Gavin

Would love to see a picture of your rig...

If I'm picking flies out at a shop...I look for flies with an adequate hook gap (3/8" minimum). You'll want some sliders (The Chartruese Gaine's Sneaky Petes in size 2 is perfection), flat faced popper with rubber legs, pencil poppers & some minnow patterns that fish at different depths (3-5" range)..plus some dark colored stuff to drag on the bottom 3-4" range.

In

Sorry Mic, but that looks like two trout flies strung together...snag a thon, and it lacks a cohesive profile...Experimented with a few tonight..I needed a theme for a jig swap someplace else and borrowed yours....Think this one needs more rusty orange arctic fox to mute the purple flash, or less purple flash, but I like the proportions...It should hunt. Will send you one.

A warm water swap sounds interesting. Bigger flies...more room for creativity.

Think the Meramec moves around more than most rivers..Long drainage,Lots of tributaries, Frequent floods, fine gravel bottom, and the hard rock features seem to be spaced farther apart...Seems like its a different river after every high water event.

I've been thinking about a big loop.... Up the Mississippi, though the UP of Michigan, cross the bridge, and spend some time in the LP before driving back home.. Prairie De Chien, Monticello, the Sylvania, Escanaba, Big & Little Bay De Noc, Marquette, Grand Marais, Mackinaw Island, Grayling, Traverse City, Chicago, Galena..No real plan...just fish a couple times along the way, eat, drink, shop, and explore.

Yep....Thinking so...but have to check the calendar...Baby girls B day on the 7th...

Heck with that....You asked...Thinking that you are probably a superstar boat mech, but underemployed for a person with your inate talents. Fierce independence, and a take no crap attitude, plus a good sense of humor. I am sure that you are a heck of a fisherman. Coldwater would do a better write up...PM him with your sordid biographical details... No bad feelings for Chief or Drew.They are who the are. Just dont want to argue east coast spot issues with them again. .

Dont fret T man....Cook yourself some....Most are with you...but they dont want to waste time argueing with Chief or Drew. I've heard that Chief can catch a fish. Self important....details v. big picture......hopeless cause...Searching for perfection as defined by him.... in an imperfect world...Good luck with that! Probably still darn good at what he likes to do. Kinda guy you might learn something from if he ever got his ego out of the way. Drew..not sure what to make of him...Kinda like a mini-me Chief.....leads with his heart....detail guy...cares about stuff that he thinks is important...zip for river time as far as I know...Always shows up for an argument....but no fishing pic....Somebodies Stunt double?

Looks great!....Kinda like a small hog sucker or stoneroller...May have some baits in need of some paint...PM me and we can discuss.

Nothing to add....accept for some of my favorite flies...and a link with some tying directions. When I want to fly fish for smallies, one of these will be tied on before I get to the river...The sparkle minnow may look like a wooly bugger...and you can fish it that way....but my buddy Greg developed the pattern...He ties the dark colored versions with a weedguard and uses them like a tube jig around submerged rocks & wood. Have fun. http://www.ozarkflyfishers.org/fly/spminnow.html

Thanks gents... I agree with you Mitch..Thats a lousy reference picture..Too much flash, and a tiny fish. .

Isnt that the truth. If I dont get out for a float next month I'll have to wait till April 16th.

I do need to fish more JD...lets put something on the calendar. Will have plenty of lures left when this is over..These went like hot cakes...may have to clear out a few more. Everything, except for the following, is spoken for... Ima Roumba-Interesting Wake Bait, kinda like walking the dog for dummies on a steady retrieve...Chuck & Wind...not my style. LC Flash Minnow 110's (2)-Shallow Jerk with a big profile, suspends at 2' or so, summer bait, use it like a fluke. Sammy 85-small walking bait Jackall Squad Minnow 115- Suspending Jerkbait that I dont remember fishing....dunno what it does. LC Slender Pointer 112's (2) Suspends flat at 3-4', very positive feel when compared to a Pointer 100 or Mega 110. If they dont sell, I'll probably get a few of them painted.

Wish they sold that one in the states ;>)!

All of the Slender Pointer 97's are spoken for. Remaining Slender 112's are Chart. Shad and Ghost Brown.

The mega, top three slender pointer 112's, and the j. minnow slender 97 are spoken for.

Figure this stupid thread is jacked enough already...might as well jack it furthur. WFT 2013 Highlights. Several smallmouth were caught. Mostly brown trout & rainbow though.

There is only one Mega on the block...does this look right to you? PM me and we can discuss.

Got too much stuff.....No reasonable offer refused plus actual postage to your door. Have at it before they head to Yabe...PM with an offer or Q's. Thanks for your interest.

No place else to fry em...Sr. & Jr. did a great job on those. Shells & Fish fried to order in peanut oil (18" skillet), add some fresh made mayo based cole slaw and your hot fried fish...Fish fried to order with some hush puppies works well too.

Mmmm. Gravel Bar Fish Tacos!

Anybody try the Luck E Strike knockoffs? Heard the first production baits filled with water, but I'm sure they fixed that by now.

Looks like you had a great time. Enjoyed your photo's!