Bill Butts

Regarding Thomas Hill Reservoir-- I've been curious about the status of the power plant when someone mentioned the plant was not producing power and there was no significant warm water discharge. I was hoping to experience this fishery, this winter. Today, I called the corporate office for Associated Electric Coop, here in Springfield, that owns the facility to ask them about the status. A very nice lady gave me the phone # of the facility, which is in central MO, near Moberly. When I called the facility, the lady there said "I'm not allowed to tell you anything about the status or if/when the facility is producing power." When I asked why, she said she couldn't explain any further. I'm assuming this must have something to do with security/911/potential terrorism risks. ??? Does anyone know any more current info about the status of the power plant and if it is still down? Also, it would be very helpful and appreciated if someone could provide the name(s) and contact info for any bait/tackle shops in the Moberly area. That should be a good source of info about Thomas Hill Res. I searched and found several "sporting goods" dealers there, but was hoping someone could short cut the time consuming process of calling a bunch of them. Thanks in advance for any and all info you can provide. Bill

Hey guys, Apparently most of you are referring only to trout fishing opportunities on the Lower IL River. Keep in mind, from just above Gore Landing down to the mouth of the AR River is some of the best Striper water in the region, year around. You do have to have a boat to properly access this fishing, but what a tremendous resource and opportunity to catch these truly magnificent fish. The AR River has one of the few self-sustaining Striper fisheries in the US. And, those fish are found in almost every significant tributary of that river system in OK and AR. It's not quite as simple to learn how, when and where to catch them, but everyone I know that has caught their first good one, especially on a fly rod, is hooked for life. If you'd like more info, post your questions or email me. BTW, has anyone been on the Lower IL just above the AR River mouth and seen the zillions of Cormorants wintering there? Anyone have any pictures of them? Bill

Hello again, Drew~ Thanks for your post and question about tackle for Hybrid Stripers. Sounds as though you have the locations identified for opportunities to catch some of these great fish and just need a little guidance on tackle. My first thought is what a cool deal it is to have opportunities in your immediate area, some right in the metro KC area, to find Hybrids. "Finding" them will always be the most difficult aspect I assure you. Many times, it is "here today and gone tomorrow" because they can move great distances in a very short period of time, if they want to or need to due to water level/temp and/or available forage fish. You mentioned previously that you have an 8.5'-5 wt. rod and like the challenge of catching big fish on light tackle. Well, I must be honest with you and tell you fishing with that rod for Hybrids in the 5# or larger range is not something I would ever advise. If you were going to fish Taneycomo or the White River and catch 5# trout I would say no problem, but not Hybrid Stripers or even large White Bass. These fish strike and fight with a much higher level of intensity and strength, and the flies and lines you should use for them truly require a heavier line weight rod to adequately and safely handle the casting and fish-fighting requirements. If you are looking to buy a good all-around size fly tackle outfit for these fish (including White Bass, Hybrids and smaller Stripers) I would suggest you seriously consider tackle of the following specifics: Rod: a 9'-7 weight Fast Taper Graphite with a short fighting butt extension on the reel seat. A fast taper is necessary for adequately handling the large and heavy flies, the special lines needed, and the wind. Reel: a quality, large arbor disc drag reel capable of holding a minimum of 100 yards of 20# dacron backing. Line: the most useful line is a Type 3, 10-15' sink tip line, the second most useful would be dependent upon the water you most often fish; for lakes or deeper/faster rivers a 250-300 grain, 25-30' sinking head would be advisable, whereas for very small or very shallow rivers and surface/near-surface lake fishing a full-floating line would be the next choice. I've found the Rio Clouser line to cast the large flies in wind amazingly well. Leader: usually the most overlooked aspect of the tackle. With either of the sinking tip lines I use a 2-part leader of 18" of .018-.020 butt section with a "perfection loop" in the end of it looped to a tippet of 30" of 8-12# with a double-surgeons loop. This of course totals 4' and I never exceed that length or a minimum of 3' as I cut back from changing flies during the day. Flies: there are lots of basic and complex fly patterns that work well for these fish, but for the Hybrids you are specifically seeking I would suggest #4 and 2 Clouser Minnows in Chartreuse/White, Gray/White, Blue/White and Olive/Cream or Orange. When you look for a source to buy the tackle, I know that K&K in your area is a very well-stocked shop, but I would suggest you talk with Michael at Backcountry Outfitters here in Springfield, first. He is a Striper addict too, and understands and stocks all the right tackle for someone like yourself to get started on the right foot. Good luck with your adventure in seeking these awesome fish and be sure to post your experiences. Hope all this is helpful. Let me know what further questions you have. Bill

