Steve Smith

You'll have to post how an iron works for the task. I like the size of the cauterizing pen, and the fine wire heating element. You can take out a single hackle barb like it never existed.

I found a tool for my tying bench that I don’t know how I tied without a few weeks ago. No matter how careful I am when tying flys, I sometimes get an errant feather, piece of fur, or thread hanging out where it’s not supposed too on the fly. Also, I don’t know how many scissors I have dulled trying to clean out around the hook eye. Some one suggested on another tying site using a cauterizing pen like doctors use to cleanly burn off any loose materials. Well I found one shipped for around $20 that works like a dream at Feathersmc.com. You do have to be careful not to burn your thread wraps and make sure the tip is hot before you singe off the offending fiber. This is a really good tool, and John at Feathersmc.com gives great service. Worth thinking about. http://www.feathersmc.com/materials/Detail.php?prodID=170

That is a hilarious story King, but adventures such as you describe aren’t limited to Taneycomo at all. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen tourist in the parks using what appeared to be bait casting gear all the way up to surf spinning outfits with at least twenty pound or heavier test mono trying to throw trout baits. The sinkers most added to be able to throw the tiny lures sound like hand grenades going off causing every fish in the pool to scatter in a panic. One things for sure, once they make a few cast they get that hole to themselves.

jOrOb; that Disco fly reminds me of a pattern I tie called a shaggy dog. I don’t tie many because they are a real bugger to put together, and won’t last through many fish. I take light gray marabou using a magic tool, and split thread dub it forward in succeeding layers. If I had a digital camera that takes good close-ups, I’d post a snapshot.

It sounds like a great trip Dano. My grandkids always raze me because they catch all the fish and I usually catch zero because I’m retrieving all the hang ups and retying on flys. Most times, I just leave my rod in the truck. I know my most memorable fishing trips have been with my Dad or father-in-law down through the years. The enjoyment had nothing to do with where we were, or the fish caught, but it was who I was with that day.

I didn't even try to fish Roaring River Saturday or Sunday, but did hit it Monday morning. Anything ginger was the ticket for me, but I only fished the fly zone, staying away from the crowds in the hatchery spring end. I struggled a bit in the early hours, but ran up to Tim's and picked up a couple of 7X leaders that did the trick. The water is really, really clear right now. My best fly was a size 14 all ginger bead head wooly.

Check out the post below yours requesting Labor Day reports.

Rainey Lake and River are the best smallmouth haunts this side of the Candian border IMHO. Beautiful country and great people who live there. The rocks are terrible whether the lake is high or low. Just make sure the boat insurance is paid up. I have left a chunk or two of aluminum there myself.

What MOBass said... from Baxter to the dam will have so many boats running, you'll have a constant 4 foot swell to hold in. That ain't no fun at all. Get back in the rivers, creeks, or big coves to at least escape some of the party boats cruzing. To add the docks and bridge pilings suggested, look for bluff transitions from deep water to chunk rock with timber and fish early or late. If I was to fish this weekend [which I won't], I'd drag 4" Razor worms probably in red shad or watermelon colors real slow off bluff or point dropoffs. The best advise I can give is find a shady dock and pop a top on a cold one where it's safe. Good luck.

Exactly on target Ron; the son fished the Yellowstone area and mostly caught cutthroat trout. The pattern types really didn't surprise me at all except they were all size 8 and larger. I mean, the size 6 elk hair cadis is huge compared to most flys we use for trout locally. In fact, one can walk through most of our local fly shops and you'd be hard pressed to find anything much over size 10 in any pattern. And, we talk a lot about patterns and techniques, but size usually doesn't enter most fishing conversations, or at least it doesn't register with me. I was just curious if others out there felt patterns size 10 and smaller are a fish or fisherman's preference? I know I tie a "big ugly" in a size 10 that can be deadly in the winter. It's just a overhackled crackleback that throws a big shadow on the water.

