NoLuck

It's not much but it's better than nothing.

Well Pat, if you tie up some of those foam wings I'll take a dozen too. LOL Maybe I can call out west and have them send me a couple dozen of each color. I ain't even gonna attempt to tie anything smaller than a 20. I will admit though that tying them on is not real hard. I guess the line eye can only get so small.

Glad you had a good time and caught some fish Jerry. We're gonna shoot for the San Juan next year for vacation. Hopefully.

I see you are getting up early......LOL

Getting the truck serviced now. Should be loaded up by 7 and headed down to the camper. See you guys tomorrow.

Oh, I'll probably head down late tomorrow evening. Look me up if you get down early and we can do breakfast or brunch. I would hate to go grocery shopping on an empty tummy.

Jerry the little road you have to go down to park next to the highbank hole. It circles around at the bluff hole. Yes it is the road that has the narrow opening you have to drive through.

I was hoping to be there Tuesday evening or night. But it looks more and more like its going to be Wednesday morning. Having said that.... How about everyone meeting up on the old hatchery road near the bluff hole parking area on Thursday around 10am.

If you were to use 8x it may be helpful to tie in a small section of shock gum tippet. Seen a few bamboo rod users utilizing it also. I know even on size 24-26 flys its possible to use 6x. I even tied on a dropper through the eye of the first fly size 24 with 6x. I have fished a few #28 rs2s at Bennett but I used 6x flouro with those too. So I can't even imagine that I would HAVE to use 8X. Possibly 7X on some tiny tricos but that's about it.

Hey if you can use 6x on San Juan trout you can certainly use 7x in MO. LOL It all depends on your hook setting ability or finesse. Plus a really soft spine rod. Using a longer mono tapered leader say like 9 ft long and then tying on an additional 3 ft of 8x flouro may give you enough flex to keep from breaking off real easy too. Personally I rarely use anything other than 6x flouro. I have tried 7x on occasion but it doesn't really help that much to me.

Fishbait, we will all get together someplace down near the stream someplace. I'll talk with everyone I know to see if we can come up with a time.

I have my 2 burner Pat. If mike brings his cooker and a propane tank we can have 2 in the stove and a fish cooker too. Let me know if we need more. I'm still in LA but everything should be done tomorrow and I should be headed home Saturday morning. My plans are also to head down Tuesday evening after work if I can get off early.

If Montauk had the same concessionaire it would end up the same way. No doubt in my mind..

It's the only complaint they here Wayne, we need more along the stream. Remember!???. Give me a break. What we need is less intrusion by concrete and commerce.

Bennett is not about quality trout fishing anymore . It's all about the concessionaire making more money.

Tick Tock Tick Tock.......... Off to Franklin LA for a few days first. I pointed to the calendar to the boss today as I was loading up. Hope this job moves pretty quick. I'd hate to pack up and leave early for someone else to finish the job. But I will.

Naturally as soon as I saw about the big brown caught I automatically assumed it was JB that caught it. I sure wish people would put them back to fight another day.

I'll be in LA someplace on the 13th . Then down at Bennett the eve of the 19th.

Well it's time to head home. This job and fishing trip is officially over. Caught a bunch of fish 16"-20" over three days on the San Juan river. Everyone who said tiny flies was the ticket were correct. After years of pushing off getting reading glasses or magnifiers I finally gave in and bought a set of HatEyes 2.5X. It was a necessity here fishing tiny stuff. Thanks to everyone for the advice. It was well used. Rich

I won't be spoiled at all. Now if I hired a guide again for another full day I may get spoiled. And yes on the wings unless we get another gully washer storm again the night we're supposed to cook em up.

Yep... They actually do. We even used #9 in slower water. It worked pretty well. I'll give a little more weight a try tomorrow ln the San Juan for you to see how it works. The current isn't super strong but it is pretty shallow. Knee deep is the norm.

With two flies , one a 24 and the other a 26 and a #8 splitshot it didn't spook any fish I saw. Now I don't think I would use that technique on a placid smooth wild trout stream. But.... The last time I was at Bennett I had to literally tell 1 guy to knock it off and just pick it off by hand. I think he must have been fishing a 1/2 oz. jig n pig in zone 1. The fella was 25 ft away and still was splashing water on me trying to splat his lure clean. Sheeeeshhhh

Steve, I know exactly what you speak of. It definitely was a nuisance. But let me tell you about the same encounters as I'm having out here in New Mexico on the San Juan river. The guide that I used showed me a technique to clean your flies and weight. You kinda do a rapid paddle wheel motion with your line out about 6-7 ft . Spinning in a tight circle slapping the water with your setup. It works wonders and its a necessity out here too. I thought the guy was kidding at first till I saw a few others doing the same thing. What you are getting is from all the wade fisherman stirring up the bottom and moss as they enter the stream. You are correct though that it needs a good flushing.

Well that didn't work. Can anyone reduce the file from an email?? Or a text?? I can send it to you to post.

Caught this as my first San Juan rainbow.