Foghorn

All of that activity is with the 2 oldest granddaughters. Oldest one sang in the state vocal competition in Columbia and then came home in time to throw the discus at the conference meet. Got 4 more ages 5-10 that will be starting summer ball soon. Both daughters send calendars of each months activities. I need to go fishing.

I know what you mean with the ballgames and track meets. Had 4 ballgames and 2 track meets last week!

Sounds like the phone hunt was tougher than the turkey hunt! Atta boy Marty.

Thanks for posting the website. I took the time to answer their questions and it wasn't pretty. No profanity but a lot of disappointment from what it was and could be and what it is now.

Yes sir. Mom called and said your brothers really had a good time at your fly tying session. Was good as older brother and his wife have had some health related issues over the last several years.

Little brother was trash talking on our last trip and I reminded him to be careful messy with her or face the consequences.

So after years of supplying family members with several dozens flies a year , my youngest brother Dave decided he was going to take up fly fishing and tie his own flies. I'm not a great fly tyer but know enough to get by and have had some success on what I've tied. After some short lessons and some trial and error, he started tying a few things. He had caught fish on mop flies and mega worms so that's where we started. He even ordered some 1/80 jig heads and some scud hooks online. Friend Jerry who has been tying for several years was wanting to tie "cracklebacks" so he was in for our first tying session. Older brother, Bob(Toofer) decided he was going to try, even though he has thumbs like Fred Flintstone. We all met up at our house yesterday and Susie made a big pot of chili for the boys. Got the table set up and the feathers and material started flying. Jerry had purchased the material for the cracklebacks and arrived first so we began there. I set up my vise and went thru each step and he soon was turning out some decent flies. I cautioned about the problems if he didn't get the hackle secured on the last wrap. Little brother Dave wanted to tie fur bugs so we went thru each step. I did a few to start ,then he was tying some decent flies that I told him would work if they didn't fall apart. Course the first one came apart . He did tie some good fur bugs with the glo bug yarn and some of the old "peach" from BSSP. He decided to go back to mop flies and the first or second one pulled away from the tie in point with minimal effort. Older brother likes mega worms so we started with him. He got the material tied down good but the whip finisher caused problems. I had some z-ment which came in handy. All in all it was a pretty good day. Dave had 2 flies that fell apart before they hit the water and Jerry had one crackleback come unraveled and provided a good laugh. Hopefully it's a start although I would like my Regal vise back eventually.

Beautiful colors on those fish.

I was trying to figure out a way off of that high bank to get in the water but the thought of my almost 70 years old body attempting that move and Susie questioning me nixed that idea.

You are correct Doug. It looked like an opening day crowd that falls on a weekday.

Susie and I ventured to RRSP last Monday the 13th to fish the park for the first time in 2023. We made a side trip over to Bennett to check water levels and pick up some fly tying materials. We were late getting to the park and didn't plan on fishing Monday so no big deal. We drove thru the park and I was shocked by the number of people fishing on a Monday. Little did I realize it was spring break for what seemed to be the whole state of Oklahoma. We got up Tuesday morning to 20 degree temps and Susie decided to stay at the resort and I would come back for her later. I had seen several 18-20" fish Monday afternoon and in 2 hours never saw any of those fish. And I didn't get many strikes either. I returned for the better half and we decided a trip to the C&R might be a better plan. Right off the bat, Susie hooked a decent rainbow and saw another fish in the 4-5# range. Never fooled that fish as it was shy from all the attention I assumed it had seen. And Susie kept catching some decent rainbows. Shortly after, I found 2 big fish and started throwing at them. They were stacked next to each other and one drift had a chance at either fish. I caught the smaller of the 2, a brightly colored 3.5# rainbow but that sent the bigger fish scooting. And Susie kept catching fish. We fished down to the end of the C&R and by then it was getting late afternoon. As we started walking back to the car on the high bank, we started seeing some big fish right against the bank. Of course you couldn't see them from the stream so I figured what the heck, let's see if I can catch one. Picked out what appeared to be the biggest fish and put a white cross cut rabbit leech on. The big fish hit the fly on the second cast to which Susie said "how are you going to land that fish". I had no good plan as the bank I was on was lined with trees and I was 7-8 feet off the water. I got around a couple trees thanks to long arms but the fish got me into a downed tree and it was over. We estimated the fish in the 8-9# range. We went back Wednesday only to see at least a dozen fly fishermen in the C&R including some folks from River Run in Branson. And shortly thereafter a school bus arrived with close to 30 aspiring high school students from a high school fly fishing class. Was a good trip, but way too many people

Very interesting. Thanks Marty

Enjoyed the video- kind of reminds me of fishing the Castor River back in the 70's after a tornado had hit the area.

And Laker67!

Ed and Kay, Ron McCulloch, Larry Peace and Joe Graven were always good to get along with over the years we fished Bennett .

Had a buddy who has a trailer at BSSP tell me that Kay and Kelly had sold their business. Always enjoyed visiting with Larry and Kelly thru the years. Anyone hear who bought it or what plans they have for the resort?

Thought John's first photo was one of those "Mothman" sightings.

Susie and I were makings plans to go to Venice prior to the big oil spill. One of my old high school baseball players hosted the G# Sportsman and he was fishing in and around Venice with another one of my old ball players. Texted Scott and he sent my phone info to Donald who lives in Baton Rouge. The oil spill knocked out that trip and then our son passed away unexpectedly and we let the trip fade away. Might have to contact Donald after eyeing those pictures.

Now I have that song in my head!

Downstream from the old dam there was a bridge-guess it's not exactly a low water bridge unless the river is up. One of the guys in our group caught a 9#2oz. brown in that big hole below the old dam. Last time we went to walk the high bank below the dam, it was posted with "keep out" signs due to bank erosion from the big flood a couple years ago. There were lots of downed trees and debris which made walking tougher down past the bridge. The brown the buddy caught was on an opening day trip. We used to find good browns in what is now the C&R section at RRSP.

In 2011, Susie and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a trip out West. After 10 days, it was time to head back home but Susie wanted to stop at RRSP. We fished it from top to bottom that day covering a lot of water and catching good numbers of fish. We arrived in Zone 3 in the afternoon only to find a group of teenagers swimming in the big hole below the low water bridge. They eventually left and we figured letting the water settle down and see if the fish would feed. From the riffle downstream came 3 big browns. I 've caught my share of big browns but these fish looked to range in size from 8-9# being the smallest to the high teens on the biggest. It was late afternoon now and I had these three lined up in the riffle below the bridge. Right off the bat I missed the biggest fish on a black rabbit leech and he scooted around but didn't leave and take the rest with him. I did hook the middle size fish only to have him smoke me down along the rocks. I called Laker 67 that evening and told him what I'd found and that I was leaving to get back home in the morning. He met Susie and I the next morning and showed him where they had been patrolling. He later called and had the same results after hooking the smaller brown. He had asked what I thought the biggest fish weighed and I said 18# . He asked if I got a good look at it in good light which I hadn't. He estimated the fish at 20# and he was really good at guessing big fish with as many as he caught. We never heard of any one catching the 2 biggest fish. It's tough getting down there now as the flood from several years ago tore up a bunch of the better walking areas.

Ah say, ah say son now that's a chicken!

Glad you lads got to go and for the pictures and fishing report. Susie and I didn't make it to Bennett or Maramec Springs for the winter season. 8 grandkids keep us busy from time to time.

Looks like you caught one of every bass species in the river. And on a danged rainy day.

Susie and I were hoping to get to Bennett during the winter season but the 8 grandkids have been keeping us busy . Glad you got to go. Did you see good numbers of fish in the stream?