Russ, I agree with some others here. Michelins are awesome tires. Proven over decades. I've gotten 60+K from their A/Ts in the past, and right now have a set of them on my Explorer. All good A/T tires are outrageously expensive, so your request for input is a wise one. Another factor that is important to me, the tire dealer. I have a great one here is Springfield that I have worked with and trust. Unless the $$ is a huge difference and you just can't bite off the difference, go with the Michelins. As they say, it will only hurt your checkbook once. Bill

Jeremy and Phil, Kudos to both of you for the excellent photos and pattern. Jeremy, could you write a little essay on your experiences with this pattern? I think anyone looking for ideas for shad patterns will be very appreciative, and those that don't tie could relate to more specific fishing tips and buy them from a shop. Since you fish the White River a lot I would assume you use them in the winter in the upper river during the times stunned and dead shad are drifting through, but if you use them for bass or temperate bass (whites, hybrids, stripers) your thoughts and experiences in that arena would be helpful, too. Thanks, Bill

SIO3~ Interesting you mentioned "you are on mission this year". I can relate to that over that past several years. However, about this time last year I told my fishing buddy of 36 years that I was considering selling all my light trout rods to force myself to focus totally on temperate basses for a few years. Well, I did sell my set of 3, 4 and 5 wt. Sage trout rods, and the reels and spools......but got a little concerned about not having a trout rod for my closest waters just in case I needed them so I bought a Winston 4 wt. The only way to really force yourself/myself to make Temperate Basses a full-blown priority and learn as much about them and how to find and catch them is to block every other specie out and focus on them. You will probably agree that it is very different and far more challenging to learn and understand these species. I share all the above with you to make the point that it IS possible to concentrate on these fish all year. And, though it is frequently frustrating, the rewards are very sweet and fulfilling. During the winter months, the fisheries with power plant warmwater discharges present great opportunities for cold weather anglers. The Spring of course is known as the Prime Time for all these species because they venture up into tributaries for their reproductive efforts (most stripers and hybrids of course don't spawn, though some do in some rivers). Depending on the region, this can begin as early as late February and last in some areas until late May. Summer and Fall present constant opportunities in lakes to seek these fish on windy points and flats, and of course potentially anywhere busting baitfish on the surface usually early or late. Additionally, there are some rivers (usually tailwaters) that hold resident fish yearound, usually dependent upon water flow. Examples of this are the Osage River in MO and the AR River in OK and AR. One of my personal motivations for participating in Forums like this is to encourage others to experience and understand these great fish, and that they can be located and caught all year. We can talk more specifically about yearound opportunities within driving distance for you, later. Bill

Catman70, Thanks for your post. What do you mean by "below the 160"? Are you talking about right at Tecumseh, or down the river channel a ways, and if so about how far? Do you know anyone personally that has experienced this recently? Any additional info would be helpful. Thanks again, Bill

SIO3~ Thanks for your follow-up. I will try to contact someone at Associated Electric Co-op and find out the expected downtime for the power plant. They own and operate the Thomas Hill facility and their corporate offices are about a mile from my house here in Springfield. Meeting up at Thomas Hill to do battle with some Hybrids would be fun, I'll look forward to it. BTW, we drive 2.5 to 4 hours into AR and OK for good Hybrid and Striper fishing, so don't let the drive time be a discouraging factor. I agree, however, that you always want to know about what is closer to your own backyard. Keep in touch. Bill

SIO3, The status of Thomas Hill was news to me, too. Unfortunate, I was planning to go up when it got cold for an extended time. Disappointing to many to have fished it for years, too. It would seem logical to keep tabs on when they fire it back up. I would think the fishing would be awesome. Since you're in the St. Louis area, I would highly suggest you check out some of the Striper/Hybrid fisheries that are available in warmwater discharges at some of the lakes in Illinois. Here is a good link to IL Game and Fish magazine and it has an article specifically about Winter Striper Hotspots (third article down the page)...... http://www.illinoisgameandfish.com/fishing...ybrids-fishing/ I know a few guys that fish Baldwin and catch some Hybrids, though is more quantity of smaller fish than large fish. Still, fun for winter fishing. Please let us know if you check it out. Hope this is helpful. Bill

