Nick Williams

DaddyO, I had a nice 12-13" brown last week as well. It had me wondering, is there a bigger brown population in the river than we realize?? It also makes me wonder about the "trophy" section of the river and how it is doing since there is really no road access now! Here's my brown from last week. Yours looks even chunkier than mine! I also noticed that several of the rainbows I was catching were quite a bit chunkier, and that I seemed to be seeing several much larger trout in the river. I had a couple fish on soft hackles but the majority came from nymphing.

Frog looks great! Any trouble throwing throwing it with that foam head?

It didn't have anything to do with stubbornness. Being semi new to fly fishing every trip I take to trout water becomes a learning experience while being relaxing and getting to be outdoors at the same time, and this past weekend was no different, and I enjoy that. I caught 4 fish the whole weekend and I wouldn't hesitate to go back. Would I hire a guy to understand the river better and also to see more of the river? Yes, if it fit into my budget I wouldn't hesitate to do it. I also feel though that if I was so worried about catching fish I could have tossed out some worms or powerbait, but that really ruins the challenge/experience! In my opinion anyways! I had assumed that it was a little low, but I didn't know that those multiple great fisheries were so close to each other! That could make for a fun week o fishing!

Don't get me wrong, I had a great time there, and I do plan on going back sometime. It was definitely cooler than fishing at LIR, but at the same just so much more of a learning curve than that. I got one more trout yesterday swinging a soft hackle through some riffles up in the catch and release section. I did lose trout as well though so it wasn't overall bad! We talked about going over to Norfork and Dry Run to wade that area, but decided we didn't want to put too much on our plates in terms of learning new water. That's sweet that you had success though. Hearing reports like that is what makes me want to head back already and figure it out. We passed Crooked Creek on the way home so we decided to stop and fish that for a few hours. Not really what I had expected from a blue ribbon stream, but it was still cool to get a chance at some smallmouth in the same day as some trout. I even had a hook up with a big carp but he snapped my line when he took off. Not to hijack my own thread, but does Crooked Creek change farther downstream from the access point we were at? I think it was off of hwy 62?

So one day of fishing left.. I can say, from still being pretty new getting into fly fishing, that this river is a humbling experience. I feel like I've thrown everything that has been recommended plus everything else and I have 3 bows to show or it! I finally managed to get those three on a size 18 grey scud about 18 inches under a palsa onto of a weed bed area. I wasnt even wading or on our rented boat at the time. Just right off the bank. I tried nymphing (read as midges, nymphs, scuds, anything with an indicator), soft hackles, streamers, terrestrials, some dries. Needless to say, while fly fishing is always a relaxing opportunity, it has been frustrating trying to get into a rhythm! Not exactly what I had expected in terms of results on the "legendary" white river. Planning on doing more wading in the morning, any last minute advice??

Haha classic. I have one of those things that goes under your chair at a desk, I forget what they're called. But it makes it really easy to find stuff! Except beads tend to bounce and I lose them quite frequently.

The good stuff always seems to sell out very quickly though! Gotta be quick!

Rust color? I've heard of doing that color before.

I am getting to stay at Gaston's, for free as well so it'll be a good weekend! I will definitely take the streamer rod! Did you take a head lamp or anything out with you?? I've only done night fishing once and I used a headlamp but it was also for some smallmouth stripping some crawdad patterns, so it may not be as similar as I hope! Have fun at Branson!

How do water lever and temp affect the midge color? I have heard that before, but haven't heard what changes when and such. For instance I've heard that warmer temps means more olives and reds will work while winter time more black color will work, is that right? I was on Taney awhile back while the fish were midging, but they wouldn't take anything but a size 20 black zebra midge. But a size 18 red was the only thing that worked for a friend 50 yards down river. Weird stuff. I have quite a few soft hackles ready to go, as well as the buggers and terrestrials. I've never been to the White or Norfork before so I have no idea what to expect. Are the two rivers really that close to each other?

