Greg

Regarding generation - the Power Administration's hotline says no generation all weekend. But please keep in mind that is not a guarantee. The hotline just gives an estimate. Sometimes they change things. Greg

I don't think you need to change anything. I don't think the membership would have grown to where it is now if you had made it so that guests could not see the posts. Nor would OAF continue to grow as it has been doing. I belong to and participate on several of these sites but I think OAF is the best run and in general the best board that I have run across. That's a credit to the owner, moderator and the participants. There is one very popular Fly fishing site where the owner/moderator runs the thing like a dictator. And another where the particpants just kind of run wild. We seem to have a happy medium here. Greg

Really?? I think there is very little animosity between fly, bait, and spin fisherman. I just don't see it. On this board for instance with the exception of a few isolated incidents we get along very well. Greg

JS You are bad! All kidding aside I think it was an admirable effort to keep the peace. Greg

LA Don't overlook throwing flies with your spinning rig. It works pretty well. My kids have done that off and on and I used to as well. They caught a lot of fish doing that. You just have to add a bobber or weighted float for weight. Tie your fly on. Then put a split shot 6 to 8 inches above the fly. I'd buy a few zebra midges, scuds, and wooly buggers and give it a try. Like one of the other members said - I would use 2lb test - you'll get a lot more hits with it than 4 or 6lb. Good luck, Greg

Phil you are not trying claim you are just just strictly a spin fisherman are you? I think I've seen you out on the lake with a fly rod a few times haven't I?? Just kidding you I know what you meant. For myself though who is definitely a dedicated fly fisherman: 1. aluminum boats - no problem at all unless they cut right in front or behind and don't even say anything. 2.denim construction - I wear jeans most of the time when not working. 3.stringers - never use them but have nothing against those that do as long as they are taking fish legally. 4.Domestic beer - the few times/year I drink I mostly do drink domestic. 5.Wind - like it unless it is gale force. 6.Calm - love it. 7.Cold like it - but not below about 20 degrees. 8.Heat - love it. 9.Too much current - no problem 10.Too little current - no problem 11.Spinfisherman - no problem 12.other fly fisherman - no problem but shufflers really get to me 13.Locals - not a problem 14.Tourists - not a problem 15.People who hijack threads - as long as it's not mine! See not all fly fisherman are curmudgeonly cranks!! Greg

39% for me. Greg

Here's a link to the pattern for the slumpbuster. Dano posted it on another thread. http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/de...cfm?parentID=37 Enjoy! Greg

That's an optimistic view!! Hopefully you are right. To be continued........ Greg

Fished Taney today. My wife actually fished with me for a while today. She can't stand the cold and doesn't fish much at all in the winter. But she fished for about an hour today and outfished me for that hour. It was nice even if I did have to take her fish off because her hands were "too cold" We caught a lot of fish. Some on a zebra, some on a tan scud. We were fishing between the rock and the old boat ramp area. Beautiful day. Most of the fish we caught were either dinks or decent fish at the upper end of the slot. Yesterday on the "go to fly" thread I had noted that several others listed the slumpbuster fly. I had never tied one but decided to give it a go. I tied one and thought it looked OK and took it along today. Tied it on after my wife left to shop. Caught 5 fish in about 5 casts. Including the largest fish of the day a 17" rainbow. Then I lost the fly (my only one) . So I tried stripping a mohair leech but with indifferent results. So I have to say I'm impressed with the fly. I tied mine on a #10 hook with an olive rabbit strip and a greenish braid tinsel body. I'll have to tie more this week. Thanks to Dano for posting the pattern on the other thread. Greg

Thanks Dano and Michael. Michael I'll try to make it this Tues. I meant to come both yesterday and/or last Tues - but work got in the way. Greg

Would anyone want to post the recipe for the "slumpbuster"? I don't think it's anywhere on the board. Thanks, Greg

Said like a true gentleman Leonard. It's been my experience in life that those that are humble are often the best at what they do. Greg

Brian thanks for the tip about the fishpond bag. My employees got me a BPS gift certificate for Xmas that I haven't used yet. BPS has that very bag. I may just use it for that. Don is right if I ever fall in with my heavy, overstuffed vest I very well could drown!! Greg

