Sharps4590

Good doin's stone!! Mill is a gorgeous little piece of heaven, eh?

Leave the macks, (lake trout), out of any equation. They're trying to eradicate them in Yellowstone Lake and other western fisheries because of competition with native species. We don't need another MDC boondoggle. I can't say I'd like to see any foreign species introduced. I'd rather see more and better enforcement protecting what is here already, especially smallmouth and the Blue Ribbon fisheries. Too many 10 inch smallies end up on stringers and poachers get too many trout from Blue Ribbon areas.

uhhhh...the moon is full, not new.

I understand completely Addicted!!!!

guess not

See if this works

I wade fish 95% of the time and am also something of a minimalist. Everything I've ever needed can be carried in two fly boxes.

I have a few articles I've been told are worth reading but I can't cut & past them from Micro Soft Word. Given my technological ineptitude, how do I post them?

I only fish with a fly rod. When targeting smallmouth either a Heddon #20, 8 1/2, 3/2 that throws a #6DT quite well and a #7 even better or a 290 South Bend, 7 1/2, 3/2 for a #6. There are a couple other vintage blue collar rods in the quiver I'm going to try this year.

Geezo Pete Criminy!!! What a fish! I agree, MDC could do a heck of a lot better with their smallmouth management.

Do you still have that Young or any Dingleys's?

I would prefer to catch more, quicker but who would turn up their nose at a 20 incher? Short floats when I float anymore. Much prefer wade fishing. 6 hours is a long fishing day for me and most are 4 hours.

I well remember the battle. I also remember the referendum but I can't recall if Cole County, where I then lived, was included in the voting. I was and still am pro-river and a "C". My view has always been the same regardless of the river in question....anyone can build a lake, all that takes is enough money. Only God can build a river. Let the river be.

Trout, wonderful write-up and great pics!! If those were the two creeks I think they are they receive a lot more pressure than one thinks. Not so much this time of year but spring and fall they do. Both are wonderful, beautiful fisheries and I hit them fairly regularly...but they're less than 30 minutes from me. Thanks again for the ifne report!

Hungry as a bluegill are they?

Beautiful fish Nor. Good on you!!!

Hmmm...that was rather rude fly. No problem with disagreeing from what your experience indicates but certainly no need to get personal and question what another has learned from their experience. I believe it's pretty well established that 90% of feeding goes on beneath the surface. Greasy, thanks for the clarification. I understand exactly what you're talking about now. A lot like stripping streamers. Works on largemouth and bluegill too!!!! Ron, even after all these years I'm still not a good nymph fisherman unless I'm using a dry and dropper.. Streamers I do pretty good with but you're in almost constant contact with the fly. For me I'll have to agree that it's easier on top....and also for me a heck of a lot more fun and exciting....lol !!!! But then, when using streamers, there's also the thrill that comes from that strike that's so hard it almost jerks the rod out of your hand. Wayne....I believe the days I've targeted smallies have all been those days!!!!! Oh...and I don't fish for stocker trout, at least not in the common meaning of them. They don't act like any trout I've ever fished for.

Thanks again to all, I appreciate the information. 'wrench, I believe even I can tie one of those sliders! Jack, Al, thank you two for letting me know about Chuck. Last I heard he wasn't in very good health so I guess that comes as no surprise. That was a loss to the fly fishing community in Missouri.

That's true Wayne, I've been on most of them but haven't hit them very hard for smallies. Over the years I've made several acquaintances with property on some of those creeks and they will allow me to access the waters through their property. I met Chuck a few times, kinda got to know him and have both his books, or the two I'm aware of. I believe he's in Colorado and one of his daughters cares for him. Did I hear he has alzheimers? Well 'wrench, they look way cooler to my eyes also!!! As you love to spin deer hair what would you charge me for a half dozen Sneaky Pete's so made in whatever size you think best for small creek fishing....a #6, 8 or 10?

'wrench, thanks for the information, I'm grateful. You prefer the hard body, eh? Ron, I don't know where Marble Creek is, (Missouri?), but I do know I could spend a great deal of time on it! What a glorious appearing place to fish.....wow.

Thanks to all of you and I hope others post up their experience. I have fished for smallies some in the past dozen or so years but without much success. I caught a few small ones and one 17 incher about a year after we moved back here from Wyoming, but I know my technique was lacking. I do have sinking tip lines but throught obstinance, I suppose, have never tried them on smallies. I have or can tie most if not all the flys mentioned so far, except Muddlers....I can't spin deer hair worth spit so I buy them. 'wrench, I read Harry's book several times and when I tried his techniques I did worse than I did just fishing like I was targeting largemouth or bluegills. I don't know about getting rid of the book as I'm too much of a book hound but I'm inclined very much to agree with you for our smallies. Greasy, I'm way too much enthralled with the long rod to go back to spinning. I do know that by being so stuck on the long rod it sometimes costs me in numbers of fish caught and no doubt often bigger fish. But that's ok, I was never about numbers or size, more the experience and learning. You may laugh me off the site when I tell you that I often fish with a near 100 year old bamboo wet fly, fly rod. Yes, I know, goofy, but what a hoot to catch a fish on that old piece of history...lol!!!!!! Ron, your post most closely echos my limited experience. Those times I've targeted smallies I'm fairly certain I wasn't getting deep enough and at that time I didn't have the flys with me to get deep enough. I also agree with you that by the time you get them heavy enough the simple joy of casting a fly rod disappears. I can "chuck and duck" but it isn't a lot of fun. I enjoy immensely fishing of smaller creeks, much more so than the bigger water where bigger fish live, so I may simply relegate myself to upper reaches and smaller creeks. I know there is a time of year when smallies are quite active on the surface, will someone tell me when that is? For me any kind of fish caught on top is a lot more fun, trout on drys, bulegill on spiders....or almost anything that floats....and largemouth on big poppers. Ohhh..also, is anyone aware of where one can purchase deer hair Sneaky Pete's? I've never seen them anywhere. Thnaks again and I look forward to learning more.

Well sonny-gun!! Looks like a new board for particular fish. I'll take first tracks down the mountain... The last 10-12 years I've pretty much targeted trout. This season I'm going to start targeting smallmouth. It's been quite a lot of years since I chased smallies in earnest and I have a couple question: All my fishing will be with a fly rod, no interest in other methods. I expect most of my fishing will be on the way upper Meremac, Big Piney, lower Little Piney and Bourbeuse with maybe some upper Gasconade fishing. I have the rods, lines and reels so no questions there. Other than what I've used in the past what flys and presentations have been most effective? I have Harry Murray's book, Tryon's Missouri smallmouth book and a couple others and have read them several times and from fly fishing the last 45 years I have a pretty good handle on things......just looking for some particulars. Thanks!!!

A boat is a hole in the water surrounded by wood, fiberglass or aluminum into which your pour money. That's why I only have two sailboats, two kayaks and one canoe. Fortunately, except for the big sailboat, the other four are not very expensive to own or operate. I'd have some kind of motorized fishing boat if I fished waters where I believed I needed one and I have owned them in the past. I admire your thoughtfulness. Sadly I'm a little more impulsive. There is no pat answer. You pays your money and you takes your chances. Live and learn, cliche' upon cliche' ad nauseum.

On the Little Piney, from my experience there, the best and most likely times for classic hatches and rises is the Tricos in August and Sept., early morning. Those days I'm off the creek by 10:00-11:00 AM at the latest. There may be other later in the day hatches but I'm not much of an evening fisherman.

Well sonny-gun oneshot!!! I see you're over here too, good to see ya!! You ever get a fly rod? Good advice here too!