Guys~ Anyone happen to see this report from Christmas Day? It is from the BransonCourier.com site. Dissolved Oxygen Up and Midges are a hard combination to beat by Gary Groman aka The Ole Seagull published: Dec 25, 2006 Since Table Rock turned over and the dissolved oxygen levels have increased the fishing, numbers wise, has been nothing short of spectacular. On Dec. 16, using a size 18 zebra Copper Dun I caught about 15 Rainbows in an hour and easily missed that many. Size wasn’t great but the numbers and fun was. All the guides out of the shop are doing great. Also played around with a 1/32 Brown Marabou Jig and caught a few on it. I used 6x Orvis Mirage Tippet and had the indicator set at about two feet. I was fishing from about 4 feet of water out into six feet. I guess I am now wondering what is going on. I fished the 28th and it sure did not seem like the fish were very energetic. Can't find my link for the TR Tailwater data. Bill

J.E. I hope you get some Mt. Home area fishermen to answer your post. If you're really interested in learning about fishing for Stripers/Hybrids on Norfork Lake I would suggest you consider at least one trip with a good guide. Darrell Binkley owns Bink's Guide Service, knows his business and is a nice guy. I have some good friends that fish with him and highly recommend him as a fly fishing or artificial lure guide. His website is www.binksguideservice.com Also, thought I would let you know you incorrectly spelled Stripers. I assume that was unintentional. You might get some different types of reponses to your request for help with "strippers". Mt. Home may have some, but I couldn't help you with that. Here is the most recent fishing report for Norfork I can find: http://www.ozarkmtns.com/fishing/reports/norfork/ If you have a boat and plan to go it on your own, I would suggest you call every resort and marina you can find from Google searching "Norfork Lake Stripers" and also find out the name and # of the local game warden that works the lake. They are excellent sources of current info. Good luck, and let us know how you do. Bill

Hello Stuart~ Sooner Lake is starting heat up (pun intended) as I have watched the limited reports that are available and emailed a guy I met there last year. Here is a link to an OK website that you will sometimes find reports that are helpful. http://www.fishingnotebook.com/reports/okl...wwwreport.shtml There is a guy I talked with last winter that said Thursdays are the most predictable days for good discharge water flow because that is the day with the highest average commercial power demand. In general, the colder the weather the greater the power demand and the better the fishing. You are correct that access is reached from Hwy 177, but you don't have to walk around the lake. It is however a good hike to the discharge area from the designated parking lot, about one mile or a little more. Easy walk. It is a beautiful rolling praire and if you get there at daylight (advisable)you will be blessed by a sunrise that comes up right over the lake. (BTW, the employees and retirees of the power plant have direct access into the discharge area on the opposite side of the channel, so don't bother asking them how they got in.) The discharge area is fly fisher friendly, and you won't see any boats because they are restricted from this large area. I would suggest you wear some type of waterproof boots like calf high if possible. The warden will tell you there is no wading allowed but we saw several wading in the very warm water just outside the main discharge channel where it opens into a small bay. Directions. I just looked at my DeLorme map of OK and then the aerials on Google Earth and I am 99% sure the road off of 177 is E0400. As I recall, you cross the bridge over the SW corner of the lake and take the second road to the right. When you go down that road, you will pass through an open steel gate into a parking area. The trail to the discharge area goes north though there will be a few right turns that lead to other spots on the lake. Stay headed north toward the power plant. I would strongly suggest you call the warden for that fishery, Doug Gottschalk at 580.370.0700 (cell, I think). He gave me directions the first time we went there. Nice guy and very helpful. He is there frequently, so he should have some report info for you also. When I go, he is the first one I call for current info. If you'd like to see a few pics of the area, PM me your email and I'll send some. I won't take the time to downsize them to post. I wouldn't think many folks would be interested anyway. They are about 1.5MB each, so if you have high speed it will be fine. Hope this is helpful. Let me know if further questions. Bill

