Don

I drove down to Taney Sunday and arrived about 5:00 PM. I witnessed running water at the bottom of the stairs at chute 2. I fished briefly out of boredom because I rarely fish chutes unless options are limited. I caught 3 on size 22 gray scud. Anyhoo, I noticed water dropping and suited up. Crowd at chute 2 by then made me choose old chute 3 area. As water dropped, I waded all the way to rebar area. I noticed many, many fish feeding off the bottom because small generation continued. I only caught one fish and that was with a ginger G-Bug. I threw everything but the kitchen sink at those guys but it was as tough as I have ever seen it. Not much action was going on top. I drug the bottom with about 20 different scud patterns and pitched midges as well. I'm used to alot of action on every trip but trout whooped my butt this evening . Any of you waders have success on Taney during mild generation in August? Thanks.....Don

I waded upstream only once before. It was in the catch and release area of Roaring River State Park and it happened because I didn't really know at the time where the proper accesses were located. I wasn't really successful at that point and I attributed that to the fact that I wasn't getting the proper drift. I usually like to cast between sideways and any angle facing and including directly downstream, mending line as neccesary. Wading upstream limits casting to sideways only. Casting ahead of yourself while wading upstream presents your flyline before your fly, I cannot mend the line. Although I do understand your perspective about sneaking up on the fish, I have always concentrated on presenting the fly before the flyline arrives. Any advice? Thanks.....Don

If one was the vengeful type. A decoy tank filled with gas and alot of sugar would immobilize the thieves at some point in time.

You and your family were in our prayers. I'm glad things worked out well for you. Don

Any other new reports on Vanish? I bought a spool and plan to try it soon. What are your favorite tippets and why? I usually start with Seguar Carbon Pro 4 lb test for economical reasons if there is a chance trout are not line shy. If necessary, I then prefer Rio Fluoroflex 6X. Finally, if needed, I will drop down to Rio Fluoroflex 7X. I finally tried 8X a few weeks ago and had many strikes and many breakoffs. I went back to 7X and did alright. My friend caught just as many on 6x that day at Roaring River. Orvis Mirage 6x is alright but their 7x breaks off alot more than Rio 7x. I've also found that the last several wraps of tippet on the spool seems compromised and I experience more breakoffs with this section of line regardless of what brand I use. Don

BROWN QUEEN ANT #16-18 Standard Dry Fly Hook Brown or black thread of choice. I prefer Denier ultra or uni thread. Body is black or brown dubbing of choice. Small black or brown hackle. Wings & Things wing material - mottled brown. 1. Tie thread on rear of the hook. 2. Twist dubbing of choice onto thread. 3. Wrap dubbing around 1/3 of rear hook shank into rounded shape rear abdomen. 4. Cut piece of wings and things material approximately width of hook gape. Use scissors to shape end of wing and cut other end to a point for easier application. 5. Tie pointed end of wing to middle of ant next to rear abdomen with the wing on top side of the ant and the rounded end of the wing slightly hanging past the dubbed rear abdomen. 6. Tie in small sized hackle. Hackle size should not extend past hook gape because ants don't have big legs. 7. Wrap hackle about 4 times in middle portion of hook shank. 8. Create a second ball of dubbing, slightly smaller than the first, from the hackle towards the eye without crowding the hook eye. Whip finish. I fish it as a dry or slightly submerged. Twitch once in awhile in slow moving water or swing it in a faster drift. No pics are available at this time because I do not have access to a digital camera. When I get pics, I will email them to Phil and ask if he can insert them into this recipe.

Thanks Damselfly, I will be fishing on the 12th and 13th this month. I will mostly be using barbless hooks as usual and I will make the attempt to use a net at least as possible. My goal is to get the fish to the top and skate it in as usual but get it into a position to finger the hook out of its mouth as fast as possible without it flopping away and breaking off. I heard before that an upside down trout is immobilized most of the time. Do you grab the fish underwater and hold it underwater when you look to dislodge the fly? Or do you just slide your hand down the line to the fly, grab the fly, then dislodge without touching the trout. I've seen guys release fish very quickly without a net and I seem to think that most of that comes from experience. However, those individuals still had a large net on their back for the big one. Thanks.....Don

I tried being a real man several times by not netting my fish. I lost alot of flies that way because I cannot hold on to fish very well. I guess since I'm not a real man, I must remain as a lesbian trapped in a man's body as long as I continue to use my net. I watched my cousin release about 50 fish one day. His fish always remained in the water except for some quick pictures he took. He stated there is no reason to use a net on a stocker size fish and experience without a net will make me a proficient catch and releaser without losing flies by breaking tippet. Any pointers on the best way to handle a trout in the water and releasing without a net? Thanks.....Don

A couple of months ago, I was going through some boxes from the attic. In one box, I found several items from years ago including this daily tout tag dated May 12, 1980 that brought back several good memories from Roaring river State Park. Good Fishing folks......Don

Thanks SilverMallard, I'll keep Lassiter in mind when I go. Based on the summer aluminum hatch postings, I'm going to forego the weekend aspirations at Spring River as I initally planned this summer and wait for the fall or winter. I have chosen instead to hit the Little Red River when I go to AR on business in August. Thanks, Don

