Nick Williams

Last summer, we used a gravel bar that was downstream of Twin Brindges, just past a low water bridge I believe. It was on an inside bend, a riffle to keep the bugs and for some background noise, and even a few will smallmouth were there too!

Soon I'll be in the market for a new pair of wading boots to go with my stocking foot waders. Just curious as to what everyone uses and how they like what they have, and also to whether or not anyone has/uses a pair with the Boa lacing system and how well it holds up. Seems like a sweet idea, but at the same time seems less fail proof than normal waders. I haven't narrowed it down much yet as I'm just starting to look! Thanks!

Every time I have been lately they have been eating small midges, and if you aren't getting close to that size, they are just going to ignore what you have! Was the water still chocolaty or had it cleared up yet? Saturday it was dirty, but they were still eating midges!

The White is definitely a boat river. I've been several times wading and several times with a guide/boat. I'd much rather ALWAYS go with a boat or a guide. There's just so much more access to water, fish, and the ability to get away from any wading crowds. And, if you get screwed by weather or generation, your still fishing if you're on a boat, where wading your done. Brad, over at www.arheadhunters.com is a great guide to use! But don't count out wading over on the Norfork. They have some great wadeable water when the conditions are right!

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'll be in Branson for a few days later this week, and it seems like escaping to the water at night will be the best option. I was just curious if there ways to fish other than how I had in the past. I've got some smaller leechy streamers to try out, a lot with the usual fare. Who makes a lighted indicator? I have some glow in the dark ones, but haven't heard of actual lighted ones.

Yeah, I let my streamers swing before stripping too, Lancer. I haven't however done any nymphing on Taney. Were you successful doing that?

This may have been discussed in its entirety already, but my quick search didn't find what I was looking for. What ways do you guys fish Taney at night? I've always just fished with some small streamers, like a pine squirrel leech, with quartering casts and slow strip back. Are there other ways you guys fish it at night?

Phil, are those suds actually from Taney?

I took a group of teenage guys from well above Twin Bridges (can't remember the out in, but it was a low water bridge) and we did a two day float using Twin Bridges all the way down to River of Life Farms. It's 22-25 miles or something along those lines. There's plenty of gravel bars to use, however, we went in July, and I've never floated the river in May. There should be plenty of water at that time.

Have you made hike into the places like that, or just speaking from the standpoint that you know those trips are available? Yeah, Grizzly. I'm starting to realize that's the one problem. I was hoping there would be more responses of actual trips people have taken, advice on what to do and what not to do, etc. It's looking like I needed to be a lot more narrowed down before asking questions, as I've gotten a wide spread of answers! I do believe you are correct though, getting some kind of guide for any new area of water is most definitely the best option. Billet, I will go check that out! Thanks for directing me towards there! Al, so far, everything I have researched is pushing me towards Montana! I am not familiar with Montana in very many ways, and one of my main concerns is the group that is going. While transportation, lodging, etc. is all fairly simple and anyone can make it work. the group that would go is going to be on several different levels of fly fishing experience and we would still want to make the fishing side of the trip as successful as possible. Aside from guiding, are Montana rivers (which are always talked up to be intimidating it seems), lakes, and streams, a viable option for a group to be successful?

That's a good point, Wrench. Season hasn't really been nailed down yet, though summer and fall would be much more doable just for sake of planning and time off and such. Thanks for your reply, Quill! I haven't even heard of some of those rivers. We did talk a little bit about doing the multiple day floats, though we weren't sure how. It would definitely be an adventure either way, and we could probably get away from a lot of crowds by doing that. Hiking into those lakes sound intriguing, though that's a long hike. Are there areas where you can hike in and then have access to several lakes in a pretty local area?

So a few buddies and I have been hoping to take a fly fishing trip sometime this year. We haven't narrowed anything down just, just mostly dreamed, but it's time to get it down on paper and we need some ideas/experience to go off of. Obviously, we're looking for mostly a fly fishing trip, but some other fishing is a possibility if it would be awesome. We've discussed being guided and unguided, fishing through a lodge and completely going out on our own. We're mostly looking at trout, though smallies could be an option. Road tripping is more than likely what we'll want to do, flying would only be an option if we decided to go to Alaska. Wading would be awesome, but a boat wouldn't be bad either. We even discussed having a 'home base' and heading out and backpacking in to backcountry locations to find fish. I've looked into trips in Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, and Oregon. Basically, we're open to a lot. We just want to experience some awesome chances at fish, experience some beautiful places, and have fun. I know several of you guys have taken trips around the US chasing fish, and I'd love any details you can give about what worked and didn't work! Advice and stories are welcomed!!!

