Yakfly

No problem there! Every day I get the waders on, or crawl out of a kayak, I end up swimming 🏊‍♂️

Ya'll accepting newcomers? I've been talking to Miles Riley this fall about the fest, and sounds like something I'd like. I'm primarily a flyfisher, but throw some spinners and spoons too, been wanting to learn this ZigJig technique.

Is that the top of Buffalo Shoals? Been too long for me, but I do remember a large boulder right in the middle of the river.

Thanks for the info. I never do any good on the Buffalo unless its clear and green been tough year.

Is the Buffalo still running muddy? I'm getting behind on the smallmouth action.

I believe its more useful to look at flow rate, instead of megawatts, when looking at wadeability. I have always felt 0 - 2000 cfs is "wadeable" meaning can stand in water up to my waist and fish and move around in water thats flowing that much. This applies to ANY moving water. But even then, usually I'm going to be standing in water no more than knee deep and fishing into deeper water. 2000 - 4000 is wadable if I'm in just up to the shins, or more likely fishing from the bank or islands. Any more flow than that your lure/fly is moving so fast you don't get much of a presentation. Above 4000 cfs its time to fish from the boat. The formula is 66 cfs per mwh on the White (26000 / 391.) So today's 190 mwh = 12,540 cfs. No way you can wade on that. Learn to think in terms of flow rate, it is useful for any river, anywhere.

My best smallmouth always come from the deep hole right where the Buff meets the White. Caught several 18+ over the years. I mean where you can cast into the Buff or the White from the same spot. And I've seen some largemouth in that section that are scary big, but never caught any. I think they only eat 12" trout.

Nice report - Sounds like size of rainbows that you typically catch at Rim - maybe they just migrated down. I've caught some nice ones in that deep section just above Shoestring that you describe, but never that many. I'm usually in a yak and only get one shot at them. Nice pics by the way. Much better than some ol' fish.

Everything said above is good advice. I'd just emphasize the almighty SPOON. Thomas buoyants are great, personally I like the plain old gold Little Cleo. 1/4 oz fished on 4 lb line will catch all day. Be cautious running through Wildcat shoals on low water. Very tough to get back upstream if they run 1 or less units, I've seen some experienced river men get stuck there.

That will catch a lot of fish, but way too much material for a midge. When you got the thread base tied on, if you would have stopped then, it would be a good midge.

Neat idea, but for simplicity, try the pom-pom egg. Craft store pompoms can get a range of sizes and colors for very cheap. Glue onto hook shank and fish on.

I've heard it said the majority of a trout's diet is brown, 1/4" long, and fuzzy. IMO, wing cases are for the fishermen, not the fish!

By the way Muddy, what's the status at Riley's - I had heard they had sold the place. Still in business?

Sounds like geothermal heating/cooling - using the huge mass of earth as a heat sink. Use anitfreeze as the media due to high thermal absorption/desorption. Big criticism on geothermal I've heard is you have to be really tight and insulated or you don't get the benefit - installation quality is critical.

F and F - I need to get a new roof on my house, and I'l love you hear your opinion on the best install in regards to energy efficiency. I currently have soffitt vents and 1 gable end screen, but no ridge vent or turbines. What would you recommend in terms of venting? Also, I heard something years ago about a radiant barrier that could be installed under the roof inside the attic - would that be useful? Also, I have a pretty gig "builders gap" between my lower roof deck and the fascia board (I think I have the terminology right.) A while back I flashed this gap with galvanized metal to keep critters out. Did I do damage to the attic ventilation by doing this? Good topic and thanks.

How is it at Buffalo City? Better or worse than 2008?

Anybody ever tied/tried the "Spinnered Minner" that Fox Stadtler developed? Basically an in-line spinner for the fly rod. I have been hesitant to get the materials needed, but they look deadly for smallmouth.

I tie from the kit you get 10 bodies and 10 kink shank hooks - the bodies taper down at one end. So you can tire the pencil popper, or turn it around for a slider/sneaky pete profile. About 2 inches long body, and thick as a #2 pencil until the taper. The batch I used last year were plain white body with the popper "face" painted red, and 4 rubber legs through the body. Worked better than any of the overdressed ones I had. Presentation, I cast as close to cover as I can, and just vary the retrieve. Like said, sometimes dead drift, sometimes work it a bunch - I just have to let the smallies let me know what they want on any given day If there is any take away for me, it's the LESS I do (fly dressing, presentation, etc...) the more fish I catch.

Here's my smallmouth box. Bring on June! Topwater - PENCIL POPPERS Mid water - CLOUSER MINNOW for minnow imitation, WOOLLY WORM for nymphs Bottom - TROUT SLAYER - small soft plastic made by Trout Magnet - dead on imitation for a baby crawdad - come supplied on 1/64 oz jighead - fish below a float, drift it just above the bottom works great on a 5wt fly rod - just have to superglue the body to the hook shank so doesn't slide down on back cast

Riley's is great, I've been there a bunch. Good jerkbait water right off his dock and down river a ways. Looks like the Buffalo is running about 200 cfs, probably can't get more than 1/2 mile up from the confluence.

I am a BIG fan of these things. I fished ALL of 2010 with one tied onto my 5wt setup. Back last January, I tied on a new 9 foot, 4x nylon leader to my 5 wt floating line. Then in cut off the bottom 4 feet of the leader. Then tied on a small mini-tippit ring with a clinch knot. To that ring, added 5 feet of 4lb vanish flourocarbon. This is my standard trout, bass, panfish leader system. I fished over 50 days this year on this rig, never had to change the leader or tippit ring - just added tippit as needed. Floats just fine for dries - just apply floatant to whole leader/tippit/fly. For delicate midging, I will add some 2 pound tipitt to the 4 pound, for an overall leader/tippit of 12 feet. That's the only time I surgeon join.

Vanish fan here too - I use plain clear Vanish in 6lb, 4lb, and 2lb - which equates to about 2x, 4x, and 6x respectively. The 2lb is hard to find in stores - you can get it on-line from Berkley.

Me too! I love the Diachii 1130 - well again I love Daichii hooks in general. The 1130 is light wire, but strong, so you get a quick hookup - and has a sticky sharp point right outta the box.

I've gone to using bulk flourocarbon for tippet material. I use Vanish in 6#, 4#, and 2#. Caught 250 yard filler spools on sale at WallyWorld a few years ago for $5. I think regular price is $10. The 4# is 4x diameter, works great!

I've dialed down my spin fishing as simple as I can, and I catch more and better fish than ever: 6' light/medium fast action rod 4lb line, either all flourocarbon, or if monofilament nylon, just add on a 6' leader of 4lb flourocarbon to the end I like a reel with 5:1 retrieve ratio, to help them "slow down" the presentation Lures - 1/8oz gold Cleo spoons