My son just got back from a flyfishing trip to the Yellowstone area in Wyoming. Some of his trip was free lance, and some guided. I’ve personally fished the northwest [Fall Creek and Deschutes], but never in the classic rivers in Wyoming and Montana. In any case, he brought me samples of the “hot” flys that were very productive for him… some provided by his guides. I wasn’t all that amazed by the patterns, but the sizes were in my opinion, enormous. The smallest of the samples is probably a 2X size 8 Madam X up to a size 6 EHC. To me, even fishing streamers on the Deschutes, any size 10 pattern was a very big fly. Just out of curiosity, do any here on OA commonly fish large patterns in say size 8 or bigger other than leech patterns? Is the concept big fly, big fish?

Phil; I can tell you from experience that you're never going to stop all spamming. You'll might reduce the pranks, but true spammers are very resourceful in their attacks. I spend thousands every year protecting our ecommerce networks, and at best, stop maybe 90% of it.

Dave; unless fish are busting the top, you’re going to need a pretty good depth finder to separate shad from other objects. You look for a cloud of baitfish, with larger fish either in or under them. I generally drop a marker and note the depth, then count off line by pulling two feet of line at a time off the reel until I’m at their depth. I then “jig” the spoon up and down trying to keep in contact with the lure at all times. Many times, the fish will hit on the drop so if you lose the weight of the spoon, set the hook. Don’t think about it, because you’ve got a split second before the fish rejects the spoon. My favorite is the 3/8th ounce chrome Kastmaster spoon with a white buck tail teaser, but there are many makers and styles. I like to do this at dawn while I watch for surfacing fish. In fact, you can use a variety of lures, but I like to keep a spoon tied on because if fish start to boil, I can throw it a mile, which is basically what I do. I throw into schooling fish, and swim the spoon back occasionally letting it fall like a dying shad. Just like any other technique, this method has it moments.

TFO rods also have a no questions asked $25 replacement warranty.

I own both a low end 4wt and a mid range 2wt in the TFO brand. Never had a problem with either, and even caught some pretty hefty 'bows and browns. I consider them as good as my Sage, just not as pretty

I fished Roaring River Friday, Sunday and Monday afternoon too. As hot as it was, the fishing was pretty good in the fly only area. I don’t think I did as well as Don… as in this heat; I tend to fish a while and sit in the shade even a while longer. Ginger bead head woolies did well for me. I tried some golden and then some furnace Cracklebacks, but they didn’t want to play on top or stripped much this weekend. The bead-head ginger WB’s did the best, especially where there was some good water flow. I tried some ants as suggested by Tim Homesley, but I guess I need lessons. I talked to several doing well with them, but that wasn’t the case for me. I also stopped down in the park at lunch today, and they are dredging the weed beds out at the upper end [hatchery]. That should improve fishing in Zone One for a while.

John; received my set this morning. Thanks very much for putting this together for us. All that contributed... very nice flys!!

Bead head gingers did really well too this week. Strip it in and when you get one's attention, give the wolly a little shake. I tried some dry flys but they just weren't looking up at all.

I agree with Dano and all; you have enough on your plate John. If the flys don't show up, send what you got. No problem at all.

Here you go: SOUTHWEST MO FLY FISHERS web: http://smff_fff.tripod.com/ Jim Murphy 824 S Pershing Willard MO 65781 email: apriljimmurphy@aol.com phone: (417) 742-5102

Moon shiner, that’s a nice quote you dug up, and very true. As far as learning about fly fishing, any good fly shop will answer any question you have as long as they are not swamped with customers. I think too you’ll find 99.9% of us long rod addicts are more than willing to share our knowledge. Be warned that opinions will vary from fisher to fisher on everything from knots to leaders to connections to flys, the cast, and so on. Just get the basics down and fine tune to your own liking. Just ask away on the river or on this forum.

Ditto on Stan and Carolyn. I met these two folks my first trip to Taneycomo, green as I could be on tailwater fishing. They showed me exactly what to do and use. Great folks.

Sorry I didn't catch this in time. Devil's Elbow at the mouth of Rock Creek is always a good choice during the dog days. Work the point all the way out into the mouth with plastic worms

We got about an inch of rain at noontime. The water has a little color to it, so you may get away with a heavier tippet.

Ants and beetles have been doing good, but the main thing is a light tippet. We had some rain last night, but not much. Actually, little since the 4th of July. I haven't checked out the river this morning, but I would say the water is still low and gin clear.