Don

For a guy who's trying to lose weight, I hang around this topic way too much. Settlers Beans 1 pound ground chuck cooked. 1 onion diced 3/4 pound bacon, fried crisp 1 16 ounce can pork and beans 1 15 ounce can baby butter beans oy limas in sauce 1 16 ounce dark red kidney beans drained 1/4 cup catsup 1/4 cup barbecue sauce 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon liquid smoke 3 tablespoons white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt dash of pepper 2 tablespoons prepared mustard 2 tablespoons molasses Drain chuck, crumble bacon. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook low for approx. 6 hours or cook high for approx 4 hours. Makes 2/12 quarts. I usually cook mine from a dutch oven hanging from a tripod above a campfire. I brown the burger (usually a little more than 1 pound) with the onions. To save time, it's best to precook the bacon (I usually use the whole package)and premix the rest of the spices. Even those who don't like beans have came back for seconds.

Hey Dano, I made a batch of your peco when I camped at the White River 4th of July weekend. Good Stuff. Thanks, Don

We fried up a big mess of trout for some friends earlier this week with this recipe. Filets didn't last very long. Don

Jeremy, I asked before I went to the White last weekend. I was quite a bit upstream from Rim where you were. They ran alot of water on the Norfork last weekend. Copper dun zebra midges were hot on the White at the time, size 18. Good luck and be safe. Don

I've only been to the White twice, last 4th of July weekend and this one. Ive stayed at His Place each time to avoid holiday ratrace environment. All reports down there state fishing has been slow on both the White and Norfork lately. I was successful one day thanks to the truck from the hatchery. Ive only fished at the resort and Wildcat each time there. I fished the Norfork several times and I camped at Dam Quarry Park each time. I try to camp wherever I go. The absence of 4 walls around me helps me relax more than I would at a cabin or hotel. I only wade fish. I have contemplated using a boat several times when alot of water is being generated. Don

We stayed at His Place Resort in Cotter, next to Denton Ferry RV park. We fished for a few hours Saturday above camp. No fish. Man, it was hot. We took a lunch break and drove up river to Wildcat. Water was running so we went back. Drove to the Norfork Sunday morning and water was running. Went back to Wildcat and only caught one fish on black zebra midge. Was getting worried because we planned a fish fry for Monday. I woke up Monday and the truck from the hatchery was hooking up to the stock tube at the resort. They dropped 500 fish in the river. I ended up with 28 fish that day. Black zebra midges were good but copper dun midges were twice as good. Company showed up later and we had an awesome fish fry. Don

Thanks John, I just finished packing and will leave in approx 6 hours. I'm so late because I went to a friends house. He gave me fly tying lessons on a mayfly and a homemade muddler and gave me a zillion dry flies in which he had alot of confidence. Lots of caddis, emergers, high skater varieties, terrestrials, etc. I hope I tag a cut as big as yours. Report follows trip. Thanks again Don

Thanks Dano. I sure will. Safety is first and foremost down there. Thanks, Don

I'm going to Cotter area 07/01/06-07/04/06. What has worked well lately? I'm packed with buggers, scuds, and midges. I will report when I get back to Missouri. Thanks, Don

Jeremy, Where and when will you be in Arkansas this week? Don

Two days ago, while driving home down my country road, I ran over a squirrel. I thought a moment, backed up, and got out. I noticed the squirrel was dead so I cut off his tail and put it in my garage. Trout Bum?

Thanks Snap, I'll definately try it next time. Too many hours of lost sleep because of critters. Even when I put food away, they gotta go through everything else. Don

Besides the pearl and primrose midge, what materials are used for the other midges listed on Seagull's top five? I had great results with the copper dun midge that I purchased. Thanks, Don

Absolutely correct Riverrat. That one topped all of the others. I'm sure I'll get calls one day askng for money, car keys, etc. Hopefully I'll get a few from the girls asking if I want to go fishing.

