Kayser

My all-time favorite is a black gnat wet fly, slightly modified. Tail- red or chartreuse (for redear) hackle fibers, Body- peacock herl. Collar- black saddle hackle, tied back. On a #8-#12 hook. Works for feeding bluegill (cast weightless into a rise-ring), skittish gills (light cast, slow sink, short strip), or for bedded gills (small split shot, quick strips through the bed). Can fill the cooler just as quick as a tube of crickets. I've also heard of big Lacquer-bodied ants with a red, yellow, or chartreuse stripe on the abdomen working well- apparently they sink well, and just have that look to them. Rob

October 2010.

Looking at the fins and how silver the fish is, I'd guess the fish is a holdover. Good catch, either way/

Bass are moving to the banks, biting on crappie jigs. Crappie haven't moved shallow yet, but are feeding pretty well. White jigs/tube jigs with a pink crappie nibble working pretty well.

Something I noticed earlier- spearfishing isn't banned in MO, just in the rivers. This is mainly a safety issues, as the water clarity isn't good enough in rivers for this to be effective, as well as the current possibly pinning divers against obstructions. I've been pinned against enough log jams to know that it's a pretty bad idea. You can still spearfish any of the lakes you like- check the wildlife code. But a selective case study would be nice- close a couple smallmouth management areas to gigging after getting some good shocking surveys, then check the populations in 5 years. I would definitely be in favor of this option, as it is the most scientific (and hardest to dispute) way to see what's really going on. Rob

He's thinking like a dry-dropper (two-fly rig), only for bass. Full buzzbait, plus maybe a swimbait dragging behind it.

Caught a fat and sassy 4lb channel fishing for crappie yesterday. Was using a white/sparkle woolly bugger in about 3-4ft of water in a local pond.

I think this belongs down in general discussion, not the general Angling discussion.

Looks like a carpsucker, judging by how deep the body is, small the head is, and silver the sides are.

Then it looks like my decision has been made. This rod is for bass, white bass, carp, and if I ever make it out of the lower midwest- pike, salmon, steelhead, redfish, bonefish, and other saltwaters (maybe even roosterfish!). With a fast action and different lines, I think it should be able to throw flies for all of those equally well. I'm hoping that it lasts long enough for me to see all of those locations. Now to just get the money put together. Rob P.S- at $5 for a cheapo guide kit, they're kinda the cheapest part of the build. It's around $30 for the setup I really want, though.

Never made it down there. Hopefully I can make a trip in either March or May while visiting some friends. Might check out BSC on my way down as well. I'm also kinda mad with myself for not going to the 100 acre wood last weekend. Love that race.

Catching them isn't the hard part. Cleaning them is. I'm just waiting for some high water so I can go get some of them from the MS.

I've seen some white #8 caddis in September, April and May. And not just a couple. But the flat pools around 63 and Lane Springs are somewhat hard to fish. Rob

Update- Prices! Blank- $132, Components- $75-$125 (upper end is what I want most...) Reel, spool, + line- $254 (assuming $75 for line) Total- a very painful $460-$514. Probably closer to $500... It looks like the blank is actually the lowest cost of this entire project. But the most expensive part (reel+line) would be transferable to a better rod if that opportunity ever arose. Or maybe I should just look for a good blank right now and be done with it forever. Back to the blank hunt, I guess...

Well, I haven't bought anything yet (friend said "Jamaica!" a couple weeks ago, so I re-purposed some money), but I'm looking at the MHX 9' 4pc 8wt. Link to Blank Gonna go with a full wells grip, with fighting butt, aluminum reel seat (link), Fuji flip-down hook keeper, fuji stripping guides, and recoil (flex-foot) snakefoot guides. The blank color is listed as "slate," so I think that reel seat will go well with it. And other than streamers/bass poppers, what is there to throw with an 8wt? That makes me think the fast action will be fine for this application (despite my love for my BIIx 4wt and it's slower action) This is meant to be a big rod for tackling big fish with big flies. Also going with a Ross Flyrise reel (thank you Hargrove's, and your salesmanship)- I like the large arbor and the smooth drag on it. I'm still looking for a line. Thinking a WF-F, hopefully in some stealth-ish color, and then getting some sinking leaders to go with it when the need arises. I think I've also got a Fast Sink line laying around in one of my cabinets somewhere, so I'll be finding another spool to go with the reel... Price totals yet to come (with reel, spool, and line). Not looking forward to it.... Rob

What were the rules of the tournament? Number of fish, or size, or total inches? That would definitely change what my selection would be. As would the water and the type of trout I'm chasing (stocked small, stocked keepers, wild? browns, bows, brookies?). But for now, Water: Current River Fish: Park escapee bows, Resident stocked browns Dries- #14 Tan Elk Hair Caddis, #8 Brown Stimulator Nymphs- #12 BH Prince, #14 Pheasant Tail Streamer- #8 Black Mohair Mic, could you provide a link to the article? I think it would be a good read.

A can of corn will bring them in within an hour or two, normally. Just as long as there is a decent population of them in the area. A flat somewhat close to a dropoff or deeper water is the best area in a lake, and the slowest water in a river. I use the big gallon cans of corn for chum, and higher quality corn for bait (Green giant niblets or something. Not required, just builds my confidence.) Remember to use a rig where the fish feels minimal resistance- a light slip sinker rig with slack left in the line is the most popular, but I've also had good success with a slip-cork rig. Small hooks (#4-8) are a must, and try to completely cover the hook when baiting. When casting out, try to throw well past the chum slick to avoid spooking fish that might already be there, and then reel the bait into the right spot.

You do realize that "river fish" (buffalo) are pretty tasty? Especially out of that semi-clear water. Just fleece, fillet, score, bread, and fry! Rob

Build an 8wt. Catch a walleye. Catch some redhorse. Fish the white bass run, wherever they are.

If I needed anything for fly fishing while I was living in Rolla (last year, especially), I would just make a run down to the Current and stop at Reed's. They don't have the same selection as the shops in STL, but that would just be an insane overhead. They carry pretty much everything you might need for fly-fishing at Montauk, or MO in general. The only thing you might ask for is a wider selection of tippet brands, and possibly hooks. But like I said before- overhead. So just stop at Reed's for your reasonably priced fishing needs. If they don't have it, you can probably get by without it. Rob

I've already got a 4 and a 5, need the 8. Gonna throw big streamers (or poppers) and chase ugly fish with this thing. Think sweat, mud, and slime.

Find a cooling lake for a power plant, fish the hot water. They bite all year, and can get pretty big.

Found their blank chart, and they confused the pieces with the weight columns. However, I think I found one- I908.4. 9', 8wt, 4 piece, fast action. Also found a kit for $200, but thinking about just getting the blank for $170 and getting the rest of the components elsewhere. More expensive, but it'll definitely be custom.

So It's February, and I'm looking at breaking out the rod building stuff again. Since my current rod selection kind of struggles with throwing my favorite streamers, I'm looking for an 8wt. As much as I love my Winston, I don't think I could bring myself to spend $450 on a blank for a rod that I'm gonna beat to hell with ugly streamers, mud, sand, and plus-sized fish. So can anyone reccommend a good 8wt blank, 4 piece for portability, that won't break the bank? Hoping to stay around or below $200, but will venture up to about $250. And I've already picked out the components, so just need the rod blank. Rob

14' figerglass cane pole, 6lb test, 10lb catfish. Definitely fun, and I don't see a lot of difference from tenkara with that. So I could see it working on bigger fish. However, a 40' cast does come in handy now and again on the smaller creeks. And that's a leather carp- common carp minus scales. Step past a mirror carp. Rob