Brian K. Shaffer

Secret un-named golf course here in Branson (Phil has been there with me once)... 1 barbless fly - 1 hour - 7 landed fish - missed 7 or more - lost one over 3lbs : I tried to make the title more appealing to the younger demographic... ha ha Here is the bug - The Bow River Bugger : and the recipe, thanks to the Central Alberta Fly Tying Club : Bow River Bugger - here is a link to tying lesson for this fly : http://goldenstone.ca/Fly_Tying_the_Bow_River_Bugger.php Hook: 3X or 4X Streamer hook Weight:lead substitute or cone head Tail: marabou (color to suit) with some crystal flash Body: Chenille (color to suit) Hackle: Green, black or white Rib: Medium copper wire Collar: Deer hair Head: Spun deer hair

I get it to work with little slippage and the wool floats like a cork --- I just wish it came in bright yellow.

I thought it was blast ! Some of the kids had never caught a trout - much less a 4lb 3oz brown trout one kid caught for his first trout ever! The casting was extra fun. Watching a relatively new caster really understanding the principals of the fly cast - its like the light goes ON and they get it.... then they lose it 4 minutes later. (but with practice they learned they will become better fly casters) Jim Green, the rod designer and owner of Fenwick, said it best in a little 80 page book entitled " Fly Casting " in 1971; " There's no such thing as fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " I think we might even have some pictures ? Yes ?

Boy it sure did take them long enough.......... (missouri dept of conv that is)

I will not go back until Winter.

Swan off Casey... you got it.

I am not sure when they did this - but this is new to me : That is chute 2... the concrete ledge front and center is new to me... I am sure they are trying to prevent erosion. That is where the damaged bridge has been pulled up and out of upper chute 3. Won't be long and we will have our trail back. (I hope it will be before fall anyways) The bridge had a tree fall on it - Oct of 2009 :

Yep, there are smallies in there too. Only caught that one... but I did see about 30-40 that just wouldn't hit anything I was throwing. ( all subsurface stuff.. no topwater ) Wayne - not sure what kind, but I was told by the old man at the bait shop/reel repair place that it was a mill of some sort. You can walk clear out past the middle and reach the other bank very easily. They left the concrete in on the bottom of the creek.

I will comment come playoff time. This division we are in is going to be tough all year... and our pitching has been riding on a prayer the last few weeks. by the way, there is a Sports topic on this forum : http://forums.ozarkanglers.com/forum/163-sports/

Great job!

Crazy nice fish... great job!

what are those little round ball things attached to the fishes gills ??

It did .. until the Royals started losing too many games back to back. I found it funny that we play 2 there - then 2 at home. What a way to split up a series.

I like it with 5X and a little weight, sometimes 2 flies even. But I have not tried it 6 or 7X... I use smaller indicators for those X ratings anyways.

This is how it works :

Phil - did he come out with any yellow yarn ??? I emailed him about it and he said he would do it for us color blinded guys - or guys who prefer yellow. By the way, this system works really good on low wind days, and you can put a lot of weight on it.

Yep, someone had cleaned 4 pretty big cats and dumped the carcasses at the upper W/R access. Sunday I stepped into a real deep hole 20 minutes into the walk to get to the water, at the bank edge really. I was in regular walking stride and then ~thud~ mid thigh deep with my right leg in a hole/crevasse. Scared myself a little.. if I would have twisted an ankle or broke it - I would still be there hollering. (cell phones do not work at Crane... talked to a cop and he said only Verizon has coverage there) Crane is real pretty and all... but every 5 years or so I have to teach myself why it is best to go in winter. The river is so overgrown with brush.. hard to get around, hard to cast around, and I hate snakes.

(more pics from the following day, 5/26/13) (fox den) (closed up Table Rock Bass Pro in Reeds Spring, been closed since I moved here in '93)

I think the right below the dam / upper end browns still look like that. Late last summer I targeted them with terrestrials and caught plenty 13-18inch fish that were very healthy. They did stock in those dinks too.. but that will only help things out for this fall if they put on the weight they should.

That is classic... what does it say on your matching hats ? something Midwest ? Good stuff Phil.

Fished Crane today for about 4 hours. Caught 3 at the upper W/R access. The picture takin' got me kinda sidetracked... check out that alligator snapping turtle! (one trout and too many suckers!) (this snapping turtle had a shell the size of a dinner plate) (here's a '68 Shelby Cobra that was parked outside a cafe in Reeds Spring - super nice!)

Locals strongly urge people to not drag a chain here. Too many people have hung up and capsized.

Well.... now you can say how well they took care of you. DynaKing is a strong brand... and better at customer service than others... Ron Abby would have it no other way... I met him in 1996 and he was more responsive than others. He was a people person... cool as a cucumber... really nice guy.. and that sold me to one day buy his vise.

No problem holding hooks of all sizes... this is a great vise and well worth the money. Two thumbs up!