Zach Bearden

The Net: Its the net that you saw when we were in Branson. Does'nt have a name on it. Handmade wood net, I LOVE that thing. Its pretty as all get out and with the long handle I can reach out to get them fish when I've got a 12ft long leader and 7X tippet. The Flies: What you saw were probably just a bunch of midges. Callibaetis are actually pretty big compared to the things you saw. The Water: It was just a tiny bit high but the fish didn't seem to care. Its been dingy colored for a long time. I like to fish whats called an Arkansas drifter in bright colors (basically a san juan tail then a dub'd body of antron is what I use) when the waters off color.

Woot! Somebody with my B-Day! Hooray! hehe

Sealife is a really good brand from what I understand. Check those guys out Stark311, Good idea silas.

Sharps, I'm not 100% positive on this but I beleive that Chenille is actually small parts of fiber layed out on a board and they put a wire down the center and wrap it up with a small but of yarn/string type stuff and it makes a rope. One of the recent magazines I got showed how to make one of these nifty ltte tools out of common materials that most people would have in their woodshops. They also lay out dubbing and make dubbing ropes. As for the coon, do you have the facemask of it? If so it can also be used as an alternative to hares mask for a 'Coon ear nymph!

I went down yesterday and got to fish for the first time down here in two weeks. Got down there around 8 and started with some dry flies. Got nothing so switched over to a Zebra Midge, got one hit from that. Went downstream and fish tons of different things. Couldn't buy a bite! Switched over to a Crackleback, drifted it down and across with very fast 2-3" strips. Picked up 6 on the chartruse and grizzly CB (3 bows and 3 browns). Biggest was a brown about 12", and the rest were very small. TONS of fun though! Got bored after a while of not catching anything so went to some other holes and couldn't get nothing. Went downstream of there and picked up one more brown on a little dry fly. We had a small Callibaetis hatch the other night. Fish were going NUTS on them! Was a great time too, I never got one to hand but had a brown on that was about 15" and some beautiful coloring. The main thing thats been working for me is soft hackles just under the surface film and dry flies skated and dead drifted. Don't forget the small stuff if you have it. I fished a size 24 PMD emerger and had a real nce sized one on. When you're fishing mid day the biggest tippet you probably want to go is a 5 or 6X... Come down and give it a try! Fishings great right now and there are alot of browns in the river. Watch for the redds too. I know there snt documented reproduction but I have seen some redds.

jjtroutbum, I just thought... why not take some of that stuff and put it on a 2/0 hook and wait till its fully expanded then file it down to the size that you were wanting? Then tye on the tail, legs and everything else that you could possibly think of wanting on one?

Sure didn't Terry... I didn't really talk to alot of tyers other than the people I knew (other than Stack Scoville! lol). Man, his flies were absolutely beautiful. It's too bad that he was just tying up Thunder Creeks and not tying Atlantic Salmonflies.

OOH OOH!!!!! I GET TO BE!!!!!! YAY!!!!! *jumps up and down in excitement* I cant wait! lol I dont know that I am going to have ANY kind of time that im not fishing... hehe

Dano, I'd like to see that flybox! lol

Thanks jj, Im ready for these flies to get in!

You ever get the pine squirells from Wapsi that are dyed Chartruse? They make a great light olive... Hey Leonard, are you going to be fishing this weekend?

Yup Dano, Spot on! Exactly what is a green butt? I mean, how to you make the body? Thanks Guys.

Nice report! when you say its unweighted, do you not have ANY kind of weight on it? Or very little? How do you tye it without weight? Just palmer the squirell up the hook shank and tye off? Thanks!

Mom took them to town with her to work which means they will be out today... IM READY!! lol Anyone on the Fly Tying Forums? I like their swaps on there.... There is one going on right now thats called the Secret Santa swap... You tye 6 flies or 1 classic or artistic then send them in and they all get swapped and theres no telling what you'll get!~

I've heard of them hitting lures. Never have had one hit, but I sure would like to toss a 10wt at one! LOL

I've fshed em alot on my local river, but never fished em on Taney when we come up... Im coming up REALLY soon and basically have a whole day to tye a weekends worth of flies. Can someone give me some clue as to when the best time is to fish them? Along with some patterns? Thanks guys

Check out the link that Lilley posted at the top of the Illinois River Forum. They update that every day at 5 p.m. for the next 24 hours. Bill would be the most knowledgeable about fishing for other species. Hey Bill, we are coming up to Branson for the weekend, Just wondering if you will be open to fish. Duckydoty said theres a fish between 10-15lbs caught everyday. Sounds like something to get excited about! We have a game that I have to play at this Thursday night (homecoming). Friday morning we will leave. Hope to see ya there!

Dano, thats the same reaction I had.

I beleive that pelican makes some cases... I worked at a dive shop for a while and what I saw was that a camera that had a case when you bought it was MUCH cheaper than when you bought a case after you bought a camera. Some cases for underwater cameras can be as much as 800$ for a Cannon or a high $ Sony.

Just wondering Taxidermist, how old are you? Not to be disrespectful but I just dont know how many young people are on here (18 under). Uhmmm, there is a picture of me at one of them fly shops, the name is Blue Ribbon Fly Shop. That one was my biggest, its also on their site.

So they hit it? or was it a snag? I dont know that ive ever heard of a spoonbill hitting a fly. Either way nice catch on a fly rod!

Mine may be a couple of days, mom got sick and were not going to be able to get to town for a while... Sorry for the holdup guys!! Mine may be a couple of days, mom got sick and were not going to be able to get to town for a while... Sorry for the holdup guys!!

How did you catch him??

Well, mom was supposed to get me some envelopes today when she went to town. So I've got a question for ya flyfshn, are you gonna go to the customer appreciation day at River Run this next weekend? If so, could I give you 5$, my flies, and you go get postage and a package and send me all my flies? Thanks

AHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Im going insane! I havent got to fis in about a week now... Im ready to cry... But im seriously ready for our trip up there. Terry, if you have got the time you wanna fish next weekend? We are leaving Friday morning coming over, setting up camp then FISHING!!!!!!!! WOOT!!!!!!!!!! haha I cant wait. Well probably fish 24/7 Any ideas on where to start for a selection of Streamers? Ive got quite a bit of sculpins but havent a clue on anything else on what to throw. Keep in mind that I cant use a bead over 5/32 or any kind of dumbell eyes. Because of Team USA "training".