Gang~ Here's the link to an excellent comparison of quality 5 wt. fly rods that I found on another forum. While it certainly does not compare all the rods on today's market, it does cover some of the most popular. This is a very long read, but very interesting and well done. http://yellowstoneangler.com/FlyRodCompari...nrodtesting.asp Perhaps it will make for some interesting discussion. Happy New Year! Bill

Charlie Brooks' Stonefly Nymph pattern is an excellent one, and David is right on about "suggestive" patterns vs. highly imitative ones. This is probably most true with stone fly nymphs because they live in mostly faster rocky water. Fish have a lot less time to inspect them in fast water, so they quickly recognize size, shape and color and either eat it or not. Another thing about Charlie's flies is they were not pretty. In fact they were what I would call scruffy. This was always interesting to me because most fly fishermen of those days that wrote books about flies and tying usually were pretty good at the vise. Charlie knew very well what it took to tie "suggestive" flies and he caught a lot of trout. One look at some of his flies in one of his books and you'll see what I mean. He also used some interesting materials for some of his patterns. I have skinned and shaved a lot of hair and feathers from a lot of different critters, but I could never bring myself to skin or shave a skunk. Charlie had one pattern called a skunk hair caddis. I've still never tied one. In the summer of 1972, my father and I met Charlie at Bud Lilly's Trout Shop in West Yellowstone. As we were walking around in awe of all the pics of big fish in the shop (our first trip to fish that area), we noticed an older man dressed in camo clothing that looked like he just came in from deer hunting. He walked up to us and asked if he could help. We started asking questions about the area and he asked where were from. When we told him southern MO, he lit up like a Christmas tree and said he was from that area, too. This initiated a friendship that proved very helpful for fishing the Yellowstone area. Charlie was raised somewhere near the Current River and had a great love for our Ozarks. He was a very nice guy, and will long be remembered for his interestingly different flies and fishing techniques that has caused a lot of fishermen to think a little differently about how to catch trout.

Thursday was an interesting day on the AR River in the Tulsa area, but not because we caught fish. I continued to hear of a few fishermen that have been finding and catching some Stripers in areas that do have significant landlocked water with a little depth. We just couldn't pass up the opportunity to do battle with some of them, so we spent a very long day to check out several areas including some new ones. The river continues to be extremely low, with a continuous flow of only 40-50 cfs, a trickle for that huge praire river. Keystone Lake is getting closer to power pool level (just 2 feet below), so perhaps with the forecast rain this weekend it will come up more. Kaw Lake, about 75 miles above Keystone, is now just a smidge below power pool. The water below Zink Dam was brown murky, but it was about normal color about 5 miles down river. The water was green murky right below Keystone Dam, but beautifully crystal clear just a half mile down river at the Swift Park area. There just is not enough flow through the river basin to clear out areas that get muddied from creek inflow from rain water. For the entire day of fishing, fighting the wind, walking and wading several miles, our total combined success was......one dinky White Bass. There were only two people fishing below Keystone Dam (no success), and we only met one other fisherman during the entire day. That guy, Kelly from Tulsa, is a local fisherman we met below Zink Dam. He said he purchased a fly tackle outfit recently because he saw the fly fishermen catch so many nice Stripers last spring. Kelly has also just registered for this forum (I don't know his user name yet)and I think the guys who fish the AR will enjoy and appreciate his participation since he does know the river and has spent a lot of time fishing it. He's a very nice guy. Welcome, Kelly. Hopefully, my next report will be a much better one. Anyone else had any recent experiences down there? Bill

