Matt Tucker

Sweet boat.

Mr. Spencer sir, i may have a "face for radio" but i have #$&&s for the Movies. Again, there is a market for everyone..... Well done Wise. Well done sir. --Tucker

You really can't make a comparison from fisherman to fisherman; by number of fish caught. My guess at fish numbers is pretty much a guess (I guessed a dozen, but it could have been 7 or 18 I really don't remember); I quit really counting a few years ago (I used to be a guy that would carry a "clicker" down on the White) and started judging trips by the quality of the outing and not the quantity. Brian is spot on about the hero or zero game. Before Craig caught the last fish (the bigger one) he was trying to sit down in the bow because he was beat and I only had about 5 minutes more of rowing to get to the takeout. He put in the extra effort and at that moment the fish god's made it happen. We went to specifically target big fish; because of the water level and talking with Brian. I have made numerous trips to the White River tailwater in AR the past two years with the same commitment to streamers and haven't been rewarded with fish that size yet. The fish gods were appeased that day, and that is all we could ask. Looks like i will be back down the for at least 2 weekends in January, say hello if you are on the river. --Matt Tucker

Yes Mr. Wise......you have converted me. However, the appropriate phrase would be "bazinga". Now if the 11pt only had brown trout. That being said, the NFOW may be the marrying river, but the tailwaters are where you go to get your stink on, sort to speak. --Matt Tucker

Two weeks ago, Craig Peterson and I headed down to the North Fork of the White River for the maiden voyage of my new drift boat (I traded in my Hyde highside, for a Hyde LowPro XL). The trip was one of those trips you don't think you are going to have it, until you do. Below are a few photos. We threw streamers the entire trip when fishing from the boat, and nymph rigs when we got out and wade fished. Photo # 1 Craig Peterson with a nice North Fork of the White River brown trout. This was the first fish, caught on the first cast, of the first drift with my new boat. Not a bad way to start off the maiden voyage of the new boat. Photo # 2 The heads on the NFOW fish are pretty impressive. Photo # 3 A look at the layout of the new boat, as we stopped to wade on our float. Photo # 4 We nymphed a bit, when we got out and wade fished. Photo # 5 Craig with his biggest brown trout to date, this was caught within site of the take-out on a last cast. Yes the fish gods were smiling upon him. Photo # 6 All fish caught were released. Photo # 7 I got in on the action on Sunday morning, with my first fish out of the new boat. All in all it was a great trip. We floated solo on Saturday, and Brian joined us on Sunday for a quick float. Lots of good times to be had in the future for sure. Who needs a tailwater...... --Matt Tucker

Brian can't fish to redds.....because he is always behind the lens when I am fishing them..... the videos have to be edited to music though because the entire time he is nagging me to stop fishing the redds. Using your logic about a fish being caught that is "colored up" must be on a redd (not post spawn or pre-spawn but specifically caught on a redd); we can assert that the President must be a slave because he is black.....how ridiculous does that sound?

Thanks for the reply. I am thinking we will have to check it out very soon. --Matt Tucker

Have been thinking of dropping my drift boat in there and floating that section a couple of times; but could never get any info on the river before I did it. Assume you floated in a canoe or kayak? Were there any areas you had to portage or walk your craft through. Any input would be appreciated. --Matt Tucker

A quick search turned this up......http://www.brewerandshipley.com/Bios&Liners/Bios_Tom_Bio.htm You might recognize one of his songs....."One Toke over the Line"

That map is uber cool. Think about framing it and hanging it on a wall.

My 9yo daughter Hannah was on me about taking her back to Dry Run Creek (a Kids Only trout stream in Northern Arkansas, near the Norfork River) ever since we got back from our last trip there, but it seems life always finds a way to get in the way. With a free Friday night and Saturday morning, I told her we could make a quick trip down there to fish for a few hours, if she was willing to spend that much time in a car (4 1/2 hrs from St. Louis, one way); and out of the mouth of babes came "I don't care, I will just sleep.". With that a plan was hatched. My buddy Brent McClane tagged along as he enjoys time on Dry Run Creek as much as any of us do, and with that we were on our way. Hannah had a stellar 4 hours or so on the stream on Saturday morning. The fish were eating like crazy, below are just some of the photos from this quick trip. We were back in St. Louis 24hours after we left, all in all, another great trip. Photo # 1 flyfishergirl Photo # 2 The day was filled with alot of this. Photo # 3 And some of this. Photo # 4 Alot of this. Photo # 5 Hannah with a 22" rainbow. Photo # 6 Alot of excitement, after she catches another pig out of the same pool just moments later. Photo # 7 This is what all the excitement was about. Photo # 8 Giving Thanks.

We caught fish on a variety of things. A wiggle stone that we use on the NFOW (yes, that big) and drifted without an indicator (on a 3wt....yes we were asking for trouble....but the water was up higher than we thought it would be), did ok for me most of the day. Small leech patterns did well as well. Walt Fulps was teaching some sort of class that day. I was hoping to meet Walt (I never have), but didn't run into him that I know of -- if i did, i wish he would have said hello. I think he had 7 guys in his class. We pretty much left them alone all day and fished the creek section of the property away from people. Cost I think was $50 or so to fish, didn't really pay attention.

What was supposed to be a weekend down on the White River ripping streamers on sink tips; ended up with St. Louis receiving a late March snow and the wild trout streams being blown out, and me and two friends on one of the private trout waters that Missouri has to offer. Private waters often find a way to spoil you; but in Missouri where crowds are often found during the spring and summer months; a nominal rod fee is an easy way to find some solitude. We showed up with 3wts, and quickly found out we may have been outgunned. Below are some of the photos from our day trip. --Matt Tucker Photo # 01 Evan Muskopf with the first of a handful of nice fish he landed today. Photo # 02 The reason we started carrying bigger nets. Photo # 03 The fly-fishing gods were smiling upon Evan today. Photo # 04 A successful release. Photo # 05 The obligatory fist bump. Photo # 06 Craig wanting in on the action. Photo # 07 Rock Star. Photo # 08 Another Release.

My 9yo daughter, Hannah, and I took another trip down to Dry Run Creek in Arkansas this past weekend. It was a great way to spend a weekend. That stream is a really special place; it is a shame Saturday was filled with adults breaking the rules of the stream (even Hannah pointing them out) and having to confront several adults fishing and adults fishing with live bait in a kid's only stream. The sad thing is if the funding for the Norfork Federal Fish Hatchery is cut and the hatchery closes, the stream will most likely dry up, at least in its current form. Those downer moments aside, the trip was an absolute blast and we are already looking forward to heading back there. You can read the write up on my blog here but here is a little photo essay of sorts: Photo # 1 Hannah in front of the sign at Dry Run Creek, near Norfork, Arkansas. In her words, the sign spells out "The Rules." Photo # 2 Hannah with a cookie-cutter size rainbow out of the stream; this was the average size fish on Saturday (I quit counting at 50 in about 3 hours) Photo # 3 Hannah learning the finer points of releasing a fish for a photo. Photo # 4 Hannah with another colored up rainbow from Dry Run Creek. Photo # 5 Even the ugly fish, bring pure excitement. Photo # 6 Hannah on the net, while I dig the camera out. Photo # 7 Hannah with a snake of a Dry Run Creek rainbow. Photo # 8 The reason you bring a big net to Dry Run Creek. Photo # 9 All smiles, after landing a pig of a rainbow on a fly she tied. Photo # 10 The ubiquitous Dad & Daughter at the Dance shot. Photo # 11 The last fish of the trip, safely back in the water.

Who is Tom Bloodsworth, does he have a site?