I didn't notice that! But the game definitely takes some getting used to!

I have seen a lot about midges, but what does that actually mean? Like Zebra midges? Or is there another pattern I should look up? I have a ton of Zebra's already tied up from my home water fishing, so that's not a big deal.

Hey everyone, I'll be headed to the White River system in a week and a half, below Bull Shoals I believe. But I have some questions.... Every time I see anything about the White River it seems that it's about having a boat to fish it, such as Jon boat, canoe, drift boat, ect. So is there really not that much wadeable water to fish for someone without a boat? Granted I understand flows and everything, but I still wanted to check. I haven't been there before so this is a new one. Secondly, what's supposed to be the hot flies for that area right now? I've seen some reports and have tied up scuds and soft hackles, but just wanted to check here. I will be running by some fly shops while there also. Any other advice I might need? Thanks in advance for any answers!

What's the dl on Intruders? Is it a style more than anything, or more of a pattern? I tried to do a mobile research on them, but I can only do so much on an iPhone.

I would be interested in see some flies you designed!! What does it take to be a fly designer anyways?? I guess that makes sense as a cover tyer though. Most cover songs I've heard we're better than the original! It just seems that we have all these streamer patterns, but they are more like variations than anything. Not that that is a bad thing, because some patterns you have done are sick, but it just seems odd. I guess there is only so many "movements" you're going to be able to get out of a fly in the end though. Swimming, darting, jigging, ect.

Definitely enjoyed this video as well. I am curious though, are there any big articulated streamers that don't "fit in" with this kind of pattern? Like the marabou tail, ice dub, schlappen and sili-legs pattern? It seems like all of the major ones out right now, to my very limited knowing, all seem to use that assortment of materials. Looking at the materials list for this one you could pretty much tie up several other patterns with those specifically. Just curious

Sweet!! Thanks for very informative and quick reply, Phil! I will have to see if I can try to swing that this weekend.

Im headed up to Branson this weekend for a conference, and I will hopefully get to be on Taney more than in a hotel conference room! I keep seeing, in Lilley's reports especially, that the jig and float is one of the ways to go. However, I have never fished one. I do plan on swinging by Lilley's to grab some flies and such, but how do you rig it? And secondly, how do you fish it?

Fantastic video, Brian! Loved the song you picked as well! I like the look of that fly as well, I imagine it has a ton of movement in the water. Are rubber legs a real necessity on big streamers like this? I see them with and without, and then on the front only like this one. Is there a method to that madness?

So what I am understanding is that throwing a sink tip is just better to man handle it? Give or take at least.

What's up, I have recently been trying out a sinking line, or sinking tip rather, and it feels a lot more awkward to cast. I guess just because it is heavier than the WFF8 I have on there? I don't know. Any advice that will help me out with that?? It also seemed to pile up in the water more often than laying out like my floating line does, what can I do to fix that? Also, when I was stripping in one of my streamers yesterday, I was more or less trying to get used to throwing the sinking line so I wasn't as focused on the actual fishing part of it, but I noticed my streamer was kind of spinning on the strip. It wasn't a weighted streamer, just an EP Baitfish style streamer, so did that mean that my leader was just twisted up? I usually don't have problems with twisted leader unless I am throwing a hopper dropper rig. Thanks guys!

I am curious, for all you who night fishing, whether from the bank, a boat or on a river, how many of you guys take/use headlamps? Or any other light source? I always have one on, but not always on, so I am curious to see what other people do. Also if any of you do use headlamps do you use one with a red light as well?

No I dont think so

The Gadget Company, though I don't know if they carry RL Winston, carries fly fishing gear and I think they are an Orvis dealer as well. Last time I remember they were on 15th St.

Yeah, I always feel like I do better when it's cold as well. The river is still pretty cold with how hot the weather has been. When they have some water running through it just helps the temperature and oxygen levels rise.