One of the most important factors about DO (dissolved oxygen) that I don't recall being mentioned is the negative affect low DO has on growth rate of the fish in the river. Most fishermen that have fished Taney over the years have at some point heard or read discussion about the fast growth rate of the trout. This varies each year due to a variety of factors. One of the largest factors is how long the river experiences low DO rates in the fall. Why? Phil previously quoted one of the hatchery staff as saying they target 11 ppm (parts per million) as the ideal DO for water entering the hatchery raceways. And another quote from Dano in a previous thread on the topic stated the MDC Hatchery folks get concerned if the water coming into the hatchery dips below 6 ppm. So, what's the difference? First of all, 11 ppm is at or near the maximum level of DO that can be acheived (they call it "saturation"). It helps maximize their metabolism....eat, eat, eat, grow, grow, grow. One interesting side note is that during periods of extremely high lake water when the flood gates are opened to help reduce lake level faster, the very turbulent water then created in the "stilling" basin below those gates reaches what I've heard termed "super-saturation". This is O2 at maximum level, plus the additional factor of nitrogen created from the extreme turbulence. Many of you know there are lots of very large trout, and other species, that reside in the stilling basin legally untouchable by fishermen. When the flood gates are opened, the resulting nitrogen factor has an undesirable affect on the fish I've heard called by one MDC staffer as "kind of scrammbling their brain." Obviously a non-scientific phrase, but made the point that they will flee that area to escape the affects. Over the years, there have been some extremely large trout caught around the outlets during these periods. Does it make sense where they might have come from? Zero ppm is obviously fatal, and 1 to 3 ppm can be fatal in some cases where fish are hooked and played and/or handled too long. This point has been well made by several experienced fishermen on this forum. But, even levels below 6 ppm are not desireable for our beloved trout. The MDC folks explained to me years ago that when levels go below 6 ppm it affects metabolism including disgestion rate of the fish, therefore they do not feed as often. If they don't feed as often, they will not grow at their usual rate, either. That also explains why the MDC Hatchery folks want high DO water, to grow trout in the optimum time. It also explains why the trout's total annual growth rate is ultimately affected by the length of time the river experiences low DO rates. This has been a very unusual year, with the lake not turning by this time. Another interesting factor that was shared by an MDC staffer some time ago, is that the Corps of Engineers has a legally binding obligation to maintain the DO of the water entering the river at no less than 5 ppm. They of course do not do this. My understanding is that this was one of many aspects of the mitigation they agreed to upon daming up one of this countries greatest warmwater smallmouth fisheries, the White River. Another aspect of the mitigation is the annual supply of trout from a Federal Trout Hatchery. Hope this sheds further light on the importance of Dissolved Oxygen.

Oh my gosh, Phil! Just as you get back to the home 20 and the worst of all spammers/tricksters has struck. Check out the post, supposedly in your name, that has YOU dancing as an Elf. But it IS clearly your face on there. I'll bet it was Dano that did it, since he did have admin power while you were gone.. Too funny!!! Merry Christmas, ya'll!!!! Bill

David, You are in an area that is within easy driving distance of a lot of good fishing going in virtually every direction from Joplin. However, concerning stream fishing for bass I would highly recommend you experience the spring fishing for White Bass (and sometimes Hybrid Stripers)on the Spring River near Miami. During years with lots of rain and higher river flows, these fish will migrate as far upriver as Baxter Springs. These fish make their annual spawning run beginning in late winter and peak in early to mid April. The river can have Whites in it as early as February depending on water and weather temps. Hybrids were heavily stocked in Grand Lake in 2005 so there should be some nice 3# range fish showing up this spring. If you are interested in pursuing these great fish and need more info on tackle and flies, read some of the original posts in the Striper section topics on the site, and feel free to ask for further assistance. There are also some guys in the Joplin-area fly fishing club, MAKO Flyfishers, that are knowledgeable and you might also check with the folks at Southtown Bait to see if they do. The key is to network with others that have the common interest. This family of fish, the Temperate Basses which include Striped Bass, are pound for pound the strongest fightng fish you will find in freshwater and awesome fun with a fly rod. Let me know if I can assist you in any way. Bill

Drew, Thanks for your post. It appears you have a very good resource opportunity to catch some nice Hybrids on the waters you described. There are also great opportunities to catch Hybrids and Stripers on LaCygne Reservoir south of KC, just east of Highway 69, throughout the winter due to a warmwater discharge that attracts bait fish and game fish. You certainly have a good idea of how great these awesome fish are, so it is no wonder that you are entusiastic about catching more of them on your fly rod. First of all, you will find that a fast taper 7 weight rod is the most useful for Hybrid fishing, but not the only rod you might need. The most useful line I have found for Hybrid (and white bass)fishing is a #3 sink-tip of 12 to 15' with a short 3.5 to 4'leader. I use this combo for about 75% of my fishing for these species. However, I also find a WF Clouser (Rio brand) floating line or an Aqua-lux Intermediate (also Rio) sink-tip to be very advisable to carry for very low, shallow water conditions, also with about 4' of leader. For flies, you will find that Clouser Minnow patterns in Gray/White, Chartreuse/White, and a natural pattern like brown or olive over cream will cover the basics, though many different minnow imitation patterns will work. You will need to carry these in lengths from 2" up to 5". If you tie or buy them made with synthetic hair (as opposed to natural bucktail hair)you can minimize the quantity you carry if you carry the longer versions and a small pair of scissors to trim them down in length if necessary. Presentation is pretty basic. I usually make my casts straight across or slightly upstream and across, let the line and fly sink at varying rates then begin a strip retrieve. I vary the retrieve from very slow short strips to very fast long strips to find what the fish accept best at the time. In faster water, I don't hesitate to try not stripping but only twitching the rod tip as the fly swims. I hope you find this helpful. You might also benefit from reading an old post I made in this topic entitled "Suggested Tackle--No Sissy Stuff". Also, it also might be helpful to read some of the other early posts in the Striper topics. Finally, please share your experiences (good or bad) with the OA Forum folks when you give your area a try for Hybrids. Don't hesitate to request further information via this forum or by PM or email. Tight lines, Bill

