia, MO. off I-70.  I have fished this lake in the past, and it is a good lake to do so.  Incredible catfish lake, as well as a nice largemouth lake.  The lake is chock-full of stumps.  As you paddle to the back of the lake, it gets more shallow and has a lot of timber.  I am not the biggest fan of stumps since my experience with the sea kayak on Lake Conway in Arkansas (I got caught in a stump field and centered up on several stumps, almost tipping).  Especially in cold weather with cold water (dry suit or not)

View while eating lunch...amazing!

Took a quick lunch break and packed some soup.  Quick cooking tip:  if you have some instant rice cups, put them into boiling soup, seal up, and by the time you get ready to eat it, the rice is cooked into the soup- yum!  As I was taking in the scenery, I got a chance to watch a family of bluebirds as well as a red-headed woodpecker in action.  As cool as it was, the day was beautiful. 

The winds really started to kick in, and that provided the biggest challenge on this paddle.  I originally was going to go to Mark Twain Lake, but the winds were even more intense up that way.   I left the house when there was still snow on the ground and the winds were in my guess about 7 mph....by the time I got through the paddle I would say they were about 18 mph.  This difference really effects the lay of the lake.  Towards the end of the paddle, the lake really started to swell up, but not enough to white cap.  I decided to take it in and call it a day....this trip was a short one.

my new Kokatat dry suit

This is a great lake to kayak fish. I look forward to coming back with my SOT fishing kayak and doing some fishing here in the spring

Paddle ON!

Mike

Winter kayaking on windy Little Dixie Lake, MO.

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