Wayne SW/MO

Were they able to get up near the dam? Did they take any back like they normally do or were they just milking those that were ready?

Tim I've had a good experience with these people, but the Danvise is one that doesn't seem to vary and that's common with all the higher end fly tying equipment. Dr Slick brand makes excellent scissors and while I haven't used their bobbins they do have the reputation. I don't have anything but Renzzeti bobbins and they are excellent, but pricey today and I doubt they would be my first choice now. These people are pretty competitive for supplies, but not the only ones. http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/category/80000 There is obviously nothing wrong with buying local, but for many of us it cost a small fortune to go to a fly shop and I've not had any bad experiences buying online. When you add shipping and subtract taxes, what is left won't hardly buy enough gas to get you around the block. That's why I think it's good to have both options and not feel guilty about going online.

You might do well above Bennett, (Moon Valley down) at that time, but it will depend heavily on whether or not there is some input of warm water from the rain. Below Bennett water levels would be your only concern. When the levels are normal there's a lot places you can get out and wade, wet wade, waders can kill you. It's easy to roll a canoe, you just get some weight out over the gunwales. On the other hand it's all but impossible to roll one from the middle of the canoe, so keep you weight there come hell or high water.

If you can swap handle sides on your spinning reel you could use your good arm for the rod and just wind with the lame one.

I've wandered around the pothole for a long time and there is no doubt in my mind that dark is the key. I don't do well there, or see a lot of eyes caught because I don't like fishing the dark and I leave early.

I agree, but the bottom line is that baitcasters are more accurate, in the hands of experience, because of the control. Bass relate to cover and it's not unusual that one needs to keep his lure tight to the cover. Nothing beats a bait caster when it comes to hitting a target.

Yeah but that's for Arkansas. I'm a good 20 miles from there.

Can't say much more than this. The only thing I might add is that in April it's hard to know what the water levels will be. It is also a flow so your experience with fly fishing will help because the smallies in the Niangua act much the same as the trout do. Also remember to keep your weight centered getting in, sitting, and getting out so you can keep one side dry.

Tim it would be hard to beat starting out with wooley buggers and clousers. They both use minimal materials and are both very effective. Clousers are simply lead or brass eyes and buck tail on a 3366 or a B10 hook. Woolies are marabou, buy bloods, chenille, and saddle hackle on a 2X long hook. You can use lead wire or coneheads for weight. Tie both in #6 to start, then #4's. I'm not a fan of kits because I've never seen one that didn't add a lot of cheap crap in the way of materials and then you eventually have to replace everything. For $65 you can get scissors and a good bobbin, when I say good I mean that you'll keep, materials and a cheap vise. If you want to get a vise that will last you a long time than bump up to $100 and get a Danvise. That's all you need to start.

I might add that it takes about, don't set your watch, 4 hours for the water to move to the dam. Powersite has to either generate or let the water top the dam. I think they sync with TR and generate when they get free water. I'm with Bill, don't take the schedule for granted.

I agree with Wrench and RS and I might add many lures tend to be suited to water conditions, time and season. You should be able to pick up a lot information on when, where, and what from the posts on here.

I'm about 180 degrees from joed. Your equiptment does make you a better fisherman when it matches the situation.

I hope it wasn't a slip when cleaning those fish!

Very interesting.

Nothing, other than it sucks! It's the one mono that I have always had problems with and I gave up on it 30 years ago. If I was going to go with an older model it would be Trilene XL, for spinning, or XT on a baitcaster. I know it has it's followers, but I'm not one of them. It does come down to the thumb when all is said and done. Educating the thumb and learning to adjust the reel is most of the battle.

If a person wanted to brave the weather, tomorrow should be exceptional.

Jack it's hard to beat roll casting when you're faced with various short distances. A Wulff Triangle Taper is a super roll casting line and a double taper isn't far behind. The seeming belief that a weight forward is a better line isn't true. It is better to manufacture into tapers designed for certain conditions, a bass taper is a good example where the head is manufactured to carry wind resistant flies. I believe that many would be better served in the parks throwing the Wulff TT or a DT.

It takes about 4 hours to get to the dam.

I don't know that I concur with allowing the fish as the largemouth record. I would like to see states that stock Florida's record them separate. Just my opinion.

No I don't bow fish. My reference was to water levels. The banks of last year are dry now. If we get some rain it would help because they tend to keep TR at normal. Troutgnat was hunting in bushes normally on land. It might be an advantage to out of state people if the lake doesn't change because know one will have a lock.

I would say no and yes. You could come closer with a spinning reel with a better lay and a larger diameter spool. The line can be important also, a soft line will give you better distance than a stiffer line. The stiffer line will want to pull back, the lay on the spool should stack so as not to bind and a larger diameter spool will keep the line closer to the lip in equal distances. The BPS Johnny Morris Signature spinning reels have large diameter spools.

Reports are that it's a very good line. I have a Field and Stream 4 on my 4 and it's in the same category as the Headstart. If your rod is too fast you might want to put a 5 wt on it. If possible you might see if you can try someones 5 before you jump though. Rods can feel fast because the distances are too short also. Because of the shorter distances you're not using enough line to load the rod. Another option is to take the outfit to the yard and start clipping a foot at a time off the line you have. You wouldn't want to go too far obviously.

I got you beat, 49 years puffing and 12 clean. Don't miss them a lick.

same here, and in fact spinning reels weren't available to me when I started. In my opinion there is a long learning curve too comfort with one and it might not be worth the trouble to you. Pro's are more distance and less line problems. The cons are in learning to get past backlashes. Backlashes are going to happen because they're mistakes, but they can be kept minor. Cost? The more the better and that's not a smart alec answer. Baitcaster are one place you will likely get what you pay for. Experience will allow some balance between cost and performance, but in starting you'll gain by going higher cost. Ebay would probably be a good place to start. There are many, but a 100 or 200 Curado wouldn't be a bad place to start. Rods and line are also more important in baitcasting if you want the full experience. As a rule rods with most of thier action in the tip don't work well and neither do extra soft lines.

There were a few people there yesterday. There wasn't enough current to form the west side eddy and there didn't seem to be a lot more water. I'm thinking that the sunshine shy fish, whites and walleyes, will be more inclined to come up at dark. In my opinion there isn't enough water for many of them to hide in during the day. If it stays cloudy and overcast Sunday there should be some reports.