hello folks, Just a quick note to tell you that Dano and I are trying to keep the BS spam and virus jokers in check while Phil is gone. I had no idea how much of this junk is posted on our beloved OA Forum. If you spot anything suspicious, please drop me and/or Dano a PM or email and let us know. I have deleted lots of them in the past 2 days. Thanks for your help, Bill Butts

Gonefishin' Thanks for your response and questions. 2006 has been a great year for Hybrid and Striper fishing, but not recently. Most of my investment of time and the resulting success came in the first 5 months of the year. My new job has taken a lot of extra time since May, but I plan to ramp up my pursuit of those great fish very soon. Success began very early in January this past year, so water permitting it will be good again. My essay on winter clothing outlined the very best materials for extreme conditions, including the optimal performing fabric even after getting wet. The very best fabrics are the high quality synthetic fleeces and piles. Wool is good but is not the optimal fabric even though it is still widely used. If you read the last segment where I explained what to do if you get partially or completely soaked, the key factor in that scenario is how you respond and what your fabric(s) can do after it gets soaked. I noted the fact that quality synthetic fleece only absorbs about 1-2% of its weight in water, but I didn't mention the absorption rate of wool. Wool industry websites, and traditional wool garment producer Filson, quote the absorption rate of wool as up to 30% of its own weight. The positive aspect of this they note is that wool will move moisture away from your skin, like synthetics; but the down side is that its ability to continue to wick moisture away from itself (dry out) is not good. I've always read or heard that wool retains about 60% of its ability to insulate, whereas quality synthetics are in the 90% plus range. It should be noted that this refers to wet garments, but not dripping wet soaked garments. Once the bulk of the moisture is wrung out from Fleece, its resiliency (retained loft or bulk) and low moisture content allows it to be ready to accept body heat as it becomes available. As that heat builds, the very small amount of moisture remaining in the fabric is efficiently wicked outward to the next layer. No natural fiber has this efficient capability, due to much higher moisture absorption factors. This is why the qualtiy synthetics are still the very best for extreme conditions. I talked at length with the folks at Patagonia about this specific subject and scenario, recently. I found it interesting that they had recently added a new wool base-layer to their clothing line. They made it very clear that they do not recommend any wool in a layering system for extreme cold/wet conditions. They did say the wool base layer was OK for a high output, short duration like cross-country skiing, but only if the person is returning to a warm environment (eg--ski lodge) before cool down from the activity. They reiterated again that wool can remove moisture from the skin for a short time, but does not have the efficient ability to wick outward. A couple of other interesting facts the Patagonia folks shared with me were that wool is known to actually feel warmer than fleece when wet, perhaps due to its heavier physical weight, and that wool does not as quickly retain body odors in base layer garments like many synthetics. (Important note: Some manufacturers have incorporated a fine "silver thread" in their fabric weaves which creates an almost magical chemical block to the development of anti-microbial issues. I have several pieces of this type of base layer and they are amazing in their long term (several days without retaining significant body odor) performance. Patagonia sited potential human health and environmental issues as the reason they don't offer such garments at this time.) This was all probably more than you wanted or needed to know, but I hope it is helpful to further your understanding of optimal fabrics for extreme winter outdoor wear. Let me know if any of this was not clear, or if further questions. Bill