It does say 'n-Go', Chief. I'm not familiar enough wih Git-N-Go to know anything about those though. And that's what I thought, Wrench. It was pretty dirty when I found it and so I thought there would be some cracks elsewhere, but I haven't been able to find anything. I'm not aware of any way of putting a metal cap on outside of a bottling factory, which makes it all the more odd.

About a week or so ago, I was out with a group duck hunting over on some flood waters of the Verdigris River here in NEOK. As with everywhere here in OK it seems right now, it was super slow. Before we decide to pack up I took a hike around to scope out some other areas and I came across this. A glass Pepsi bottle with papers inside. At first I didn't think anything of it, other than the fact that it was neat, but upon further inspection, the lid still seems to be sealed (I included a picture of it), and the papers inside appear to be bank receipts from 1986 (included one of that too)! If nothing more than what it actually is, it's a cool trinket to throw on a shelf. But at the same, kinda peculiar. Any thoughts? I didn't really want to break it open if there was nothing more to it since it's cool just how it is.

Hello! Looking for Crooked Creek access points to wade off of Hwy 412 on the way back from the White. Names and locations if you have em'! Thanks!

I've been down wading for stripers above Gore Landing several times this summer and have only have limited success. I've missed more hook sets than anything. Rainbow colors are they way to go though, because there is like no shad in the river, also no gar. Cooler temps this summer have kept them down! Last week however, I ran into a guy fighting this behemoth from a kayak. He got him on a rainbow colored gamechanger. He tipped the scales to 23lbs. Awesome fish. They're in there still, just gotta be there early and when its overcast!

If all goes according to plan, we should be in Smallie water, aka above Blue Ribbon, still for the meal we try to catch. One of our guys even decided he might try to get some suckers/carp to eat. But we shouldn't have an issue with limits, I believe. Yeah, it's possible that it might meet our needs better. I have just been on the NFOW the most, and know it's waters and levels better than any other river. I haven't been on the Eleven Point river before either. That's one of the main reasons we are choosing the NFOW. We also have some guys going that haven't floated a real river before, so being on a river some of us are familiar with feels like a better idea.

Katadyn is the brand I have been researching the most and have heard the most about. And thank you for the tip! We've discussed using the dehydrated meals and/or MRE's. Still haven't decided. We are planning on catching some of our meals - anyone have tips on what we need for that? Spices? Foil? Lemons?

Yeah, TP is definitely a must, especially when you must have hot sauce with fresh fish! I looked at the LifeStraw type devices, and while they are super impressive, I think I'd rather be able to get a pump filter to fill up a hydration pack and/or Nalgene bottle.

Awesome! I didn't see that one, awhuber. Thanks!

Good morning, a group of friends and I are planning to do an overnight, or 2 day, float trip later this summer or into fall during the middle of the week to avoid the crowds. At the moment, we're looking at the NFOW for our trip, but I don't know if that will affect any answers to my question. None of us have done an "overnighter" before, so I am looking for a list of items that you ALWAYS make sure you have, so that we can start planning more efficiently. Obvious items on our list are things like a dry bag and high calorie snacks like trail mix, beef jerky, etc. We aren't planning on lugging ice or water onto the river with us, so I'm hoping you guys will have recommendations on water purifiers that we can just drink river water! We've talked about picking up some MRE's for one of the meals on the river and then catching our other meals. Just looking for some advice and tips! Thanks guys!

Anyone have any reports on the fishing or river levels?? I am curious about a day trip, but don't want to make the 2 hour drive if there are better options elsewhere!

Rooster tails, smaller sizes of course. If the water is and off colored I have had the best luck with white. Edit: Guess I was a little late though!

Have the fish started spawning yet? Or already spawned? Looking at a trip soon and want to be sure of conditions before I make the drive. Just don't want to interrupt any spawners! Thanks for any info!

I was there just this last Saturday. Generation didn't match the schedule which put a wrench in the plans. Wasn't supposed to be any units on, but the water was up and wading was limited. Trick was to find the slack water and there were fish. Caught em on a big bright egg and a pine squirrel leech at different locations. I also would recommend some white Buggers.