mizzouflyfisher

Number 1,2 and 3 are correct. The fourth is close. It's the other peacock herl body, gold ribbed with hen hackle fly. Number 3 is supposed to be a trico spinner, but it has a bunch of hackle, so I wouldn't consider it a spinner. By the way, has anybody ever used a mating scud pattern? Done well with it? From your previous flies posted it looks like we have a: 1. I think these are called whistlers, but I'm not sure. 2. Hi-Vis beetle-I prefer no vis (that way my dad won't steal them) 3. Mickey Finn 4. Damsel fly 5. Some pretty cool eggs What is the middle stuff?

Here are a couple of flies. 1. 2. 3. 4.

About 99% of the time I fish at Taney I fish a 2 fly setup. It usually consists of a scud followed by a midge. One thing to remember, if you usually land fish with a net, using a 2 fly rig will result in a lot of frustration. I never carry a net because I got so tired of cutting flies out the net. Also, always weight the flies with split shot above the first fly. Otherwise you will have a lot more tangles and more snagged fish.

I've got a couple of stories to add. First one involves a trip to Lake Kincaid in Illinois a couple of years ago. Me, my dad and a friend are fishing out of my dad's boat. I've caught maybe 5 decent bass, and they haven't caught a thing. I'm fishing a carolina rig and cast my line over the back of a goose. Goose takes off flying with my line laying across it's back. Goose carries the whole rig probably 30 or 40 feet before it falls off. While all 3 of us are cracking up I feel something, so I set the hook, right into a 17" bass. Talk about pissing off a couple of guys. They couldn't believe that goose dropped that rig right in front of a bass. Second story is from a trip to Canada. About an hour before dark my dad hooks a muskie about 39". He fights it and I'm getting ready to net it. Next thing you know, I reach the net down and before you know it I'm in the water holding the net with the muskie thrashing beside me. I crawled back into the boat holding the net with the muskie in it and fished for the next couple of hours just slightly soaking.

I'm going to try to run down there for Saturday. That weekend is the annual guys trip to Bennett Springs. So it'll be a 2 1/2 hour drive down. Just depends on how much card playing and beer drinkin goes on Friday night. I've never been before. Are there typically a lot of different rods to try? That would be my main reason for going. Thanks Mizzouflyfisher

1. Comet variations (I particularly like pink comets, 30+" kings on back to back casts is pretty cool) 2. Crazy Charlie 3. Tent wing caddis? 4. My reply was sent prematurely 4. The infamous "is it a fly or isn't it a fly" fly 5. Not sure, but intriguing, seems incredibly simple and I like the flashy underbody. Here's a fly that I just found that looks pretty cool. Dano you'll probably like this fly.

Brian- I almost sent you a sample of a jujubee that I tied up with the check I sent you. But, the fly took like 20 minutes to tie, so I couldn't part with it. I will say that they work really well at Taney. They're just a pain in the butt. I wanted to see if you had any ideas on how to tie it easier. My biggest problem is tying with 3 strands of material at 1 time. I can't keep them in the order that I want them. For example, 2 black strands with 1 clear strand in between. The order probably doesn't matter, but I'm picky about that stuff. The crinkly stuff works fine, that's what I'm using. Plus, most of that stuff you can pull slightly and it will become more straight. They are very translucent in the water. The only colors that I have tried tying with are black and clear. The article talks about all sorts of weird color combinations to. Would at least be a different look. Let me know what you think about this fly. Mizzouflyfisher

Dano- Are you using glass beads or painted brass beads. I just tied up some midges with red beads tonight that look pretty killer. What other colored beads have you all had success with. Just a tip for some of you out there. I went to Michael's tonight and found that they have an awesome selection of plastic beads. Plus, you can get more beads than you will ever use in your life for $2.50. Also, they have some really nice boxes there for storing beads. I don't know about you all, but seems like my plastic beads are always migrating between compartments. I got some boxes tonight that have each compartment closing separately. They're also cheaper than the Spirit River hook boxes. Mizzouflyfisher

Remember to use the rotary feature. I find that sometimes I go back to the old way of passing materials between hands over/under the vise. The rotary feature is there for a reason. It makes applying many materials much easier and faster. Remember though, if you are tying a fly with several materials, say a fly with ribbing, a and back of some sort, and you want to wind something forward, the materials in the back of the fly will be twisting as you use the rotary feature. In some cases it might be better to just wind forward yourself. Also, there are some materials that I prefer to wind by hand, such as ostrich. I rarely tie with more than 1 strand of ostrich, and I want to keep the wraps very tight together to make the bug more full. Anyway, the vise ain't no good sitting there, so get to tying. Mizzouflyfisher

These little bugs can be painfully tiny, so what sizes do you all typically use. I've tied down to a 26, but I'm not sure what the usual sizes are. Also, somebody said a chartreuse body works. Is that supposed to be the female? With eggs? Guess I'll have to get up real early to make it down to the Current to fish the pre-dawn Trico rise this summer. Mizzouflyfisher

What is the difference between the cress bug and a griffith's gnat. The cress bug appears to be just peacock and grizzly hackle on a scud hook. I like the looks of it, but has anybody had any luck fishing this fly dead drift? Maybe not here, but I hear up in Iowa and Minnesota the cress bug is an important food source.