Greetings! Recently, a good friend and I engaged in an interesting discussion about clothing and fabrics that are optimal for warm, dry and safe performance during extreme cold and wet conditions. We agreed and disagreed about the many factors of this subject, but one thing we agreed on was that the OA Forum readers and participants would probably benefit in a variety of ways from a discussion topic on "Proper Clothing for Winter Fly Fishing". In the Ozarks, we are very blessed to live in a beautiful region that not only boasts wonderful trout streams, but a moderate climate where we can fish them on all but the most severe days throughout the year. The key to enjoying the coldest, wettest days is wearing the proper layered clothing along with your wading gear. There are a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions about fishing clothing for wet and cold weather. It is my hope that some of you will benefit from the following dissertation, which is based on today's availability of wonderfully designed and manufactured outdoor clothing and some of my experiences fly fishing in cold and wet weather over the past 35 years. I don't work for any clothing company or fly shop, but have had a passion for many years to help fellow fly fishermen understand the importance of proper layering in extreme weather and what specific fabrics and garments are best for the job. First of all, my comments will assume the fisherman wants to take the most comfortable and safest approach to winter fly fishing. Another assumption is the reality that any time you wade there is the possibility you may fall in and get partially or completely soaked. This can be very dangerous in cold weather if you do not have a warm place to retreat to like a heated vehicle or building. If you hike some distance to your fishing spot or are floating a river, it is highly probable it would take significant time to reach safety. After the following explanation of clothing, I will also take you through how to survive a drenching, should you be unfortunate enough to experience it. A well-prepared winter outdoorsman should always be prepared with a variety of supplies, including a complete change of clothing. Let's start from the inside layers and progress to the outermost layer: Note: In the following text, "fleece" is referred to as synthetic fleece like Polar Fleece or Synchilla, even though we all know real fleece comes from sheep (wool), and even heavy cotton garments are sometimes referred to as fleece. If you are shopping for garments to be used in extreme conditions, buy the best quality you can afford whether it is fleece or breathable rainwear and waders. Don't expect the best performance from economy priced garments, unless you're fortunate enough to find the good stuff on sale. Base-layer next to your skin. A quality lightweight base layer (pants, shirt and sox) of synthetic fabric that will "wick" the moisture away from your skin, out to the next layer. There are many good ones that are sold by specialty fly shops, other outdoor specialty shops, and the larger outdoor equipment merchants. Here are a few by brand name that are excellent, but only a handful of the many: Simms, Patagonia, North Face, and UnderArmour. For your feet, a pair of liner sox of similar fabric is highly suggested. Mid-layer(s). This layer is an insulating layer for creating and maintaining body heat. The best overall fabrics are good quality synthetic fleece or pile. Usually, I pick a garment that does not have a wind or water-proof shell, but it's generally OK if the shell is breathable fabric. There are lots of quality garments available in this category, but here are a few by name brand: Simms, Patagonia, Mountain Hardware, North Face; and most large outdoor retailers like Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, L.L. Bean, and Orvis, that sell their own private-labeled garments, too. Mid-layer #2? In extreme cold, an additional inner-layer is sometimes helpful and what I like to add is a good fleece vest. Generally, the extra insulation is most needed in the core body area, so a vest is usually ideal. I also highly suggest that one of the above items have a nice tall, snug neck on it to help retain heat. Be sure these layers are not tight fitting, allowing plenty of dead air space to hold warm insulating air. For the lower body, the best mid-layer is a mid-to-heavy weight fleece pant over your base layer. The above garments also efficiently transmit (wick) excess moisture toward the outer layer. Very important. Back to the feet, my favorite is a heavy sock of merino wool blended with capilene or other synthetic for durability and moisture wicking ability. Very comfortable. Also, remember not to wear so much bulk in your wader feet that your feet are restricted in movement (tight). The down side of having restricted movement is that it reduces the amount of available extra warm air space that helps your feet stay warm. Outer-layer. This is the final but critical layer, for wind and rain/snow protection. The best garment is a wind/water-proof coat that is also breathable. The breathability factor is just as important as the wind and rain factor. Most of the best coats on the market use Goretex in the garment, but there are a few other good ones. Most of these will have a hood, which I particularly like to use in the most severe conditions. Gloves are another important consideration for comfort and function. Fingerless-style gloves have been around for decades, and are still the choice and necessity of fly fishermen. They are available in primarily two types, fleece and wool. I used the wool type for about 30 years until a few years ago when I tried a pair of the fleece type that have Gore Windstopper (virtually wind proof), and also rubberized palms for sure gripping. I loved both types, but personally would never go back to the wool. An additional element of comfort you can employ is a nice fleece handwarmer muff like you see NFL quarterbacks use. These are inexpensive, will fit right in the top front of your waders, and are further enhanced by the addition of a chemical heat packet. Very toasty. Headwear is also very important. The head and neck areas are very critical to properly protect and insulate. I've read that up to 70% of the body's heat loss exits through the head/neck area. For extreme conditions, my all-time favorite is a "bomber" style hat made from fleece or pile with a waterproof/breathable shell. The bomber has ear flaps that wrap down under the chin and connect with Velcro. Very comfortable. I have fished in the cold down to zero and amazingly my nose and cheeks weren't as cold as I expected, due to the warmth retained by wearing the bomber. Another great item for retaining heat in the neck area is a fleece scarf, or as the outdoor industry calls the stretchy round version, a "neck gaiter". What about Waders? The most popular wader fabric is breathable, usually Goretex in the best waders; but there are still a lot of neoprene and multi-laminate rubber/nylon waders produced and worn. I transitioned from neoprene to breathable waders many years ago when given a prototype design to evaluate. Not really expecting to be impressed or convinced, I was absolutely surprised at the real breathability of Goretex used in waders. It's hard to imagine using any other type of wader for actively walking and wading. Another no-brainer for wading safety is to always wear a wading belt. A wading belt is an extra insurance factor to keep water out of your waders. What if you fall in and get partially or completely soaked?If this unfortunate scenario becomes a reality for you, quick action is vital for you to begin recovering lost heat to ensure your survival. Most outdoorsmen have heard of "hypothermia", which can be serious or fatal in warm weather as well as extreme cold. It is quite simply subnormal body temperature caused by the body losing core heat faster than it can produce it. Not a good situation. If you become partially or completely soaked, it is very important that if you can't immediately retreat to a warm place, that you remove every wet garment you have on. The garments should be quickly wrung out to the best of your ability (have a buddy help if available), particularly your base layer, and put all layers back on. Once all the layers are back on, your body heat will immediately begin recovering heat and drying the base layer next to your skin. By walking at a good pace it will help your body generate heat more quickly. Since the synthetic fleece and pile garments can only absorb about 1-2% of their weight in water, the drying process is a very efficient one (unlike virtually all natural fibers), once the excess water is removed. And, the insulating ability of the high quality synthetic fabrics is nearly as efficient when wet as dry. Obviously, if this happens you should not prolong your exposure to the cold any longer than necessary. You should seek a warm building or vehicle and change into some dry clothes. This could mean a shortened fishing trip for that day, but with the proper clothing outlined above, it won't be a severely traumatic or tragic experience. Enjoy the beauty and solitude of Ozarks streams this winter, confidently, comfortably and safely, with the right clothing. See you on the river. Great fishing and tight lines to ya'll. Bill