Thom From my experience regarding zebra midges - I don't think you can have too many colors. Just about any color will work at times and many, many times the fish seem to key on one particular color. A general rule of thumb I follow is if the sun is out and bright I go with a brighter color. If it is overcast I go with a darker more muted color. My favorite bright color is the primrose and pearl that was invented by one of the guys at RR outfitters. Have you tied any of those? That would be my 2nd favorite color after the green or olive. If you ever fish in Arkansas (the White and Norfork) - a rusty reddish color has done very well for me every time I've been there. It works well at Taney sometimes too. About a year ago I was fishing next to a guide on Taney (I won't say his name) and he told me that "you can catch a lot of fish on those little midges but you'll never catch the big ones". I just smiled and nodded. But he couldn't be more wrong. While I do generally catch a lot of average sized fish on them I've also caught a respectable number of 18 to 24" fish over the past 3 or 4 years. I have no doubt that the big fly/big fish rule works in general but sometimes bigger fish do take smaller flies. At least often enough for me. Greg

Copper is my favorite. I like gold second best then silver. Greg

I don't use a gear bag. I stuff everything in my Simms vest. The thing probably weighs 30 lbs now! I need to get a gear bag and thin it out. Greg

I agree with the others - this is a great thread. I've enjoyed the other members lists. Here's mine in the order I generally fish them: 1. Green or olive zebra midge # 18 or 20 2. Green mohair leech size #10 or 12 3. Tan scud size #16 or 18 4. Olive or brown #16 or 18 soft hackle If we are talking at night though I like a #8 maroon or purple mohair leech as my #1. Michael at BCO taught me how to tie a "spun" mohair leech a couple of years ago and it's been the best fly by far that I've used at night. But in the daytime a mohair leech of the old carded mohair yarn in more muted colors (like olive or brown)seems to work better for me for some reason. Greg

I assume you mean the generation schedule line? The one where it asks which hydropower facility you are talking about? If so it is fairly accurate but far from 100%. You just never know. It really surprises me they would be projecting one unit tomorrow all day when it is supposed to warm up so much. Usually on warm winter days they don't generate much. But there really seems to be now rhyme or reason to the generation sometimes. Greg

Michael it sounds like a good time. I appreciate you being willing to do the classes. That was one of my new years resolutions - to become a better tier in 2008. I tie a mean scud, zebra midge, and mohair leech - but beyond that I'm mediocre at best. Greg

Who really cares who is the better fisherman? I certainly don't. They fish 2 completely different areas of the lake and fish 2 entirely different areas. It's an apples to oranges comparison. That's why Trav's statements regarding "coming down to the lower lake" and putdowns of the upper lake are pointless. Most of us that fly fish the upper lake have no interest in fishing the lower lake. I certainly don't. I enjoy what I do irregardless of not catching these "monster browns". Like a lot of fly fisherman on Taney I generally catch average sized trout with the occasional 20" or above brown or rainbow thrown in for excitement. I'm content with that because for me it's the quality of the entire fishing experience not the size of the fish. I make a good living and could certainly afford a boat to fish the lower lake but I'm just not interested. Greg

Couldn't have said it better. I'm continually amazed at what he writes. Greg

The rock is down stream a ways from outlet # 2. You can walk or wade from outlet 2 to the rock area but most drive. Zander I'm really not that tough regarding the cold. Not like some guys. If it is much below freezing I generally don't go. But there are guys out there like Michael (BCO) and Leonard that will fish at night when it is down in the teens. Now that's tough! Greg

I was looking at rods on ebay and found several eagle claw featherlights there. Sadly it looks like they (eagle claw) went to a plastic reel seat in 2007. It's probably just as functional but to me that's a definite downgrade. Greg

Due to family obligations I didn't get to Taney until 2:30 PM today (Sunday 1/20). I forgot to check if they were running water until I was almost there and was disappointed to find that they were running one unit. Since I was almost there I headed to the rock anyway. Glad I did. I think I'm finally getting the hang of fishing with one or two generators going. I've been using a 2 fly setup with the first fly being a heavier weighted scud, leech, or egg and the point fly being a zebra midge. Both fished below a larger than normal indicator. At the rock I caught quite a number of smallish rainbows. About half were on the zebra and half on the leech. When they turned on a 2nd unit I left the rock area and drove over the dam to the very upper end of the lake for another hour or so. Several nicer rainbows up there with the last (right at sundown) being a real beauty. It was several inches past the 20" mark on my rod. My largest trout in some time. Very few fisherman out I assume due to the cold and maybe the 2 football games. All in all a good day though even with the cold. Greg