Brian K. Shaffer

This very fish was found dead, floating belly up on in that CA lake on Wednesday. Brian

You could also try another pattern - the Pine Cone, named so for the pine squirrel and tungsten cone head - invented by none other than the infamous Joe Schmuecker of Wapsi Fly Inc. This one is too easy. Slip the cone on.. tie on and advance thread to rear. Tie in a little dubbing just behind the cone, any color. Adjust tail to length.. using one single pine squirrel strip in desired color. Tie up the strip palmering it as you advance. Sort of work the strip into the cone, push it in a little... whip finish and add a drop of cement. Fish this one for anything.. especially smallmouth! Cheers - Brian

Watch your hand there mister, maybe there is a little snake in your reel. I just thought I would post this up to see if maybe the board would be interested in doing a similar contest. Brian

Where abouts is the Black ? I do not believe I've ever heard or read of it. Brian

Try some dry fly fshing over brookies at Norfork.. just about anywhere.. you will be surprised at thier cuteness too! best future fishes - Brian

Well it is off now.. but that could been some good fishing there today! (I might take in some bad weather this week if they are gonna run water.) best fishes - Brian

As a rule of thumb I will generally tie on a leader and clip off 6-8 inches or so of the thinnest end and then retie 2 feet of the next size down in tippet. If it were a 9ft 5x leader then I lose 6 inches and tie on 2 foot of 6x with a double or triple surgeons knot. Most of the imperfections happen in the last (read smallest) diameter of the leader material during the extruding process.. so it pays to replace that section from the git-go. Another idea that came to mind was after landing a very nice fish you may have had a little amount of the leader scuffed by the teeth of the 21 inch trout landed... so you alwyas need to re-tie after landing a decent fish. It will save flies.. and save time on the water. best fishes - Brian

You will probably have quite a few things to add at anytime - so join in! ( And we are glad to have you! ) Brian Shaffer

If you have anything to add anytime on any of the threads you feel.. join in! ( And we are glad to have you! ) Brian Shaffer

Quoting the poster from another board : " Apparently, this sturgeon was caught on the Fraser River in BC. just above the Mission bridge four weeks ago. It weighed in at over 1000lbs and measured out at 11'1". It was 56" around the girth. It took over 6 and a half hours and 4 dozen beer and 4 guys taking turns reeling, to land it! Chuck that in a pan and fry it...!!!! " WOW! - Brian

HA HA.. just kidding all -- but check out this 1000lb sturgeon! Just goofing off - Brian

This is a fantastic night fly.. easy to cast and even easier to hook up to fish while throwing it. Look up the S. Platter Special too! You guys should also fisn the Hornberg and the Muddler, as drier night flies. best fishes - Brian

I still feel Tanyecomo would only produce a 1-4% of natual spawning fish..... and that number would be a touch higher in solid high water time.. but not low water. Believeing that our 'lake-dwelling' trout would prosper against no water is the strongest argument... in my honest opinion. High water flows through the winter could produce such extra fingerlings.. but no water at all - no way. These are hatchery escapees. Brian

Did you ever see what happened at Crooked Creek in ARK ? This sounds very similar. Dave and Emily Whitlock did as much as any one could do to stop the future mining.. but Guy King and Sons (the miner)made money for years during the well-alinged protest. I am not even sure what happened with all that. Sorry to hear of what is going on.. Brian

Phil - another member of the board had the same complaint about the correct lack of bathroom facilities.. but it was more geared to the women's then the mens. This past fall I had the great joy of attending a home game at Lambeau Field to watch the Green Bay Packers LIVE in WI.. and I tell you -- thems are some really small bathrooms compared to the amount of people who need to go when you would like to also go. I was told - if you an pass the Lambeua Field test, you can pass any stadium. ( I saw one guy go in a cup while still standing in line ) I bet you got a little peppered inside when Izzy gave up that shot to Hernandez in the 9th with 2 out tp tie.. but elated beyond belief when Pujols came thru to finish out the win. We are so blessed to have Pujols healthy this year.. he has singlehandedly won more than 3 games for us already. We will see againsnt WASH - Brian

Does your dad know you're posting here ? Brian

The drought is the answer. Thank you Phil - but I would still believe those must be hatchery escapees. But odds of natural reproduction in Taney is quite limited. It has been written - I believe in Ozark Trout Tale's that OUR reproduction is / has / and will still be around 2.5% due to our water relief, that's questionable. Arkansas has had higher rates.. because they raised more browns during the hay day / until lately. Thier findings have dropped. Low, slow water has dwindled the numbers of all 4 species. If you catch a trout in Taney smaller than 3inches .. take a few pics. That's rare! But surely let her go! happy fishing - Brian

Even though my knee-jerk reaction here was to say just take here to Taneycomo, jOrObs idea of Dry Run Creek is brilliant. I have come to know of a few 10-15+lb fish that are swimming around in there. (just go look at them one day!) Also - as timfly mentioned, Roaring River is a good bet and there is lots of other stuff to do nearby if trout boredom did set in pretty heavy. (Dogwood Canyon perhaps ? Kinda' pricey though) let us know how you make out - Brian

I agree with never deviating more than two X sizes on my tippet, and for the record, if you are not using one of these Mike Rite gauges.. you could be making mistakes that will cost you fish. Like Phil - I generally add 2 feet to the end of my leader. I am not a fan of the Loop to Loop connections anymore.. because I think they tend to allow sinkage prematurely. I now use a nail knot coated in Flex-Seal to keep it completely dry. I usually start with a 10ft leader and cut off the last 6 inches.. then add the 2 foot or so to drop down a size. Sometimes I add more tippet just to make sure I am matching tippet to fly size (dealing with 20's and the like). Sometimes I find I am operating with a 4X leader that finally tapers out to 8X with the dropper fly. screaming reels - Brian

How's that ROO BUG fishing now a days ? Should be looking kinda good ~ right about now! The scuds/sowbugs have been changing colors. best fishes - Brian

I am gonna press question as to WHY ? To accelerate new water to be stored in the questionable later ? WHAT ? This is a confusing call to say the least. Brian

A new guy inside the powerhouse, Charlie, told me to hang on tight, but the weather AINT gonna warm up as high as planned. Might run water as it is true.. for a while like this. Hotter weather than acticapted is on the way - still. Let's see - Brian

I will miss paying my $3 to fish this water, if it is overtaken. Time's are a CHARGIN (changing) ahead for sure.... Brian (( is it too soon ? ya think ?? )) Brian

Can't wait to see to see more pictures of this little fisherman! Hold on tight.. as fisherman always do~! my prayers are with you all - Brian

Not my first fish, but my first and only Walleye - it was in front of my grandfather in 1980 or thereabouts... I was 7 or 8. His eyes lit up and he started coaching me how not to lose it once he saw how big it was (maybe 5-7lbs). This was on Lake Norfork.. in a tiny cove where we were having out family trip. Needless to say - I lost the fish on the 2rd or fourth net attempt, and Grandpa was burning that I lost the fish. A fond memory this day - as I've learned later that you don't land all fish.. and sometimes that is just as special. We, my Dad and 2 brothers and I played marbles in the dirt after that fishing trip... a special thanks to my Dad for making it all better. Another quick story - I was at the grandparents lake house when they brought in the big one. A 77lb flathead caught on a jugline. I will never forget puttin my head kinda close to get a picture to the size of the fishes head and the jaws jumped and I freaked! This fish was still trying to gasp air after 2 hours of being out of the water sittin on a picnic table. I will never forget how scared I was of catfish after that. Let's hear some more - Brian