Vince, Very nice fish before the weather turned and surely changed things drastically. So you went up river from Twin Bridges, but from your comments about the water depth you were fishing I'm assuming you didn't go up very far. Most of our spring fishing is above the Hwy 10 bridge, where all the water is relatively shallow. I don't recall any reference to "high lines" up above the bridge. Could you give me an idea of how far above Twin Bridges that would be? Thanks, too, for checking the water temp. That is a huge factor, as you obviously know, for success locating white and hybrid bass particularly in the transitional seasons. Do you live near that area? Thanks in advance for your follow-up. Bill Butts

Okie~ That Striper is probably bigger than it looks, from looking at how it compares to your rod. Length or weight? When caught? Could you shoot a few pics of the Zink area with the water at the super-low level? I think about the lowest I've seen it is 150-200 cfs. Does 30-40 cfs look and fish that different in the river basin? Keep in touch. Bill

Steve, Thanks for your response. I'm wondering, though, if you had a senior moment saying there needs to be water run from "Tenkiller". It's hard to imagine the river flow at 31 cfs. I've never seen it that low. John and I will be in OK in 2 weeks so we were hoping the river would be fishable, but we'll probably look more closely at the lower IL or other tailwaters in that area unless conditions change in the Tulsa area. Please keep in touch. You have my cell # don't you? Blessings, Bill