DaddyO

OK. Thanks for the feedback. Why would you "swim" a dead scud?

I took a buddy of mine fishing on Saturday. The schedule said that they would be generating from 7am-10am. So, we got there around 10am as the water was dropping out. The water was a little cloudy, but, it didn't keep the fish from biting. We, mostly, fished the Hair and Copper. I didn't keep track of the number of fish that I caught. I was content to play guide for my buddy. I'd put him in a hole and show him how to fish it. He missed several, early on, but quickly got the hang of it and began picking up fish. We didn't catch any browns, today, but the rainbows were chunky and full of fight. All in all, it was a good day of fishing. We got home in time to shower and shave and take the wives out to see The Wild Feathers perform at a local joint in Tulsa.

Phil, It appears that you guys are tying those scuds with red thread. Is that the case? If so, why is that?

The following response was shared by Scott Hood on the Tulsa Fly Fishers facebook page: Just recieved this letter/e-mail from Senator Tom Coburn... thought you'd all like to read it. November 6, 2012 Mr. Scott Hood 9 Royal Dublin Ln Broken Arrow, OK 74011-1127 Dear Mr. Hood, Thank you for your letter expressing your concern about water needs for trout in Oklahoma. I am happy to discuss this issue with you further and sincerely apologize for the delay in responding. First, I apologize that I have been unable to meet with you personally, but I am pleased you were able to meet with my field representative, Connie Pearson, and attend my town hall meeting in Tulsa. Also, I appreciate the insight you offered at the meeting and agree that the end of fishing in the lower Illinois River would be a tragedy. Regarding carrying the message directly to Senator Inhofe, my staff and Senator Inhofe’s office work in close contact on many issues like this. As you may know, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has taken steps to improve the deteriorating water quality of the lower Illinois River, and the subsequent effects on the trout population in the river. You will be happy to know that the Corps has announced construction measures to protect the trout fishery below Tenkiller Lake. Included in these measures are a special low flow pipe from an existing surge tank located at the dam and installation of a supersaturated dissolved oxygen system below the dam. In the interim, these steps, along with cooperative measures by the Southwestern Power Administration and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC), will help alleviate the current crisis. The three organizations will continue to search for a permanent solution to sustain of the downstream fishery. Also, as there is no permanent storage in Tenkiller Lake allocated for the fishery, storage for releases by ODWC is being donated by Sequoyah County Water Association, Tenkiller Utilities Authority and Lake Region Electric Development. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board has been actively involved by providing temporary water rights to ODWC for the donated water. These actions are merely the first steps in a long process. I assure you I am committed to achieving a permanent solution to this issue for the benefit of all Oklahomans. I will continue to monitor this and will ensure that I provide updates as they become available. Thank you again for writing. Best wishes. Sincerely, November 6, 2012 Tom A. Coburn, M.D. United States Senator TC: bpk

Yes. I followed him from the parking lot, hoping he wasn't going to the hole that I wanted to fish. He was and he did. So, I went down river and fished the hole below him. I heard the rod snap. It was on his first fish. He went back to the car and got his 6wt to finish out the day. He was a nice guy and I felt bad for him, but he said that he could fix it. Sounded like he knew what he was talking about.

Josh, I saw a guy snap his 2wt, Sunday. Nick, I heard that the ODWC stocked some chunkier browns and bigger rainbows in the last stocking.

Had a 40 fish morning on the LIR today. Several nice Rainbows put a good tug on the line, however, the highlight of the day was this nice brown. It's not huge, but it is the largest Brown that I have caught on this river. Here's a pic of one of the Rainbows. Half of the fish and the Brown were caught on the Hair and Copper. The other half were caught on the Game Changer midge that DGames ties. It was a good day.

Nice fish, Dylan!

Very Nice!