Brian- Is that a griffith's gnat tied on a scud hook. Very intriguing. Also, the midge would appear to be a TMC 2487, but the gap seems narrower than I would expect. But maybe I expect wrong. Kyle

I'm hoping to get down to the current in the next week or two. Has anybody been there recently?? I usually fish right below the park. Let me know how it was and if anything in particular was working. Thanks Mizzouflyfisher

The wind comment is very true. One day on the bighorn, a wind came up that blew my sunglasses off my face. The wind was blowing directly upstream, pushing me at a pretty good clip in the opposite direction I wanted to go. The next 4 hours were spent rowing my butt off, trying to make it downstream. BUT, that is the only time I have had problems with the wind. I also have a canoe and kayak. The kayak is awesome for moving around, but I absolutely hate fishing out of it, because I have nowhere to store anything, and I find it hard to cast out of. Mizzouflyfisher

I'm looking for some obscure/different midge patterns. I've got probably 350 midges tied and in my boxes right now, but I'm looking for some different combinations of materials, profiles, etc. List whatever ideas you've got along with a basic description of the fly, or better yet pictures. I will try and see if I can get my digital camera to take close enough pictures to post some of the stuff that I have created over the past couple of years. It will be interesting to see what kind of patterns are out there that work. Mizzouflyfisher

When I first started thinking about the question of shuffling, I was totally against it (i.e. ticket everyone and let them work it out). That's because I don't shuffle, don't see the fun in shuffling, and would find it very frustrating to try and get my flies that close without catching myself or getting tangled. My question is, how many shufflers really shuffle frequently? I would think that most people that engage in shuffling are people that don't fish very often. When my girlfriend goes fishing with me, she doesn't actively shuffle her feet, but she drifts flies right below her because the fish use her as a current break. She doesn't have fun unless she is catching fish, and I know for a fact that her casting skills are pretty horrible. So, either she makes the commitment to improve her skills (which we all know takes a long time) or she has fun when she goes once every couple of months. I certainly agree that shuffling causes harm to the stream and isn't sporting (unless you consider figuring out the proper cadence for your feet to be sporting), I don't consider it to be an issue that should be banned for the reason of preventing people from catching fish. That being said, I see the need for more information being disseminated regarding the impacts of shuffling on the ecosystem. I believe there are small signs at Taney now, but I can't remember, so obviously they aren't doing a whole lot of good. I would much rather see more attention devoted to protecting browns (catch & release year round) or preventing snagging (as you can obviously tell when somebody is actively attempting to snag fish). Much more harm is done to the fish population by snagging fish (especially large ones) and fighting them to exhaustion than catching some fish by shuffling. Mizzouflyfisher

The easiest way to catch fish at Bennett is on a white mini-jig, size 1/180. Fish it under an indicator, and keep adjusting your depth so you are barely off the bottom. I typically use a lot of midges, both black and cream are consistent producers. Also, scuds seem to catch fish in zone 2. I usually fish the smallest flies I can at Bennett, because those fish see so many flies. Mizzouflyfisher

Patrick- I've floated from the dam down to Lilley's a few times. My dad and I just park by the hatchery, float down, and then call a cab to take us back up to the rv at the hatchery. I'm sure you can find somebody to drive you back up or shuttle your truck, but calling a cab is pretty easy and only around $15. Mizzouflyfisher

Where is SWEPCO Lake (closest city)?

Pontoons are a great way to get away from crowds, especially down at Norfork. Norfork is indeed a quick ride w/ 2 generators. At that point, you just paddle like hell between islands to fish the back sides. I've used the boat out on the Bighorn and Snake. Both of those rivers are mainly fished with guides, so you make your money back pretty quick if you float out there a couple of times. The best thing I have figured out to do, is attach a rod holder to your pontoon, and take 2 rods with you. This works really well on the Norfork. Take your 7/8 with a sink tip and a 5 weight or lighter with a floating tip. This way you can switch easily, plus if they turn water on, you can throw big streamers. Right now I have an outcast with 8 ft. pontoons. Not the highest quality boat, but it was only 300-400. If you're only going to use the boat a couple of times a year, I have a hard time justifying spending a lot more money. Anyway, somewhat long winded. Makes me want to try and sneak away next weekend with the pontoon. There's always hope. Mizzouflyfisher

So Fox, exactly how many rods do you have? Seems to me they could be given some love by somebody that would put them to use, say me. What do you think about a donation? Seriously though, for somebody with so many rods, what is your most favorite rod? I know there are a lot of different situations and consideration, but what is your absolute favorite rod? Mizzouflyfisher

Turning to mush is exactly what you want to happen. When it gets wet, it moves a lot in the water. Typically, I only use ostrich on scuds smaller than 16. If I'm fishing a bigger scud I want the larger profile that I get by building up dubbing. But, if any of you have had success with ostrich scuds in a 12 or 14 let me know. I will say that ostrich makes a really good addition to midge larva patterns. Say just below a tungsten bead. Mizzouflyfisher

How difficult is it to really build a rod? I've been thinking about doing it for a couple of years, but I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a quality blank and beautiful seat, to only screw up the rod and be disappointed. Is it just a matter of putting in the time to do things right, or are there things that really need to be done to make a quality custom? I'm just afraid to make the investment without knowing what will turn out. Mizzouflyfisher

I really don't see the point in a 00 rod. I've got a light 2 wt. Even with that I have had 20+" fish that I could not move with the rod. I had to stand right over the fish and pull straight up, and I could still barely move the fish. I have to say the rod is fun to cast, but I will never purchase anything below a 2 wt. I guess those rods are just made for those who want everything. Who knows?

I've got a triangle taper 3 wt. right now. It casts fine, but I liked the orvis wonderline that i previously had better. Seems like the triangle taper is starting to crack a bit. But the wonderline is gone, along with the st. croix rod and galvan reel that was stolen.