The hot weather is finally beginning to cool, which is good news for anglers. Some fish 'groupies' have been waiting all summer for the chance to book a guide trip. Most have held off doing so because of heat so intense as to be downright uncomfortable, even during the evening hours when temperatures are supposed to cool but this year mostly did not. Fishing has remained good, not so surprisingly, because cold-blooded fish must eat to fuel their bodily functions and so the hotter it gets, the more fish will eat, at least theoretically. As autumn approaches fish of all species will begin gorging on shad, crustaceans and other forage in anticipation of a long, cold winter in which food pickings become rather slim.

If you've been waiting for the right time to book a guide trip there is no better time than now. Fishing weather is usually ideal well into October, and the two guides we interviewed sounded stoked about guiding anglers even during the cold-weather months.

Clients pay guides for the guides' expertise, which means a guide ideally will lead his client to spots where fish should be biting. The very best guides, however, will also help their clients become better, more savvy fishermen by providing fishing technique and boat-handling tips, seasonal pattern information and help with lure and tackle selection. In this column we will be spotlighting two of Missouri's best fishing guides.

Jack Uxa of Jack's Guide Service at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach has been guiding on Lake of the Ozarks since 2003. Uxa was born into a family of fisherman so one might say he has fishing in his blood. Like anyone who works at a craft on a full-time basis, Uxa takes his guiding seriously. He has to; fishing is his livelihood.

"I get more enjoyment out of watching someone else catch a fish than I do catching them myself," Uxa said, using words that should resonate with any angler who has ever paid out good money to a guide who then proceeded to catch all the fish himself. Uxa prides himself on being able to teach clients how to catch fish themselves. And he doesn't limit himself to fishing for black bass — largemouth or spotted (Kentucky) bass — period. "Fishing for hybrids and whites really takes off in October," he said. "That's when those fish start schooling on windy points and are (vulnerable to being taken) on a white spinner or white marabou jig." Uxa expects fishing to be good through December.

Uxa has a no catch/no pay policy, but if one species doesn't cooperate he has no qualms about fishing for something else. "That is a benefit of being a multi-species (fishing) guide," he said. "Plus, I'm out on the water almost every day so I'm able to keep up with what fish are doing."

Right now, Uxa says baitfish are key if an angler wants to find and catch black bass. "Last week I caught a 6-pound bass in a couple of inches of water (near schooling shad). The shad have moved into the backs of the coves earlier than usual this year. We're catching keeper-sized bass every time we go out, but the bigger (bass) are moving in, too." Uxa has been using a Senko threaded on a weighted Gamakatsu hook that is smaller yet similar to a swimbait hook. "Look for schools of shad swimming right below the surface," he said. "When the shad spook, bass are feeding nearby. That's when you cast your Senko into the shad (school) and let it slowly drop toward the (lake) bottom." Uxa recommends fishing with a slack line when using this technique, while occasionally jerking the Senko like one would when fishing a fluke.

Uxa charges $225 for four hours of fishing, $275 for six hours and $325 for eight hours, for one or two people; add another $50 for a third person. Contact him at (573) 434-2570 or email jack@fishinglakeoftheozarks.com.

Brian Sloss of The Eleven Point River Canoe Rental reports that trout fishing has been excellent recently, while fishing for smallmouth bass has been good during the morning and evening. Sloss's favorite time to fish for bronzebacks, however, is during the dead of winter.

Most of Sloss's guide trips are booked by fly-fishers, although Sloss will occasionally guide spin-fishermen, too. What makes his trips so noteworthy is Sloss's use of a McKenzie River drift boat, also know as a Rogue River dory, a specialized craft characterized by a wide, flat bottom, flared sides and pointed bow and stern. A continuous rocker spans the boat's bottom from bow to stern to increase the boat's maneuverability. Get into trouble by hanging up on a rock or snag and a true drift boat will simply spin upon its centerpoint and usually come free.

Sloss said that trout are now being deceived by stone fly, Hexagenia and Prince nymph patterns. "The slower and deeper presentations are paying off right now," he said. Spin-fishermen are taking trout on 1/16-ounce marabou jigs in various colors.

"Fall trout fishing is awesome," Sloss stated. "It's my favorite time to be out on the water. In fact, September, October and November are my three busiest guide months." Sloss still has openings remaining in each of the three months for guide trips. "The fish start keying in to hex nymphs in September, (a pattern already in progress). By October trout will be feeding voraciously (in anticipation of) the spawn in November. I don't fish for spawning fish during (November), but I will guide clients to where trout are feeding downstream of spawning fish (on the spawners' eggs).

Winter smallmouth anglers who book with Sloss will use a fly-rod and 1/16-ounce marabou jig drifted slowly through the fishes' wintertime lairs to catch fish.

The stretch of the Eleven Point River where Sloss guides is managed under the Missouri Department of Conservation's trophy smallmouth regulations. In this area just one fish of 15 inches or longer may be kept. Beginning Jan. 1, however, no black bass may be kept until the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend in 2011.

When it comes to trout, the Eleven Point harbors only rainbows. Most of Sloss's fishing takes place in the trophy trout area. "We have some natural reproduction — about 250 wild trout per river mile," Sloss said. "One stocking also takes place each year in the trophy trout area." Sloss said that stocked trout will have one fin clipped so that the fish can be identified as having been stocked.

Sloss will guide 2 people on an all-day fishing trip of 8 to 10 hours for $300, which lunch, gear and everything but waders.

Sloss's winter smallmouth guide trip lasts about 5 hours. The rate is $225 for 2 people and includes lunch.

Contact Brian Sloss at Eleven Point River Canoe Rental by calling (417) 778-6497 or emailing canoe@ortrackm.missouri.org.