flyfishmaster

The store should be open, I believe the hours start at 7 AM. If they are not, you can always stop by Fort Bennett gas station on top of the hill. They open at 6 AM. FFM

TG, Happy to hear your report. I will be making appearances at Walker Lake during my lunch hour. Which part of the lake was hold fish. On Friday the only active I saw was by the water pump. How deep were you fishing as well? FFM

lizard, That is nice stream you have property on, congrats. Thanks for the info. I will just stay away from that area because when I see water like that, I want to utilize it as a fishable natural resource instead of watching the water just run throught it. FFM

Here is the stocking numbers so far. Additional lakes may be stocked at a later date. 2007 Winter Trout - St. Louis Busch Lake 21 - 1030 Busch Lake 22 - 375 Busch Lake 23 - 375 Busch Lake 24 - 288 Busch Lake 28 - 2400 Suson Park - 600 O'Fallon Park - 430 January-Wabash - 406 Tilles Park - 400 Wild Acres Park - 500 "Carondelet Park - Boathouse" - 314 Koeneman Park - 1800 Walker Lake - 525 Jefferson Lake - 3600

I just found the St. Louis area Trout Stocking Hot Line: (636)300-9651. As of today not all the lakes have need stocked yet. FFM

I just saw this report of another monster taken with a bow in SW Illinois. http://www.bnd.com/living/story/167409.html

Holy "snikes" that is a dandy. I feel very jealous right now.

patfish, Thanks for the info. I did not know they stocked them so early. I have never fished the Urban lakes yet. I'm only one mile from Walker lake in Kirkwood, so i know what I'm doing every lunch hour starting Monday. BTW: Are the best patterns to us streamers and Wooly Buggers? What do you recommend? FFM

I will bring my wife down on Monday Nov 12. I actually get a day off work. This is usually the only time I take her to trout parks. She enjoys catching a lot of fish. Too bad I have to take all the fish off for her. The little things in life get's you the bigger rewards in the end (or that evening).

Here is a follow question or two. When applying the Aqua Seal, does it go on the inside of the wader or the outside? Plus should you use the extra fabric sent by the manufacture when you purchased the waders new? Thanks, FFM

vanven, You are so right about the cost of getting local flies at the fly shops; it can just get down right expensive. Here is how I handle the situations. I let my brother or friends buy their flies on-line or that the local shops, I will then "borrow" one of each pattern from them and to use a prototype so I can tie my own flies. It usually takes me 3 or 4 flies before I can get it to close to the original, plus I know my flies will hold up a few fish longer than the mass produced versions. FFM PS: If you are looking for a few on-line sites for good quality flies at great rates, try these two: http://hillsdiscountflies.com or http://www.anglersdream.net/

I'm with Mr. Wise on this, everyone has there opinion, and reviews can be swayed. For example, I really don't like the Wulff brand of fly lines, but I sure will write them a nice review if it was given to me for free.

Like TF indicated, I fished Bennett last weekend and a few of the fish we caught had a lot of color, mainly an enlarged bright red ban. They were all males well.

Great pictures and thanks for releasing the fish so we can have a chance of cathing them too. Those hogs remind me of my pasts trips to Western New York during this time of the year.

Thanks to everyone on the replies. I think you sold me on getting one. I will get one ordered in a few days. Now I just have to figure out what to get the wife for xmas?

TroutBum4wt, What is line weight for that rod since it is so small? I was thinking about getting one for my wife for xmas. Is a 4wt line what it takes? or can you go smaller? Since you are fishing it on Taney, will the rod hold up against a 10 pound fish? or is that what you are hoping to test out? Later

Well since I have a crappy camera and cannot take nice close up shot, I acquired a picture from this thing call the internet. The picture is close but not exact, the one difference is that I add a tiny bit of black dubbing as a head. Here is the recipe: Hook: Tiemco 101 size 18-24 (20 and 22 are the best for me) Thread: 6/0 Black Body: Coats & Clark thread Button Craft (T3 is the color) 75 yards cost about $1.20 at Wal-mart (out in Colorado they use chamois instead) Head: Tiny bit of black dubbing How to: Lay down a base of black thread start the T3 (tail towards the eye) about ½ ways down the shank; wrap the black thread back to the eye. Wrap the T3 down to the bend of hook, then “spin” your bobbin clockwise for a few seconds (this will make the thread very tight, to create a segmented body on your return trip). Now wrap the T3 back towards the eye, keeping the wraps close together. Leave enough room to create a head, tie off the T3 and cut. Add the black dubbing, and then whip finish 3 turns on the back side of the head. I'm now out of breath. This is quick easy fly to tie. If someone starts another fly swap in the future, I will join in with this little jewel.

All I can say is WOW! That was not a day of fishing but instead a day of catching. Me and a friend got there at the whistle, started in the riffles below the entrance bridge and we did not move any more than 100’ all day. Until we go off the water at 4 PM. The water is very clear but has a great flow. We started off with my version a glow ball, but I call them my “sloppy balls”. They do not have the prefect round look. My friend kept with that pattern for 2 hours and it was non stop action. After replacing my 3rd sloppy ball, I decided to try some nymphing. I started out with a Pheasant tail and Zebra black Midge, both size 20. Again the fish were all over that and I never had to change my flies for 2 hours. We then switched to a size 18 Hot Orange BH Virus Nymph, multiple San Juan worms, Size 22 Buckskins. Size 22 RS2 (gray). It all worked! The biggest fish of the day were the 4 nice browns in the 17-18” range. Okay, I tried fishing the Green Butt Soft hackles I just tied but had no takers in a 15 minute time frame. I did manage to take a few on the Crackle back. But since that action was a lot slower, I switched back to nymphing. I do have to say all the fish in the park are a really nice size. I think the smallest one I caught was a 10” fish Go to BSSP if you can, I think my next trip there will be Monday Nov 12.

GregSTC, It is great to see you are getting him started early. I cannat wait to get my too little girls down to a stream to get their first trout on, I will probably cry.

Here is a link to a very recent interview with Steve Rajeff. If you do not know who this guy is, you have to read his bio and watch the video about him. WOW!! Here is the link: http://www.flyfishohio.com/Steve_Rajeff_Interview.htm FYI: the interview is 18 minutes, so give it some time to download if you are on DSL.

flyfshn, Your are right about BS. There are 100 browns (8"-10") stocked per month in Zone 1.

Slippery, I have fished The Canyon at least 10 times and loved every trip. What I like about going there is that guides are not allowed to take their clients there (unless that has changed over the last couple of months). So you don't have to compete for some great spots. You are right about the flies. Most Missouri stream patterns will work, the best producers are the Trico (and spinner), Mercury Pheasant tail and Hares Ear. I'm glad you enjoyed this great part of the South Platte River. The 3 tunnels are cool too. One time we got caught in a hail storm there and we all had to scrabble up a very steep embank to find shelter in one of the tunnels. With in 30 minutes it was over, the ground was covered with hail and we slid back down the hill and started nailing the fish.

I just told my wife got my second kitchen pass of the year so I'm taking advantage of it. I'm going to head down to Bennett Oct 20 & 21. Anybody else going? I normally fish in Zone 2. Below the entrance bridge. I'm a big midge & nymph fisher, but recently tied some Green Butts to give a try.

Congratulations Summer & Jeremy!!! These are some nice ones. Hopefully the baby is a bit smaller.

ffn, The word on the street is that Jockety and the owners did not see eye to eye. LaRussa needs to go anyway, it is time for a leadership change in that dugout. Total fustration for the fans. Just like the ball park, new is always better. Now on to football...Go Lambs, I mean Rams!