My question is why do you need a barbed hook? I grant that I use barbed flies. I don't go through all my boxes and crimp down prematurely. I do, however, when I am getting a hot bite and catching alot of fish off a good fly, take the time and crimp down the barb in all nonregualtion areas as well. I can catch alot more fish that way and the fly doesn't get caught in the net as much. I hope nobody feels the need of the barb just from a sporting point of view. But on the other hand, I dont feel that a barbed hook is devastaing enough to cause debate unless bait fishing. From what I hear in AR no barb areas, If you are respectable to game wardens, they will normally respect back any attempt to crimp back a hook barb. I've heard stories that when fisherman get too "responsive", the game warden can stick the hook into a piece of nylon and almost always pull thread for a ticket. Therefore, please be respectful to the warden and at least indicate how and that you made your best effort to crimp down your barb. Good Fishin' Folks,.....Don

Well, I'd like to think I learn something every day. It's nice to have a national organization keeping us informed on what's really going on. I will have a whole new perspective on the situation the next time I hook a dog in the mouth. Don

Fishing was good Saturday. I landed about 30 fish, the majority taken on bead headed midges and scuds. Midges were P&P, copper dun, and rusty zebra. Scuds were green and olive. I picked up several more off the top with green holographic cracklebacks, pale morning dun cracklebacks, and foam beetles. Fished liked the cracklebacks when swinging them in current or stripping them very fast. I only fished two different pools of water instead of fishing up and down the river as I usually do. Several fisherman would see your rod bent over and place themselves five feet away from you while there are many other options for places to fish. Several people were wading in the fly zone and using plastic worms in the fly zone. Other fisherman, including myself, mentioned that those activities were illegal. I emphasize to fisherman to please make an effort to know and abide by the local rules and etiquette if you are not familiar with them. Water was flowing slow and weather was hot. Used 7X and all fish were caught approx 2 feet deep under the indicator. My friends also caught alot of fish with a variety of emergers, caddis, and scuds. My friend Greg caught one with a scud made of buffalo fur, Tatonka scud. Many of the fish we caught were attractive, no skinny fish. They had alot of large spots on them with alot of bright color, pinkish purple. It made me wonder if they were RR hatchery trout or imported. Most all fish caught were 13 inches long. Next trip: Little Red River Arkansas. Report will follow. Don

John, Ants are in the mail. I also threw in an extra olive zebra midge. Don the Procrastinator.

Phil is absolutely correct. I've been told by proficient fly tiers, never cut marabou, always tear. Don

Hello Collin, Welcome to the Ozarks. This is an excellent forum. I usually fish the Little Red each year. Maybe we can exchange pointers. Don

Chuck, I agree with Greg. You are a wise man. Don

Thanks for this new forum topic. My neighbor has cancer. Alot of us have been praying for her. Please include her in your prayers as well. Thanks, Don

Here's a link that might help. I can assume that the men's waders that correspond with the women's waders have the same ratings. Don http://www.flyfishinginsider.com/eWaders_S...asp?P=1&SV=

Greg, What were you using at Bennett yesterday? Thanks, Don

My friend Chuck and I visited Montauk for the first time. We drove and walked around awhile trying to get our bearings. Whew! It was hotter than a two-dollar pistol. We arrived at the spring about 4:30 PM. I was really impressed by the wild look that the flyfishing area had to offer. Trees lined both banks. The only way to fish this area is to wade. The shade and the cold water provided relief from the heat. I caught two with a copper dun zebra midge. I slowly explored my way downstream. Several scud patterns never produced a strike. Fish started surfacing, so I flung about 10 different dries at them. The only responders were to the black ant. I then caught five more with a salmon and cheese egg pattern tied on a white jig head. I loved the scenery. Weekenders had already left the area and I saw only six people flyfishing. Many times I looked upstream and downstream experiencing nobody in sight and enjoying complete solitude. There was alot of fog on the river for last two hours of the evening. Lots of wildlife around. A deer came to the riverbank, stared me down awhile, then left. A large snapping turtle crossed the river right in front of my feet. Lots of muskrat, otter?, what ever they were, swimming around all evening. A deer crossed the river about 50 ft dowstream from me. By the time I had the camera in my hand, she was gone. I tried a John Deere jig, no takers. I then tried an ugly zebra midge at 8:00. I netted six fish before the whistle. They were hitting on almost every drift. I wonder if the ugly midge was the ticket of the day, if the fish just wanted to feed hard toward sundown hours, or a combination thereof. I'll be back. Don

http://members.socket.net/~tjf/maramec.html

According to an official at RR State Park, seven days fishing a week was proposed for RR catch and release season. He stated that a final decision has not been reached at this time. Also, he stated that the state was considering four days aweek instead of seven, (Fri, Sat, Sun, and Mon). Meramec park fishes all seven days during the off season because they are not operated by the state and can wave their own flag so to speak. Don

I posted mine on the recipes section of this forum. Don

I've never had the guts to fish 8X. I break off enough at Taney with 7X. If the fish are line shy when I get to RR on 07/29 I'll keep 8X in mind. Thanks, Don