I had to go back and read the article, again, to see what Brian was referring to. If this is the quote: "It was that tough. And that was on water where rainbows will collect around your boots to scoop up scuds and sowbugs dislodged from the stones every time you move your feet." That's a little bit of a stretch to assume that the writer was saying that he's a shuffler. I interpreted that quote to imply how tough the fishing was. I have had several days on Taney, when I couldn't figure out what pattern to fish but could wave my rod over 50 fish at any given time. I'm not a shuffler, but I do stand in the water and have had trout bump my legs with their noses to get me to move. I have also witnessed people, purposely, shuffling their feet and fishing the chum line. It angers me and I pity the person that has to do this to catch fish.

I hear you, Brian. I get to fish Taney once or twice a year and I am at the mercy of the generation schedule whenever I'm there. I'm just saying that there are times that I just get desperate to catch a fish and would go smaller than an 18 if that is what it takes to pick up a fish. I have, on occasion, lost a bigger fish because I was on smaller flies lighter tippet. But, just getting the tug was a good enough drug, at the time. When the DO is low, I try to land the fish quickly. If I break off or pull the fly out in the process, that's OK.

Well, last week, I couldn't get a fish to look at a bigger fly than a #18. I could move them and catch them on midges and scuds #18 and smaller on 7x tippet. It's probably a different story when the water is running and you are fishing from a boat. I'd imagine larger flies and heavier tippet would be fine.

I second that on the rusty midge and ruby red midge. When I finally figured that out, they turned the water on. I wish I had gotten there earlier, but was at the mercy of another driver.

OK, I'll bite. What's a "Phlamin Pheasant Tail"?

Nope. Not gonna, either.

Last night, I was tying up a few Trico Spinners #16 my carpet is the same color as the snowshoe wing on the trico. I pulled the fly out of the vise and was holding it up to inspect it and I dropped it. It hit my chair, between my legs, and fell to the floor. I searched for about 30 minutes for that fly. I never found it. I found lots of beads and other things, but never found the fly. At one point, I thought, hmmm, maybe I'm not seeing it from the right perspective. So, I picked up one of the other flies and purposely dropped it to see how it would land and what it looked like on the floor........ It immediately blended in with the carpet and I almost couldn't find it. No, my carpet isn't shag, either. OK, it is my "Man Cave" and it could be cleaner, but, really, it isn't that dirty. Oh, well...... Heading to Taney on Thursday. Life is Good.

Jason, It's David Games' fly. But, I tie it in size #16 and I use Olive Flashabou. You can get that at BassPro or any of the online fly shops.

I agree with what Chance said. Also, If you get a chance, take the streamer rod and try some night fishing. The last time we stayed at Gaston's, we fished the run on the opposite bank across from the dock at bull shoals park. Caught a few nice browns and some hefty rainbows on black hibernators. I'm headed to Branson on the 20th and I plan to fish Taney, White and Norfork if possible. Definitely gonna do some night fishing on Taney. I can't wait.

WOW!! I'm Jealous. Good Job to all involved.

Thanks, Corky. I'm gonna tie up a few and try them the next time I go down there. I'm headed to Branson on the 20th with my Dad and Brother, so, I'll try them on TaneyCoMo and the White and Norfork if I get the opportunity.

Sounds like we need to start a letter/email campaign to Senator Inhofe.

Brian, have you, or anyone else reading this post, fished these articulated streamers at night? If so, do you feel that they have gotten better responses than the non-articulated streamers?

Corky, That's a good looking midge. What size hook is that? Am I seeing a grey thread body with a black wire rib and a read thread head? Or is that body material made of something else? Do you fish it with a split shot to get it down?

I tie a zebra midge with a copper bead, black thread and copper rib in #16 and #18 that work well for me on LIR and TaneyCoMo. I didn't have any success with it yesterday. However, I did catch one on a #16 Pheasant tail nymph. I, also, forgot to mention that I caught 2 small brown trout. 1 below the gravel parking lot and 1 at Watts.

Yes, there are some nice ones up their too. I haven't fished that area in a while. What has been working for you there?