Trout Commander

Thanks for sharing some insight on high water wading Justin. Where abouts on the roller coaster track plotted on the chart was the river when you made that trip?

I can definitely relate to that. After my big plans of a full weekend on the NFOW fell through two weekends in a row I am jonesing for a fix in a bad way! ...The tug is the drug! If you see me say hey.

ahaha d'oh! Thought I had it in there. Starting at Taney. Some guy was talking about a place to chase whites and maybe even spoonbill up the James so I might mosey over that way if I get a wild hair .

You got it right, Rick. And thank you for the kind words, it means a lot considering the source. I do have to say that I have had a great bunch of teachers though. Fishing rain or shine tomorrow. Will be implementing said tactics if anyone wants to hook up and do some fishing look me up. White Jeep Commander and will have a blue-gray NY Yankees hat and an orange gear pack on my back. Or message me for my cell number.

I have only been to BSSP once and tore them up on a PTN (Pheasant Tail Nymph) in faster shallower water. Sorry I can't help more. It would be super beneficial for you to look at previous reports from around the same time in years past (and other times for that matter) in the BSSP specific thread. There is a TON of info on this forum to be had once you get the hang of how to find it.

8.23 for the win!

The two things you must accomplish to catch fish, above anything else, IMO are: a natural drift and getting the fly to where the fish are eating. Drag free drift: With a heavily weighted fly you can catch fish. You will not catch as many though due to the anchoring effect and micro drag. The heavy fly simply will not float as naturally as the same fly in an unweighted version. Also if the fly it's self is weighted you will not get as many takes and experience more hang ups on the stream bottom due to the fly's tendency to anchor on the bottom. To offset these undesired effects it is advisable to place the weight onto the tippet or leader rather than the fly. In doing so you allow the unweighted fly to drift much more naturally. Also the split shot or other form of weight will be in contact with the bottom more as opposed to the fly. The split shot is exponentially less likely to hang up, but is still susceptible to the ill effects of anchoring. As such, it is my preference to place the split shot (or weight of your choosing) between the two flies maintaining at least a direct line of contact with atleast the top fly. This is very important for feeling or seeing the strike whether you use an indicator or not, as previously touched on in this thread. Getting the fly to where the fish are eating: We will assume here, since we are discussing nymphing, that we want to the fly to be at or on the bottom. If you don't use an indicator, problem solved. If you do, it is imperative that you use an indicator that is not only easy to move, but will stay where you put it until you move it again. For the reason I use foam indicators that are held in place with a toothpick. One and one half times the water depth is the previously mentioned rule of thumb and a great starting point that you can tweak from based on actual conditions such as water flow. By using an indicator that is easily movable you do not have to waste hardly any tippet or leader. Tie your leader on as long as you will need and are comfortable casting with. Then add you desired amount of tippet above first fly, I usually use approximately 24 inches which yields around 18-20 inches after tying and trimming tag ends. I then use a little less to tie my dropper on, placing the desired size of split shot half way between the two flies. In using the longest leader you think you will need and can still cast and a movable indicator you are able to use the same leader all day and should not have to go through any tippet based purely on depth changes. (Mic read: leave the super glue at home for honey dos and bring the toothpicks for your indicators after you get the kind with the hole in the middle and you will use much less leader and tippet material) Again, you can catch fish with other methods and tactics of weight/leader rigging, but if you use these tactics and eliminate the micro drag and anchoring effects you will get more takes, not miss as many takes as pointed out by DuckyDoty, not have as many hang ups (but still have the flies where you want them) and waste less leader and tippet material. Essentially you can turn your good days into great ones. Hope this helps mic and others.

I have since switched to Orvis Mirage. I got turned on to it when Justin let me use some of his down at Sunburst. My thinking (and it has held true) was that if it was good enough for the wild NFoW bows I was catching it would work everywhere else too. I didn't necessarily think it was any better than the Rio FlouroFlex, but it wasn't any worse either and $5 cheaper.

Thanks guys. Good to know on both posts. After looking at a great map that FT57 posted on another thread it does look like the White does have exponentially more wadable area. Should have known that with Taney being a lake after all. If I had the full weekend I would be down there without hesitation. Since I only have Saturday I can't bring myself to give up 5 plus hours round trip to driving. Looks like Saturday will be Taney ditchpigs and maybe some white bass action on the James. I hope to make it down to the White for the whole weekend next weekend. How long does the more prolific part of the hatch usually last? I am sure it is weather Dependant but have no clue beyond that...

If you let go for $50 more you could go with a new TFO Pro Series and if you tripped and broke it you would get it repaired/replaced for $25... I love my 4 wt and so will Flounder Pounder after someone talked him into one just like mine. Also, the Cabelas CGR (Custom Glass Rod) has gotten good reviews at $99.99

You were right, I did enjoy it. I like the pictures you post. Thanks for sharing.

I have learned to fish until the fish think the bugs look bad, not when I necessarily think they are shot. Let them be the judge and don't pitch it before they reach a verdict.

The opening sounded like Yakov to me. My four year old would beg for me to call it and put it on speaker phone so he could hear it and when I would he would laugh and laugh. *sigh* those were the good ole days . Hope it's back up soon.

Thanks Gregg.

LOL I should have elaborated. I will already be in Branson for non-fishing reasons so I cant get away - to BSC - but can get to Taney or possibly the white. Doesn't the sow bug round up draw in droves of people? One would have to assume that most of them will fish while they are in the area??? TF57 reported a larger than usual crowd in another thread, so I figured it would only be more crowded on a nice weekend day.

Looking at possibly fishing the White for the first time Saturday. Even with the drive from Springfield (right past Taney) and the fighting the crowds for the Sow Bug, would the hatch coming off make it worth the trip?

It's not just one movie, but not just a bunch of trailers either. I guess a few mid-length movies would be a good way to describe it. I don't recall the run time, but it was long enough that they held and intermission.

Nice first fish! And I wouldn't worry about it not being as big as some of the pictures on here. It would be a real bummer if the first fish of a certain species you caught was the biggest you ever caught and you never got to catch a bigger one.

Today I twisted up a couple really long tapered leaders out of 20lb mono, using the method shown in a video in another thread. I don't have a sink tip line or money in the budget for one at the moment, so hopefully these will suffice. Does anyone who targets whites on the fly use fluorocarbon?

Or if by intermission she doesn't show an interest you could just go drop her off over there and be back by the end of the FFFT to scope out a new gf with an interest in fly fishing? My wife is lucky that she is grandfathered in from the pre fly fishing period

Welcome aboard! You see correctly, a TON of great info here. Where ya from?

She's a stone cold ______ (insert word of your choice here, she's your girlfriend anyway) if the FFFT doesn't get her going for some sort of a trip!

I walked away chomping at the bit to get into some fish and dreaming of trips like I saw chronicled. Consider this fair warning that you will be worthless at work the next few days.