My daughter Lisa and I got in the water about 10:30 after good rain that kept alot of fisherman away. We started nymphing a variety of scuds in 2-3 ft water and then fished some egg patterns. Wind was blowing mostly upstream all day. I had only seven fish by lunch break at 12:30. My daughter had caught a fat 14 inch bow. We drove to Table Rock State Park and broke bread with friends who met us at Taney in the morning. They said right before lunch they were bringing fish in on green flash type bead headed midges. My daughter and I fished midges from 2:30-4:00 and they were really hot at about 18 inches deep. Colors were light green pearl and copper with copper bead. Then approx 4:00 PM there was total silencing of the midges. We went back to nymphing scuds below chute 2 and picked up a few more. Not many people there all day until about 4:00-4:30. So, I showed my daughter around down river. We went to the boat ramp but there was not emough drift for scuds. As we were leving, the horn blew so we walked back down the ramp. We picked up about eight more on scuds as the water was rising. I finished with 26 fish and my 14 yr old caught 8. Good trip with my daughter, her third time fly fishing. She is a good learner and she had fun. I got some good pics of her fighting fish and she is ready to go again. Means alot to me. Good fishing, Don

I think I understand. Does each participant tie 24 flies of the same kind and receive 24 different flies back? Regardless, count me in. My favorite fly is the basic scud, but since it's really boring because it only consists of dubbing wrapped around a hook, i will submit a brown ant instead. My name is Don May.

Good Ole Donny Boy's Fried Fish Mix one half flour and one half cornmeal dry batter. Coat wet fish filet in dry batter mix. Dip battered fillet into buttermilk. Go back and coat with dry batter mix again. Fry until done and season to taste. Peanut oil is awesome to fry in but it is expensive. I mostly use less expensive oil or shortening. I love to fry fish when we camp. I hang a dutch oven from a tripod over the fire so I can adjust the heat with the length of chain. As oil or shortening is heating, I throw a slice of raw potato about the size of a quarter into the grease. Temp is 350 degrees when the tater floats to the top. Fish go in at 350 degrees and are done when they float to the top. Mmmmmm Mmmmmm Good

He stated hook size didnt make a difference and he was hooking fish on both large and small hooks. I know his flies and they are approx 10-22 in size. Thanks for the tip about the rod angle. I will pass that on to him this weekend as well as being attentive to it myself. Don

Hey All, I'll be down Sat. morning with my 14 yr old daughter. I'll be wearing my hot back up camo neoprene waders because she will be wearing my breathables. I wear a camo fear no fish hat and grey and tan fishpond vest. She will be wearing a brown chest pack and we both have green rods. Stop and say hello and we can network for awhile. Good Fishing, Don

I talked to a friend this evening and he stated that he fished taney last weekend. I asked how he did and he said don't ask. He then stated he hooked approx. 20 fish on variety of flies and sizes but could hardly get anything in the net because the fly kept pulling loose. I gave my best advise. First, he stated he was using a 9 ft 6 wt rod. I told him to use his 8.5 ft 5 wt for faster reaction to the strike. Second, he said he didn't set the hook really hard. I stated that most of the time I loosen my drag several notches, not to the point of backlash, and I can set the hook much harder as the drag spins off some during the hookset. Then as I begin the fight, I reach to the real and click back tight several notches. Third, he said as he is nymphing, he usually casts slightly upstream and has to mend a couple of times as the fly drifts to the side of him. I explained I usually highstick by casting halfway downstream and drift directly downstream and at the most I cast at a 45 degree angle facing downstream, thus eliminating alot of slack for a quicker, stronger hookset. Any other suggestions, agreements, disagreements?

Thanks, Steve. I'll be attentive to the bikini hatch as well. Catch and release or keep a few on a stringer. Don

All I fish are TFO rods. I bought them at beginner level based on advise. According to many experienced flyfisherman I know, as well as myself, TFO rods are the best at their price at most all sizes and models they offer. Keep in mind lifetime warranty. Don

What exactly is the aluminum hatch and how does it affect fishing? Thanks, Don

Thanks guys, I'll take full consideration when I go. I will report back results on OAF. Don

I am unfamiliar with Spring River and I plan to give it a shot this year. I seem to think that it is a totally different ecosystem than most White River basin tailwaters and I am up for the challenge. I would like to know if anyone can tell me just how wader friendly the river is and in what particular areas. I am interested in the area below Dam 3. I would also appreciate any advice on what type of flies are most successful. Thanks, Don